College Football Week 10 Predictions

HIGH EXPECTATIONS???

When the season started, I said that if the Utes can make it past Oregon, they would be 9-0 going into the TCU game. Well I would have been right(assuming the Utes take care of lowly New Mexico Saturday). I came to a realization while I was watching the Wyoming game on Halloween night. For many weeks now, the Utes have not looked sharp on offense and have been very inconsistent. They are not putting teams away like they did last year. They are ranked #14 in the BCS poll and are on the right track for a program that was supposed to be rebuilding. But I was frustrated with the lack of the killer instinct that was so present last season. Then I realized that maybe I am expecting too much from this team. Are we as Ute fans spoiled? Do we expect the Utes to roll over any opponent they are favored to beat? At what point did a win in our program become something less than a win? To be honest with you, I felt disappointed in myself as a football fan. Winning is everything and it doesn't matter how you do it as long as you do it. There have been several close calls but the Utes always find a way to win. So what if they came from two touchdowns down at Colorado State to win, or that it took OT to beat Air Force at home, or that we couldn't score a touchdown until the 4th quarter against Wyoming. The fact is is that the Utes are 7-1, 8-1 after Saturday and that is amazing. If you disagree with me, I want you to think about this. Imagine if the Utes had lost to either Colorado State, Air Force, or Wyoming. Or even two or more of them. Would that make you feel better? No way! I find it comical how the rivals are down playing our wins. They say that we struggled against a bad team, we make a QB switch this late in the year, are Offensive Coordinator gets demoted. Well I will take all of those along with a win over a loss by 30+ points at home in the spotlight. GO UTES!

Week 10 Predictions: Record: (31-7 Overall, 5-1 Last Week)

Utes 34- New Mexico 13: I don't want to say this is the week for the offense to break out, but New Mexico is the worst program in the country this year and the Utes want to get a full head of steam going into the biggest game of the season next week. I look for Jordan Wynn to start and build confidence and the defense to play as solid as always.

BYU 31- Wyoming 24: I think this might be a tough start for the Cougars. They had a bye week last week and the week before that they were creamed at home by more than four scores. That has got to take a lot of wind out of your sails. Nevertheless, they should pull things together in the second half and keep the Wyoming offense at bay.

TCU 35- San Diego State 21: This might shock some people but I believe the Aztecs will be able to put some points up against the TCU defense. They have a good QB and two really good wide outs.

Boise State 42 - Louisiana Tech 24- Not very many possible upsets coming Boise State's way but this one could trip them up.

Hawaii 21- Utah State 13: I want to pick Utah State, but that is more out of hope that Gary Anderson can get to 6 wins, rather than thinking with my head.

Alabama 17- LSU 13: This one has a lot of hype around it but I think it will be a rather boring SEC game. They haven't had too many high scoring games and some of them have been real slog fests. Alabama's running game is too much for LSU.

College Football Week 8: Week 9 Predictions

HOW THE MIGHTY SHALL FALL!!

My oh my how things can change in just a matter of weeks. It wasn't but a mere 7 weeks ago BYU and all their fans were talking about how this was going to be the year of the Cougars. They were going to bust the BCS (which the Utes have done twice, Boise State once, and even Hawaii, it isn't really "busting" anymore) , they may even have a shot at the National Championship. That is the glory of College Football, you have to decide things on the field. Talk is cheap, please refer to my post "Season of Bliss", and don't say I told you so. The Cougar contingent build themselves up into something more than they can ever live up to be. With high expectations comes greater disappointment. Good thing BYU has a bye week to let this most recent disappointment sink in. I would hope they would learn from their mistakes but the thought of their hated arch rivals making it to two BCS bowls while they can't even get close to one, has to be killing them. Will they learn? Doubt it.

Utes:
Every year the game against the Air Force Academy makes me nervous. For some reason, these two teams always gear up for a close, hard fought game. Like I said all last week, Air Force has the ability to keep games close. They run the ball almost every snap and that in effect runs the clock down, which limits possessions. You have to be flawless against Air Force to blow them out of any game. This year, the Falcons have added a new scheme to their football team, Defense. All game long, their defense kept the Utes at bay. Terrence Cain looks rattled and a little gun shy at times. Nevertheless, I would rather see what I saw on Saturday, than see him force passes when he is unsure of the coverage. That will lead to INT's and more of what Air Force wants you to do. It is hard for me to say but I was not worried much about the injury to Matt Asiata. I knew Eddie Wide was fast and would be able to handle the load just fine. The only thing that concerned me was his pass blocking. Over the past few games, he has fixed that problem. The Utes have two fairly easy games before the big matchup with TCU. If I were Coach Whittingham I would open up the play book a little bit these next two weeks and get Cain's confidence back just in time for the big game in Texas. Meanwhile how good are the Utes?!?!? It shows what a team is really made of when they play horrible on offense and can still pull out a win. The team has a remarkable 28 WINS out of their last 31 GAMES. Never has their been a time that I have been more proud of my Utes.

