#8 BYU (20-2, 6-1 MWC) followed up their win over #7 San Diego State (21-1, 6-1) with a loss at New Mexico (15-7, 3-4 MWC) on Saturday by a score of 86-77. Freshman Tony Snell hit 3 big shots for the Lobos down the stretch to help them pull away and send the sell-out crowd in Albuquerque into a frenzy. Snell and fellow freshman Kendall Williams each had 16 points for New Mexico.
Player of the Year candidate Jimmer Fredette of BYU led all scorers with 32 points, but seemed to wear down in the closing minutes, missing shots that I'm not used to seeing him miss. To be fair, Fredette still scored 32 points and still shot a very solid percentage. It may have just proved that Fredette is human after all, but I think fatigue did get to him a little bit. New Mexico was able to whether the storm of Fredette's and BYU's potent scoring attack and hang around in the game. Down the stretch, the Lobos were able to make the plays necessary to win.
The win was much needed for New Mexico, who perhaps played with a bit more desperation knowing they couldn't afford to drop another conference game. They also undoubtedly fed off the emotion from the crowd. The Lobos are still a bubble team when it comes to NCAA Tournament considerations, but this win certainly gives them a very much needed quality win that could help them on Selection Sunday. New Mexico will have to play a bit more consistently as the 2nd half of conference play approaches if they are going to feel good about their Tournament chances.
BYU is still a really good team that is a lock for the Tournament and at worst will finish second in the Mountain West this year. The Pit is a really tough place to play and a lot of teams lose there, so it's not a totally shocking loss. It really appears to be a two team race between them and San Diego State at this point, although Colorado State (15-6, 5-2 MWC) could make things a bit more interesting with a home win over the Aztecs on Wednesday (7 p.m. MT, CBS College Sports). BYU next plays at Wyoming (8-13, 1-6 MWC) on Wednesday at 6 p.m. MT on the Mtn. The Cowboys are coming off a 96-57 loss at SDSU on Saturday. New Mexico next plays tomorrow night at Air Force (12-8, 3-4 MWC) at 6 p.m. MT on the Mtn.
Monday, January 31, 2011
CSU snaps Utes' 3 game win streak
Colorado State (15-6, 5-2 MWC) defeated Utah (10-11, 3-4 MWC) 74-68 at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday afternoon. Utah's 3 game winning streak came to an end, and Colorado State picked up another impressive win in conference play. The Rams are proving to be a lot better than I thought they would be before the season started and very well could finish third in the conference and may even have a shot at an NCAA Tournament berth, although they would do well to collect at least one or two more quality wins for the selection committee to consider.
CSU center Andy Ogide led all scorers with 28 points and added 10 rebounds as well. Ogide was solid down low and also showed some range with his jump shot. He really punished Utah for not double teaming him for much of the afternoon. It was a very impressive performance. I'd like to see a different defensive strategy employed by the Runnin' Utes the next time they play Colorado State. Will Clyburn led Utah with 19 points, including a very strong 2nd half.
All that being said, I still think Utah is good enough talent wise to win at home against Colorado State. The Rams are a good team and have playing with growing consistency as the season has worn on. Utah's play Saturday was kind of a microcosm of their season so far: they were good in spurts but not quite consistent enough. Utah overcame an 11 point 2nd half deficit to tie the score at 68 with about 3 minutes to go, but as you can see from the final score, the Rams were able to take control from there. Colorado State was definitely the better team after 40 minutes and deserved to win. Utah needed to make more plays. The plays are there to be made, the players are there to make them.
It's up to the coaching staff to stop this losing streak at one. I know the Runnin' Utes won't be favored in at least five of their remaining conference games, but they have to find ways to get wins. There is a favorite saying of mine by longtime NFL coach Bill Parcells that "You are what your record says you are." Utah is 10-11 and 3-4 in conference play, tied for 5th in the MWC. That's not good enough right now for a program with as much of a proud tradition and prestige as Utah has. I'm willing to be patient and wait until the end of the season, but a losing record in conference play will not sit well with me, I can tell you that right now. I don't care if the Utes aren't favored, they need to find ways to win games. I think it's still possible for the team to make strides and get things done (as was evidenced by the 3 game winning streak) and I will be rooting for that, you can be sure. Utah next plays at UNLV (16-5, 4-3 MWC) on Wednesday night at 8:30 p.m. MT on the Mtn.
CSU center Andy Ogide led all scorers with 28 points and added 10 rebounds as well. Ogide was solid down low and also showed some range with his jump shot. He really punished Utah for not double teaming him for much of the afternoon. It was a very impressive performance. I'd like to see a different defensive strategy employed by the Runnin' Utes the next time they play Colorado State. Will Clyburn led Utah with 19 points, including a very strong 2nd half.
All that being said, I still think Utah is good enough talent wise to win at home against Colorado State. The Rams are a good team and have playing with growing consistency as the season has worn on. Utah's play Saturday was kind of a microcosm of their season so far: they were good in spurts but not quite consistent enough. Utah overcame an 11 point 2nd half deficit to tie the score at 68 with about 3 minutes to go, but as you can see from the final score, the Rams were able to take control from there. Colorado State was definitely the better team after 40 minutes and deserved to win. Utah needed to make more plays. The plays are there to be made, the players are there to make them.
It's up to the coaching staff to stop this losing streak at one. I know the Runnin' Utes won't be favored in at least five of their remaining conference games, but they have to find ways to get wins. There is a favorite saying of mine by longtime NFL coach Bill Parcells that "You are what your record says you are." Utah is 10-11 and 3-4 in conference play, tied for 5th in the MWC. That's not good enough right now for a program with as much of a proud tradition and prestige as Utah has. I'm willing to be patient and wait until the end of the season, but a losing record in conference play will not sit well with me, I can tell you that right now. I don't care if the Utes aren't favored, they need to find ways to win games. I think it's still possible for the team to make strides and get things done (as was evidenced by the 3 game winning streak) and I will be rooting for that, you can be sure. Utah next plays at UNLV (16-5, 4-3 MWC) on Wednesday night at 8:30 p.m. MT on the Mtn.
Friday, January 28, 2011
More thoughts on BYU-SDSU
Just to wrap up what I was saying about the SDSU-BYU game the other night, I thought both teams played well defensively and I think the crowd and Fredette were the differences in the game. I think it can really work on a team's psyche when they start realizing that they are against the ropes for the first time in the season and the thought that there is a good chance they could lose enters their mind. A huge crowd cheering against you helps to build those feelings as well.
