War and Remembrance (not the book)

Meant to put this in my other blog. Don't know exactly how it ended up in sports...

I was reading an article in yesterday's Der Spiegel online, Haunting War Cemeteries Send Powerful Message about the World War I memorials and cemeteries in Europe. It almost made me cry.
How are we going to remember this war in 90 years?
I've visited Arlington and other federal and military cemeteries. They're impressive.
The much smaller military graveyard in Utah at Fort Douglas is a beautiful, contemplative place. POWs from both World War I and World War II are buried and in the southwest corner of the cemetery there is a monument to the WWI POWs. But the later gravestones are flat to the ground, just like most cemeteries. (Looks like I'll have to find (or retake) and add my own photos since I can't seem to come up with any web links for pictures of the cemetery. Look for those here maybe next week.)
But how will we remember any other wars 89 years after they've ended? There are not weirdly beautiful, quiet lines of headstones on the land where the battles were fought. Places that make anyone with the least bit of religion in them mutter a prayer of some sort. Dead combatants are taken home and buried in their family plots away from their brothers and increasingly sisters in arms.
I can look at the lists of war dead and tend to think "my that's a lot of names." I look at even photos of the battlefield cemeteries from the U.S. Civil War or WWI and think "that's a lot of people." There so much difference between names and people.
So I go to City Cemetery or Mt. Olivet, both old and peaceful places, or any other cemetery here in Salt Lake and know there are veterans and people who died in battle buried there, but except on Memorial or Veterans' Days when flags are placed on the graves how do I know where to look for them?
There is no large plot which forces me to contemplate the horror of modern war in my little city.
More than military cemeteries, which I know there are plenty of, each war needs well maintained battlefield graveyards to show us, in a way we cannot ignore, how many people have died in the name of whatever is being fought for this week.

World Series and I'm not sure I care

It's the World Series! Hooray for baseball!
I suspect it'll go 5 with approximately the same thing happening to the Rockies as happened to the Tigers last year. Two sweeps and a long break is enough to throw any players off their games, but for the relatively young Rockies it'll probably end up being a real downer. Last night's game 1 made it look like it would be.
I have dear friends who love the BoSox, and dear friends who love the Rockies. I am having a hard time wanting either of them to win. It's good to see new talent up there, but I also love to see the "old guys" giving it a good run.
I also see the Yankees organization stepping on the Rockies and Red Sox's moment with the announcement of a new manager. Can't Steinbrenner take a vacation and let the teams playing in the Series have the spotlight? 10 days without the word Yankees on the sports page, that's all I'm asking.
How about Joe Torre for Commissioner? How about he take a serious pay cut and go to the Royals, Blue Jays or one of the Florida teams? I don't see him as someone who'd be particularly happy in retirement at this point.
Anyway, I don't care which team wins the Series, or who the Yankees hire. But it's baseball and that's all good.

Mid September already

I can't believe it's the middle of September and I haven't been blogging.
I've spent a large portion of the summer living and breathing baseball. I went to about 25 Salt Lake Bees games and it was a joy to see them win more than they lost and to see the fan turnout - especially late in the season. I hope that Larry Miller and co. don't figure out that games cost less than movies, though I fear a price increase is in the works since they raised ticket prices for the playoffs. I did attend both home playoff games, and despite once more not making it out of the first round, the boys gave us our money's worth. The only thing more exciting than the second game come from behind in the bottom of the 9th win, was the first game come from behind in the bottom of the 10th win. I love extra innings. And a big "ha!" to all of the faithless fans who left in the middle of those last innings. Good on ya Bees and thank you for another lovely summer.
In both Leagues the endgame is more exciting than I can remember, and there's still a touch of hope for my Brewers/Indians World Series prediction. Though the Cubs and Cards need to fail fast for my boys to take the NL Central, since they're too far out of the wild card.
As we've started my 34th season of University of Utah football games I take heart in the words of one of my favorite bartenders: "At least we're tied with Michigan and Notre Dame." I just keep reminding myself, and my friends, that we've sat through more bad losses than good wins. I remember that 55-6 loss to BYU. I saw the whole game because by brothers and I knew that our parents wouldn't leave until the end.
It's hard, though, since Urban Meyer and Alex Smith got our hopes up with those two beautiful seasons.
But if you see me on game day, win or lose, I will be in red with a drum and feather or at the very least UTAH on my shirt. The red Converse high tops are wearing thin and need replacement, but I'll wear them on game day until the weather turns wet. If I have to be dressed up and miss the game, don't worry, I'll still be in red and my heart will be with the blasted Running Utes -- win or lose.
But for now, for the fall, there's still about six weeks of baseball to sooth me - even if I have to watch TV or (preferably) listen to the radio. Like Salt Lake's weather this year, I'm not ready to let go of summer.