Max Hall Interception Watch: 11 Interceptions- through 8 games


Week 9 Predictions: Record (26-6 Overall, 4-2 Last Week)

Utah 37- Wyoming 14- I expect a break out performance from our offense this week in the Blackout. Wyoming is 4-3 which is respectable, however, their wins have come over two FCS teams (Weber State, FAU) and MWC cellar dwellers UNLV and New Mexico. This one really shouldn't be close, and if it is then I will be concerned.

TCU 34- UNLV 10- TCU has a two headed monster- Great Defense and a fast and flashy Offense. UNLV can't defend and won't be able to score on TCU much. Not much of a contest.

Boise State 49- San Jose State 24- Another WAC barn burner. Boise State is just going through the motions. It must be hard on their fan base to watch them play these lousy teams. Of course, maybe they enjoy it because it is a scheduled win.

Utah State 24- Fresno State 21- I am going out on a limb here but I think Utah State keeps their small hot streak going.

Oregon 27- USC 20- I think there is a change in power for the PAC 10. Oregon seems to be on a mission since the first week debacle.

Texas 42- Oklahoma State 31- Shoot out in the Big 12. I think Texas may be the best team in the nation. The SEC is overrated again and nobody talks about Texas.

College Football Week 8: Predictions

This is a huge week for both Utah and BYU. The news came this week of College GameDay's visit to Provo for the Saturday morning show. This is huge for the conference. The last time GameDay was in Utah was for the Utes undefeated season in 2004 and that was more for Urban Meyer than it was for the Mountain Wed Conference. I am excited for both of the school's matchups this week. Utah has a difficult game against Air Force, based on the fact that the last three games have all come down to the last possession. BYU has a make or break game for their season at home against undefeated TCU. If BYU can win, it will vault them into the standings back to BCS talk. If they lose, well then they will most likely drop from the rankings with their second home loss of the season and put them in third place for the MWC championship. The Utes have three straight home games. All of which they should be able to win. Then the big rematch with TCU looms following the home stretch. This is a stepping stone week for the teams and it will be interesting to see how both deal with the pressure. I am predicting 1-1. Can you guess who?



Max Hall Interception Watch: 10 Interceptions ( I suspect he will throw a few this week)


Week 8 Predictions: Record (22-4 Overall, 6-0 Last Week)

Utah 27- Air Force 14- Utah's defense is getting better and better as the year goes on. The offense needs some work. I think it is more on the coordinator than the Quarterback. I look for Utah to run the ball well and keep it pretty conservative. Air Force is very good in takeaways. Utah will jump on the lead early and keep it. Air Force does a good job keeping the score close due to their option attack. They limit possessions which makes it difficult for teams to build big leads.

TCU 26- BYU 23- TCU's defense is amazing. Max Hall has struggled against sub par secondaries. I think that a lot of people around here underestimate TCU. I imagine they will probably win the conference. They also may jump Boise State for the race for the BCS if they win out due to the piss poor schedule of Boise.

Boise State 34- Hawaii 21- This might be a tough game for Boise due to the travel but I don't see it holding them up past the first quarter.

Utah State 24- Louisiana Tech 20- Believe it or not, I am picking Utah State to win this game. It has been a tough road for them and I thought they would be bowl eligible this year but it appears as if I am wrong. This should be a game they can win based on how they have played so far this year.

Colorado State 20- San Diego State 14- Bounce back game for Colorado State after playing the conferences big three opponents.

New Mexico 26- UNLV 21- I would find it ironic if New Mexico gets their first win here with their new head coach suspended for this game. The Lobos are horrible but UNLV isn't much better. I can't imagine this will be a blow out either way. I would like to see New Mexico win at least one game.

NFL Week 5: Week 6 Predictions

At this point in the season we have a pretty good idea of how good teams are. For instance, at 2-0 we all thought the Broncos were just an average team. Now at 5-0 everyone keeps talking about how great they are. At 0-2, everyone though that Tennessee would be okay, now at 0-5 their season is pretty much in the can. So I thought for this week's post on the NFL, I would rate the top five teams, Quarterbacks, Running Backs, and Wide Receivers up to this point in the season.