#9 BYU (20-1, 6-0 MWC) took the lead early in the 2nd half and never trailed again. # 4 San Diego State (20-1, 5-1 MWC) was able to stay in the game with good defense and a few timely shots, but they really weren't able to execute offensively down the stretch. I think BYU's defense had a lot to do with that. And of course, Fredette made some key shots for BYU down the stretch as well. The Aztecs seemed to struggle on offense late, I feel like if they could have just been a little more consistent, the game could have even come down to the final possession. Kawhi Leonard had a big game with points and rebounds for San Diego State despite being under the weather and I believe hooked up to an IV earlier in the day. Leonard is a real force down low and an incredible athlete -- he gets rebounds that he just doesn't look like he is in position to get. His effort was impressive. I'll be interested to see how long Fredette can keep up this high level of scoring. BYU plays at New Mexico (14-7, 2-4 MWC) tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. MT on Versus and San Diego State hosts Wyoming (8-12, 1-5 MWC) at 8 p.m. MT on the Mtn.
#9 BYU (20-1, 6-0 MWC) took the lead early in the 2nd half and never trailed again. # 4 San Diego State (20-1, 5-1 MWC) was able to stay in the game with good defense and a few timely shots, but they really weren't able to execute offensively down the stretch. I think BYU's defense had a lot to do with that. And of course, Fredette made some key shots for BYU down the stretch as well. The Aztecs seemed to struggle on offense late, I feel like if they could have just been a little more consistent, the game could have even come down to the final possession. Kawhi Leonard had a big game with points and rebounds for San Diego State despite being under the weather and I believe hooked up to an IV earlier in the day. Leonard is a real force down low and an incredible athlete -- he gets rebounds that he just doesn't look like he is in position to get. His effort was impressive. I'll be interested to see how long Fredette can keep up this high level of scoring. BYU plays at New Mexico (14-7, 2-4 MWC) tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. MT on Versus and San Diego State hosts Wyoming (8-12, 1-5 MWC) at 8 p.m. MT on the Mtn.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
#9 BYU tops #4 San Diego State
#9 BYU (20-1, 6-0 MWC) defeated #4 San Diego State (20-1, 5-1 MWC) last night by a score of 71-58 last night in one of the more highly anticipated match-ups to date in the college basketball season. BYU guard Jimmer Fredette was once again the story, pouring in 43 points for the Cougars. He seemed like he couldn't miss for a while and really carried the Cougars all night long. BYU students rushed the floor following the win.
It was a raucous environment all night and San Diego State actually hung in the game pretty well and seemed to execute pretty well until the closing minutes. As Gary Parrish of CBS said, it would have been tough for any team in the country to win in that environment last night. More thoughts on this later as I have to run now.
It was a raucous environment all night and San Diego State actually hung in the game pretty well and seemed to execute pretty well until the closing minutes. As Gary Parrish of CBS said, it would have been tough for any team in the country to win in that environment last night. More thoughts on this later as I have to run now.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Top 10 match-up tomorrow night
Tomorrow night it's #4 San Diego State (20-0, 5-0 MWC) at #9 BYU (19-1, 5-0 MWC) at 8 p.m. MT in Provo. The game will be televised on CBS College Sports. I'll be at the game and will be tweeting updates live from the Marriott Center. Utah (10-10, 3-3 MWC) is obviously my team, but the Runnin' Utes aren't playing again until Saturday and I am a big fan of college basketball as a whole. Thus, when there is a marquee match-up featuring two top ten teams within driving distance of where I live, I feel like it's worth making an effort to be there.
I'm interested to see how the Aztecs will perform in what will be their biggest test of the year to date. The game has been sold out for days now and that really is saying something considering that the capacity is over 22,000. I expect it will be a loud, raucous atmosphere and I'm sure that I will be one of the few people not making a lot of noise in support of the Cougars. I just want to be there and hopefully see a great college basketball game. I'll definitely be back here to blog about the outcome and give some analysis following the game.
I think BYU will win a close game because they are at home and because they have Jimmer Fredette. San Diego State presents BYU with a lot of match-up problems with their size and athleticism, particularly with their big and quick forwards Kawhi Leonard and Malcolm Thomas. I expect those guys will each be in double figures and causing problems down low. D.J. Gay could be an x-factor for the Aztecs if he is able to knock down a lot of shots from the outside. However, I think the home crowd will be a huge advantage to BYU -- I think they really feed off the energy of their crowd at home, particularly when they get running in transition. That will be a key for the Aztecs -- to limit BYU's running game and to get back on defense. The bigger problem for SDSU will be trying to limit Fredette. I think ultimately Fredette will be the difference in the game, but it should be a good match-up that could go either way.
I'm interested to see how the Aztecs will perform in what will be their biggest test of the year to date. The game has been sold out for days now and that really is saying something considering that the capacity is over 22,000. I expect it will be a loud, raucous atmosphere and I'm sure that I will be one of the few people not making a lot of noise in support of the Cougars. I just want to be there and hopefully see a great college basketball game. I'll definitely be back here to blog about the outcome and give some analysis following the game.
I think BYU will win a close game because they are at home and because they have Jimmer Fredette. San Diego State presents BYU with a lot of match-up problems with their size and athleticism, particularly with their big and quick forwards Kawhi Leonard and Malcolm Thomas. I expect those guys will each be in double figures and causing problems down low. D.J. Gay could be an x-factor for the Aztecs if he is able to knock down a lot of shots from the outside. However, I think the home crowd will be a huge advantage to BYU -- I think they really feed off the energy of their crowd at home, particularly when they get running in transition. That will be a key for the Aztecs -- to limit BYU's running game and to get back on defense. The bigger problem for SDSU will be trying to limit Fredette. I think ultimately Fredette will be the difference in the game, but it should be a good match-up that could go either way.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Runnin' Utes and other thoughts
A couple of thoughts to start out here: is Anne Hathaway really going to play Cat Woman in a new movie? That's interesting news, but I guess maybe just mildly surprising. Wasn't there another movie like that out not too long ago? Okay, so that's not really sports, but I just felt like throwing that in there because I just saw something like that in my e-mail news feed. I may throw in a thought or two like this that aren't sports as part of sports posts every once in a while, we'll see. Don't worry, it's still going to be sports in every post. Another thing is that I've been surprised by how much of the Australian Open I've been watching. It's been some good, world class tennis, and has been pretty entertaining. I think I may be in danger of becoming a bigger tennis fan. I'm pulling for a Roger Federer vs. Rafael Nadal final in the men's draw, I think that would be pretty sweet.
Now, on to the Runnin' Utes. They won at TCU yesterday to record their 3rd straight win and move to .500 overall and in conference. Utah is looking improved and needs to keep it up. I'm encouraged and thinking that the Runnin' Utes could salvage the season. They next play at home against Colorado State on Saturday at 4 p.m. MT. I've been particularly impressed of late with how freshman J.J. O'Brien has come on, he's turning into quite a player. If he keeps this up, he could really key a strong finish to the season for Utah.
