THE SPORTING ECHO

NBA Basketball

2009-10-27T16:49:00.000-07:00

With the NBA starting I thought it was only appropriate to post a few opening comments....

My pre-season prediction for the finals: Lakers vs Celtics.

Lakers are head and shoulders above the rest..the question is can Lamar Odom stay focused with his new wife?

Celtics..I am picking them because I am not sure about the other 2 teams in the East. I am not feeling too strong with this pick, but I think that Shaq is toast and will hurt Lebron James and the Caveliers and I don't think Orlando can pull it off two years in a row...plus they lost Hedo Turkoglu. I reserve the right to back away from the Celtics after I see how they are playing in the beginning of the season.

What I really want to hear is what you a think of your Jazz? Are you excited for the season? How do you think they will do? What do you think about the team?

TCU v BYU

2009-10-24T22:47:00.000-07:00

Well cougar fans I wonder how you are feeling right about now? Once again your team didn't show up in a big game and you got embarrassed in front of the country. Luckily for you it was on Versus instead of ESPN. What is it with this team? They never seem to show up for big games! I put it all on the coach - sure Bronco has turned the team around and has double digit win seasons every year, but that is because we play a bunch of garbage teams in the Mountain West. The wins start adding up pretty easily towards the middle and end of the year. I believe that he actually has a losing record against good schools. I will say it again... there are a few reasons why I think Bronco stinks as a head coach. 1) He is too mellow and can't fire his team up. 2)He doesn't game plan for the other team. He believes that his scheme is good enough to win every game. 3) He is terrible at making adjustments at half time. 4)He says that he is happy with where they are at as a program (a coach should never be satisfied). 5)Football is way to low on his list of priorities as a head coach.

As you know all of this is coming from a Utah fan though. A Utah fan that is having a wonderful night. So I want to know what is your outlook on the rest of the season? Are you disappointed in the results so far or do you still stand behind your coach? Do you even blame the coach or is it the players that didn't show up? What are your thoughts?

NFL evaluations (10/24/09)

2009-10-24T22:34:00.001-07:00

San Diego Chargers:
Unfortanetely this is a hard one for me because I am giving up on my team. They are absolutely terrible and now just an average team. When the team hired Norv Turner everybody was saying that it was a bad hire and there goes the next few years. I chose to stay positive and hope that the team knew what they were doing, but year after year it seems like we have gotten softer and softer. Sure our QB has become incredible and is one of the top in the league, but that is just about it. Our defense is one of the worst in the league and dead last in stopping opponents on 3rd down and our offensive line can't give Rivers long enough to do anything. The record isn't what bothers me, it is the way we are playing and the no emotion style that I hate. I am now calling for Norv to be fired! I want to see intensity and a desire to win and I am jumping ship for this year....

Denver Broncos:
To add salt in my wounds the Broncos are incredible. It pains me to say this, but they are a lot of fun to watch. They are the exact replica on defense that I want to see my team as. They are definetely the surprise team of the season and new head coach Josh McDaniels is a strong candidate for coach of the year. We will see if they keep it up, but the way they play is very impressive.

Minnesota Vikings:
As I said as soon as Favre was hired...."this is the fun team to watch this year." I should have went with this statement and picked them to go farther into the post season. I didn't because I don't know if Brett can hold up all the way through. I knew they would be good, but it is end of the season that scares me. I am enjoying this team and I hope they continue to win. Go get you another ring baby!

Atlanta Falcons:
I don't have much to say about this team other than I can't decide if I want them to do really good or if I should root for the Vikings. Ever since Michael Turner joined this team I have been drawn to them. With Vick no longer being overrated for this team they are enjoyable as well. The reason I didn't pick them to go too far is because their defense is so young. I am worried they will fall apart a little bit in the playoffs.

Washington Redskins:
Don't even get me started on this team...I have to justify my pick for the super bowl with this team. First they were close to the playoffs last year and I hoped with Haynesworth it would put them over the top. As I stated during my picks post the only reason I picked them is because I didn't like anybody else. Clearly I should have gone with the Vikings (but I already told you my concern with Brett Farve down the stretch)

Did Bronco just trash all the fans?

2009-10-07T21:52:00.000-07:00

In trying to defend Max Hall, Bronco said that the level of criticism matches the level of education and that pointing out all of the interceptions is something that an uneducated person would do. The next day he tried to explain himself by saying that if you don't know the schemes and exactly what plays are being called then you won't understand what throw should have been made and perhaps Max Hall made the correct throw.

