Two straight wins for Utes; big games from Washburn

The Utah Runnin' Utes (3-8) are coming off of two wins in a row, which is quite refreshing following a string of eight straight losses.

Jason Washburn, in particular, has caught my eye the past couple of games. Washburn, a junior, has put up high numbers of points on offense, but also grabbed a lot of rebounds. In the game Monday against Portland (3-9), Washburn had a pair of huge blocks down the stretch of a tight game.

Perhaps most of all, I have noticed that Washburn is a much better free throw shooter this year. It shows that he has been working really hard at that facet of his game. I'm hoping this improvement from Washburn continues and he keeps putting up games like he did against Idaho State (2-8) and Portland. This kind of production is more of what I expected from Washburn when he came in a couple of years ago. I've always liked Washburn, but felt he could be more consistent. These last two games have really upped my hopes.

I realize the competition hasn't been the stiffest in the last two games, but it is really good for this group of Utes to get a couple of wins in a row. Utah goes on the road to face in-state rival Weber State (7-3) tomorrow night at 7 p.m. MT. The game can be seen on Altitude TV (channel 681 DirecTV, channel 61 Comcast in Salt Lake City). I'll be on the scene and will tweet out updates from Ogden. Go Utes! (P.S., here is an interesting link about recruit Jordan Loveridge).

Say it ain't so, Ryan!

It's being reported that Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers has tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. Braun was recently named the 2011 National League Most Valuable Player.

If this is all true, it just plain sucks. Braun has long been a representation of what's good for baseball and has been one of my favorite players. I liked that he was willing to stay in Milwaukee and he just seemed like a guy who cares and is loyal.

Braun is appealing the results of the test via arbitration. It just seems to me, though, that if he failed a test, there was a reason for it. I'm willing to see what happens with the appeal, but I'm skeptical about the whole process.

This is all a downer, because, as I mentioned, Braun was definitely one of my favorite players. I looked up to him and loved that he seemed to have so many great qualities. He seemed like he cared more about winning and loyalty than money, which can be hard to find in professional sports. This reported positive test could really taint the way Braun is viewed by the public (and by me). And if the test is indeed accurate (which seems very likely), it's just devastating.

It wouldn't just be devastating for me, but for baseball as a whole. Braun was beloved as one of the superstars of the game and just won the MVP. I was hoping and believed that baseball had made significant strides in trying to rid the game of performance-enhancing drugs. I still think baseball has made substantial progress, but this would be a big blow. It's just bad (if it's true); I think I'll stop right there for now.

Check out this link about Andres Torres

Andres Torres, one of my favorite baseball players, was traded last night from the Giants to the Mets. This tribute to Torres, pretty much sums up how I feel about him. I don't think I could say it better myself. Andres Torres is the man. I strongly encourage you to read the linked blog post.

Jiggy Watkins suspended

Pictured: Jiggy Watkins, who has been suspended by Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak.

Utah (1-6) guard Jiggy Watkins has been suspended for a violation of team rules. The Salt Lake Tribune reported that Watkins was late to practice on Monday and that his breaking of team rules had become a recurring problem. Watkins was leading the Runnin' Utes with 17.7 points per game and 4.9 assists per game.

It was already looking like a long season for Utah, but now that the Runnin' Utes have lost far and away their best player for an indefinite amount of time, well it could be even worse that what I was bracing for, if that is even possible. Watkins provided a lot for the team, especially on the offensive end of the floor. He was the only player who had been a consistent force throughout the season.

On the other hand, players have to keep team rules. I don't know too many of the details, but if we are to believe what he said at his coaches' show tonight, coach Larry Krystkowiak didn't have much of a choice. It's too bad. I understand that discipline and rules are among the most important things in sports and in life for that matter. So, hopefully Watkins can straighten things out and return to the court this season. We all know that the Utes need him.