Now, on to the Runnin' Utes. They won at TCU yesterday to record their 3rd straight win and move to .500 overall and in conference. Utah is looking improved and needs to keep it up. I'm encouraged and thinking that the Runnin' Utes could salvage the season. They next play at home against Colorado State on Saturday at 4 p.m. MT. I've been particularly impressed of late with how freshman J.J. O'Brien has come on, he's turning into quite a player. If he keeps this up, he could really key a strong finish to the season for Utah.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Runnin' Utes update
Utah (9-10, 2-3 MWC) won last Saturday at Wyoming (8-10, 1-3 MWC) and at home on Wednesday against New Mexico (13-6, 1-3 MWC) in what was probably the team's best complete game performance of the season. It was a really encouraging win to watch as although the Lobos aren't as good as last year, they aren't exactly slouches either. The Runnin' Utes are at TCU (10-10, 1-4 MWC) tomorrow at 4 p.m. MT on the Mtn. My guess is the Utes will win because they've picked up some momentum and TCU isn't that great. But just about anything can happen, especially because it is a road game. I'll be watching and tweeting, you should check it out.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Utes look to stop losing skid against Pokes
After the debacle on Tuesday night, Utah (7-10, 0-3 MWC) visits Wyoming (8-9, 1-2 MWC) on Saturday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. MT. The game will be televised on the Mtn. The Runnin' Utes badly need a win as they are mired in a 7 game winning streak that is the school's worst in over 60 years. Utah absolutely has a more talented roster than the Cowboys, but this is a road game and the Utes haven't been able to pull out wins late in games this year. With that in mind, I'll take the Pokes by about 4, although I'll be rooting really hard for the Utes who have to look at this game as one they have to win. Just a quick post here, but I'll be back after the game with more analysis. Also, you can follow me in game on Twitter. Oh and real quickly here are my picks for the NFL playoff games this weekend: Steelers over Ravens, Falcons over Packers, Bears over Seahawks, Patriots over Jets.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Utah gets blown out by Fredette, BYU
#11 BYU (17-1, 3-0 MWC) defeated Utah (7-10, 0-3 MWC) last night by a score of 104-79. BYU's National Player of the Year candidate Jimmer Fredette had 47 points, including 32 in the first half. Fredette made just about every shot he took, no matter the level of difficulty. I thought Utah guarded him pretty well for the most part. There's just not a whole lot you can do when I guy is in the zone like that.
Late in the first half Utah was down by just five and following a three the lead was 8 with it appearing that the Runnin' Utes would get the last shot of the half. The Utes came up empty and BYU had just a couple of ticks left on the clock. My girlfriend turned to me and said that at least we would only be down by 8 at halftime and I (rather sarcastically) said "Unless Jimmer makes a shot from half-court." And well, he made a shot from just inside half-court (with a hand in his face) to give BYU an 11 point lead at the break. Again, not a lot you can do.
It really was a remarkable performance by Fredette and I can appreciate seeing a guy do that to some extent even though he plays for my school's hated rival. As I told a friend of mine, I just wish he had picked someone else to have that huge of a night against. It was a tough pill to swallow, I really hate to see my team lose to those guys, especially when it's by 25 points.
I thought Utah played pretty well for about 3/4 of the game, believe it or not. The Runnin' Utes had the lead about half way through the first half and looked like they had a lot of energy and focus. I thought they maintained that pretty much through the remainder of the half, but fell behind mainly because Fredette was going off.
Utah did enough to stay relatively in the game at least through about the first ten minutes of the second half, trailing by roughly 10 points for most of the stretch. The Utes were running their offense pretty well and trading punches with Fredette and the Cougars. I thought a really crushing blow came when BYU center Noah Hartsock made back-to-back wide open three-pointers to stretch the lead from 9 to 15. After that the Runnin' Utes still had energy, but their focus wasn't as much. I think they panicked as they began to turn it over on just about every possession -- usually very quickly -- and BYU would capitalize with points on the other end.
Look, BYU still would have won the game even if the Utes hadn't had the wheels come off and started turning it over on almost every possession, but it would have been by more like 10 or 15 points rather than 25 points. It would have been nice to keep it close, but as it was Utah got embarrassed.
I was noting that I thought BYU coach Dave Rose was a classy guy for removing Fredette from the game with 5:44 left and the Cougars up 29 points, but then he put him back in shortly after that with the lead all the way down to 24 points with a little over four minutes to go. Rose said "I thought the momentum had changed, so I got him in and got him out of there." Fredette added a couple of more points before Rose pulled him again with 3:07 to go. I still think Rose is a good guy, but there is no way that Utah was going to overcome that 24 point deficit with 4 minutes and change left. It was completely unnecessary; the Utes had gone on a little run, but it was still far from being a game.
To Rose's credit, he did pull Fredette again rather than leave him in to pursue the magical number of 50 points. A lot of coaches would have left a guy going for that many points out there. So, though the move was totally unnecessary, at least Rose didn't leave him out there for the duration of the game. Utah coach Jim Boylen, like me, didn't appear to like the move to reinsert Fredette much when he said after the game that he didn't want to comment on it. I don't blame him for not saying anything, but I'm positive he wasn't thrilled about it.
I wasn't too impressed by how Fredette handled the situation, who appeared to attempt to have another player run to the bench when Rose subbed him out for the final time. It was clear he wanted 50 points and he admitted as much afterward. I just don't think he had enough respect for the opponent or class in how he handled that situation. Basketball is a team game and when your team has the win wrapped up you should just take that, lay off a little bit and not make the game a total embarrassment. I've thought Fredette was a nice enough guy, but I wasn't impressed with how he handled all that. All that being said, as a Utah fan I have to tip my hat to him for having a great night.
Will Clyburn led the Runnin' Utes with 23 points, Josh Watkins had 18, and freshman J.J. O'Brien pitched in 13. Jackson Emery added 20 for the Cougars who next play at home next Tuesday against TCU (9-8, 0-2 MWC) at 8 p.m. MT. Utah next plays at Wyoming (8-8, 1-1 MWC) on Saturday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. MT in a game that will be televised by the Mtn.
Late in the first half Utah was down by just five and following a three the lead was 8 with it appearing that the Runnin' Utes would get the last shot of the half. The Utes came up empty and BYU had just a couple of ticks left on the clock. My girlfriend turned to me and said that at least we would only be down by 8 at halftime and I (rather sarcastically) said "Unless Jimmer makes a shot from half-court." And well, he made a shot from just inside half-court (with a hand in his face) to give BYU an 11 point lead at the break. Again, not a lot you can do.
It really was a remarkable performance by Fredette and I can appreciate seeing a guy do that to some extent even though he plays for my school's hated rival. As I told a friend of mine, I just wish he had picked someone else to have that huge of a night against. It was a tough pill to swallow, I really hate to see my team lose to those guys, especially when it's by 25 points.
I thought Utah played pretty well for about 3/4 of the game, believe it or not. The Runnin' Utes had the lead about half way through the first half and looked like they had a lot of energy and focus. I thought they maintained that pretty much through the remainder of the half, but fell behind mainly because Fredette was going off.
