I just saw a picture of Rays (94-64) third baseman Evan Longoria sporting what looks like a mullet. Say it ain't so Evan. It's bad enough that Rockies (83-75) short stop Troy Tulowitzki has one, we just don't need this trend to spread. It's just bad news. Let's hope noone else in baseball stoops to this level.
Also, the Giants (90-68) beat the Diamondbacks (64-94) 3-1 tonight to stay two up on the San Diego Padres (88-70) in the NL West. Tim Lincecum was masterful in allowing just one run through 7 innings and Pat "The Bat" Burrell hit a big 3 run homer in the 4th. The Giants are playing well right now and have to be considered the favorite to win the division at this point. Their pitching has been good on a historical level this month and lately they have been getting the timely hits they need. There are just four games to play and the last three are against the Padres. The Giants could have the chance to close things out as early as Friday night.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Saturday, September 25, 2010
13th-ranked Utes host San Jose State tonight
The 13th-ranked Utah Utes (3-0, 2-0 MWC) host the San Jose State Spartans (1-2, 0-0 WAC) tonight at 6 p.m. MT at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Unfortunately the game will not be televised. However, it is available on AM ESPN 700 in Salt Lake City and online on the radio via kall700sports.com. I am fortunate enough to have a ticket to the game so I will be there and providing updates via my Twitter account at twitter.com/dpaysports.
The Spartans are coming off a 16-11 win over I-AA Southern Utah last Saturday in San Jose. They don't look like a very good team and shouldn't be much of a threat to the Utes tonight. I'm looking for another comfortable win and I'll be disappointed if the game is even close. Jordan Wynn may get back in the line-up tonight after missing the last two games with an injured thumb, but I don't think the Utes should put him out there until he is ready. Terrance Cain will go if Wynn is still banged up.
If you can't get to the game and need something to watch tonight, check out the Giants (87-67) at the Rockies (82-71) at 6:10 p.m. MT here locally on FSN Rocky Mountain and nationally on MLB Network, MLB Extra Innings and mlb.tv. The Giants got a big win in the series opener last night, winning 2-1 behind 8 dominant innings from Tim Lincecum. The Giants lead the Padres (86-67) by a half-game in the NL West. The Padres host the Reds (86-68) at 2:10 p.m. on FOX this afternoon.
The Spartans are coming off a 16-11 win over I-AA Southern Utah last Saturday in San Jose. They don't look like a very good team and shouldn't be much of a threat to the Utes tonight. I'm looking for another comfortable win and I'll be disappointed if the game is even close. Jordan Wynn may get back in the line-up tonight after missing the last two games with an injured thumb, but I don't think the Utes should put him out there until he is ready. Terrance Cain will go if Wynn is still banged up.
If you can't get to the game and need something to watch tonight, check out the Giants (87-67) at the Rockies (82-71) at 6:10 p.m. MT here locally on FSN Rocky Mountain and nationally on MLB Network, MLB Extra Innings and mlb.tv. The Giants got a big win in the series opener last night, winning 2-1 behind 8 dominant innings from Tim Lincecum. The Giants lead the Padres (86-67) by a half-game in the NL West. The Padres host the Reds (86-68) at 2:10 p.m. on FOX this afternoon.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Giants face Cubs tonight, then big series against Rocks
My San Francisco Giants (85-67) lost to the Chicago Cubs (69-82) 2-0 last night and once again failed to score. It's been very frustrating to watch and I think that the offense is pressing. Once they get a few runs, then they have tended to pile on as evident on Sunday when Jose Guillen hit a first inning grand slam against the Brewers (70-81) and the Giants cruised to a 9-2 victory. But in Chicago it's been more of the tenseness, but fortunately the pitching has been good enough that we have split the first two games against the Cubs despite scoring only 1 run on a Buster Posey home run Tuesday. Tonight is the series finale and the Giants have to look at it as one they have to win as the Padres (85-66) have moved back in first place by a half-game. Rookie Madison Bumgarner pitches tonight for the Giants. First pitch is slated for just after 5 p.m. MT.
The big series this weekend is in Denver against the Rockies (82-69) who have fortunately lost the last two nights to the Diamondbacks (61-91). But if the Rockies sweep it could still have an adverse affect on the Giants. We should shoot for at least trying to win the series. Oh, and a Giants win tonight would guarantee them at the very least pulling into a tie in the Wild Card with the Atlanta Braves (86-67) who currently lead it by a half-game but are off tonight. So that would be some good news.
