This weekend and weekend before

Last weekend had one of the most amazing USU football games I have ever watched.  Its too bad for most people that it was at Hawaii and went until 1:30 AM mountain time.  I almost cried when Chuckie went down, I was seriously scared.  Then when we started scoring in the 2nd half I could just feel the comeback coming.  Everything was there for it.  Really everything just went our way in that 2nd half.  The fake punt, both of of Adam Kennedy's touchdown passes, the pass inference call, and Michael Smith someone getting reversing the field twice to get a first down (it was called back on a penalty but if you know the play you know we got lucky). It was just ridiculous.

Alright well I decided to camp out the two nights before the BYU game.  Oh the reward I received for it.  My ears started hurting immediately, it was just so effing loud.  You could tell the student section was ready to explode.  There was some amazing signs (mostly directed towards Davies), a lot of people with painted bodies, and one guy dressed as the pope (my favorite).

The game itself well I have never seen that many charges called, some good and a lot were bad.  An example of that is one time Pane was going sideways around a guy and while hes in the air a BYU defender slides over  puts his hips into Pane and falls over.  It was a little ridiculous, WCC refs right?  It was just badm both teams had over 20 fouls.  It was a physical game but not quite sure if it was that bad.  Although BYU's got inflated at the end because of free throws, which we actually made.  I don't feel like givng a real analyst but I have to say at moments I was really scared and at other times I knew we would win.  When we had 10 fouls and they had 3, I thought the game was over.  We were playing each other tight and the free throws they were going to get would have been all the difference.  Fortunately it didn't turn out that way.  I will say there is a reason that we didn't do winning team losing team until there was 7 seconds left.  The game was close and it was worth the two nights of Logan weather.  (so glad I bought that mountain hardware sleeping bag)

well at least we look like we can beat almost anyone

Alright I know we were the only Utah team to lose yesterday which really really sucks.  We choked hardcore, but then again that onside kick was amazing.  One of the best I had already seen.  I had the feeling that we were going to let it slip away.  I just didn't think it would take a miracle for us to do it.  I want to focus on the positives, this makes every single game in the rest of our schedule look very winnable.  I think the BYU game should be very interesting since they finally learned in their second half how to execute.  Besides that in looks like we could even win the WAC if we play like that.  Do I think we will look like that every game.  Nope.  I just hope we can play somewhere to that level.  We really were able to move the ball against the most talented and fasted defense we will see.  We did get exposed through the air I can admit, but just run on us I dare you.  I think our secondary will improve enough and plus we won't be facing any where near that fast of receivers.

Also Chuckie Keeton looked great, what an exciting qb to have.  He made great decisions and dang that kid can throw the slant.  He didn't take a lot of chances down field but I doubt that was the game plan.  He did look great in the pocket and his awareness was ridiculous.  Some sweet moves and speed.  Plus we saw he could make that deep throw and the throw on the run.

In honor the first full day of games and my inability to sleep

I don't know how many games I will talk about.  I am going to start with the two that are on my mind the most though.  The first one being the Utah State versus Auburn game.  I heard about some espn blogs picking this as the cupcake game of the week and I strongly beg to differ.  My perspective is highly biased towards the aggies and I believe they can win.  This is how the game will have to be won.  

1.  The Aggies must stop the run.

            Last year we lost to Oklahoma by a touchdown and the main reason we were even behind was the fact that Demarco Murray ran all over us.  That what's Auburn's game plan should be.  But if in our new 3-4 defense we can limit the run game to somewhere around 150 yards we have a chance.  That number really is about the best we are going to get, then again we've all seen miracles happen.

2.  The USU quarterback must manage the game and not turn the ball over

            Whoever he may be shouldn't try to win the game, well that is if our running game is as good as its supposed to be.  I think the biggest mistake our QB's could have is try to force plays downfield.  Nickle and diming your way on a young defense is a great way to get them to make mistakes.  Nothing is more frustrating then giving up 4-12 yards everything play.  Auburn is going to be looking for TFL plays to really get their confidence up and show the world, we can't have that.  Another factor in that Oklahoma game was that we threw 3 picks.  The last one coming on what would have been the game tying drive.

If we can do those things we have a chance to win.  No guarantee of victory but we have seen team dominate other teams and still lose, its all about putting points on the score board.

USU 34-Auburn 27

I'm a homer.

.  