Utah did enough to stay relatively in the game at least through about the first ten minutes of the second half, trailing by roughly 10 points for most of the stretch. The Utes were running their offense pretty well and trading punches with Fredette and the Cougars. I thought a really crushing blow came when BYU center Noah Hartsock made back-to-back wide open three-pointers to stretch the lead from 9 to 15. After that the Runnin' Utes still had energy, but their focus wasn't as much. I think they panicked as they began to turn it over on just about every possession -- usually very quickly -- and BYU would capitalize with points on the other end.
Look, BYU still would have won the game even if the Utes hadn't had the wheels come off and started turning it over on almost every possession, but it would have been by more like 10 or 15 points rather than 25 points. It would have been nice to keep it close, but as it was Utah got embarrassed.
I was noting that I thought BYU coach Dave Rose was a classy guy for removing Fredette from the game with 5:44 left and the Cougars up 29 points, but then he put him back in shortly after that with the lead all the way down to 24 points with a little over four minutes to go. Rose said "I thought the momentum had changed, so I got him in and got him out of there." Fredette added a couple of more points before Rose pulled him again with 3:07 to go. I still think Rose is a good guy, but there is no way that Utah was going to overcome that 24 point deficit with 4 minutes and change left. It was completely unnecessary; the Utes had gone on a little run, but it was still far from being a game.
To Rose's credit, he did pull Fredette again rather than leave him in to pursue the magical number of 50 points. A lot of coaches would have left a guy going for that many points out there. So, though the move was totally unnecessary, at least Rose didn't leave him out there for the duration of the game. Utah coach Jim Boylen, like me, didn't appear to like the move to reinsert Fredette much when he said after the game that he didn't want to comment on it. I don't blame him for not saying anything, but I'm positive he wasn't thrilled about it.
I wasn't too impressed by how Fredette handled the situation, who appeared to attempt to have another player run to the bench when Rose subbed him out for the final time. It was clear he wanted 50 points and he admitted as much afterward. I just don't think he had enough respect for the opponent or class in how he handled that situation. Basketball is a team game and when your team has the win wrapped up you should just take that, lay off a little bit and not make the game a total embarrassment. I've thought Fredette was a nice enough guy, but I wasn't impressed with how he handled all that. All that being said, as a Utah fan I have to tip my hat to him for having a great night.
Will Clyburn led the Runnin' Utes with 23 points, Josh Watkins had 18, and freshman J.J. O'Brien pitched in 13. Jackson Emery added 20 for the Cougars who next play at home next Tuesday against TCU (9-8, 0-2 MWC) at 8 p.m. MT. Utah next plays at Wyoming (8-8, 1-1 MWC) on Saturday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. MT in a game that will be televised by the Mtn.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Utah-BYU tonight
Utah (7-9, 0-2 MWC) hosts rival #11 BYU (16-1, 2-0 MWC) at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City at 6:30 p.m. MT. The game will be televised on the Mtn. Tonight is the Red Out, so please everyone if you are going to the game, wear a lot of red -- I know I will be. For the Red Out, Utah will be wearing their red jerseys as well. Hopefully there will be a lot of red, a lot of support, a lot of fans and a lot of noise.
The Runnin' Utes have lost 6 straight games while the Cougars have won 6 straight and only lost once all season. Utah is coming off a 71-62 loss to #6 San Diego State (17-0, 2-0 MWC) that is kind of encouraging because the Utes were able to play with a great team for most of the game. I, however, am tired of any kind of moral victories and feel this team needs to start winning games in order to turn things around.
Unfortunately, I don't think tonight will be that night. Utah matches up better with San Diego State than they do with BYU plus the Cougars have star guard Jimmer Fredette who is having a monster season. I think BYU wins this game by about 15 points. I'm hopeful that I'm wrong, but that's just how I see it. I think BYU is just too good, too focused, too consistent to lose tonight. And I really am amazed by how good of a season Fredette is having. I was particularly impressed with his play in last Wednesday night's win at UNLV (13-3, 1-1 MWC). I didn't think BYU would be able to win down there but this team really showed me something in that game.
Hopefully the Runnin' Utes are hungry and motivated to get a big upset win tonight. I would love for that to happen as I hate losing to BYU. To get the win it'll take a full 40 minutes of effort and focus on both ends of the court plus some extra concerted effort to slow down Fredette. I'll be at the game and tweeting, plus I'll have recap and analysis following the game back here on my blog. Go Utes!
The Runnin' Utes have lost 6 straight games while the Cougars have won 6 straight and only lost once all season. Utah is coming off a 71-62 loss to #6 San Diego State (17-0, 2-0 MWC) that is kind of encouraging because the Utes were able to play with a great team for most of the game. I, however, am tired of any kind of moral victories and feel this team needs to start winning games in order to turn things around.
Unfortunately, I don't think tonight will be that night. Utah matches up better with San Diego State than they do with BYU plus the Cougars have star guard Jimmer Fredette who is having a monster season. I think BYU wins this game by about 15 points. I'm hopeful that I'm wrong, but that's just how I see it. I think BYU is just too good, too focused, too consistent to lose tonight. And I really am amazed by how good of a season Fredette is having. I was particularly impressed with his play in last Wednesday night's win at UNLV (13-3, 1-1 MWC). I didn't think BYU would be able to win down there but this team really showed me something in that game.
Hopefully the Runnin' Utes are hungry and motivated to get a big upset win tonight. I would love for that to happen as I hate losing to BYU. To get the win it'll take a full 40 minutes of effort and focus on both ends of the court plus some extra concerted effort to slow down Fredette. I'll be at the game and tweeting, plus I'll have recap and analysis following the game back here on my blog. Go Utes!
Auburn wins BCS National Championship
#1 Auburn (14-0) defeated #2 Oregon (12-1) last night 22-19 to win the BCS National Championship. The Tigers kicked a field goal as time ran out to come away with the victory. Oregon had scored a touchdown and two point conversion just a couple of minutes earlier to deadlock the game at 19.
I was surprised by how well both team's defenses played throughout the game. Both schools seemed to have trouble putting points on the board, especially Oregon. Auburn seemed to move the ball a little bit more consistently, which is the opposite of what I thought would happen. However, both teams made plays on offense when they needed to. It was a thrilling game and was just about everything you could ask for from a BCS Championship Game except that the wrong team won. I still think it's a little ridiculous that Cam Newton wasn't punished at all with regard to all the allegations of a pay-for-play type agreement orchestrated by his father. However, Newton is a great player and played really well. I think the NCAA should have done something about the allegations, but we just have to live with what happened I guess.
I was surprised by how well both team's defenses played throughout the game. Both schools seemed to have trouble putting points on the board, especially Oregon. Auburn seemed to move the ball a little bit more consistently, which is the opposite of what I thought would happen. However, both teams made plays on offense when they needed to. It was a thrilling game and was just about everything you could ask for from a BCS Championship Game except that the wrong team won. I still think it's a little ridiculous that Cam Newton wasn't punished at all with regard to all the allegations of a pay-for-play type agreement orchestrated by his father. However, Newton is a great player and played really well. I think the NCAA should have done something about the allegations, but we just have to live with what happened I guess.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
College football BCS National Championship Game tomorrow night
The college football BCS National Championship Game is tomorrow night at 6:30 p.m. MT on ESPN and espn3.com. The game pits #1 Auburn (13-0) against #2 Oregon (12-0). Auburn is led by Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton who is capable of beating teams with his arm and his legs. He will be a handful for the Ducks. Oregon features an explosive, fast-paced offense that few teams have been able to keep up with or contain this season. The Ducks are paced by running back LaMichael James.