The big series this weekend is in Denver against the Rockies (82-69) who have fortunately lost the last two nights to the Diamondbacks (61-91). But if the Rockies sweep it could still have an adverse affect on the Giants. We should shoot for at least trying to win the series. Oh, and a Giants win tonight would guarantee them at the very least pulling into a tie in the Wild Card with the Atlanta Braves (86-67) who currently lead it by a half-game but are off tonight. So that would be some good news.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Utes drop New Mexico 56-14
At left: QB Terrance Cain had a big night in Albuquerque.The 14th ranked Utah Utes beat the New Mexico Lobos by a score of 56-14 in Albuquerque on Saturday night. Backup quarterback Terrance Cain once again got the start with Jordan Wynn still out with an injured thumb. Cain was outstanding, throwing for 248 yards and 3 touchdowns while connecting on 20 of 23 passes. Cain also rushed for a score just before halftime at the end of a drive where he executed the Utes' two minute offense to perfection.
The offense and defense both looked really good and the game was just a laugher. The only concerning thing was that there were three fumbles by the Utah offense, so hopefully they get that cleaned up. There really wasn't a whole lot to be concerned about but we have to remember that New Mexico is simply a really bad team. The Utes face another really bad team on Saturday when San Jose State visits Rice-Eccles Stadium. Utah is looking really good and I'm feeling good about this team. I expect that they will continue to have a really good year.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Utes visit Lobos in first road game
In college football tonight, the 14th ranked Utah Utes (2-0, 1-0 Mountain West Conference) visit the New Mexico Lobos (0-2, 0-0 MWC) at 6 p.m. at University Stadium in Albuquerque. The game will be televised on the mtn. which is channels 616 and 616-1 (HD) on DirecTV and channel 37 on Comcast in the Salt Lake City area.
Terrance Cain is once again expected to get the start for the Utes in place of Jordan Wynn who is nursing an injured thumb. Cain looked solid against UNLV last week and I expect more of the same tonight. The Utes' defense has looked really strong in the first two games of the year and I expect them to have little trouble with New Mexico, which is coming off a 1-win season last year and has looked horrible in their first two games. The Lobos lost 72-0 at Oregon in their first game and dropped their home opener last week to Texas Tech 52-17.
I expect the Utes to win big tonight. New Mexico has really struggled under new coach Mike Locksley who is in his second year. I expect those struggles will continue tonight. Utah should by three touchdowns at a bare minimum and probably will win by more than that.
Terrance Cain is once again expected to get the start for the Utes in place of Jordan Wynn who is nursing an injured thumb. Cain looked solid against UNLV last week and I expect more of the same tonight. The Utes' defense has looked really strong in the first two games of the year and I expect them to have little trouble with New Mexico, which is coming off a 1-win season last year and has looked horrible in their first two games. The Lobos lost 72-0 at Oregon in their first game and dropped their home opener last week to Texas Tech 52-17.
I expect the Utes to win big tonight. New Mexico has really struggled under new coach Mike Locksley who is in his second year. I expect those struggles will continue tonight. Utah should by three touchdowns at a bare minimum and probably will win by more than that.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Giants move into first place
For the first time since May 6, and the first time in September since 2003, the San Francisco Giants (83-64) have moved into sole possession of first place in the National League West. It became official after the San Diego Padres (82-64) lost to the St. Louis Cardinals (75-70) and the Giants followed that up with a 10-2 beat down of the hated Dodgers (72-75).
It was a great feeling when the Giants recorded that third out in the 9th inning to know that they are now in first place and that they are now the ones being chased rather than doing the chasing. I know it's just a half-game lead and that every game matters, but it's still a different feeling to be in first. Here's to hoping that the Giants keep it up with 15 games to play on the year.
Last night Jonathan Sanchez was really good and simply dealing through 7 innings last night. He had a career high 12 strikeouts and looked like he was in complete control throughout. Aubrey Huff had a big three run home run that was immediately followed by a solo shot from Buster Posey and Jose Guillen had a monster two run home run of his own. The offense looked really good throughout. Huff has been such a bargain this year and been the Giants' best offensive player throughout, leading the team in avg. (.294), home runs (25), and RBIs (84). And of course Posey is an NL Rookie of the Year candidate. The offense was really hitting well last night and hopefully they keep it up.
The Giants start a 3 game series at home against the Milwaukee Brewers (67-78) tonight with the three games starting at 8:15, 7:05 and 2:05 p.m. MT Friday through Sunday. All three games are available via MLB Extra Innings and mlb.tv. Madison Bumgarner goes against Randy Wolf tonight, Tim Lincecum and Barry Zito start the final two games of the series against the Giants. The Padres continue their series in St. Louis and the Rockies (80-66) who are 2.5 games out play the Dodgers in Los Angeles.