Are you serious!? He just called all of the fans and media stupid and then tried to spin it to something less hurtful! Even if I don't know the exact scheme that was called, shouldn't Max Hall realize that he shouldn't throw the ball to a covered reciever? Every other football team in the country has schemes and their QB's realize that their first or second option is covered so they dump it off or scramble.

This is the exact reason why I could never like BYU or Bronco. He is always happy with where they are. Everything is gravy in his world and he is just happy to be there. Well BYU fans I sure hope that you are happy with the Vegas Bowl every year because that is what your coach cares about. He said the same thing when you lost to Florida State. His thoughts were (paraphrasing of course)that even though they lost he was happy because they are 3-1 and that is what most people predicted them to be at anyways. What a joke! Whittingham would never say that after they got embarrassed like that. No fire, no emotion, and no drive to become better. Sure you may win the MWC 4 or 5 years in a row, but I would be happy to let you have that for another BCS victory and #2 ranking. Enjoy where you are at BYU - Utah will be one step ahead yet again! Oh and maybe if you aren't happy with it then you are just uneducated - what do you know anyways!

I just intercepted Max Hall.

2009-10-06T17:07:00.001-07:00

BYU senior quarterback, Max Hall was suppose to have an incredible year and who is to say that he still can't. Incredible is a relative term and Max could benefit from having a good team around him vs him having a great year on his own. As for his own stats right now they are not looking that incredible. He is.....are you ready for this....leading the country in interceptions thrown!He has one more touchdown than interceptions this year and is currently tied for the most with a quarterback from SMU. Now SMU's gameplan is to throw it like 150 times a game and it would be expected to have a lot of interceptions, but there is no reason why Max Hall should have that many. Esspecially with recievers like Dennis Pita and McKay Jacobsen and a powerful run game with Unga.

Lingering effects from the Utah game last year where he threw 6 picks!?

Utah Jazz - Tough Decision

2009-10-04T13:43:00.000-07:00

Well here we go already...the NBA is getting underway. The Utah Jazz have already went through training camp and had their first game, a win against Denver. The pre season really doesn't mean anything and nobody pays much attention until closer to the season. What I want to talk about is Boozer vs. Millsap. This is an interesting situation even for somebody who doesn't care how good the team is.

Carlos Boozer:
Boozer has made a joke of himself and embarrassed his name the whole offseason. After he openely admitted that he was going to opt-out of his contract he realized that nobody wanted to pay him what he thinks he is worth and had to opt-in. Then the Jazz told him that they were going to go a different route and he decided to start shopping himself in public. By going on a radio station in Chicago (twice) and Miami he professed his love for each city. Apparently the Jazz couldn't get very good value for him either because he is coming back to the team.

Paul Millsap:
Less drama,but equally entertaining. The work horse of the team and a fan favorite, the Utah Jazz have showed how much of a man crush they have on this young guy. Millsap being a restricted free agent in the offseason allowed Portland to make a "toxic" offer. People think that Portland just tried to screw the Jazz because they have no need for a player in Millsap's position, however by offering him a lot of money the Jazz either had to match it or let him go. Portland tested the Jazz's statement that they will match any offer...and the Jazz matched. He may be overpaid now, but only time will tell. The jury is out...

With all of this drama comes the intrigue of what the Utah Jazz are going to do this season. Who should start?
Boozer- Advantages: The better player, the man the calls for a double team every time down the court, the higher paycheck, the most experience. Disadvantages: Plays little to know defense, alienated himself on the team, a cancer in the locker room, questionable injuries, and doesn't get along with the captain (D Will)
Millsap - Advantages:Constant workhorse, extremely motivated, better defender, hustles for loose balls, player and fan favorite, big paycheck, future of the organization as power forward. Disadvantages: Smaller in size, less experience, not as good offensively, question about durability with playing style.

MY THOUGHTS: I CONSTANTLY hear that Jerry is a tough nose coach and doesn't take crap, however our defense gets pushed around every single game. If Jerry is so hard nosed and has control of the team he should start Millsap. Prove something to Boozer that Utah is about playing hard and playing hurt. As a back-up Boozer can't drag other players down with his attitude and Millsap can become a leader as well. If Boozer is a better offensive player than he will have no problem going against the other back-ups on the oposing team.

MY PREDICTION: Boozer starts and Millsap comes off the bench playing a lot of mintues. Boozer is traded in February at the trade deadline or let walk at the end of the season.