Top 5 Teams (According to Midge)

1. Indianapolis Colts
2. NY Giants
3. New Orleans Saints
4. Denver Broncos
5. Minnesota Vikings

Top 5 Quarterbacks

1. Peyton Manning- Indianapolis Colts- MVP?
2.Drew Brees- New Orleans Saints- Started Strong, faded a bit
3. Eli Manning- NY Giants- Solid QB, nice WR's
4. Matt Ryan- Atlanta Falcons- Franchise QB, who just keeps getting better
5. Brett Favre- Minnesota Vikings- If team not 5-0, he doesn't make the list.


Top 5 Running Backs

1. Adrian Peterson- Minnesota Vikings- Another solid year.
2. Ronnie Brown- Miami Dolphins- Is the engine that keeps that team running.
3. Cedric Benson- Cincinnati Bengals - Surprise team and a decent start to year
4. Michael Turner- Atlanta Falcons - Great complimentary back for Matt Ryan
5. Chris Johnson- Tennessee Titans - One bright spot on lousy team.

Top 5 Wide Receivers

1. Reggie Wayne- Indianapolis Colts
2. Brandon Marshall- Denver Broncos
3. Steve Smith- NY Giants
4. Andre Johnson- Houston Texans
5. Vincent Jackson- San Diego Chargers


Ute Player Watch:

Paul Kruger: NA
Sean Smith: 2 Tackles, 1 Solo Tackle, 1 Pass Deflection
Eric Weddle: Bye


Week 6 Predictions: Record (19-13 Overall, 4-4 Last Week)

1. Cincinnati 20- Houston 13

2. Baltimore 27- Minnesota 23

3. New Orleans 34 - NY Giants 24

4. Tampa Bay 17 - Carolina 13

5. Arizona 21- Seattle 17

6. New England 26- Tennessee 20

7. Chicago 14- Atlanta 10

8. San Diego 23- Denver 17

College Football Week 6: Week 7 Predictions

Utes:
What was supposed to be an easy game, turned into a frustrating nail-biter. With the chilly conditions, it was thought that this would be a close game but I didn't think it would be as close as it actually was. The Utes offense was atrocious in the first half. We had fumbles, interceptions, absolutely lousy play calling, and at the end of the half we were still tied 3-3 with how bad we had played. I felt like we weren't really into the football frame of mind coming off of the bye week. The second half was much better. Even though we didn't score until late in the third quarter, the Utes did a good job offensively. Down 17-3, they started playing with a sense of urgency and pretty much had to score and every possession to win the game. They did exactly that winning 24-17 thanks to two Eddie Wide scores and three Robert Johnson Interceptions. One of the best second half performances I have seen in a long time to secure the come from behind victory. One thing that is very evident to me is that lack of experience at play calling this year. The offense was moving the ball running Eddie Wide. Then when Colorado State showed they could not stop it, we try something else, it doesn't work. Okay, that is not a problem. If something doesn't work, go back to what does. But we didn't. We kept trying different things instead of going to what was working well and that was handing the ball off to Wide. Hopefully the Utes learn before it proves to be too costly to come back.

Cougars:
This one was a sleeper from the start. I underestimated how poor UNLV's defense was. BYU has a really good offense and it seemed as if UNLV knew they couldn't stop it. They couldn't tackle, they couldn't fill gaps, they couldn't pressure Max Hall. Consequently Max Hall threw his first interception free game. Therefore, the Max Hall Interception Watch stays at 10 for this week (Nation High 10 INT's). I have to hand it to the Cougars, they did a good job with UNLV and it looked as if they had their best offensive outing of the season. Things get even easier as they travel to San Diego State on Saturday.

Week 7 Predictions: Record (16-4 Overall, 3-2 Last Week)

Utah 38- UNLV 13- I am still waiting for the Utes to put together a complete game. This one should, and I say "should", be over early. However, if the Utes don't put them away early, and they allow the Rebels to hang around, it could get a little interesting in the second half.

BYU 42- SDSU 10- Not much to this game. Run the ball, don't turn it over, and play solid defense. The Aztecs are one of the three or four horrible teams at the bottom of the MWC. Another easy win for the Cougars as long as they don't look ahead to the matchup with TCU.

Boise State 31- Tulsa 24- A Wednesday night matchup, Tulsa may offer a little more resistance than other Bronco opponents have. Don't be surprised if Tulsa has the lead in the second half here. Nevertheless, I feel like the Boise State offense is very explosive and should win this game on the road.

TCU 27- Colorado State 10- TCU battled the cold and wind to hold on to the win against Air Force, with them returning home, they should win this one easily and get ready for BYU.

Nevada 24- Utah State 21- Gary Anderson is having a hard time getting his players to believe that they can win. They have a good team but always start the season off playing non-winnable games. They should keep this close but Nevada is too much for them.