It was a great feeling when the Giants recorded that third out in the 9th inning to know that they are now in first place and that they are now the ones being chased rather than doing the chasing. I know it's just a half-game lead and that every game matters, but it's still a different feeling to be in first. Here's to hoping that the Giants keep it up with 15 games to play on the year.
Last night Jonathan Sanchez was really good and simply dealing through 7 innings last night. He had a career high 12 strikeouts and looked like he was in complete control throughout. Aubrey Huff had a big three run home run that was immediately followed by a solo shot from Buster Posey and Jose Guillen had a monster two run home run of his own. The offense looked really good throughout. Huff has been such a bargain this year and been the Giants' best offensive player throughout, leading the team in avg. (.294), home runs (25), and RBIs (84). And of course Posey is an NL Rookie of the Year candidate. The offense was really hitting well last night and hopefully they keep it up.
The Giants start a 3 game series at home against the Milwaukee Brewers (67-78) tonight with the three games starting at 8:15, 7:05 and 2:05 p.m. MT Friday through Sunday. All three games are available via MLB Extra Innings and mlb.tv. Madison Bumgarner goes against Randy Wolf tonight, Tim Lincecum and Barry Zito start the final two games of the series against the Giants. The Padres continue their series in St. Louis and the Rockies (80-66) who are 2.5 games out play the Dodgers in Los Angeles.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
NL West and Wild Card tight heading down stretch
My San Francisco Giants (82-64) are a half-game back of the San Diego Padres (82-63) for the lead in the National League West and a half-game back of the Atlanta Braves (83-64) in the Wild Card chase. A win tonight in the series finale against the Los Angeles Dodgers (72-74) at AT&T Park at 8:15 p.m. MT on mlb.tv would put the Giants in a dead heat with the Braves. The Padres are losing on the road against the St. Louis Cardinals (74-70) by a score of 2-0 in the 6th inning and if they lose the Giants could move into sole possession of first place with a victory tonight.
The Colorado Rockies (80-66) are 2.5 games back in the West and Wild Card races as of this moment and have just been cooled off by losing 2 of 3 at home to the Padres following a ten game win streak. Thankfully the Rockies are headed on the road (starting with a three game series at Chavez Ravine against the Dodgers this weekend) where they are just 29-42.
The Giants have been playing some good baseball as of late, particularly taking 3 of 4 in San Diego last weekend. Tuesday night was a tough 1-0 loss to the Dodgers on an unearned run; Barry Zito pitched well enough to win. Matt Cain was outstanding through 7 last night and the offense finally came to life with a pinch-hit double by Travis Ishikawa in the bottom of the 7th. Pinch-runner Emmanuel Burriss came around to score from third on a clutch two-out single by Mike Fotenot to give the Giants the lead. They added a run in the 8th and went on to win 2-1. A win would be big tonight for the Giants -- they have been chasing for a while and after tonight they could be in the position of being the ones being chased in the West. Jonathan Sanchez starts for the Giants and Ted Lilly goes for the Dodgers.
One of my favorite players in all of baseball, Giants center fielder Andres Torres, had an emergency appendectomy early Sunday morning and will be out for at least a week or two from when it happened. Torres really has been the spark-plug at the top of the lineup this season for the Giants so hopefully he isn't out too long and can fully recover in a relatively short amount of time. It's just a tough break, there isn't really anything you can do about that, but at least the appendix didn't burst before they removed it. I'm hoping to see Torres back realistically in about a week and a half.
The Colorado Rockies (80-66) are 2.5 games back in the West and Wild Card races as of this moment and have just been cooled off by losing 2 of 3 at home to the Padres following a ten game win streak. Thankfully the Rockies are headed on the road (starting with a three game series at Chavez Ravine against the Dodgers this weekend) where they are just 29-42.
The Giants have been playing some good baseball as of late, particularly taking 3 of 4 in San Diego last weekend. Tuesday night was a tough 1-0 loss to the Dodgers on an unearned run; Barry Zito pitched well enough to win. Matt Cain was outstanding through 7 last night and the offense finally came to life with a pinch-hit double by Travis Ishikawa in the bottom of the 7th. Pinch-runner Emmanuel Burriss came around to score from third on a clutch two-out single by Mike Fotenot to give the Giants the lead. They added a run in the 8th and went on to win 2-1. A win would be big tonight for the Giants -- they have been chasing for a while and after tonight they could be in the position of being the ones being chased in the West. Jonathan Sanchez starts for the Giants and Ted Lilly goes for the Dodgers.