World Series teams prediction

Well, my gut is still saying Brewers/Indians though the Salt Lake Bees of Anaheim, excuse me the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim may be a surprise out of the American League.

Woolmer update

Well, the plot thickens in the death of Pakistan national cricket team coach Bob Woolmer ("New doubts cast on Woolmer 'murder'" and "Mushtaq in new Woolmer twist", despite Telegraph.co.uk reports on April 30 that he was poisoned and strangled.
Looks like this might be going on all summer at this rate. I'll keep you informed.

How About Those Brewers?

How about those Milwaukee Brewers? .706 today. The team of my heart is the best team in Major League Baseball. Not just the National League, but in all the bigs.
It brings me joy to see my prediction of a few years ago come true. After I saw Prince Fielder hit the biggest home run I've seen here in Salt Lake, when he was playing for Nashville, I said, give the Brewers a couple of years when they've brought this team up and they'll be all that. (The second biggest home run I've seen here was by Curtis Pride I believe two seasons ago.)
The little in-team home run derby that Fielder and J.J. Hardy are having is not hurting a thing, in fact throw Geoff Jenkins into the mix and there are three Brewers in the top 50 for home runs so far.
And remember I'm not one of those Brewers Bandwagon (Brewers' bandwagon grows, win-by-win) fans. I've loved this team, for complicated yet no apparent reason, since the mid 1980s. I voluntarily vacationed in Denver last summer to watch my boys play the Rockies. The Tigers may be the team of my blood, my inheritance from my late 101-year-old great aunt, but the Brewers are the team I chose for myself, they are the team of my heart.
Like so many people my age I have a soft spot for Cleveland. After all how many of us watched The Big Red Machine do their stuff with Johnny Bench, Sparky Anderson and Pete Rose as the stars of the show? It was enough to make baseball on TV acceptable here in the land of the Minor Leagues. I'm not a fan of Cleveland, but still associate them with solid baseball, much as I assocciate the Cardinals with great short stops.
Though I like Bengie and Jose Molina because of their time in Salt Lake (where did that family find their knees?), Ivan Rodriguez might be even more impressive. I love it when I wear my dark blue Tigers shirt with Rodriguez and a number 7 on the back and Yankees fans approach me from behind and say "Go Yankees." I turn around and point at the gothic D and say, "No, go Tigers." It's best when the person who says it is wearing an Rodriguez #13 shirt. Don't they even know the number they're wearing? Silly Yankee's fans. The fact that both of them played for the Texas Rangers (and overlapped in 2001 and 2002) doesn't mean that much.
Last year I predicted a Tigers/Cardinals World Series before the All-Star break (I did mis-predict the final result). Watch this space for a solid prediction of who will play in this year's Series, but for now, early in May, my gut is saying Brewers/Cleveland - my heart is saying the Brewers can win it all.

"Shoeless Joe"

Oh my God. I just read the first chapter of Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinsella, the book better known as being the inspiration for "Field of Dreams."
It sent shivers down my spine. The last thing I remember reading that rocked me this hard was one of Roger Angell's descriptions of a ninth inning play.
I don't know how I missed this book before, but based on the first chapter I must say read it. I'll have it back at the library sometime in the next week, but it is worth buying if you love a well written story and/or baseball.

MMM Baseball

SPOKEN:
I remember a night in April, the wind was blowing and there was rain
The home team fell behind in the fourth and had only a small rally late in the game.
I was still there in the 9th when the hail started to fall
the score ended up being 10 to 2.
And when it was all over I said to myself, "Is that all there is to a ball game?"

SUNG:
Is that all there is, is that all there is
If that's all there is my friends, then let's keep dancing
Let's break out the booze and have a ball
If that's all there is

with apologies to Peggy Lee.

The Salt Lake Bees have started their season with two home stands and stand at 3-2. The opener was a chilly but not unpleasant game against the Las Vegas 51s. Nick Gorneault won it with a double in the bottom of the ninth. The park was crowded with people still coming in in the 4th, the beer and other consessions lines were long, it was how every game should be. Good crowd and good energy with an exciting finish.
I also attended the first game against the Tuscon Sidewinders (Toros was so much easier to remember) last night. Ugh. Rain, hail, wind, lightning, Tuscon's 9 run 4th inning...
I actually started to leave after the 7th, but stopped myself. I looked down at the field and said to myself, "they're not leaving. Even if everyone goes home, they need to finish the game or wait for the officials to call it. I need to stay out of respect for the players, even if the game is probably over. There's no clock so I don't know what might happen in the bottom of the 9th."
So I still believe in the bottom of the 9th and I stayed. The wind was very cold.
Doubt I'll be back this week, but I'll be back at the ball park for the games against Tacoma, possibly on the 21st or 22nd, but more likely on the 23rd.