Both teams look solid, but in my view the clear edge goes to Oregon. I think the Ducks are just too fast and efficient for the Tigers to hold them down. Auburn will give them a game but I'm picking Oregon to win by 10. Auburn will have to make a few defensive stops and take some time off the clock on offense to stay in the game, but Newton should make some plays to keep it competitive. You can follow me on Twitter during the game and I'll be back on here afterward for recap and analysis.
Both teams look solid, but in my view the clear edge goes to Oregon. I think the Ducks are just too fast and efficient for the Tigers to hold them down. Auburn will give them a game but I'm picking Oregon to win by 10. Auburn will have to make a few defensive stops and take some time off the clock on offense to stay in the game, but Newton should make some plays to keep it competitive. You can follow me on Twitter during the game and I'll be back on here afterward for recap and analysis.
Utah falls to #6 San Diego State
Utah (7-9, 0-2 MWC) lost yesterday afternoon to #6 San Diego State (17-0, 2-0 MWC) by a score of 71-62 at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City. The Runnin' Utes have now lost 6 straight. Kawhi Leonard led the Aztecs with 20 points, D.J. Gay had 18, and Malcolm Thomas had 17. Josh Watkins of the led all scorers with 24 and Will Clyburn had 17 for the Utes.
I'm actually not surprised that Utah kept the game close because they match up well with San Diego State and played basically the same roster of players close in two games last year. I'm also not surprised that the Runnin' Utes weren't able to pull out a victory as they once again faltered down the stretch and didn't make enough plays to win. As you may remember, I picked SDSU by about 10 and I was pretty much right on with that prediction as the Aztecs won by 9.
Utah led by 1 at halftime and looked like they would have a shot at an upset. However, San Diego State showcased its athleticism and explosive offense during a couple of key stretches in the second half. It looked like Utah lost a little bit of its edge and focus and the Aztecs pounced on that. Utah coach Jim Boylen put it really well when he stated that the Runnin' Utes got absolutely manhandled on the boards the last 7 or 8 minutes of the year. You have to get those rebounds if you are going to win close games. That just hasn't happened a lot this year for Utah where rebounding has been a big issue throughout games, but especially in crunch time. Nowhere was this more evident than when San Diego State was able to get 3 offensive rebounds on one possession late in the game and take about 1:30 off the clock in the process.
Utah played pretty well all things considered and I'm not too disheartened by the way they played. If they had played like that all year I don't think they would be 7-9 and on a 6 game losing streak right now. I liked that the Runnin' Utes were playing with heart and grit and I thought the perfect example of this was 7-foot-3 David Foster diving on the floor to get a loose ball and putting in extra effort to get an offensive rebound at one point. The focus needs to be on the rest of the season and trying to salvage it. This game can be a building block for some prolonged success. The next opportunity comes Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. MT at home on the Mtn. against rival #15 BYU (16-1, 2-0 MWC).
I'm actually not surprised that Utah kept the game close because they match up well with San Diego State and played basically the same roster of players close in two games last year. I'm also not surprised that the Runnin' Utes weren't able to pull out a victory as they once again faltered down the stretch and didn't make enough plays to win. As you may remember, I picked SDSU by about 10 and I was pretty much right on with that prediction as the Aztecs won by 9.
Utah led by 1 at halftime and looked like they would have a shot at an upset. However, San Diego State showcased its athleticism and explosive offense during a couple of key stretches in the second half. It looked like Utah lost a little bit of its edge and focus and the Aztecs pounced on that. Utah coach Jim Boylen put it really well when he stated that the Runnin' Utes got absolutely manhandled on the boards the last 7 or 8 minutes of the year. You have to get those rebounds if you are going to win close games. That just hasn't happened a lot this year for Utah where rebounding has been a big issue throughout games, but especially in crunch time. Nowhere was this more evident than when San Diego State was able to get 3 offensive rebounds on one possession late in the game and take about 1:30 off the clock in the process.
Utah played pretty well all things considered and I'm not too disheartened by the way they played. If they had played like that all year I don't think they would be 7-9 and on a 6 game losing streak right now. I liked that the Runnin' Utes were playing with heart and grit and I thought the perfect example of this was 7-foot-3 David Foster diving on the floor to get a loose ball and putting in extra effort to get an offensive rebound at one point. The focus needs to be on the rest of the season and trying to salvage it. This game can be a building block for some prolonged success. The next opportunity comes Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. MT at home on the Mtn. against rival #15 BYU (16-1, 2-0 MWC).
At least I got one NFL pick right this weekend
Well at least I was able to pick one of the four NFL playoff games this weekend accurately. Thanks to the Ravens knocking off the Chiefs 30-7, I wasn't completely shut out with my picks. This weekend just gives further proof that the NFL is a balanced league and that anything can happen on a given weekend. The Seahawks had a losing record during the regular season but won against the reigning champion Saints. The Jets topped the Colts and the Packers beat my Eagles in close contests.
I thought the Eagles probably should have won the game today and it's just an empty feeling as a fan to go out in the first round of the playoffs. The Packers won the game 21-16, but David Akers of the Eagles missed two field goals that changed the entire complexion of the game. Akers has been great for the Eagles over the years but he cost the team today. I thought the Eagles were still going to take the lead and win when they got the ball back in the closing minutes. I especially thought this after Michael Vick found Desean Jackson for a big gain to move into Packers territory with under one minute to go. However, Vick was picked off in the end zone and the game was over. Vick played pretty well and at least he was trying to make something happen without much time on the clock, so that's one you almost have to live with although as a fan it would have been nice to have a few more cracks at it.
I'll have some picks before the second round games next weekend -- for what they're worth. Looks like my Super Bowl pick of the Patriots vs. the Eagles won't happen, but I'll be back for more before next weekend.
I thought the Eagles probably should have won the game today and it's just an empty feeling as a fan to go out in the first round of the playoffs. The Packers won the game 21-16, but David Akers of the Eagles missed two field goals that changed the entire complexion of the game. Akers has been great for the Eagles over the years but he cost the team today. I thought the Eagles were still going to take the lead and win when they got the ball back in the closing minutes. I especially thought this after Michael Vick found Desean Jackson for a big gain to move into Packers territory with under one minute to go. However, Vick was picked off in the end zone and the game was over. Vick played pretty well and at least he was trying to make something happen without much time on the clock, so that's one you almost have to live with although as a fan it would have been nice to have a few more cracks at it.