One of my favorite players in all of baseball, Giants center fielder Andres Torres, had an emergency appendectomy early Sunday morning and will be out for at least a week or two from when it happened. Torres really has been the spark-plug at the top of the lineup this season for the Giants so hopefully he isn't out too long and can fully recover in a relatively short amount of time. It's just a tough break, there isn't really anything you can do about that, but at least the appendix didn't burst before they removed it. I'm hoping to see Torres back realistically in about a week and a half.
Utes handle Rebels to open MWC play
The 20th ranked Utah Utes (2-0, 1-0 MWC) defeated the UNLV Rebels (0-2, 0-1 MWC) 38-10 on Saturday afternoon in Salt Lake City. Terrance Cain started at quarterback in place of sophomore Jordan Wynn, who was nursing an injured thumb. Cain looked pretty good and seemed better than last year. He didn't make any major mistakes or turn the ball over plus he looked pretty accurate on most of his passes. I remember in the game at Oregon last year Cain went basically two quarters without completing a pass and had a substantial streak of incompletions. Such was not the case on Saturday as Cain looked better. He even threw the deep ball accurately, notably on a 55 yard touchdown pass to Shaky Smithson in the third quarter.
Speaking of Smithson, he had a huge game. Not only did he have that long TD reception but he also had a 70ish yard dazzling punt return for a score that was just awesome. He put on some great moves and looked really solid. It really was a redemption type game since he had fumbled twice the previous week against Pittsburgh.
I thought one of the key plays in the game was right before halftime with the Utes leading 10-3 and punting inside of one minute to go. UNLV fumbled on the punt return and Utah recovered around the 20 yard line. On the first play following the recovery by Eddie Wide, Cain threw a perfect touchdown pass and the Utes led 17-3 at the break. I think Utah already had some momentum heading into the locker room but that really ratcheted it up a notch.
Although the game was tied at 3 at the end of the first quarter it never really seemed like Utah was in significant danger of losing the game. Once the Utes were ahead by 14 at halftime it felt like the Rebels didn't have much of a chance. The only concerning matter was that Utah had a punt blocked for the second straight week, this one returned for UNLV's only touchdown of the day. Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said it was his top priority to straighten that out and I hope it gets taken care of. If punts keep getting blocked eventually it will catch up to the Utes.
All in all I thought the Utes looked quite impressive on Saturday afternoon; it was a great way to open up their final season in the Mountain West Conference -- hopefully a conference championship year. It was a lot of fun to be there and I felt that Utah took care of business the way they should have. The Utes have moved up to 14th in both major polls this week. Hopefully Wynn isn't on the shelf for too long, but I'm confident in Cain to fill in in the interim. The Utes face their first road test this Saturday night at 6 p.m. MT against the New Mexico Lobos. I'll have a preview of that one before then; my apologies for the tardiness of this blog.
Speaking of Smithson, he had a huge game. Not only did he have that long TD reception but he also had a 70ish yard dazzling punt return for a score that was just awesome. He put on some great moves and looked really solid. It really was a redemption type game since he had fumbled twice the previous week against Pittsburgh.
I thought one of the key plays in the game was right before halftime with the Utes leading 10-3 and punting inside of one minute to go. UNLV fumbled on the punt return and Utah recovered around the 20 yard line. On the first play following the recovery by Eddie Wide, Cain threw a perfect touchdown pass and the Utes led 17-3 at the break. I think Utah already had some momentum heading into the locker room but that really ratcheted it up a notch.
Although the game was tied at 3 at the end of the first quarter it never really seemed like Utah was in significant danger of losing the game. Once the Utes were ahead by 14 at halftime it felt like the Rebels didn't have much of a chance. The only concerning matter was that Utah had a punt blocked for the second straight week, this one returned for UNLV's only touchdown of the day. Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said it was his top priority to straighten that out and I hope it gets taken care of. If punts keep getting blocked eventually it will catch up to the Utes.