One more thing, about U men's basketball, the reason I haven't commented on the hiring of Jim Boyland as head coach is enough people have made guesses and discussed him, I prefer to wait until the games start and judge the man on his merits as a coach rather than on his history.

Finally caught hockey

Hadn't gone to hockey for two seasons, I've been bad. So I went to the Grizzlies game Wednesday night. It wasn't pretty.
The Victoria Salmon Kings had two goals in the first 34 seconds. They were 4 points for 4 shots on goal early on. Not surprisingly, the Grizz pulled their goalie after the first period. The replacement goalie did a much better job.
Loved Victoria's goalie though, Bridges, the Grizzlies shot well, but ended up with 46 shots on goal with only one success.
The Salmon Kings had a much better percentage, they had 29 shots on goal for their 7 points.
The final as 7-1. The Salmon Kings have much better writing on their web site, too.
I'm sorry I haven't been to any hockey until now in the last two years, this is the only time I've seen them lose though.
Poor Grizzlies.
Is it baseball yet?

The job I really want

As the hunt for work continues, someone asked me what my dream job is.
Without hesitation, I said, "I want to be Commissioner of Baseball."
It wouldn't be easy, and I have no illusions about my ability to fix what's wrong with baseball, but I have my ideas about some things to get baseball on the right path. I don't think the owners or the players would like me much and that seems like a good start.
I'm qualified.
I'm a college graduate with common sense, some people and diplomatic skills. I'm "stubborn Dutch" (as my great aunt used to say). I understand that the only worse job in baseball is being an umpire, and I have a great deal of respect for sports officials who do their job well and little patience for those who screw up on a regular basis.
Most of all I love baseball. Not the business of baseball, but baseball itself.
I'm not an owner with something to gain from the job, I'm not beholden to any team owners, and just ask my nieces and nephew, I can be stern even with the ones I love the most. I would work with other U.S. sports and international sports federations to determine levels of drug testing and what substances to ban. I would make owners give more than lip service to salary caps. The fines for going over the cap would be the same as the amount spent over the cap. These fines would be divided among the teams with the lowest payrolls. Let Steinbrenner pay for the Royals. Why not?
As for negotiating and strikes/lock outs. Fine, but let's hit everyone where it hurts. The owners must continue to pay player salaries and the players union should pay for the wages of the part-time grounds crews, concessions workers and other people whose stadium jobs depend directly on the number of games they work. Office people who are year round will continue to be paid by the team/arena which has hired them. This should speed up negotiations.
I would do the job for less than 1/3 of the current compensation. With the rest of that money I would surround myself with smart people: small business owners, lawyers, accountants, doctors and the occasional research scientist. The only thing they might have in common is the love of the game and the desire to make it what it never has been but just maybe can be.
Baseball, except maybe in little league 30 years and more ago, has rarely been the sport of the pure and virtuous athlete. Read any edition of Ball Four by Jim Bouton if you doubt me. Read some biographies of great players and see how many of them drank too much and partied too hard - even on game day. Baseballers are humans doing their jobs and when they're in the bigs they are doing their jobs better than anyone else.
As commissioner I would go to games. A, AA, AAA, MLB, college, little league, winter league. I would look at the game from every facet I can imagine (limited on the field because I was a left handed catcher in slow pitch softball and only played 1st a bit and in the outfield for two years after my knees died). I would try to be like the great baseball writer Roger Angell , going to games for love of the game - OK, I do that now but I would be at as many games as I can stand for as much of the year as possible. I would not let games interfere with the business side of the job, but I would try not to let business interfere with the game either.
I don't think I can fix baseball, but I believe I can put in on the right path. All I want for my retirement package is health insurance, the pension of a low wage big league player, and a life time pass.

What I was talking about yesterday

This Telegraph article is a great illustration of what I was talking about yesterday when I wrote "And cricket continues to make Barry Bonds, Pete Rose and everything else that is wrong with baseball look like pennies in the gutter."