Texas 33- Oklahoma 27- Sam Bradford is back but Texas has too much fire power behind Colt McCoy. With two losses and out of the National Championship picture, if OU falls behind early, they may get down on themselves and this one won't be close.

NFL Week 4: Week 5 Predictions

The Art of Whining:
Some very interesting things happened following the Patriots-Ravens game on Sunday, lots and lots of whining and complaining. Naturally, players are upset after suffering a loss in a tight, hard fought game. However, the some choice Baltimore players showed their true colors and true intellect with their post-game comments. The controversy was over "Roughing the Passer" penalties that occurred on Tom Brady during the second half of the game. One thing I always find interesting is how stupid some NFL players are. For instance, Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. Ray Lewis said, "Those penalties were ridiculous, he is a man just like we are, he can get hit." He then continues to say, "Both of their touchdown drives had personal fouls that kept the drives alive. Did that win or lose the game? No, but it got them 14 points." Hmmm, did the penalties themselves award the Patriots 14 points, No. Did the Ravens hit Tom Brady, Yes. Should the penalties have been called, maybe. It was you Ray Lewis, that did not stop the Patriots from scoring, it was your defense that could n't hold them. It wasn't the referees that awarded a touchdown for a 15 yard penalty. It may have kept the play alive but it did not give them 14 points.

Ed Reed went ahead and made himself sound even more foolish by commenting on the spots given by the referees on two instances. First was on a fourth and 1 by Balitmore RB Willis McGahee. He says, "When Willis had his fourth-down try, it probably wouldn't have been a first down, but it probably should have been a little closer." Are you serious? If you get stopped short on fourth down, whether by two feet or one foot, it is still a turnover on downs Mr. Reed. That is elementary my friend. He then further makes himself out to be a fool by saying, "The Patriots spots, the guy stepped out of bounds, EVEN THOUGH WE GOT THE PENALTY ON THAT 4TH DOWN, the guy stepped out and reached the ball across for the first down." (Emphasis added). Once again, are you seriously arguing this? So what he is saying is that the Patriot player reached out for a first down after being out of bounds for the first down. The problem here is that he also states that it wouldn't have mattered because the Ravens got a penalty on that play that would have given the Patriots an automatic first down anyways. So why even make these comments? Both of the plays he was referring to had to impact on the game whatsoever, and he was simply digging for something to complain about because they could not get the job done against New England.

I just have to say, show a little class Baltimore. You guys played hard and you lost. Take that for what it is worth and don't embarrass yourselves by making these ridiculous comments that have no real bearing on the game. Own up to it when you lose, give credit to the other team and don't go sulking to the media about how you lost and it wasn't your fault because the refs let them score, the refs made us commit penalties. It is so unfair to the Ravens, poor guys, how will they ever come back from this. Man up, play like men, win like men, and lose like men.


UTE PLAYER WATCH:

Paul Kruger: 1 Tackle.
Sean Smith: 2 Tackles, 2 Solo Tackles, 2 Pass Deflections.
Eric Weddle: 7 Tackles, 5 Solo Tackles, 1 Tackle for Loss.




Week 5 Predictions: Record (15-9 Overall, 5-3 Last Week)

Philadelphia 31- Tampa Bay 17: McNabb is back and the defense should have no trouble with the lowely Bucanneers offense. May see more of Michael Vick in this game. The only question is whether Brian Westbrook will be healthy, even if he is not they have rookie LeSean McCoy who can fill in.

Washington 17- Carolina 10: Jake Delhomme is still struggling and I feel like the Redskins took that loss to the Lions as a bit of a wake up call. It wil be low scoring and close but I look for Washington to force enough turnovers and control the ball enough to hold on.

Baltimore 24- Cincinatti 14: Carson Palmer is not Tom Brady, so the Ravens shouldn't have to worry about what they are going to say if they lose. This will be a good division battle however but Baltimore's offense is too much for the Bengal defense.

San Francisco 24- Atlanta 20: This will be a close game throughout. I don't expect the 49ers to do much on offense other than run Glen Coffee. With Michael Crabtree signing, much of the media focus will be on that but little will be done on the field with him. 49ers defense wins this for them in the second half.

Arizona 37- Houston 31: I think that this game will have a lot of points scored. Neither defense is very good and both teams have explosive receivers and the QB's to get the ball to them. I have always thought the Cardinals would win this division. It will be tough with SF being 3-0 in the division.

New England 20- Denver 13: All the hype has been with how the Broncos are 4-0. They have a really good defense, but the truth is, they haven't really played anybody tough. This will be a huge test for them. It will be a fairly low scoring game but Brady finds a way to expose the Denver defense.

Indianapolis 35- Tennessee 21: I keep thinking that eventually the Titans are going to find a way to win a game. Unfortunately they play one fo the best teams in the league and the best offense. With Tennessee's defense showing very poor early this season, I expect Manning to pick them apart.