All in all I thought the Utes looked quite impressive on Saturday afternoon; it was a great way to open up their final season in the Mountain West Conference -- hopefully a conference championship year. It was a lot of fun to be there and I felt that Utah took care of business the way they should have. The Utes have moved up to 14th in both major polls this week. Hopefully Wynn isn't on the shelf for too long, but I'm confident in Cain to fill in in the interim. The Utes face their first road test this Saturday night at 6 p.m. MT against the New Mexico Lobos. I'll have a preview of that one before then; my apologies for the tardiness of this blog.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Utes begin farewell tour with UNLV
The 20th ranked Utah Utes begin their farewell tour of the Mountain West Conference with a 2 p.m. MT home game against UNLV on Saturday afternoon. The game will be televised on The Mtn. which is channels 616 and 616-1 (HD) on DirecTv and channel 37 on Comcast Cable in the Salt Lake City area. This of course will be the final season that the Utes are in the MWC before joining the Pac-10 next year and it's difficult to foresee them playing some of these teams in the near future. I don't see them playing UNLV for quite some time, so it should be good to leave them something to remember us by.
The Utes looked very talented to me in the win over then 15th ranked Pittsburgh last week and looked like the better team for the better part of the game. There were, however, way too many mistakes in the opener, which I guess is to be expected when the season starts. Let's hope the Utes have cleaned those up and are focused for the conference opener.
The defense in particular looked strong against Pittsburgh with the exception of the blown coverage on Pitt's long 4th quarter touchdown pass that put them right back in striking distance. I think the defense will help to anchor the team all season long. I thought Jordan Wynn looked pretty sharp overall, not great but good. I'm fully confident in him being the quarterback for the Utes not just this year but as we move into the Pac-10 as well. I think the offense should have a pretty big day and that the defense will be staunch against inferior competition. The Utes should win by at least a couple of touchdowns.
I will again be at this game (even though it is at the same time as the big Giants-Padres showdown -- DVR is set by the way) and providing updates via twitter. You can follow me there at twitter.com/dpaysports. And of course I'll be back here on the blog after the game for my thoughts. Go Utes!
The Utes looked very talented to me in the win over then 15th ranked Pittsburgh last week and looked like the better team for the better part of the game. There were, however, way too many mistakes in the opener, which I guess is to be expected when the season starts. Let's hope the Utes have cleaned those up and are focused for the conference opener.
The defense in particular looked strong against Pittsburgh with the exception of the blown coverage on Pitt's long 4th quarter touchdown pass that put them right back in striking distance. I think the defense will help to anchor the team all season long. I thought Jordan Wynn looked pretty sharp overall, not great but good. I'm fully confident in him being the quarterback for the Utes not just this year but as we move into the Pac-10 as well. I think the offense should have a pretty big day and that the defense will be staunch against inferior competition. The Utes should win by at least a couple of touchdowns.
I will again be at this game (even though it is at the same time as the big Giants-Padres showdown -- DVR is set by the way) and providing updates via twitter. You can follow me there at twitter.com/dpaysports. And of course I'll be back here on the blog after the game for my thoughts. Go Utes!
Giants now in virtual tie
The San Francisco Giants (80-62) defeated the San Diego Padres (79-61) 1-0 tonight to move into a virtual tie atop the National League West and take the first two games of the four game series at Petco Park. The only run scored on a fielder's choice in the seventh inning as Aubrey Huff took home on a ground ball to third. The Padres tried to turn an inning-ending double play, but pinch runner Nate Schierholtz had an impressive take out slide at second and Juan Uribe was just able to beat the relay to first allowing Huff to score. The Giants' pitching was great all night (although Jonathan Sanchez had a lot of walks he was able to pitch around them) and Brian Wilson was able to lock things down with a five out save. Wilson was again very impressive and I feel lucky to have such a great closer on my favorite team.
The Colorado Rockies (77-64) defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks (57-84) 13-4 in Denver to win their 8th straight game. They now trail the Padres and Giants by 2.5 games in the West. I'm getting really sick of the Rockies winning. Somebody start beating them. Please.
The Giants and Padres resume the series at 2:10 p.m. MT on FOX Saturday afternoon. Madison Bumgarner goes for the Giants and Tim Stauffer gets the start for the Padres. Hopefully the Giants can take sole possession of first place.
In other baseball news, Blue Jays (72-69) out fielder Jose Bautista hit two more home runs tonight and now has a Major League leading 46 on the year. He's having a monster year at the plate and it's really impressive to see. The Blue Jays are a fun team to watch and I feel like with a little more pitching and experience they could make some noise next year. The Rays (85-55) won the game 9-8 in Toronto tonight despite Bautista's homers and that combined with the Yankees (87-54) losing 6-5 in 13 innings to the Rangers (78-63) pulled Tampa Bay within 1.5 games in the AL East.
The Colorado Rockies (77-64) defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks (57-84) 13-4 in Denver to win their 8th straight game. They now trail the Padres and Giants by 2.5 games in the West. I'm getting really sick of the Rockies winning. Somebody start beating them. Please.