The other game I want to just briefly cover is the BYU versus Ole Miss game.  I think this is a pretty evenly matched game, well kinda.  I think BYU is overrated (like usual) and Old Miss is underrated.  BYU has the momentum going from last season of beating up on okay teams at the end of last season.  Ole Miss is trying to say we don't suck, last year was a fluke.  The better team looks to be BYU but we should always remember those games where BYU has struggled against superior speed and athleticism.  My motto for it, remember Florida State.(which was during the year of national championship talk).  Oh and just to kick byu in the balls because I can, BYU's national championship is the probably the most undeserving national champion ever in college football.  Still BYU 41 - Ole Miss 31.  I think the BYU defense is not going to be what its supposed to be but Ole Miss probably does suck so they'll still win and Jake Heaps will still be the savior of BYU football.

Bonus game Baylor and TCU was awesome last night.  I was going for baylor since I remember RG3 from his freshmen year and I have to go for a fellow 400M runner.  Also TCU was getting to that point of where I was tired of hearing about them.  TCU made it close game at the end which really showed they had heart, promise to be a better team later in the season, and they their inexperience at quarterback killed them in the end.  Thats what happens when you can't trust your kicking game though.  

Anyway I'm excited for the games today and can't wait for another season of football.  #thisiswhyIdon'thavebettergrades

Gordon Hayward

Some people are calling Hayward's game against the Lakers a coming out party.( I am seriously considering buying his jersey)  Theres been a done of hype about him now after these last two games.  I don't necessary expect him to keep what he has done these last two games, but I think he can become that guy by next season.  If he can average somewhere around 16 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, a block, and a steal a game next season I would be happy.  That would give us two legit scoring threats from the perimeter with Hayward and Miles.  That is assuming we exercise the team option on C.J.  Then with Harris running the point it looks like we could be a handful on the perimeter.  Again the weakness is shooting,  while Hayward is averaging a very good 45% from three, both C.J. and Harris are career 34% and 30% three point shooters.  So that leaves a little bit to be desired for that.  C.J. at least is respectable enough to scare people to guarding him at the 3 point line.  With Memo back next season, assuming he gets back,  we could be scary with him and Hayward bombing threes.  This was supposed to be more about Hayward so back to him.  I like how he has developed, I've been looking at his previous games and he has shown glimpses of what he is doing now.  He went 5 for 5 from the three against the T-Wolves back in February.  The last game was his most complete game by far though.  Also I mentioned in my previous post that he had the ball in his hands on every play the last six minutes.  I saw what he could be a playmaker and a leader.  He made things happen for the guys around him, especially Favors.  He is able to do things off the dribble which makes him that much more important.  The last few seasons we haven't had a wing that could do that.  Brewer was freakishly athletic and got a lot steals but not a serious offensive threat, especially with that awful jumper.  Krover could shoot the three and thats about it.  Wesley Matthews why couldn't we have kept him could do those things so my earlier statement was false.  He wasn't a leader but played within himself.  Oh gosh not resigning him still haunts me.  Anyway I think Hayward is looking like a better and better pick.  I love the kid and I think if he continues to develop he'll be awesome.

so its been awhile

alright well I am doing this now because frankly I forgot do it during all of march madness mostly out of laziness and I was busy too.  Alright well that was a great tournament and my bracket did well until the elite 8 oh well.  It ended with a dud with that horrible championship game.  Seriously was painful to watch.  Was really disappointed in USU.  They pulled their classic choke until the second half in the ncaa tourney game and come up short.  They just didn't attack and adapt to the great half court D of KSU.  On Jazz news we are now eliminated from the playoffs now which i honestly wanted them to do.  It was good to see them beat the Lakers tonight though.  Great game by Hayward, I don't know if people noticed but he had the ball in his hands every play of the last half of the fourth quarter.  Hes going to be the man if he keeps this up.  That dunk was sweet and he just was a play maker tonight.  The one disappointing thing about that game was that the Jazz couldn't make free throws.  Almost lost the game for that reason.  I think it was just a problem for that game especially with who the culprits were.  Alright, I really hope we get good draft picks this year, hoping for Harrison Barnes or Derrick Williams.  That would be a sweet pick and besides that I don't care as long as its not Jimmer.  I know part of the reason is I just don't like BYU and the other because I think it would be a huge mistake.  Oh and I noticed that some utah bloggers have made comparisons with him and Steve Nash which is ridiculous, Steve Nash is a better passer and was a better passer in college.  I know Jimmer had to carry the BYU offense, but still if you are apparently getting double teamed and whatever you should be able to find an open man.  I know BYU has some shooters.  Oh and horrid A/TO ratio, I mean for a point guard seriously you need better.  Anyway thats my little rant for the day on that.  Should get to bed, but I drank Mountain Dew!

The USU game and what I think of the Jazz post trade so far, bonus mwc talk

I haven't been able to watch the Jazz but one quarter this weekend.  So I can't apply the eye test to them after the trade.  I was at the Utah State game tonight and I have continued to notice a trend that we only play one good half.  Maybe I could say we only play one dominate half.  Since I went to the USU game I'll start with that first.