Miami 23- NY Jets 17: I like Miami in this game. I think that even without Pennington, Miami can move the ball with the wildcat format. The Jets defense is good but the Miami defense will get to Sanchez enough to make him press in the 4th quarter and the production will be limited.

Photo of the Week

Here is the new photo of the week. This is when my sweet wife Lydia won dinner with the Jazz. It was awesome. I got to meet Deron Williams and other Jazz men.

Congratulations little buddy! MWC Photo of the week winner! Go Carterman!

College Football Week 5: Week 6 Predictions

I hate bye weeks. I find it hard to get pumped up for the games on Saturday, knowing that my team is not playing. Nevertheless, it happens. There were a few good games on Saturday to help get me by the off week of my Utes. First off, I love College Football's overtime system. It is the most fair, but also the most exciting format. Two games that I had a rooting interest in went to OT. Michigan State intercepted a pass by Tate Forcier in the first session of OT, all they had to do was kick a field goal to win it. However, they broke free on a running play that should have only gained a few yards, and got the touchdown to win it. Michigan State with the upset, which I picked! The second game was Notre Dame v. Washington. It seems as if all of the Irish games this season are going down to the wire. ND got the ball first and scored on a 1 yard rushing TD. Then Washington was incapable of doing anything and ND won by knocking the ball and player out on the last play. Those two games are a good way to get over the doldrums of not being able to watch your team.

Cougars: BYU won fairly easily this week, however, I thought that USU showed a lot to stay in the game. I think that BYU might have a complex because with the game in hand late in the 4th quarter, BYU is throwing passes instead of running the clock out. Then they throw a TD pass to put them up 35-10. Now, no one would say you were running up the score if you run one in for a touchdown but when you feel that you need to rub it in someone's face by doing that, that is where I have a problem. They have a complex that a win is not enough, they need to prove to themselves that they can run up the score. And you wonder why no one likes you BYU, outside of your own fans. Maxy is still having a problem with interceptions, and with the Oct. 24th matchup with No. 10 TCU looming, he better get those resolved.

Mountain West Conference: I need to do a little shout out for my little boy and coolest stud man Carter, for winning the MWC photo of the week contest. Way to go dude. However, outside of that, the MWC had a absolutely horrible week. You lose to Idaho and almost to Florida Atlantic and then get absolutely humilitated against rival Nevada. Come on MWC! There are three elite teams and then the rest are just going threw the motions. I think it is time to get rid of a few teams and bring in Boise State.


Max Hall Interception Watch: 10 Interceptions through 5 games



Week 6 Predictions: Record (13-2 Overall: 5-0 Last Week)

Utah 34- Colorado State 17- I was a little concerned about this game a few weeks ago but since the loss at BYU and at Idaho, the Rams are not who we thought they were, courtesy of Denny Green. Utah does well after bye weeks and especially with the loss of Asiata, the bye gives the coaches a chance to come up with a different game plan with Eddie Wide taking over.

BYU 27- UNLV 14- BYU does a good job letting teams hang around, especially with Max Hall gift wrapping passes to the defense. I don't think any team will beat BYU outside of the other Big 2 teams, except maybe Air Force. I really expected UNLV to be good this year, I was wrong.

TCU 24- Air Force 17- Air Force has dropped two winnable games in the past few weeks against Minnesota and Navy. They do a good job keeping games close and I am still uncertain how good TCU is due to their so-so non-conference schedule. This game should be close and relatively low scoring. Air Force runs a lot of clock and that limits possessions.

LSU 26- Florida 24- I am going with an upset here. The LSU v. Georgia game was very exciting to watch and set up a huge game this week. Florida does a good job playing crap teams at home to start the season. If you are the #1 team in the nation, act like it and play decent competition. With the game in Baton Rouge and Florida untested and Tebow no longer invincible, LSU will win in another thrilling fourth quarter rally.

New Mexico 20- Wyoming 17- Since Boise State is on bye this week I decided to pick the last MWC game. New Mexico is bad, real bad. Wyoming is bad, real bad. So who wins out of this game? To be honest with you, I bet ten people watch this game outside of the two school's fan bases, and seven of those ten will fall asleep after the first quarter, two will turn it off after half-time, and one poor sap will have his remote broke and will be too lazy to change the channel the old fashion way and be stuck watching this game. All joking aside, this game has the formula for a real drudge match. New Mexico wins because someone has to.

NFL Week #3: Week 4 Predictions

Surprises are part of every NFL season. So with the season in full gear, I thought I would post some of the most surprising parts of the season.