International sports news you may have missed

Bob Woolmer, respected coach, former cricket player and author, was murdered in his hotel room in Jamaica following his Pakistani team's loss to Ireland in the Cricket World Cup. By the accounts I've read and heard, Woolmer was the man who was hired to coach when a team needed both good coaching and an image rebuild. Despite allegations of corruption and game fixing in the sport, Woolmer seems to have been above all that. Go to the BBC site, the ICC Cricket Word Cup site, any news site in the UK, India, Pakistan or other places where cricket is king or just google Bob Woolmer.
I know that obituaries tend to praise, but he really sounds like the kind of person that all sports need.
If you're a typical American sports fan you probably haven't heard about this. Unless you listen to BBC late at night on a public radio station, read foreign news online, are from a country where cricket matters or are the kind of mondo sports fan I have yet to meet you probably don't care either. You should. I have this old fashioned idea that athletes should set a good example for the kiddies and that sports teams are important for community building. This explains some of my feelings about pro basketball but not my deep seated love for the Milwaukee Brewers.
If you enjoy a good sports scandal, though, follow cricket. In 2002, the year that SLOC organizers were caught doing what every other Olympic bid committee has done (giving gifts, jobs, sometimes cash to IOC members and their families) that wasn't really the big scandal. The late South African cricket captain Hansie Cronje, 2 Indian and 2 Pakistani players being banned for life for fixing games was. (I read English news online, so I know these things.) The allegations of illegal gambling and fixing in cricket have cast a pall over the sport for years now. Even MSNBC has bothered to pick up the story on their site, though it is an AP story out of London with the lovely summation, "Modern-day professional cricket is plagued by doping scandals, misbehavior by players, match fixing, ball tampering, cheating and riots".
The Jamaican police have brought in the big guns to investigate Woolmer's death.
The head of the ICC (International Cricket Council) says the Cup will continue unless it interferes with the police investigation. The few forums I've glanced at have fans split on this decision.
And cricket continues to make Barry Bonds, Pete Rose and everything else that is wrong with baseball look like pennies in the gutter.

Spring

Spring has sprung, equinox and all, but I truly celebrated the first day of spring yesterday. I went to a baseball game.
The Utes defeated BYU 8-4 with an exciting 2 run 7th and 4 run 8th. This proved that the Utes could defeat BYU this academic year and that baseball on the first day of spring is one of the finest things imaginable. If you want the box score I tracked it down here on the U's site. Though if someone could explain to me how BYU can't be a conference game I'd appreciate it, though I see that they're playing in Provo for the last games before the MWC tournament.
I counted 125-130 people in their seats when the game started at 6, but there were probably 250-300 at the peak. The official attendance was 396, but that just doesn't feel right - must've been ticket buyers who were scared off by the few raindrops and the chance of more.
The concessions were weak (just like Franklin Covey Field's have been for the Bees the last few years) -- no coffee on a rainy spring night? No hot chocolate for the kids and BYU fans? What were they thinking? I'm not even going to go into my issues with the lack of peanuts....
Despite my love of the mighty Utes and baseball, this is the first U. baseball game I've ever been to. It goes to show that advertising works -- I saw the largish ad in the Tribune and decided that that sounded much more fun than waiting for Spring Training highlights on ESPN. I was so right about that you can't imagine. I just may have to go to a few more U games, at least until the Bees start up on April 5.
College baseball sounds wrong with its aluminum bats going "ping" instead of the "thwack" of wood, but it smells right. But more than all of that it was baseball on the first day of spring. And that's what matters, more than poetry, more than iced tea. My Tigers head the AL in Spring Training and my Brewers aren't in the cellar, but it's only Spring Training and none of this matters come April 1.
And on that note I've decided to include one of my favorite spring poems, though it has nothing to do with baseball:

in Just-
spring when the world is mud-
luscious the little
lame balloonman

whistles far and wee

and eddieandbill come
running from marbles and
piracies and it's
spring

when the world is puddle-wonderful

the queer
old balloonman whistles
far and wee
and bettyandisbel come dancing

from hop-scotch and jump-rope and

it's
spring
and
the

goat-footed

balloonMan whistles
far
and
wee

e.e. cummings

Oh, and I love the countdown to the first pitch clock on mlb.com 10 days, 21 hours and some change as I hit post.

Senior's Day

Go Utes! Go Ricky Johns!
I was really expecting a headline like "Senior's Day" in the Salt Lake Tribune this morning, haven't looked at the Deseret News (not that I usually do). After all, the U's one senior, Ricky Johns, scored a career high 30 points in his final home game, aka "Senior Day", as a Ute. Well done.
Well done all the way around. The guys played sound basketball with fewer errors than we've been seeing, got down and dirty with SDSU, made the game exciting, and controlled the court for probably 30 of the 40 minutes of playing time. Fewer fouls last night as well, though Luke Nevil throws a mean elbow though the foul was called in his favor. They were nearly the team I was hoping they'd be all year.
I just hope the momentum continues through Saturday at BYU and into Las Vegas for the tournament. Wouldn't a 16 seed be a kick after this season?