I'll have some picks before the second round games next weekend -- for what they're worth. Looks like my Super Bowl pick of the Patriots vs. the Eagles won't happen, but I'll be back for more before next weekend.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Utah hosts #6 San Diego State in MWC home opener
Utah (7-8, 0-1 MWC) hosts #6 San Diego State (16-0, 1-0 MWC) tomorrow at 2 p.m. MT. The game will be televised on Versus. I'll be at the game and tweeting updates throughout the contest so check it out. I'll also be back on here afterward for recap and analysis. The Runnin' Utes have lost 5 straight games and should have won at the very least 3 of them based on talent. Utah badly needs a win and seems to match up well with the Aztecs. I would have thought a victory was possible just a couple of weeks ago (i.e. before this extended losing streak), but I just don't see Utah snapping the losing streak against the sixth-ranked (and undefeated) team in the country. The entire losing streak took play on the road or a neutral court and I think the Runnin' Utes will be more comfortable and play better at home, where they are 6-1 on the season. However, I think San Diego State is undefeated for a reason and will find a way to win this game. I'll take the Aztecs by about 10.
San Diego State has four players that average double figures in scoring, led by forward Kawhi Leonard who averages 15.6 points per game along with 9.7 rebounds per game. Leonard is physical and a real handful on the post and I think he will be able to be effective tomorrow afternoon. Forward Malcolm Thomas averages 12.0 points per game and guard D.J. Gay averages 11.4 points per game. The Aztecs have a lot of talent plus they are really athletic. They have been that way for years, but this season they have finally put it all together to win on a very consistent basis.
Just because I picked San Diego State doesn't mean I am without hope for tomorrow's game. I'll be there early and ready to cheer. The Runnin' Utes could very well give them a game and I am hopeful that they will. Let's go Utah!
San Diego State has four players that average double figures in scoring, led by forward Kawhi Leonard who averages 15.6 points per game along with 9.7 rebounds per game. Leonard is physical and a real handful on the post and I think he will be able to be effective tomorrow afternoon. Forward Malcolm Thomas averages 12.0 points per game and guard D.J. Gay averages 11.4 points per game. The Aztecs have a lot of talent plus they are really athletic. They have been that way for years, but this season they have finally put it all together to win on a very consistent basis.
Just because I picked San Diego State doesn't mean I am without hope for tomorrow's game. I'll be there early and ready to cheer. The Runnin' Utes could very well give them a game and I am hopeful that they will. Let's go Utah!
NFL playoff picks
Okay so here are my picks for the NFL playoffs. I'll start with this weekend's games and also go through the entire postseason. It all starts tomorrow with a doubleheader on NBC with the Saints (11-5) at the Seahawks (7-9) at 2:30 p.m. MT and the Jets (11-5) at the Colts (10-6) at 6 p.m. MT. On Sunday it's the Ravens (12-4) at the Chiefs (10-6) at 11 a.m. MT on CBS and the Packers (10-6) at the Eagles (10-6) at 2 p.m. MT on FOX.
I'll take the Saints over the Seahawks and the Colts over the Jets. The Seahawks just aren't a very good team (the first to make the playoffs with a losing record) and the Saints are the defending Super Bowl champions and just have a better team. The Colts will be at home and have Peyton Manning who I think has the intangibles to help his team to victory. On Sunday, I'll take the Ravens over the Chiefs on the strength of their stingy defense and playoff experience and I'll take the Eagles over the Packers in the later game. The Packers will be a tough out, but the Eagles will be at home and have the x-factor in Michael Vick. Players like Manning and Vick are often the guys who sway close match-ups in favor of their teams.
In the AFC second round, I'll take the Patriots (14-2) over the Ravens and the Steelers (12-4) over the Colts. The Ravens' defense will keep the game close but the Patriots have been a buzzsaw lately and I don't think the Ravens have enough, particularly on offense, to come out with a road win. The Steelers and Colts is a bit of a toss up, but I like the Steelers who are once again a gritty team and enjoy a substantial home field advantage.
In the NFC second round, I'll go with the Saints over the Falcons (13-3) and the Eagles over the Bears (11-5). The Falcons have had a great season, but the Saints have Drew Brees and the experience of having been there before. Plus, the Saints just won in Atlanta toward the end of the season and will use that confidence to help propel them to another win. The Eagles over the Bears will be another close one, but I like the Eagles on the strength of Vick and with how many explosive players they have.
In the conference title games, I'll pick the Patriots over the Steelers and the Eagles over the Saints. The Patriots will be at home and I think they'll handle the Steelers by about 10 points behind the strength of Tom Brady and continue riding their momentum. The Eagles will be at home and I think the colder weather will work to their advantage, plus Vick and Desean Jackson, etc.
In the Super Bowl I'll go with the Patriots over my Eagles. I think the Eagles will give them a game, but the Patriots will win by a touchdown. Vick should help make things interesting, but I think the Patriots just have too much in terms of talent, momentum and focus. I'll be cheering against the Patriots the entire way, but that's just the way I see it shaking out. I'll be back before each playoff round to give picks as well. Go Eagles!
I'll take the Saints over the Seahawks and the Colts over the Jets. The Seahawks just aren't a very good team (the first to make the playoffs with a losing record) and the Saints are the defending Super Bowl champions and just have a better team. The Colts will be at home and have Peyton Manning who I think has the intangibles to help his team to victory. On Sunday, I'll take the Ravens over the Chiefs on the strength of their stingy defense and playoff experience and I'll take the Eagles over the Packers in the later game. The Packers will be a tough out, but the Eagles will be at home and have the x-factor in Michael Vick. Players like Manning and Vick are often the guys who sway close match-ups in favor of their teams.
In the AFC second round, I'll take the Patriots (14-2) over the Ravens and the Steelers (12-4) over the Colts. The Ravens' defense will keep the game close but the Patriots have been a buzzsaw lately and I don't think the Ravens have enough, particularly on offense, to come out with a road win. The Steelers and Colts is a bit of a toss up, but I like the Steelers who are once again a gritty team and enjoy a substantial home field advantage.
In the NFC second round, I'll go with the Saints over the Falcons (13-3) and the Eagles over the Bears (11-5). The Falcons have had a great season, but the Saints have Drew Brees and the experience of having been there before. Plus, the Saints just won in Atlanta toward the end of the season and will use that confidence to help propel them to another win. The Eagles over the Bears will be another close one, but I like the Eagles on the strength of Vick and with how many explosive players they have.
In the conference title games, I'll pick the Patriots over the Steelers and the Eagles over the Saints. The Patriots will be at home and I think they'll handle the Steelers by about 10 points behind the strength of Tom Brady and continue riding their momentum. The Eagles will be at home and I think the colder weather will work to their advantage, plus Vick and Desean Jackson, etc.