Your thoughts......

Local College Teams

2009-09-20T21:19:00.000-07:00

I am going to go ahead and take some credit for how this weekend played out.

Utah Utes: I had very very little hope that they would win against Oregon on the road, and I was actually surprised that we hung in there as long as we did. There are a lot of fans (or media at least) that keep saying how disappointing of a year it will be for the Ute fans if the team can't win some of the big games. Let's think about this for a second...We lost more than half our team, our QB, our 2 best defensive players, most of our recievers and our kicker/punter (who was known as "king louie"). Not only that we lost our Offensive Coordinator, Defensive Coordinator and a couple other coaches below them. If anybody expects us to lose less than 3 games then tell them to pull their head....nevermind. I am not disappointed in the effort or the showing. Let's be realistic.

BYU Cougars: As you may have noticed in a couple of my previous posts that I didn't think BYU earned their ranking as number 7 in the country. I could hear the Utah State Aggies chant from last year, "Overrated.....Overrated.....Overated." I said that if they beat Florida State then I would jump on their bandwagon just like everybody else only they showed their true colors and embarassed their fans and their whole team. Just a couple weeks after jumping 11 spots (and making national headlines) they drop 12 spots and barely hang on in the rankings. As much as I want the conference to look good - I have a hard time rooting for a school that I hate so much.

Chargers done already???

2009-09-20T21:13:00.000-07:00

I am not giving up complete hope on my team yet, we are only 2 games in, but it has the same feeling as last year already! Sitting out of the game today was: Ladainian Tomlinson, Nick Hardwick, Travis Johnson, 2 O Linemen, and the biggest disappointment - Jamal Williams. It was also announced yesterday that Jamal Williams is out for the entire year with tricep tears. He plays the main position in the type of defense we run and we don't have a replacement!

Once again we had to ask our QB Phillip Rivers to save us and take our team the whole length of the field for a winning touchdown. This time he wasn't able to and we got stopped on a 4th and 2 in the red zone. He threw for a career high 432 yards and we still lost the game. Once again our defense is the weak link and I am getting really tired of it.

Not all hope is lost because our division is terrible, but I am not very excited about our defense or all of our early injuries. This could make for a long season yet again....life of a Charger fan!

NFL Predictions

2009-09-13T07:04:00.000-07:00

So opening day was a couple of days ago, but I didn't get around to making my picks -lucky for me there were no major injuries and it didn't effect my predictions. Here they are:

Division Winners:
AFC - Pittsburgh, Tennessee, New England, San Diego
NFC - Minnesota, Atlanta, Arizona, Washington

Wild Card:
AFC - Indianapolis, Baltimore
NFC - Philadelphia, New Orleans

AFC Championship - San Diego at Pittsburgh
NFC Championship - Green Bay at Washington

Superbowl - San Diego vs Washington

Winner: San Diego Super Chargers!

Ok Ok first of all I realize that I am biased and San Diego is my team, but I truly feel that the Chargers have a good chance of reaching the big game this year. If we can stay healthy, I am pretty confident in the team. I believe we would have reached it already if our stars could have stayed healthy the last two years. This year seems to have a different feel and I think it will make the difference. I really struggled with the NFC, I wanted to pick Philadelphia to win the division and go to the superbowl by default (or because I didn't like any other team), but everybody else has picked Philly and I don't think they will be as good as everybody says. So I went with Washington purely in spite of most other sports writers.

I put this here because she probably will be right: My wife picks - San Diego vs. Philadelphia. Winner - San Diego.

BYU and Utah Win Again

2009-09-13T06:59:00.000-07:00

I don't have much to say to either of these, because both were playing easy teams and had no excuse to lose. I do think that BYU will move up in the rankings though. Possibly to #7, because a few teams in front of them lost. Utah will probably move into the top 15.

BYU jumps 11 spots!

2009-09-08T19:15:00.001-07:00

After beating Oklahoma on Saturday night, the Cougars have jumped 11 spots in the AP poll to number 9 in the country. Top 10 in the country are you serious!? While I probably haven't given the Y enough credit for their great win, I really don't know if they are the 9th best team in the country. Who knows...they may deserve the rating and I am not saying that they don't, I am just saying that it a quick judegement based off of one game whose star Tight End and Heisman Trophy winner QB was out of the game.