1. Tennessee 0-3: I cannot believe that the team that went 13-3 last year has started 0-3. They had a semi-difficult schedule to start the season (3 of 4 on the road), but there were a few winnable games that they squandered away. I think it is the end of Kerry Collins and I am very concerned about Jacksonville this week. If the Titans had any sort of back up at the QB positions, he would be in by now.

2. NY Jets 3-0: I thought that the Jets had a good team but I didn't think they would have a good enough season to make the playoffs, especially playing in the AFC and having a starting quarterback. However, sensational rookie Quarterbacks seems to be the trend i.e. Joe Flacco, Matt Ryan. It might be hard to believe but they may win that division.

3. Arizona Cardinals 1-2: It must be the Super Bowl curse. I don't believe in those things but this teams seems to be lacking the swagger they had in the playoffs last year. Warner looks ordinary again and with the quality of receivers they have, needs to find a way to get that offense going.

4. Baltimore Ravens 3-0: I am not surprised that they are good this year but I am surprised with how great they are. Baltimore has always had a great defense and this year is no exceptions. But the offense is what has surprised me. 34 pts/game so far. Don't be surprised if the Ravens are playing in the Super Bowl. They have looked like the best team to me. I think we have a Super Bowl rematch in the making between the Baltimore Ravens and the NY Giants.

5. Pittsburgh Steelers: The opening game seemed so long ago. I thought that was a preview of the AFC Championship game. Pittsburgh is struggling and they have a tough road back to the Super Bowl. Once favored, this team WILL NOT win the division. I am guessing they will finish 9-7.

6. Chicago Bears: The Bears look great, besides the first week. I believe they will win their division and possible have a first round bye in the playoffs. This is really good team and once Cutler gets rolling, they will be almost unstoppable. The Vikings will be good but I bet Favre will find a way to ruin the team in the end.

* Other Notes: I no longer believe that the Titans can make the playoffs, I also feel that the 49ers are going to win the NFC West. They may have a few tough weeks while Frank Gore is recovering but it is a week division and the other three teams look horrible.


UTE PLAYER WATCH:

Paul Kruger: NA (3 games in a row)
Sean Smith: 1 Tackle, 1 Solo Tackle
Eric Weddle: 7 Tackles, 6 Solo Tackles, 1 INT, 1 TD (INT Return)

Week 4 Predictions: Record (10-6)

Indianapolis 31- Seattle 17: Payton Manning is looking like an MVP again, and Seattle was poor with Matt Hasselback and even poorer without him.

Tennessee 24- Jacksonville 20: I am nervous about this game but I find it hard to believe the Titans have fallen so far that they can't beat the Jaguars. I look for a lot of carries for Johnson and White.

New England 21- Baltimore 20: I know I talked about how great Baltimore is but I pick them to slip up here on the road in a close game. The difference will be New England's defense being able to keep Flacco in check.

New Orleans 26- NY Jets 17: Drew Brees was off his game last week. I look for him to bounce back. Watch for the Saints defense to get after Mark Sanchez, he has played great so far but he is due for a bad performance.

Miam 17- Buffalo 14: Miami lost their QB so it is tough to pick them to win without seeing how good Henne is but they are playing Buffalo and the circus that is TO. Buffalo get Marshawn Lynch back from suspension this week but I don't expect much out of him. Ronnie Brown will control this game and Miami will not test Henne too much.

Dallas Cowboys 20- Denver Broncos 17: This will be a close one. I don't believe the Broncos are that good, even with their 3-0 record. Even if Barber and Jones don't play, the Cowboys will still be able to move the ball on the ground.

Pittsburgh 17- San Diego 10: This will be a defensive game. Pittsburgh is struggling but I expect them to bounce back this week. San Diego stuggles in Pittsburgh and the Charger's won't be able to run the ball. It will be a long game for Phillip Rivers.

Green Bay 27- Minnesota 21: Emotion will play big into this game. Based on that alone, I expect the Packers to play with more of it than the Vikings. It is the whole Packer team that feels they have something to prove as opposed to just Brett Favre for the Vikings.

College Football Week 4: Week 5 Projections

This past week in College Football was a very important one for both of the major schools in the state. Both teams had high hopes for the year and they both suffered setbacks. The key to those setbacks is how do you react to the competition the next week. The last thing you want to do is drop another game after a big loss. Both the Utes and Cougars faced teams that they were favored to beat by at least two scores, but also posed a bit of a unknown threat.