The Giants and Padres resume the series at 2:10 p.m. MT on FOX Saturday afternoon. Madison Bumgarner goes for the Giants and Tim Stauffer gets the start for the Padres. Hopefully the Giants can take sole possession of first place.
In other baseball news, Blue Jays (72-69) out fielder Jose Bautista hit two more home runs tonight and now has a Major League leading 46 on the year. He's having a monster year at the plate and it's really impressive to see. The Blue Jays are a fun team to watch and I feel like with a little more pitching and experience they could make some noise next year. The Rays (85-55) won the game 9-8 in Toronto tonight despite Bautista's homers and that combined with the Yankees (87-54) losing 6-5 in 13 innings to the Rangers (78-63) pulled Tampa Bay within 1.5 games in the AL East.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Giants take opener from Padres
My San Francisco Giants (79-62) won the opener of a four game series at Petco Park in San Diego tonight against the Padres (79-60) by a score of 7-3. The game featured Giants home runs by Aubrey Huff, Juan Uribe, Buster Posey and Pat Burrell. The offense really got the job done tonight. Matt Cain pitched 8+ strong innings, giving up 3 earned runs. The Giants now sit just one game back in the National League West and thanks to Atlanta's (80-61) loss to St. Louis (73-65) now are just one back in the Wild Card as well.
Now the focus turns to tomorrow night's game which gets underway at 8:05 p.m. MT and will be televised on MLB Network as well as MLB Extra Innings and mlb.tv. Jonathan Sanchez pitches for the Giants and Clayton Richard goes for the Padres. I feel confident that Sanchez will be able to pitch well tomorrow, he seems to be in a good groove of late and it seems like he pitches well against the Padres.
Oh and the NFL got underway tonight with the home-standing New Orleans Saints (1-0) knocking off the Minnesota Vikings (0-1) by a score of 14-9 in a rematch of last season's NFC Championship Game. It was a lower scoring match-up than I expected, but it sounds like the Saints are still happy with the win. I didn't watch much of the game as my focus was more on the Giants-Padres game tonight. I look forward to seeing how my Philadelphia Eagles do this year. They open the season at home Sunday at 2:15 p.m. MT against the Green Bay Packers.
Now the focus turns to tomorrow night's game which gets underway at 8:05 p.m. MT and will be televised on MLB Network as well as MLB Extra Innings and mlb.tv. Jonathan Sanchez pitches for the Giants and Clayton Richard goes for the Padres. I feel confident that Sanchez will be able to pitch well tomorrow, he seems to be in a good groove of late and it seems like he pitches well against the Padres.
Oh and the NFL got underway tonight with the home-standing New Orleans Saints (1-0) knocking off the Minnesota Vikings (0-1) by a score of 14-9 in a rematch of last season's NFC Championship Game. It was a lower scoring match-up than I expected, but it sounds like the Saints are still happy with the win. I didn't watch much of the game as my focus was more on the Giants-Padres game tonight. I look forward to seeing how my Philadelphia Eagles do this year. They open the season at home Sunday at 2:15 p.m. MT against the Green Bay Packers.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
NL West is tight going down the stretch
The San Francisco Giants (78-61) won their fourth straight game last night, dropping the Arizona Diamondbacks (56-83) 6-3 in Phoenix. Tim Lincecum was dominant for six innings before giving up a few runs in the 7th. I think he's going to be dynamite down the stretch. I was also glad to see Aubrey Huff hit his 23rd home run in the first inning last night as he's been scuffling of late. The offense is looking pretty good. Now we just have to hope Barry Zito can regain the form he had earlier in the season. He starts tonight at Arizona at 7:40 p.m. MT on Fox Sports Arizona.
The Giants trail the San Diego Padres (78-59) by one game in the NL West and the Atlanta Braves (79-60) by one game in the Wild Card. The Braves fell out of first place for the first time since the end of May last night after losing to the Pirates (47-91) and the Phillies (80-60) taking advantage with a win over the Marlins (70-68). The Padres have won the past two nights against the Dodgers (69-70) following a ten game losing streak. Last night, though, San Diego had to call on closer Heath Bell for a five out save, so hopefully at least that tires him out a little bit in advance of the big four game series at Petco Park with the Giants this weekend. It looks like the Padres are starting to feel the pressure of the pennant race. Just one more game and then it's time for the big series which I'm pretty excited for.