In the Super Bowl I'll go with the Patriots over my Eagles. I think the Eagles will give them a game, but the Patriots will win by a touchdown. Vick should help make things interesting, but I think the Patriots just have too much in terms of talent, momentum and focus. I'll be cheering against the Patriots the entire way, but that's just the way I see it shaking out. I'll be back before each playoff round to give picks as well. Go Eagles!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Versus further legitimizing itself
The Versus Network is gaining credibility in my eyes. I've noticed of late that they have an ESPN-style bottom line running on their screen with updates from the major sports coming in. The updates aren't like the amateur updates that you'll see from some upstart networks either, you know the ones that are way behind on the scores compared to where the actual games are.
Versus has had NHL coverage for some time now and is finally doing something that has long been overdue: having a show on a nightly basis that covers the NHL, giving highlights and analysis. To me this shows that Versus is getting more professional and more serious about the NHL. ESPN has shows specifically dedicated to the major sports it covers and now Versus has followed suit. It is also a plus that Versus was able to put an end to the contract dispute they had with DirecTV last year. If you want to be a recognized network, you need to be available on all the cable and satellite systems. With these changes, it wouldn't surprise me if Versus makes a play to acquire more games in more sports in the coming years.
Versus has had NHL coverage for some time now and is finally doing something that has long been overdue: having a show on a nightly basis that covers the NHL, giving highlights and analysis. To me this shows that Versus is getting more professional and more serious about the NHL. ESPN has shows specifically dedicated to the major sports it covers and now Versus has followed suit. It is also a plus that Versus was able to put an end to the contract dispute they had with DirecTV last year. If you want to be a recognized network, you need to be available on all the cable and satellite systems. With these changes, it wouldn't surprise me if Versus makes a play to acquire more games in more sports in the coming years.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Runnin' Utes drop MWC opener
Air Force (10-4, 1-0 MWC) defeated Utah (7-8, 0-1 MWC) tonight 77-69 in Colorado Springs. A big story tonight was the ineptitude of the Mtn. in failing to get me the game to watch. The channel was black the entire night, including for the preceding San Diego State-TCU game. I called my friends on a different cable system and it was blacked out for them as well. It's a good thing that this is the last season for the Runnin' Utes being on the Mtn.
From what I was able to glean from listening to the game, it was the same old story for the Utes. They had some good spurts, including going up by 9 in the first half. They once again fell behind in the 2nd half, but were able to take the lead with under 3 minutes left. However, Utah was significantly outplayed by the Falcons down the stretch and picked up another loss they probably shouldn't have. It seems like the Utes have hit the panic button late in games recently and not really played composed, putting up difficult shots and turning it over (again as well as I can tell from listening on the radio). I don't think Coach Jim Boylen is completely off the hook for this loss as it was still his players, system and assistant coaches at the game. I thought Chris Kupets played a really good game; he seems to be coming along and developing into a really nice player. However, it was the same old inconsistency for the Utes who have lost 5 straight. It looks very likely that the streak will extend to 7 as they have home games against #6 San Diego State (16-0, 1-0 MWC) Saturday and #15 BYU (15-1, 1-0 MWC) next Tuesday.
From what I was able to glean from listening to the game, it was the same old story for the Utes. They had some good spurts, including going up by 9 in the first half. They once again fell behind in the 2nd half, but were able to take the lead with under 3 minutes left. However, Utah was significantly outplayed by the Falcons down the stretch and picked up another loss they probably shouldn't have. It seems like the Utes have hit the panic button late in games recently and not really played composed, putting up difficult shots and turning it over (again as well as I can tell from listening on the radio). I don't think Coach Jim Boylen is completely off the hook for this loss as it was still his players, system and assistant coaches at the game. I thought Chris Kupets played a really good game; he seems to be coming along and developing into a really nice player. However, it was the same old inconsistency for the Utes who have lost 5 straight. It looks very likely that the streak will extend to 7 as they have home games against #6 San Diego State (16-0, 1-0 MWC) Saturday and #15 BYU (15-1, 1-0 MWC) next Tuesday.
Runnin' Utes set to open final MWC season
The Utah Runnin' Utes (7-7, 0-0 MWC) open their final season of Mountain West Conference play Wednesday night at Air Force (9-4, 0-0 MWC) at 8 p.m. MT. The game will be televised on the Mtn. (channel 616 on DirecTV). I'll be watching and tweeting, which you can follow along with at twitter.com/dpaysports. I'll be back on here for recap and analysis following the game. I blogged last week about the struggles of the Utah basketball program and I feel that I chronicled my thoughts on what is going on very well. All that being said, there still is a lot of season left and the Runnin' Utes can't get down about being on a 4 game losing streak or having a couple of bad losses this season. Conference play is beginning, and everyone needs to look at it as an opportunity for a fresh start. If the team puts things together now, there is still the possibility of a good season.
Air Force is a tough team to prepare for as they test your discipline and really work the clock. However, I think Utah will win this game because they have more talent and because Coach Jim Boylen has never lost to Air Force in his tenure at Utah. I think the Falcons are better than in years past, but I think Boylen and his staff have the confidence to bring the Utes into Colorado Springs and come out with a victory.
Following the road game with Air Force, the Runnin' Utes return home for a pair of games against ranked opponents. First, Utah takes on #6 San Diego State (15-0, 0-0 MWC) on Saturday at 2 p.m. MT and then hosts rival #15 BYU (14-1, 0-0 MWC) next Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. MT. I'm hoping for more of an electric atmosphere at the Huntsman Center for these two games. If San Diego State can win at TCU (9-6, 0-0 MWC) tomorrow night, they will be unbeaten coming into Saturday's match-up. That would be pretty special to have an undefeated team ranked #6 in the country come into our arena this far into the season. So I hope that happens. BYU is also playing some really good basketball this season and I fully expect a loud crowd for the game next Tuesday. Utah is encouraging fans to wear red for a "Red Out" for the BYU game and I am on board with that. I just like the sound of that and hope that it brings out people wearing even more red and being even more passionate about the Utah basketball than usual. As part of the Red Out, the Runnin' Utes will be wearing their red uniforms at home for the first time that I can ever remember.
I'm excited for conference play to get going in full swing. The Mountain West is a fun conference to follow and some good basketball is played there. It's been fun to have my team in the conference and be able to follow them for years. I'm going to try and soak up this last season of Utah in the Mountain West and enjoy the competitiveness and the rivalries the conference has to offer. Hopefully the Utes will put a product on the floor that I can be proud to call my team. It all starts Wednesday night.
Air Force is a tough team to prepare for as they test your discipline and really work the clock. However, I think Utah will win this game because they have more talent and because Coach Jim Boylen has never lost to Air Force in his tenure at Utah. I think the Falcons are better than in years past, but I think Boylen and his staff have the confidence to bring the Utes into Colorado Springs and come out with a victory.