Utes: I was looking for a good all around game from our offense and defense. One of the two showed consistency and desire, the other didn't. The defense was tested early, a big red-zone stand, and a blocked FG set the tone early for the defense. The offense started off hot in the first quarter, mainly due to a long run by Asiata which would prove costly for the Utes. Then a quick hitter by Cain and the Utes were up 14-0. From that point on the offense look conservative and uninterested. After the big stop on the defensive side, the defense was fired up on almost every possession from then on. They only really gave up one drive for a score, the other coming off of a Cain turnover. The offense looked as if they didn't respect Louisville's ability to come back in the game. This didn't hurt them but if this is their mindset, it will hurt them later in the year. Good win going into the bye week. 3-1 and looking to improve now that conference play has started.

Cougars: If you look at the projections from last week, this one went almost exactly as I said, 42-23 (I guessed 42-21). I thought the Cougs would jump on them early and in a sense, make them pay for what Florida State did to them last week. Colorado State looked scared in the first quarter and the early 21-0 lead was too much to over come. Colorado State actually out scored BYU from that point. The key to beating BYU is get on them early. Their confidence shatters and they play scared. Hall threw two more TD's but also threw 2 INT's. You can't have that type of production every week or you will lose against the quality opponents.


MAX HALL INTERCEPTION WATCH: 8 Interceptions- Through 4 games


Week 5 Predictions: Record (7-2)

BYU 38- Utah State 24- Utah State is a good team, I keep telling people that. They just always schedule tough to start the season. They will make 6 wins and have a good chance for a bowl game. This is another tough week for them and if BYU stays focused on the game and not what will be talked about at Conference, they should win by at least two scores.

TCU 31- SMU 13- TCU faced probably their most difficult opponent outside of Utah and BYU last week and came out on top on the road. This won't be much of a contest.

Boise State56- UC Davis 10- The competition just keeps getting tougher and tougher for the Broncos. They probably don't even needs pads in this game. BCS?? Play somebody first!!

Miami 23- Oklahoma 20- This is an intriguing matchup. With each team having one loss, neither can afford to take another one and have a shot at the National Championship game. This game ultimately depends on if Sam Bradford comes back. I am guessing that he doesn't play. If Stoops is confident that his team can beat Miami without Bradford, he will rest him and not risk further injuring his shoulder.

USC 34- California 20- California was exposed last week, they also struggled at Minnesotta two weeks ago and they aren't even going to finish second in the PAC-10. USC always loses one to a bad PAC 10 team sometime in the year, i.e. Oregon State 2008, Stanford 2007. USC has a good team and will be in the Rose Bowl again. Not good enough to play in the BCS Championship game but good enough to win the PAC 10 easily.

NFL Week 2: Week 3 Predictions

The dreaded week 2 has come and gone. The 0-2 hole is now a reality to several unexpected teams, i.e. my Tennessee Titans. You know what they say, only a handful of teams who go 0-2 have ever made the playoffs that season. Well I think that is a bunch of rubbish. You have to look at more facts other than just the record. For instance, look at the teams you played. In the case of the Titans, Lost to the defending Super Bowl Champions in Pittsburgh in OT. Also, dropping one at home to the much improved Houston Texans by a field goal. These to me are a lot more telling of how the rest of the season will play out rather than just the 0-2 record. There are several 1-1 teams that have not looked nearly as good as the Titans and their forecast for the rest of the season is a lot more gloomy. Take for example, the Seattle Seahawks. Are you telling me they have higher hopes of making the playoffs than the Titans? I highly doubt it. Then there are those teams that are 2-0 that everybody thinks is going to have a huge year and then four weeks later, they fall flat on their face. Some teams start out with a very difficult schedule and some have an easy schedule. It is too soon too tell. Below, I have comprise a list of both 0-2 teams as well as 2-0 teams that I have labeled under two categories, 1) Panic 2) Don't Panic for 0-2 teams. Then for the 2-0 teams 1) High Hopes 2) Don't get your hopes up.

2-0 Record:

High Hopes: NY Jets, Baltimore Ravens, New Orleans Saints, Minnesota Vikings, NY Giants

Don't Get Your Hopes Up: San Francisco 49ers, Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts.

0-2 Record:

Don't Panic: Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins

Panic: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Kansas City Chiefs, Cleveland Browns, St. Louis Rams, Carolina Panthers, Detroit Lions.


Ute Player Watch:

Paul Kruger: NA (2 weeks in a row)
Sean Smith: 2 Tackles, 1 Solo, 1 Pass Deflection.
Eric Weddle: 10 Tackles, 9 Solo, 1 Tackle for Loss (Led team in tackles)


Week 3 Predictions: Record (4-4) **My wife was right, 50%**

Minnesota 34 - San Francisco 17- The 49ers luck runs out this week as they play on the road against the Vikings tough defense. Frank Gore may be a non-factor as his injury will slow him down.