On to more important things. My Tigers beat the Mets in their first spring training game today. Since my Tiger fan great aunt died in December, I'd like to see them take the Series in her honor. I'd like to see them play my Brewers in the Series. Everyone's allowed to dream and this morning all teams were equal... Right now, my dad's Cardinals and the Tigers are perfect.

Last Home U. Basketball Game

Well, tonight's the last home men's basketball game for the season. The double OT game on Saturday was exciting, I hope tonight is less exciting and more good fundamental basketball using the great talent available on the team.
So last braut until football season (unless the Bees have better concessions this year).
At least the first spring training games are tomorrow. Go Brewers!

I'm disgusted

I turned off the TV and left the house when the Utes were down by 30 points against Air Force last night. I haven't looked at the sports section or checked online for the score. I can't stomach it.
If the game had been here I probably would've left early and I just don't do that. I believe in the 3 pointer on the buzzer, the miracle touchdown, the last pitch of the 9th inning. I know how it ends but I don't leave a production of Hamlet until Fortinbras says, "Let four captains
Bear Hamlet like a soldier to the stage;
For he was likely, had he been put on,
To have prov'd most royally; and for his passage
The soldiers' music and the rites of war
Speak loudly for him.
Take up the bodies. Such a sight as this
Becomes the field but here shows much amiss.
Go, bid the soldiers shoot."
Except that it is probably a deeply frightening place, I'd love to have been in Giacoletti's head last night. What was he thinking when he told/allowed the team to run down time when they were that far behind? You can play catch with the shot clock when you're up by 20 but not when you're that far behind.
So much deep talent not being used... I don't even want to think about it, but I'll be one of the 40 or so people at the game on Saturday.

If I were in charge of an NFL team

Anyone who has talked to me about pro football in a bar or at a party in the last year or so has heard this theory. Sometimes it's more eloquent than others. I hope today is one of the eloquent moments.
I think there is a solution for weak offensive lines in the NFL (the Niners come to mind here). Scouts need to get off the coasts and out of the midwest and look to the mountains.
There are a bunch of very large, graceful, fast linemen who have played in the MWC and WAC. They tend to be first or second generation Tongans, Samoans and Hawaiians and haven't had the breakout player to open up the lists. Haloti Ngata might be that man in a year or two.
Samoan Al Lolotai was the first Polynesian in the NFL in 1945, and there have been plenty of others since (one estimate I found was 25-35 Polynesians on rosters each year), but no one seems to have been given a chance to be convincing enough to open up the NFL for more of these young men.
Maybe since the PAC-10, especially Oregon, have found out how well these young men play things will change. One notable example is Oregon having poached Cottonwood High School standout Simi Fili away from Utah, BYU and several other schools.
There have to be some of these fantastic former Utes, Cougs, Rainbow Warriors... sitting on benches in the NFL, and they need to be used. And anyone who's been on the bench for their initial contract ought to be available for a reasonable wage as a free agent. So get with it NFL scouts - college or other pro teams, keep an eye on the Polynesian players.
As a Ute fan of 34 years (and I'm only 40) I know of which I speak.

Super Bowl preview

The Lady Utes lost to Wyoming last night so I guess it's time to acknowledge the "big" football game on Sunday.
I'm really ambivalent about the whole thing. If either the Saints or Patriots had made it to the Super Bowl I think the game would've been potentially more interesting.
I like both coaches, I think that Indy QB Payton Manning has had the sort of career that deserves a win.
I don't know it's a tough call, but I'm going Bears by 3 in a low scoring game.
And next year, GO NINERS

Losing to BYU - the disappointment

I wasn't angry when I left the Utah-BYU game last night, the feeling was somewhere between disgust and heart break. I mean, really, the Y hasn't won at the Huntsman Center since 1994. They deserved the win. Our boys were simply out coached and out played. Who knew the Y's bench is as deep as ours? Obviously not Giacoletti.
I don't get what the Utes problem is this year. The team has a lot of deep talent and they just can't follow through. I suspect there's a coaching issue involved.
Giacoletti makes substitutions that I can't understand. Down by 10 and Green, Bryant and Nevill are on the bench? I mean nothing against Dean or Weigh but they're still learning. And Weigh, especially, was all thumbs last night. He played well and managed to salvage several of his fumbles but really.... Ricky Johns was really the only Ute with a great night, but that wasn't enough.
I know it would look bad for the U. to drop Giacoletti so soon into his disturbingly long contract but enough. Basketball and Gymnastics are the U's winning traditions and when they stop winning something needs to be done. Enough of Giac and enough of Chris Hill.
I'm disgusted. It's time to start the campaign to have Elaine Elliott coach both the men's and women's teams. Or maybe just suspend Giac for a game and see what his assistants can do.
One more thing, can someone tell Austin Ainge that when he can play like his daddy he can whine like his daddy?