Following the road game with Air Force, the Runnin' Utes return home for a pair of games against ranked opponents. First, Utah takes on #6 San Diego State (15-0, 0-0 MWC) on Saturday at 2 p.m. MT and then hosts rival #15 BYU (14-1, 0-0 MWC) next Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. MT. I'm hoping for more of an electric atmosphere at the Huntsman Center for these two games. If San Diego State can win at TCU (9-6, 0-0 MWC) tomorrow night, they will be unbeaten coming into Saturday's match-up. That would be pretty special to have an undefeated team ranked #6 in the country come into our arena this far into the season. So I hope that happens. BYU is also playing some really good basketball this season and I fully expect a loud crowd for the game next Tuesday. Utah is encouraging fans to wear red for a "Red Out" for the BYU game and I am on board with that. I just like the sound of that and hope that it brings out people wearing even more red and being even more passionate about the Utah basketball than usual. As part of the Red Out, the Runnin' Utes will be wearing their red uniforms at home for the first time that I can ever remember.
I'm excited for conference play to get going in full swing. The Mountain West is a fun conference to follow and some good basketball is played there. It's been fun to have my team in the conference and be able to follow them for years. I'm going to try and soak up this last season of Utah in the Mountain West and enjoy the competitiveness and the rivalries the conference has to offer. Hopefully the Utes will put a product on the floor that I can be proud to call my team. It all starts Wednesday night.
Arkansas punts away Sugar Bowl
#6 Ohio State (12-1, 7-1 Big Ten) defeated #8 Arkansas (10-3, 6-2 SEC) tonight in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans by a score of 31-26. The Buckeyes led 28-7 late in the first half, but the Razorbacks were able to chip away at the deficit and make a game of it. Quarterback Terrelle Pryor had a solid game for Ohio State and was effective in passing and running the ball. Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett also played well despite his costly interception at the end of the game.
It's hard to blame Mallett too much for the loss as he was victimized by several key drops by his receivers of very catchable passes that often hit them right in between the numbers. It was frustrating to watch. The biggest mistake, though, came when Arkansas blocked an Ohio State punt with about a minute to go in the game. Rather than scooping up the ball and scoring, the Razorbacks fell on the ball around the 15 yard line. There was nothing but open space between the players and the end zone. The argument that they should have been sure to recover the ball does not have merit as even if Ohio State had somehow managed to recover it, it still would have been Arkansas ball in great field position.
That being said, the Hogs still had a great chance to score. The interception came after another dropped pass by one of Mallett's receivers. And since we're on the topic of mistakes, let's not forget that Arkansas whiffed on recovering a fumble deep in their own territory that they absolutely should have had, but allowed it to bounce into the end zone and be recovered for a Buckeyes touchdown. One of the things that really grills me the most is all the dropped passes by Arkansas receivers. It's not like those were balls that were difficult to catch. The balls were right there. This is the big leagues, big time college football and a BCS Bowl game. Those plays have to be made. Then again, maybe this shows that the SEC isn't as invincible, perfect and impenetrable as though commentators on CBS always make it sound. Mallett looks like he is ready for the NFL to me and maybe he'd like throwing to guys who can actually catch the ball for a change.
It was ridiculous that Pryor and the other Ohio State players who were found to be in violation of NCAA rules were allowed to play in this game. To recap, the players were found to have received tattoos in exchange for autographs which constitutes a violation of rules. The NCAA ruled that they will be suspended for the first five games of next season. However, the players were allowed to play in tonight's game. This is utterly absurd. Breaking the rules is breaking the rules and the punishments should be put in place immediately. The NCAA diminished its own credibility by allowing this to happen. There is no way that Ohio State would have won this game without the suspended players, who among other things contributed the winning interception.
Ohio State coach Jim Tressel should have suspended the players even if the NCAA didn't. The subject will now undoubtedly be used in negative recruiting by rival schools and the perception nationally is that the rules are secondary to winning at Ohio State. Of course that's been my perception of a lot of big-time college athletics for some time now, but it is still painful to see such flagrant disregard for upholding integrity and doing the right thing when the correct choice is so simple. I liked that Tressel made his players commit to returning next year before allowing them to play in the bowl game, but that just wasn't enough. I think he wanted to send a message but his top priority was still to win the Sugar Bowl, which he knew he couldn't do without the suspended players. And now that the game is over, what's to stop the players from "changing their minds" and deciding that they are now going to declare for the NFL Draft?
It's hard to blame Mallett too much for the loss as he was victimized by several key drops by his receivers of very catchable passes that often hit them right in between the numbers. It was frustrating to watch. The biggest mistake, though, came when Arkansas blocked an Ohio State punt with about a minute to go in the game. Rather than scooping up the ball and scoring, the Razorbacks fell on the ball around the 15 yard line. There was nothing but open space between the players and the end zone. The argument that they should have been sure to recover the ball does not have merit as even if Ohio State had somehow managed to recover it, it still would have been Arkansas ball in great field position.
That being said, the Hogs still had a great chance to score. The interception came after another dropped pass by one of Mallett's receivers. And since we're on the topic of mistakes, let's not forget that Arkansas whiffed on recovering a fumble deep in their own territory that they absolutely should have had, but allowed it to bounce into the end zone and be recovered for a Buckeyes touchdown. One of the things that really grills me the most is all the dropped passes by Arkansas receivers. It's not like those were balls that were difficult to catch. The balls were right there. This is the big leagues, big time college football and a BCS Bowl game. Those plays have to be made. Then again, maybe this shows that the SEC isn't as invincible, perfect and impenetrable as though commentators on CBS always make it sound. Mallett looks like he is ready for the NFL to me and maybe he'd like throwing to guys who can actually catch the ball for a change.
It was ridiculous that Pryor and the other Ohio State players who were found to be in violation of NCAA rules were allowed to play in this game. To recap, the players were found to have received tattoos in exchange for autographs which constitutes a violation of rules. The NCAA ruled that they will be suspended for the first five games of next season. However, the players were allowed to play in tonight's game. This is utterly absurd. Breaking the rules is breaking the rules and the punishments should be put in place immediately. The NCAA diminished its own credibility by allowing this to happen. There is no way that Ohio State would have won this game without the suspended players, who among other things contributed the winning interception.
Ohio State coach Jim Tressel should have suspended the players even if the NCAA didn't. The subject will now undoubtedly be used in negative recruiting by rival schools and the perception nationally is that the rules are secondary to winning at Ohio State. Of course that's been my perception of a lot of big-time college athletics for some time now, but it is still painful to see such flagrant disregard for upholding integrity and doing the right thing when the correct choice is so simple. I liked that Tressel made his players commit to returning next year before allowing them to play in the bowl game, but that just wasn't enough. I think he wanted to send a message but his top priority was still to win the Sugar Bowl, which he knew he couldn't do without the suspended players. And now that the game is over, what's to stop the players from "changing their minds" and deciding that they are now going to declare for the NFL Draft?
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Happy New Year
Happy New Year to everyone and I just have to say that I was happy to see TCU top Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl 21-19 to give further credence to the argument for a college football playoff. Who are we kidding? It needs to happen and soon. I also enjoyed taking in the Winter Classic between the Penguins and the Capitals and hope the NHL continues to hold the event. More to come in what will hopefully be a great year, not to mention a great year for blogging.
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