They won and they deserve the higher ranking, but ninth? I guess only time will tell and if I get put in my place or not. I will hold my accolades until after I see how they play against Florida State and TCU. You have my word right now though if they beat Florida State then I will also jump on the BYU bandwagon to run the table and of course still lose to Utah, but run the table up until the last game. I am not committed to it yet, but could be in a couple of weeks. Florida State is the game for me....

What do you think do they deserve number 9?

Deleted Tweets

2009-09-08T11:12:00.000-07:00

Update: Tila Tequila has deleted her tweets that she posted last night. We will see if she follows through on her promise for "judgement day."

"Blue Balls vs. Blue Neck"

2009-09-08T06:57:00.000-07:00

The more and more that I hear about Merriman and Tila Tequila, the more I believe that she is just another skank looking for some publicity. I am following this as close as possible because.....well because I want the Chargers to win a superbowl and we can't have any distractions.

It was first reported by her lawyer that they won't be making any comments or releasing any statements on the situation due to the seriousness of the incident. Well I guess that plans have changed or at least Tequila didn't get the memo. She has been a twittering fool and it is making her look bad. She tweeted that she will be addressing the issue on Tuesday....which she describes as "judgement day." Now maybe it is just me, but I think that making an announcement about when you will talk about it and saying that it is "judgement day" is a little strange. I don't think very many people who got beat (allegedly) can make light of the situation. She says "I know the truth and it will come" and now she is referring to it as the case "blue balls vs blue neck." Again it seems like she is having a good time with the creativeness of the situation and enjoying her time in the spotlight.

I am biased to this situation because I want the whole thing to just go away so we can get on with football, but my opinion is that her tweets are hurting any chance at a strong case that she may pursue. Today is "judgement day" and you can bet that I will be following the situation like a hawk!

"Lights Out" on the Chargers!?

2009-09-06T19:37:00.000-07:00

Shawne Freaking Merriman is about to help ruin the Chargers season for the second season in a row! The Chargers defensive force and linebacker was arrested early Sunday morning for allegedly choking and assaulting his girlfriend Tila Tequila. The reports are saying that the two were out partying all night before they went back to Merriman's place with some friends. Sometime in the early morning Tila called the cops to report being choked by her boyfriend. She was taken to the hospital and he was booked in the nearby jail to later be released. Reports say that when police arrived at the house Tequila was drunk and there were no major injuries. Both sides don't seem to be saying anything yet, but there was at least one witness to the event and multiple other people at the house.

First let me make sure that I put out there that if these reports are legit and it is proven that Merriman did assault her, I will not be a supporter of his from here on out, my wife will be getting rid of his jersey and I will hope that the Chargers don't resign him at the end of the year. There is no excuses for this kind of behavior and I won't be a fan of such a character.

Now to the part that I personally care about....the Chargers! It sucks to say that so much of your season relies on one person, but I think we know how bad the team played last year and how we couldn't get any pressure on the QB. Merriman can change that whole thing around for us and make all the difference. He is a monumental force on our team and I was looking forward to seeing the Lights Out dance over and over and over again. This is a HUGE disappointment to me and I just don't understand how so many players take for granted what they have and blow it by doing stupid things. Esspecially so close to the season. I may have to hold my prediction on the Chargers for a couple of days so that I can see how this plays out. If he plays I think our year will be incredible, if he doesn't I still think the playoffs are in the picture, but we have an early exit.......AGAIN!

Damn Him!

Utah Football State Wide...

2009-09-06T19:09:00.000-07:00

It is finally here!!! The time of year that I can't wait for and what a bitter sweet opening weekend it was. First we started of with the Utes beating Utah State in a fun game to watch. Both teams were a little sloppy at certain parts, but overall it was a good first game. I wasn't suprised that Utah won, but there were a few things that stood out as really exciting. First I am very impressed with our wide recievers, we have a strong group and the reports that we have been hearing seem to be true. Second Terrence Cain had an impressive first showing, I realize that the opponent wasn't anything special, but he proved to me why he won the job. There were a couple of plays that he saw his first target was covered so he just started running instead of checking the rest of his recievers, but that will come with time. Third, I have to admit that I was glad to see Utah State put up a good fight. That first drive was a real eye opener and they kept fighting from the beginning. Give them a few years and Gary Anderson is really going to have them looking good. Maybe they will be able to challenge Boise State for the title.