Too busy for the Utes

Hooray for the Lady Utes, they beat BYU by 10 a victory made even more important than usual since this leave the Utes as the only undefeatedd women's basketball team in the MWC.
The men, however, lost by 10 to SDSU. So they're as bad as TCU, but not as bad as New Mexico, whose only conference win was against Utah. What's going on Giac? Remember it's BYU in the Huntsman Center this weekend and we want a win.
Since I'm nearly done with Sundance, I'll be paying better attention to sports again. One thing though I love the Australian Open, it's nice to have live sports at the bar late at night instead of the same highlight reel looped endlessly.

Go Utes!

So my post names are getting repetitive. Wait for baseball.
While I was at movies this weekend, the gymnastics team and both basketball teams won.
It's nice to get the third win when I was only counting on two.
It's Sundance, so sports are getting the back seat this week.
Let's just say, Colts vs. Bears is the opposite of what I wanted for the Super Bowl going into yesterday's conference championship games. But since I didn't care much after the second round of playoffs, go advertisers!
My hopes aren't up here either since there hasn't really been a non-Budweiser standout since the herding cats - and no one I've asked can remember whom that was an ad for.
I guess all the creatives have left advertising for independent film, and they're in Utah this week.

Why I love the Brewers

Once upon a time, in the 1980s, there was a high school girl in Salt Lake City who played slow pitch softball and loved baseball. The only problem was, she didn't have a team to call her own. She was ruining her knees playing catcher, but that's a different story.
She loved the home town minor league team, where there was one, but that wasn't enough.
She watched the Cardinals with her dad, and loved how Ozzie Smith threw himself into the game. Her early TV baseball days were full of "The Big Red Machine." That Pete Rose played with a passion, Johnny Bench was a hella catcher and the team was electric.
But that didn't solve her dilemma.
Charlie Hustle had slowed down a step, though he still was an amazing player, and Smith and her dad weren't enough to make her love the Cards. Her inherited love for the Detroit Tigers was important, but, despite their success in 1984 and 1987, not enough.
What was a girl to do?
Fortunately, she had another friend, Mandy, who loved baseball.
Mandy was from Baltimore and an Orioles fan to the core. That team was in her blood and in her heart, and she would talk about them constantly.
In those early 80s days, the Orioles and Milwaukee Brewers spent a lot of time in heated competition in the American League East - even when it was competition for last place. Our heroine became a Brewers fan in self defense, and to tweak her friend.
Well, the Brewers have yet to match their success of 1982. But her love of the Brewers stuck. The switch to the National League in 1998 took the team of her heart out of regular competition with the team of her blood.
And I still love the Brewers. 25 years after their last series, maybe this year will make it happen.

That's 502 for Elliott

Utah 72 TCU 61
TCU is no longer perfect in conference and the Lady Utes stand proudly in first place. Depending on the outcome of the byu game tonight that could leave the Utes as the only undefeated MWC women's team.
I'll admit I was watching "Ugly Betty" again instead of going/listening to the game. At least I skipped "CSI" this week.
Maybe Giacoletti can take a lesson from Elliott. Something along the line of take advantage of the talent on your team. Though after the Air Force game, it's possible that he has learned that lesson.
Gymnastics tomorrow. My brother and his family will be there. I'll be at the movies.

learn these

Last night at the victory over Air Force, some boys in the student section who've been bringing a white board to the games wrote "Stand Up Old People" on their changeable sign. Well, I'm not a particularly old alumnae (1990 is just moments ago) and I say "Learn the words students."
Here's a link to the lyrics and sheet music, and I've pasted in the lyrics in case you don't want to click. It's not that hard since they only ever play two verses.
"UTAH MAN"
VERSE
I am a Utah man, sir, and I live across the green.
Our gang, it is the jolliest that you have ever seen.
Our coeds are the fairest and each one's a shining star.
Our yell, you hear it ringing through the mountains near and far.

CHORUS
Who am I, sir? A Utah man am I A Utah man, sir, and will be till I die; Ki!Yi!