The Giants trail the San Diego Padres (78-59) by one game in the NL West and the Atlanta Braves (79-60) by one game in the Wild Card. The Braves fell out of first place for the first time since the end of May last night after losing to the Pirates (47-91) and the Phillies (80-60) taking advantage with a win over the Marlins (70-68). The Padres have won the past two nights against the Dodgers (69-70) following a ten game losing streak. Last night, though, San Diego had to call on closer Heath Bell for a five out save, so hopefully at least that tires him out a little bit in advance of the big four game series at Petco Park with the Giants this weekend. It looks like the Padres are starting to feel the pressure of the pennant race. Just one more game and then it's time for the big series which I'm pretty excited for.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Boise State gets huge win
Tonight I watched a good portion of (3) Boise State defeating (10) Virginia Tech by a score of 33-30 in a de facto road game for the Broncos being played in Washington, D.C. The most impressive part of the game for me was when Boise State took the ball with two minutes remaining, no timeouts left and trailing 30-26. The Broncos, behind star quarterback Kellen Moore, drove down the field (after benefiting from a punt return that allowed them to start at their own 45) and took the lead. This game definitely lived up to the hype and was exciting right down to the end. It looks like Boise State may be deserving of the accolades they have received after winning in a hostile environment against a top-10 team. I just hope their ranking doesn't end up getting in Utah's way in terms of BCS qualification.
By far the most exciting finish of the weekend came when Jacksonville State defeated Ole Miss by a score of 49-48 in double overtime after trailing 31-10 at halftime (on the road). The Rebels led 48-41 in the second overtime and Jacksonville State (a I-AA school, now referred to as FCS) converted a 4th and 15 for a long touchdown pass and then proceeded to go for two. The Gamecocks pulled off the victory on a nifty dump-off pass to the running back. I love seeing huge upsets like that and when it's coupled with coming in such dramatic fashion it just makes it very, very exciting. Stuff like that is what helps make college football so great. I'm glad I was able to see the end of that game.
By far the most exciting finish of the weekend came when Jacksonville State defeated Ole Miss by a score of 49-48 in double overtime after trailing 31-10 at halftime (on the road). The Rebels led 48-41 in the second overtime and Jacksonville State (a I-AA school, now referred to as FCS) converted a 4th and 15 for a long touchdown pass and then proceeded to go for two. The Gamecocks pulled off the victory on a nifty dump-off pass to the running back. I love seeing huge upsets like that and when it's coupled with coming in such dramatic fashion it just makes it very, very exciting. Stuff like that is what helps make college football so great. I'm glad I was able to see the end of that game.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Utes top Pitt
What a game that was last night! Utah beat #15 Pittsburgh 27-24 in overtime. The Utes made a number of mistakes and I really felt that they should have won the game in regulation and by a wider margin. I thought they outplayed Pitt, especially after the first quarter. But a win is a win and it's really cool that we were able to knock off a ranked team to start the season. This should get the Utes into the AP Poll this week as well as move them up in the Coaches Poll. I'm short on time right now, but I just wanted to get in how exciting of a win that was. Go Utes!
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Utah football begins tomorrow night!
The Utah Utes open up their 2010 season at home tomorrow night against the #15 Pittsburgh Panthers. The game is set to kick off at 6:30 p.m. MT and will be televised on Versus which is channel 603 on DirecTV and channel 34 on Comcast in Salt Lake City.
Pittsburgh is picked by man to win the Big East this year and should provide a stiff challenge for the Utes right out of the gate. Pitt's top player is sophomore running back and Heisman Trophy candidate Dion Lewis who rushed for 1,799 yards as a freshman last season. Lewis is definitely a game-breaker type who should make things very interesting, not to mention difficult for the Utes. However, Pittsburgh is breaking in a new quarterback this year in sophomore Tino Sunseri and though I am sure he is a talented player, I think it will take some time for him to break in with the offense, particularly on the road. Utah's defense is typically strong and I expect the same this year. Lewis will get some yards but the scoring won't be too outlandish.
On offense I think the Utes are set up quite well with returning starters at all the key positions. Sophomore quarterback Jordan Wynn showed flashes of greatness last year and has a great arm not to mention good decision making abilities. I think Wynn will lead a potent offense this year starting tomorrow night. Notably returning at wide receiver in Jereme Brooks of whom I expect there will be some big plays this year -- he is a solid target for Wynn to throw to. And of course in the backfield there is a two-headed monster of Eddie Wide (who rushed for over 1,000 yards last season) and Matt Asiata (coming back from an injury shortened year). Asiata is more of a power back and Wide provides more speed. I am very confident in both of them. They have both shown they can be effective and have experience on their side.