Yes I do have to mention BYU and yes they did beat Oklahoma on Saturday night in the new Dallas Stadium and on ESPN! One has to wonder if they would have had a chance if Sam Bradford didn't go down at the end of the half though. My thoughts are that they wouldn't have, but I guess that is why we play the game. If Bradford and the starting TE are both out for a couple of weeks you can probably count on Oklahoma losing again soon, but for now we have to give a little credit to the Y. They did hold their own during the first half....er at least the defense did. They were flying all over the field and made some great stops. The offense was terrible. Fumbles, Interceptions, Sacks.....The defense kept them in the game. For now they have a win on the board and we have to look forward to Florida State.

Vick to place Thursday....

2009-08-24T21:12:00.000-07:00

The Eagles play this upcoming Thursday against the Jaguars and Donovan McNabb repotedly will play the first half, but it is unclear who will back him up and the obvious guess is Michael Vick. According to Goodell's guidelines he will be eligible to play and the Eagles are seeing how the week goes. Vick has been spending extra time with the QB coaches to learn the offense and doing extra study time. As of right now Fox 13 has plans to show a pre-season NFL game, but it isn't the Eagles. I personally would like to see Vick take a couple of snaps and see what he has left, but I guess that I will have to wait until regular season. Now that he is signed and training with a team, my feelings have de-escalated and I am anxious to watch him play. It will be interesting to see what Philly has planned.

Fox would probably be better off switching the televised game and getting a few viewers on Thursday night....I know that I would tune in.

Phillip Rivers Signs Extension

2009-08-24T20:38:00.000-07:00

QB Phillip Rivers has signed a 6 year extention with the San Diego Chargers worth $92 million and $38.5 million guaranteed. As a Charger fan I am extremely excited about this, I am glad that we got this taken care of early so that it doesn't weigh on our team through-out the season. Phillip Rivers came out of the 2004 draft class and is the only QB drafted in the early first round to not win a superbowl yet (Eli - NY Giants, Roethlisber - Steelers) but that doesn't mean that he doesn't deserve it. He has become a team leader on a team that is filled with talent and a lot of potential. Last year he led the league in passer rating and broke a few Charger records. Since he has become the starter we have tied our old total for playoff wins and transformed our offense into a machine. I know I know.....he is a huge trash talker and rubs people the wrong way, but as a Charger fan I fully support his passion and attitude towards the game. He has been a class act in the locker room and in the community and I will take that kind of fiery player any day.

Let's get a couple of our other players with expriring contracts(Sproles, Gates, Merriman, McNeil, Chambers, and Cromartie) signed and we should be able to compete for many years to come. Rivers as our QB will help alot. San Diego seems to do a good job of taking care of their own so I am not really word about it. Let's just go out and show the league why our players deserve it.

What! Are you kidding Me!?

2009-08-20T17:23:00.000-07:00

Boy or Girl...that is the latest debate in sports. Caster Semenya came out of no where and is blowing people out of the water or at least the track. She or maybe He has broken a few running records recently and now the debate isn't whether or not steroids are being used, but whether this person is a boy or girl! Let me say that again.....is it a boy or a girl? I am embarassed for this human being just because of how akward it must be. Now we have all seen people and asked our friend if it is a boy or a girl, but that is just between one or two people, not the whole world! They are getting ready to investigate the situation and do a "gender test." Apparantly this is actually a hard process to do and takes a whole bunch of sophisticated people to psycho analyze this person. I have a better idea - why don't we just give her/him a drug test (might as well check for both at the same time) and see if she/he does the test sitting down or standing up! I am pretty sure that would work for me.

For her/his sake I actually am hoping that this is a dude who is trying to rip off all of these other lady's from winning during a track meet, because that is much less of an embarassing story than to know that you are a hell of a runner, but everybody thinks you are a man! My personal opinion - because that is what I am good at giving - this has Dude written all over it! Look at the muscle tone and body type. Even if it is a girl by sexuality, it is a man by the body!

Well you decide for yourself...and share with us.....

Farve to the Vikings

2009-08-18T20:46:00.000-07:00

Let me be one of the first to say that I am really excited about this whole thing. The Vikings may have just become the team that I am most excited to watch after the Chargers. That being said let's reset this whole thing....2 years ago Brett Farve announces his retirement - summer ends and we are still talking about him possibly playing for the Packers - season starts and he has been traded to the Jets and gets the starting spot (obviously). He has a great season (I do have to say that San Diego still crushed them on Monday Night Football)but by the end of the season he has an arm injury and throws an alarming amount of interceptions in the last few games and misses the playoffs. Again he announces that he is going to retire, but speculation starts that he is going to sign with the Vikings. Vikings give him a deadline to decide, then extend their offer longer, Farve then decides that he is going to stay retired and everybody is excited to not hear about this situation anymore. Only 3 weeks later and here we are Brett Farve is a Viking!!! Local radio stations refused to talk about it because they are tired of it, but I wonder if I am the only one craving a discussion on the new development so I have talked to a couple local Green Bay fans already and they don't seem bitter at all...they still like Farve and have no hard feelings that he will be playing for their division rival (Remember when Karl Malone switched to the LA Lakers). The NFC North is going to be an exciting division to keep an eye on...2 big time QB's signed this year in Brett Farve and Jay Cutler. Ain't it Great!