VERSE
We're up to snuff; we never bluff, We're game for any fuss,
No other gang of college men dare meet us in the muss.
So fill your lungs and sing it out and shout it to the sky,
We'll fight for dear old Crimson, for a Utah man am I.
(song usually ends here)

CHORUS

VERSE
And when we prom the avenue, all lined up in a row,
And arm in arm and step in time as down the street we go.
No matter if a freshman green, or in a senior's gown,
The people all admit we are the warmest gang in town.

CHORUS


VERSE
We may not live forever on this jolly good old sphere,
But while we do we'll live a life of merriment and cheer,
And when our college days are o'er and night is drawing nigh,
With parting breath we'll sing that song: "A Utah Man Am I".

CHORUS

Utes win! It's a miracle!

I'm feeling better about the tall boys in shorts. In case you missed the score or the game, the men beat Number 13 (#11 in coaches poll) Air Force 85-79, despite some late efforts by the officials to change the result.
Actually, the officiating was not nearly as bad as it was against TCU, still not as good as it should be in Division 1-A college basketball, but better than we've seen.
It seems the Utes need a really good opponent to step up their game. After all, Washington State, whom they defeated 69-55 back in December, is #21 in the coaches poll. Maybe Giacoletti just needs better opponents to step up his coaching to match the potential talent on the team.
So I have hope again. But I'll missing the Wyoming game and won't be able to watch SDSU. But I'll be back up there for the BYU game. I'll be the one in red, yelling, who knows the words to "Utah Man."

Saturday's U. Games

Now I'm mad at The Salt Lake Tribune sports page again.
I had to search in Sunday's sports section to find out that the perfect in conference Lady Utes won by 12 in Las Vegas and the men's team lost by 4 at The Pit. I found BYU's loss to UNLV on the front page of Sports. Common guys, the Provo Daily Herald can handle Utah County on their section fronts. After all, there's a reason the words "Salt Lake" are in the paper's name.
I'm going to the men's game against MWC first place Air Force Tuesday, I'll be in my gear and stand up and sing every time the band plays "Utah Man" but I don't expect to be very happy about the game. Maybe I'll go to the women's game against TCU on Thursday for a last sports hit before Sundance and a shot at seeing the Utes win since I can't make it to gymnastics on Friday.
I'm hoping for the Saints and I guess the Patriots (given the options) in the Super Bowl, but dreaming of baseball.

Utes, Utes, Utes. I can't wait for baseball

The #2 ranked mighty Utes, that would be the gymnastics team, opened the season with a 196.325-195.975 win over #5 UCLA. Since that's the kind of behavior Greg Marsden has lead us to expect these many years it's a bit hard to get excited, but still a fine start.
The 0-3 (in conference) men's basketball team is playing 0-3 (in conference) New Mexico in The Pit tonight. Last place in the MWC is at stake since San Diego has played one fewer conference game than the Utes and Lobos. Let's hope they take a lesson from the tied for first in the conference Lady Utes and beat a usually tough team in a tougher arena.
I'm no longer an apologist for Ray Giacoletti (hey, Giac, why isn't your e-mail address on the team site?). What he is failing to do with all of the talent available on that team disgusts me.
The conference perfect Lady Utes are playing 2-1 (MWC) UNLV this afternoon. Starting right about now in fact. Let's make it 7 in a row for the Utes against the Lady Rebels.
Pitchers and catchers report a month from Wednesday, with everyone due for Spring Training on Feb. 21. Even when it's horribly cold outside there's still hope for spring.

Elaine Elliott wins her 500th

73-57 seems to have be in score in Fort Collins this week.
The Lady Utes beat Colorado State by this score tonight (1/11) and the men lost by the same on Tuesday (1/9). Funny how numbers work out sometimes.
I admit I wasn't listening to the game on the radio like I could've been, but "Ugly Betty" and "CSI" were on. What disgusts me more than my own fan behavior is that the KUTV news on KJZZ at 9pm failed to report the score and I had to go to CSU's web site because the U's was not updated. What's wrong with this picture?
Ute fans finally have a winning horse to back this academic year and you're not hyping them?
I'm not certain if I'm more disgusted with the KUTV people or CSTV who host the Mountain West Conference web sites. All I know is that both "news" outlets dropped the ball (as it were) on this one.

Go Lady Utes!

I must confess that I don't follow the Lady Utes as well as I do the men. But a big woohoo! for coming back 14 points, beating New Mexico and breaking their huge home winning streak in The Pit.
The 9-6 (2-0 conference) Lady Utes are also looking at a chance for coach Elaine Elliott's 500th win this week at Colorado State. It'd be nice if she could get that win at home, but I'd rather see the team get her win on the road and keep up the good work.
Also congratulations to sophamore Joh-Teena Filipe on her third triple-double of the season against San Diego State and her first, and I'm sure not last, MWC player of the week honors.