I expect Pittsburgh's defense to be tough, but I think Utah will get enough points to win in a close one. Lewis will do his fair share of damage on the offensive end for the Panthers, but Utah has a stout defense themselves and a number of weapons offensively. The two teams are pretty evenly matched and in a game like that I'm going to have to go with the home team.
I will be at the game in person and providing updates on my Twitter feed for which the address is twitter.com/dpaysports. And of course I will be back on here after the game to blog with my thoughts. Go Utes!
Pittsburgh is picked by man to win the Big East this year and should provide a stiff challenge for the Utes right out of the gate. Pitt's top player is sophomore running back and Heisman Trophy candidate Dion Lewis who rushed for 1,799 yards as a freshman last season. Lewis is definitely a game-breaker type who should make things very interesting, not to mention difficult for the Utes. However, Pittsburgh is breaking in a new quarterback this year in sophomore Tino Sunseri and though I am sure he is a talented player, I think it will take some time for him to break in with the offense, particularly on the road. Utah's defense is typically strong and I expect the same this year. Lewis will get some yards but the scoring won't be too outlandish.
On offense I think the Utes are set up quite well with returning starters at all the key positions. Sophomore quarterback Jordan Wynn showed flashes of greatness last year and has a great arm not to mention good decision making abilities. I think Wynn will lead a potent offense this year starting tomorrow night. Notably returning at wide receiver in Jereme Brooks of whom I expect there will be some big plays this year -- he is a solid target for Wynn to throw to. And of course in the backfield there is a two-headed monster of Eddie Wide (who rushed for over 1,000 yards last season) and Matt Asiata (coming back from an injury shortened year). Asiata is more of a power back and Wide provides more speed. I am very confident in both of them. They have both shown they can be effective and have experience on their side.
I expect Pittsburgh's defense to be tough, but I think Utah will get enough points to win in a close one. Lewis will do his fair share of damage on the offensive end for the Panthers, but Utah has a stout defense themselves and a number of weapons offensively. The two teams are pretty evenly matched and in a game like that I'm going to have to go with the home team.
I will be at the game in person and providing updates on my Twitter feed for which the address is twitter.com/dpaysports. And of course I will be back on here after the game to blog with my thoughts. Go Utes!
My 2010 MWC Football picks
Football season is less than 24 hours away here in Salt Lake City, so it's time for my 2010 Mountain West Conference Football prognostications. Here's how I see the conference shaking out this year:
1. Utah
2. TCU
3. BYU
4. Air Force
5. Wyoming
6. San Diego State
7. UNLV
8. Colorado State
9. New Mexico
I think Utah will win the Conference in large part because they have both TCU and BYU at home. I think the TCU game will be the toughest home game of the year but I think the Utes will feed off the crowd and pull it out in a close one. I'm not seeing an undefeated season for the Utes, but I do see a conference title. TCU is the favorite in most people's books and their talent should be enough to win most games, plus they get BYU at home. BYU always seems to have its way with Air Force as well as the lower tier of the league, so they are an easy pick for 3rd. Air Force could make some noise and I particularly think Utah's late October visit to Colorado Springs is a dangerous game. Wyoming and San Diego State appear to be on a bit of an upswing and I don't really expect much from UNLV, Colorado State and New Mexico (more than 1 win this year and no choking incidents on the coaching staff would be a nice improvement for the Lobos). I'm pretty stoked for tomorrow night's game and I'll have more posted on that here shortly.
1. Utah
2. TCU
3. BYU
4. Air Force
5. Wyoming
6. San Diego State
7. UNLV
8. Colorado State
9. New Mexico
I think Utah will win the Conference in large part because they have both TCU and BYU at home. I think the TCU game will be the toughest home game of the year but I think the Utes will feed off the crowd and pull it out in a close one. I'm not seeing an undefeated season for the Utes, but I do see a conference title. TCU is the favorite in most people's books and their talent should be enough to win most games, plus they get BYU at home. BYU always seems to have its way with Air Force as well as the lower tier of the league, so they are an easy pick for 3rd. Air Force could make some noise and I particularly think Utah's late October visit to Colorado Springs is a dangerous game. Wyoming and San Diego State appear to be on a bit of an upswing and I don't really expect much from UNLV, Colorado State and New Mexico (more than 1 win this year and no choking incidents on the coaching staff would be a nice improvement for the Lobos). I'm pretty stoked for tomorrow night's game and I'll have more posted on that here shortly.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