Y.E. Yang tames the Tiger!

2009-08-17T07:12:00.000-07:00

The biggest story over the weekend has to be that YE Yang beat Tiger Woods head to head in the PGA Championship. Tiger went into the final round with a 2 shot lead and choked it away. In my last post I bostly said that I think Tiger Woods is back and this could hurt my argument a little. You can look at this a couple of ways...1)Tiger Woods isn't what he use to be, still great and better than most, but may have slipped just a little or 2)It was bound to happen sooner or later. He is human and can't win every single time.

I am taking number 2 just so that I can stick to my original thought that Tiger still has the inevitable "it." Give credit to Y.E. because even with Woods having a terrible round (75) he stayed focused and never lost his composure. Time and time again we have seen Tiger's partner crumble under the pressure of keeping the lead or just playing with the master himself.

Biggest sports upset of the decade? My opinion is no...but it has a valid argument.

Quick Catch Up Notes

2009-08-15T19:46:00.000-07:00

VICK AN EAGLE:
It turns out that there were some interested teams in Michael Vick. I was starting to think that he was going to have to wait until somebody got injured and needed some help. I am not sure what to think about the Eagles though? I would have thought that the team that took Vick would have been one that needed some help selling some tickets. It seems wierd to say, but I don't have much of an opinion about the whole thing. I am not sure how they are going to use him except for situational plays, but I imagine that he wants a bigger role than that. He doesn't have much of a chance to be the starting QB unless McNabb gets injured. I guess we will have to see how it goes. My opinion will probably develop as we learn what they are going to use him for.

TIGER WOODS - PGA CHAMPIONSHIP:
Well it should be no suprise that Woods is in place to win another tournament and this is what we have all been waiting for. Just a few weeks back we started to hear rumors that Tiger isn't what he use to be and that he has been struggling finding his swing, but with 2 victories in a row and on the brink of a 3rd, let me just say that I think Tiger is back. I watch golf when I get the time and I make sure to know the highlights, but I continue to try and find a golfer that I can root for. I struggle with how many people there are to pick from and there are a lot of good guys on tour. I find myself rooting for Tiger all the time just like half of the nation. The guy is just incredible and until I find a golfer that I can follow he will keep me watching

THE NFL:
Awwwww! My favorite time of year! The weather is still hot, the days are still long, and the sound of football is in the air. As you know my team is the San Diego Chargers and I have to admit that I am stoked for this season! After coming up short the past couple of years I am hoping that this is the year that we have our break through. I keep thinking of it like the Indianapolis Colts. They had the reputation for not being able to pull of the big one over and over, but they had their year and I think that this might be ours. Go Bolts! I will post their schedule and my prediction for them later.

Where will he go...

2009-07-28T21:22:00.000-07:00

It was announced that Monday Mike Vick was reinstated on a conditional basis. I didn't have the opportunity to hear the exact wording, but from what I hear the condition gives the commissioner an opportunity to see how well it goes for the NFL and also for Vick. It could be immediate playing time or as much as a 6 game suspension. Teams have started coming out saying that they are not interested in Vick and it appears that the chances of him returning have been cut in half already. The one team that I have been watching hasn't said anything yet, the San Diego Chargers. I really don't think that they would be interested but let's just imagine it for a moment. He couldn't come in and play QB because we have one of the strongest in the league (Rivers) and a great back up (Volek)but he could come in for situational plays at running back, however again he would have to be behind LT and Sproles. I don't think it makes a ton of sence right now and could be a bit of a risk, but maybe just maybe it would take some of the reps away from LT and keep him healthy heading into the post season. It could help us get over the hump that we have been struggling with. I don't think it would happen, but I am trying to have an open mind about it.