We shot very well tonight and hence we won.  I was actually a lot more impressed at times with Idaho's defense but after we made a few shots it just crumbled.  You can look to that middle of the first half run to see when that really happened.  Tai has really shown the ability to make to finish around the hoop lately.  Hes finished with 20+ in the last 4 of 6 games.  We are a totally different beast when hes finishing around the hoop.  

About the half part, it seems like we lately have just dominated one half against a team and then we play them about even in the other half.  Take this game for example while you could tell we were the better team in the second half the first half was where we shined.  We really cracked down on defense and we made a adjustments on offense.  I especially liked Newbold in the post that was interesting.  I believe all 6 of his points were scored that way.  

It was fun to rush the court even if it was completely unnecessary.  As far as I know this senior class has never had the crowd rush the court.  I was only around for their freshmen year though.  I thought it was fitting to do it in revenge for how Idaho celebrated.  It doesn't show a lot of class but it was fun at least.  Cutting down the nets was nice since frankly you don't get to do it very often.  Stew cutting down part of the net was my favorite part.  

I find it interesting that the Jazz's system makes players look better at least on the state line.  We lost tonight, but Favors had 10 points, 2 rebounds, 1 block, and Harris had 17 points, 2 rebounds, and 12 assists.  Not bad for only practicing once with the team.  I would like to see more rebounds out of Favors, but I'll talk about that more when I actually get to see him play.  I see him right now as how Millsap was his rookie year.  He has 2 inches on Millsap though and is more athletic.  I would like to see a steal out of Harris too, when he was at his best he was averaging 1.7 steals a game and I would love to see him put up close to those numbers for the jazz.  Congratulations on the 12 assists, definitely what to see that consistently.

I still continue to think that we won't make the playoffs.  I know after last nights game it felt like we were going to go to the playoffs.  And then we lost to a 21 win Detroit team and its back to earth.  Jazz went from playing great defense to a high scoring affair and got lite up by Austin Daye.  We might still be bound for the lottery like I hoped.  We just aren't playing good basketball at the moment.  The problem is I just don't know whats really wrong.  Its not the slow starts anymore.  We'll show up eventually.  If only we had a healthy Okur, you have to really wonder what that would do.

Also I know BYU and SDSU are both rated in the top 10 and looking great.  Except I think they are both overrated.  Besides BYU beating Arizona, it think between them they both have no great wins.  Even that BYU win doesn't look so good tonight as Arizona got stomped by UCLA.  Interestingly enough thats the first team to beat BYU.  Now I will say that none of them have bad losses.  SDSU did show that it was willing to show a good resume by playing on the road a lot in non conference.  I present though the problem if you put them in the big east how do you think they would do.  Would they look like top 10 teams in that conference.  I think thats a flat out no.  Honestly if I was to put them against the top 10 teams in the big east I would bet on the big east teams.  Do I think either of those teams could be any of those teams yes, but I they would look more like a fringe top 25 teams and not top 10 teams.  Oh and those St. Mary's and Gonzaga wins don't look so great at the moment either.

Also it kinda reminds me that when Ohio State and Michigan were ranked 1 and 2 in the nation.  Everybody thought they were the two best teams.  Then the heisman trophy winner Troy Smith and Ohio State got killed by LSU.  Michigan also went to on to lose badly to USC in its bowl game.  While good teams they weren't what they thought they were and so is BYU and SDSU.

The great potential that the jazz have

First off what has happened this season isn't exactly ideal.  To start we have an injured at one point in time all-star riding the bench and I don't think he'll come back this season (memo).  We lost Matthews in before the season even started to the ever so lets screw the jazz by trying to overpay their free agents and seeing if they match Trail Blazers.  We were kidding ourselves with miracle comebacks.  How great would it be if I think we had an better chance right now to win the lottery with two different picks.  The one we owe the t-wolves is top 16 protected.  Can't tell you how hard it was to find that info.  Now we are a playoff fringe team with no chance of doing anything in it and can't really fall enough to get a decent draft pick, so not ideal.

Alright so on to what just happened.  We just lost D-will who is 17 on PER rankings at a very respectable 22.17.  Now he has been suffering from a wrist injury, heres hoping he decides its time to shut it down for the season and heal.  Hes probably too competitive for that though.  He is definitely in the conversation as the best point guard in the NBA.  He also was a much better grab for the Nets then Melo was.  Although he doesn't have the same kind of star power.  He has great size, a good finisher, a killer cross over, and also a good shooter.  So that will be missed.  

Now what we got in return.