Again, the spell checker hates me so I'm sorry for any errors I missed.

BCS Championship game

Congratulations to Urban Meyer and the University of Florida. I only watched the end of the game (See becksday.blogspot.com for what I was up to) but wow. I wish he hadn't abandoned us here in Utah. I like a good looking youngish coach who prowls the sidelines - especially one who wins. Coach Meyer is all that. Kyle Whittingham, whom he left us with, is youngish and has won more than he's lost but...
It's been since November of 1999 that anyone's scored as many as 41 points on Ohio State. So well done and well won.
Of the bowl games I paid attention to, only the Utes and Boise State came through with wins for me. Good thing I tend not to gamble.
And Urban and the Gator's win also makes the whole BCS system, which he started screwing up when he took the Utes to the Fiesta Bowl (a mere, but oh so long, two years ago), even more suspect. Thanks for beating Ohio State and giving the sensible football fans who think the BCS is a joke fodder for dissent. Go Broncos! (That's Boise State - not Denver.) Nothing against Florida, but they did lose one.
Another point about this game, my mom's family is from Michigan so I also seem to have a genetic dislike for OSU, though I'd cheer for them over BYU any day of the week in any sport or academic endevor.

No NBA for you or the Utes find a new loss margin

I assume that basketball officials work their way up through the college system before they hit the pros, much like baseball umpires start out in a rookie league and work their way up. I'm not confirming this now because looking it up would spoil my momentum.
So the Utes lost their men's basketball game again last night, once more by 3 or fewer points -- but they found a new point margin and lost by 2. That doesn't make me happy but isn't what had me fuming 24 hours ago either. Frankly I'm not certain if TCU won or the officials did.
If I were UofU athletic director Chris Hill or the AD for TCU I would have spent today writing a letter to whoever is in charge of NCAA officials filing a complaint against the officials.
Now I admit I get distracted by shiny objects and probably miss seeing half of the fouls in any given game. But I certainly saw some the officials either missed or miscalled last night. My favorite was when the Utah player was charged with charging, but the TCU defender wasn't planted, and the in arena big screen replay showed that he had a foot off the ground. Didn't look planted to me. Too bad college basketball doesn't have the red hankies that football has. Both coaches could've used them with abandon and not lost a time out.
It was horrible.
I respect officials. They have a really tough job. I rarely join the crowd in yelling at baseball games unless a pitch is obviously a foot or so out of the strike zone and called a strike or a runner is called out when the baseman is nowhere near the bag. I try to be the same with other sports and only join the yelling against officials when it's REALLY BAD.
This was probably the worst officiating I've ever seen. The Mountain West Conference and NCAA should be ashamed that these men work for them.

Hello, and welcome to Beck's Balls

I love sports.
I love baseball most of all. Go Brewers! Go Tigers! Go Bees!
That was an easy start.
A summer Sunday at the ballpark, whether Franklin Covey (no longer Derks') Field or in the land of the major leagues, is church to me. In fact it doesn't have to be Sunday. It can be a rainy April Tuesday evening when I'm wearing a warm coat and it's still summer and church at some level in my head. Don't forget that pitchers and catchers report on February 17.
University of Utah football games are revival meetings. U. men's basketball has been a burden thus far this year. So much talent, so few wins.
Alex Smith has made me start watching pro football again the last two years. Go Niners! Nice OT win that kept the Donkey's out of the playoffs on New Year's Eve. If only they'd beaten the Cardinals there'd be at least one more game. Next year, when they buy Alex an offensive line and another receiver or two...
Hockey and soccer are visiting someone elses church, but enjoying the sermon all the same.
Tennis is a grand sport (mmmm legs...Nadal and Federer in the French Open final last year, sigh).
I must confess I'm just not that into pro basketball. The Jazz are doing well, playing as a team and looking happy. Hey, even Jerry Sloan has smiled this year. But I can't stand to watch the game on TV, just give me the late night highlights on ESPN, that's enough. Though I have enjoyed the few games I've attended - despite the beer price.
I don't see the point of golf or poker on TV.
Anyway, keep an eye out, I've got opinions and humanities degrees and I'm not afraid to use either.
The photo above is from my pilgrimage to Denver last summer to watch my Milwaukee Brewers play. I met a lot of nice people from Wisconsin at Coors Field and the vowels were very long in Denver that week. That's Derrick Turnbow pitching, he's turned into an ok closer considering how he made us cringe with his wildness when he played for the Salt Lake Stingers. Let's just hope he can get back on form this year, since he went from first team All-Star to no longer closing during the month of July last year.