BYU Recruits

2009-07-27T21:45:00.000-07:00

My much hated rival in BYU has made a big splash this year in the recruits that it will be bringing in next year and as a Utes fan I am on the fence a little bit between being scared and not letting myself get caught up in all of the hype. The biggest name is Jake Heaps (QB) and one of the best highschool players of his class. This signing was huge for the BYU program and has potential to really put them on the map in a few short years. Since he has verbally commited he has been out recruiting guys on his own and putting together a strong class for the next couple of years. The media is eating it up and can't wait to interview this kid. There is a lot of buzz around Utah valley right now, they are all excited about the future and I am just trying to stay positive and hope that the Utes can match the intensity down the line. Overall I think that it is good for the conference and good to break the BCS system, but I am worried that Utah will be left in the dust if they don't start working on some strong recruits. One thing that BYU has going for them is the LDS aspect that helps out in a lot of young talent's decisions and the Utes just can't compete with that.

The thing about this kid and all of his recruits is that we may not see the final product for another 3 years or so based on LDS missions and timing, but it does have the potential to really make a statement. Ihave heard a couple of interviews with Jake Heaps now and I really try to give the kid a chance, but something just doesn't sit well with me....I think it is because I just hate BYU so bad, but just his responses to some questions I feel are completely fabricated. He talks alot about being the leader and the guy and all I can say is he better be able to back it up because he is building himself some pretty big shoes to fill and trust me when I say that I would love to see it crumble down in misery.

Overall - Good for the Y stepping up with the strong recruit year, the Utes better have some tricks of their own. Until they prove otherwise I will support and assume they know what they are doing! Go Utes

Vick - 4 Games?

2009-07-27T07:19:00.000-07:00

The latest being reported is that commissioner Goodell doesn't completely feel like Vick has served enough time and that he will reinstate him, but then have him on a 4 game suspension. It is thought that the 4 games will be due to Vick lying to Goodell before he went to prison about his criminal activity, not about the criminal activity itself. I feel pretty comfortable with this amount of time and like I said in my last post that I wouldn't be outraged to see him back in the league this year. On a side note....Terrell Owens decided to speak about the whole Vick situation saying that he doesn't agree with the 4 games because it's like "kicking a dead horse in the ground."

Can we please leave the dead animal analogy out on this one? There is just too much irony.

The Mike Vick Saga

2009-07-22T07:19:00.000-07:00

With Vick being released from federal custody and finishing his debt to society as of Monday it is being reported that he will be looking to get back in the NFL within the next few weeks. Roger Goodell is possibly meeting with Vick as early as Thursday to discuss his reinstatement back into the league. I am having mixed feelings about this one and don't know where I fully stand. The whole time he was in prison I was glad to see him there and I thought that Goodell should ban him for one more year after Vick got out just because I thought what he did was so screwed up, but now that he is out and free I don't know if my feelings are that strong anymore. I still think what he did was terrible, but it wouldn't upset me to see him back in the league this year. People keep saying that he paid his debt to society so he should be allowed to work again, but for me to agree with that I would have to agree that 2 years in prison is a harsh enough punishment and I don't know if I do. I don't think the the justice system always makes the right call in fact many times I think it is a bunch of crap and too soft so therefore I don't agree that he has paid his debt to society. Again though, I wouldn't be outraged if he was reinstated this year. What are your thoughts?

COLLEGE FOOTBALL IS HERE!

2009-07-21T20:39:00.001-07:00

Media day was on Tuesday (July 21st) for the Mountain West Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada and sports radio was all about football all day long! I don't know about all of you, but I am getting tired of listening to all of the Jazz/Boozer drama that is being shoved down our throats. Get it over with and lets talk some pigskin! Preseason rankings are BYU, TCU, and Utah as 1,2, and 3 respectively. Normally I would like to argue this, but based off of what happened last year and who the teams lost I think that this is realistic. I actually would probably change TCU and BYU, but I am a little bit biased. I just know that BYU had a hard time making adjustments during the games last year and until they can show otherwise all the other teams will be running the spread offense against them because they can't stop it and don't have the one on one talent that TCU and Utah carry. For this reason I would put TCU in first. I would probably leave Utah in third because of how many people they lost to the NFL and graduation. It is yet to be decided on who will be the quarterback, but I am hearing that we will have a decision within the first week of camp. I would be ok if the Utes lost 3 games this year after coming off all of the changes. The pressure is definetely on for BYU and they better have a big year or they will just be made a mockery again.

Nevertheless.....It begins!!! What are your predictions for the season? What kind of season would you consider a success? Let the trash talking begin!