First I love Devin Harris.  He is wicked fast, knows how to get to the line, and can play really good defense.  His draw backs are he can't shoot and is injury prone.  Now he may not have the assists average you would want from a Jazz point guard but I don't think that should be a problem.  As he has been a score first point guard and may actually be better for us in that respect then D-will was.  I think hes ability to drive will actually help players like Al Jefferson and Millsap as he gets opponents bigs in foul trouble and have to play help D.  I don't know how he is with the pick and roll but he if hes good opponents could be in trouble.  Also I am way stoked about his defense, seriously we suck at D we need the help.  We might not keep him because I could see us getting Caron Butler's expiring contract and opening up more cap for next year.  But if we do I think it could add a completely different dimension to us.  Lets pray if he does stay that he can return to his all star form.

Alright well theres Favors, I honestly don't know much about the kid.  I looked on youtube and he can dunk. Maybe him and Evans can have their own dunk contest.  So what jumps out at first is his athleticism.  The guy can run down the court and he can finish.  The main problem right now is that he lacks polish in the offensive game.  I think right now if we keep Millsap and don't shoot ourselves in the foot more for tax relief then he will have a great mentor.  He has upside as well on the defensive end, could be a good shot blocker as he develops more and will help on the boards.  Which I noticed has been a weakness this year.  Overall he has a lot of upside and could make us have a dangerous frontcourt this next year.

Now the two draft picks, the first one is UNPROTECTED pick for the next year!  Why I want to D-will to throw in the towel on the season.  Because this could be huge, if the nets don't start winning games.  Which I doubt they will the team is just frankly terrible.  Right now they are getting the 6th overall draft pick with a 6.3% chance of winning the lottery.  Which isn't great but hey its better then nothing.  I love to think how magical it would be to get the number overall pick in what has been considered a weak draft but whatever.

The second pick comes is the 2012 1st round pick for the Golden State Warriors.  It is protected in the top 7 and then top 6 for the next two years.  Knowing how Golden State plays we will probably get a 10 or 11 pick in 2012.  Which is something to be excited about as well.  In less for some reason they learn to play defense but I doubt that.  Still good enough offensively to win games so we don't have to worry about waiting forever for it.

Overall I think the jazz lose some star power, but I hope this has shown that they gain a lot.  I didn't talk about it but I doubt Deron's leadership abilities.  he's a good player but he hasn't done anything for this team leading them.  They have some building blocks to build around and could be become instantly good again with a little luck and some people getting healthy.  That is if we don't start over again and implode the roster more. Apparently the Jazz are getting calls about Millsap.  It looks like we are going to be about 2 years away from really being considered at least a second tier team.  The future is looking bright and we should be able to build upon Favors, Hayward, the nets draft pick, and hopefully our own from this year. Heres to next season.

College Basketball Rankings

The first problem with rankings its not the best team at that moment its who is having the best overall season. One example is a few years back when Georgia in football was widely considered to the be the hottest team in the country and would have beat anybody in football. But because they had lost earlier in the season they ended up playing in the sugar bowl against an ranked and highly overrated Hawaii team. Which they stomped.

The next is a team like George Mason which had that great final four run a few years back. It was highly criticized that they even got into the tournament. Then the only preceded to beat the likes of Michigan State, North Carolina, and UConn. Eventually losing the Florida who went on to win the NC. You can also look at Davidson in 2008 going to the elite eight as a 10 seed and they should have beat Kansas in the game that would have got them to the final four. Really rankings are all related to perception. A lot of it goes into the rankings of other things too such as recruiting classes. Kansas state was a ranked third in the preseason, went on to fall out of the rankings, and then beat Kansas, who had just become number 1. Many teams have been ranked and just not soon up in bowl games and NCAA tournaments. Just based on a biased opinion of their league. Just look at the Big Ten in Bowl games. 


There are teams like Utah State who consistently win tons of games. But they haven't won in the post season since an upset of Ohio State in 2003. I love the aggies but they are a classic overrated team. They beat a lot of bad teams and are still good but its unlikely that they will even get the respect of a 24 ranked team on seeding or even win a game no matter what their seed is. Honestly I think BYU is another example. Yes Jimmer has been amazing. But honestly besides SDSU and Arizona they really haven't beat anybody. They've had Arizona's number for awhile and frankly that arizona is different from the one we are seeing right now. SDSU great team but they only beat a Gonzaga team that isn't even going to win its conference, and is behind a team that just lost to team with only 5 wins. 


So really do rankings mean a lot no. I do believe that we should keep them. But do they determine if a team is good not really. It comes from the tendency to overreact to the losses that many good teams have. You can't win every night. Just because you lose once does that mean you are no longer the best team. no it doesn't. The problem is losing your ranking can get you out of a national championship. Which is really the problem with the BCS. You can't argue with the playoff system of march madness, you get your chance to prove yourself. That is if you get into the tournament.