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?