Matching Millsap's Offer

2009-07-16T21:01:00.000-07:00

It was announced today that the Jazz matched Portland's offer for Millsap. I don't think that this comes as a suprise to anybody, the Jazz have made it extremely clear that they were going to be aggressive in resigning him and they kept their word. The only problem is that the contract is front loaded meaning that they have to pay him about $10 million this next year which puts the Jazz payroll somewhere around the $80million dollar range and WAY over the luxury tax. I don't think that they can handle paying that much money in this small of a market, esspecially with the car business being so crappy this past year. The Miller family's budget probably is a little bit more tight than normal and not a good time to go over the luxury tax. The route it looks like this is going is that the Jazz next move will be to trade Boozer probably for a younger player with a lower contract and relieve some cap space. I guess we will see how it goes over the next few months.....All I can say is that I hope that it happens quick because I am tired of listening to it.

Boozer v. Millsap

2009-07-14T20:25:00.000-07:00

We continue with the saga of the Jazz trying to figure out what to do with Boozer and Millsap. Currently we are waiting to see if they will match the contract that Portland put out there to try and still Millsap away. The offer sounds like it will be front loaded and average out to be $32 million over the next 4 years. The Jazz have said multiple times through out the year that they will be very aggressive in trying to keep Millsap and if they don't match Portland's offer they will come out looking like the bad guy and have many upset fans. The Carlos Boozer situation is a tough pill to swallow. We owe him a lot of money and nobody in Utah feels like he is worth it. He is a 20 and 10 guy, but doesn't play any defense and people question his heart and desire to win. He seems like a cancer in the locker room and is always hurt. All of these concerns and the state of the economy is greatly hurting our options in trading him for anything of quality.

It seems like most Jazz fans want Boozer gone, no matter what the cost, and Millsap to stay. The one thing that I think a lot of fans are not thinking about is in Jerry Sloan's system a strong power forward who can post up and shoot the mid range jumper is crucial. It doesn't seem like we can be successful without a better offensive power forward than Millsap. This takes me back to my previous post and the fact that Jerry Sloan is now hurting our team (again) because we can adopt a better system to fit Millsap (a small power forward), Andrei Kirelinko (a weak side defender), Kyle Korver (our shooting threat - which Jerry HATES), and Ronnie Brewer (a slasher and runner).

Our team is young and could use a coach who will play to their talents, not his old system....

My take is...Trade Boozer for a defender, Trade Memo for a defender and let's adopt a new system. How is it that other teams can rebuild and become power houses and the Jazz never scare anybody....I want to see some defense and heart.

Time for Change

2009-07-12T21:05:00.000-07:00

I have sworn many times that I won't root for the Jazz until Jerry Sloan is retired and we are moving on. Many of us have no idea what it is like to have the Jazz without Jerry, he has been here for most of my life and it needs to stop. Don't get me wrong, I think that he is a good coach and has had some great years, but there is something that is holding him back from winning when it matters. I wish the Jazz had some guts and would give him the Marty Shottenheimer treatment! There can't be too many coaches who can go through this league with 2 of the best players to ever play in Stockton and Malone, have them in their prime at the same time and still not win anything! Sure we made it to the finals twice, but what good has that done us. How many of you could work at your jobs for 20+ years, never reach the big goal and still have your job? I am sick and tired of all the Jazz fans just being happy with a good team year in and year out. Sports is about winning...why are we playing the game, why do they keep score!? If you ask me I would be happy with a few losing seasons where we are trying to makes some good moves and get to the top. Let's take a risk - follow Darrin Williams tatoo - "No Guts No Glory." Sorry Jerry, but he looks like he is going to croak during a game and I think it's best to can him before it happens.

Here We Go

2009-07-12T19:48:00.001-07:00

I am just one of millions of men who crave sports - drink sports - live sports and can't seem to get enough sports! I have them on the way to work, home from work, the game at night and still sportscenter after that. Yet again I am just one of millions who come home to tell their wife about everything new that happened today only to find out.....she doesn't really care. She will listen for a while and even share an opinion or two, but she doesn't want to hear about it for the next two hours and by the time football season is over she needs a break. If you are like me, you dread the end of any season, you have withdrawals...break out in a cold sweat and need counseling. This post is going to be my counseling, my release and my place to put down all of my opinions. I encourage you to do the same, post your comments, opinions, and thoughts. Let's get a debate going.

Just what your wife wants...another place for you and your sports.....does she even have a husband anymore!?

HERE WE GO