New England 27 - Atlanta 16- I am not conviced that Atlanta is a quality team. Patriots get a good comeback victory after the dismal offensive performance in week 2.

Tennessee 20 - NY Jets 14- Jets' defense keeps them in the game but I would be willing to bet Tennessee's defense shuts down Mark Sanchez after a poor performance against Houston.

NY Giants 28 - Tamp Bay 10- This one won't be close. Tampa Bay's defense is a shell of what it once was and Eli Manning is playing well and has two young receivers who are stepping up for him.

New Orleans 38 - Buffalo 17- New Orleans is starting to look like the team to beat in the NFC. Two dominating performances so far. Look for Drew Brees and the offense to keep the assault going against Buffalo.

Oakland 14 - Denver 10- Two teams that no one cares much about but a close matchup nonetheless. Neither team will show much offense but Oakland will have just enough to get them past the Broncos.

San Diego 23 - Miami 17 - This is a game that I am looking forward to watching. Miami has a decent defense and a tricky offense. They had Indianapolis on the ropes and should have won that game. Same situation this week. Sproles will have another big week and the Chargers offense shouldn't have a hard time scoring a few times.

Indianapolis 28 - Arizona 24 - Nobody is giving Arizona any credit this year. They are a good team but the Colts should win this game. Warner had a great year last year but I don't see him doing the same. The Cardinals should make the playoffs but will struggle early in the season.

Week 3: College Football- Week 4 Predictions

Last College Football post I mentioned how I thought that the Utes had more to lose this week than BYU. Now that the weekend is over and both teams failed to perform, I feel like I was wrong. BYU had a lot more to lose than the Utes. Utah wasn't expected to go undefeated and BYU fans expected the Cougars to be playing for the National Championship. I just don't get it, please help me understand Coug fans. Why do you hype your team up so much when there has only been a few games played? I really have a hard time understanding why you would want to do this to yourselves. I watched the reaction of Cougar fans and it was complete let down and devastation. I just wish you would learn, just like you should have learned last year. I called the upset but I did not envision it being this much of a beat down and humiliation.

Now for the Utes. It was a tough loss only because it has been so long. 16 straight games! Wow, now that it is over you can look back at what an accomplishment it was. Did we believe that the Utes would go all year without a loss? No. Did we think that Oregon would be a tough game? Yes. Then why is this one so hard to swallow. It is because it was within our grasp. We made the mistakes, we dropped pass after pass, we failed to score on the 2 right before half-time. It was us making the mistakes and this one was ours to take and we did not cease the opportunity. That is why this one is hard to swallow. Not because we haven't lost since 2007, not because our perfect season is ruined, not because we dropped out of the top 25, but because we could have kept it going longer. The streak should still be alive.

I have a new favorite phrase that I heard on ESPN. "Show us, don't tell us." Show us BYU, show us how good you are. Don't just tell us. Don't pump yourself up, don't gloat about how great you are when you are 2-0! 2-0! hasn't won JACK! Bobby Bowden himself even said how he was going to use the cockiness and arrogance of the Cougars to take advantage of them. Respect?? Bowden did not respect the Cougars, you could see it on the field as they walked all over them. They did whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted. Heisman Watch?? Max Hall now has as many TD's as interceptions. Scratch that, he through a TD to FSU, if you want to count that as a touchdown.

Utah has issues. They have a lot of issues that they need to work out. I am seeing coaching mistakes that we are not use to seeing. I think the new coordinator's errors are starting to show more and more. I am concerned. I am concerned about Louisville when before it looked like it would be a walk through. I am concerned about Terrance Cain. I am concerned that we could not stop the run when we know the the Oregon QB cannot pass the ball. These concerns don't seem to be going away anytime soon.

So much for National respect for the conference. You don't get respect losing to an unranked team on the road when you are ranked 18. And you certainly don't get respect losing at home by 26 points to an unranked team.

Time to regroup and start climbing the mountain again.

Week 4 Predictions: Record (3-1)

Utah 31- Louisville 17- Good bounce back game for the Utes. I look for Terrance Cain to have a nice performance against the Cardinals. But I imagine this one will be over in the third quarter and the Utes will use a heavy dose of Matt Asiata and Eddie Wide to finish the game.

BYU 42- Colorado State 21- The Rams have a really good team this year but I don't expect the Cougars to overlook another opponent anytime soon. 18 straight homes win streak was snapped, when was the last time the Cougars lost two in a row at home?? Not this time. Cougars in a landslide.

Boise State 49- Bowling Green 31- I may be way off on the Bowling Green score but after watching the horrendous defense of Boise State let a lowly Fresno offense run all over the field on them big play after big play, I am forced to believe that the Broncos will give up some points. Another powerhouse on the Boise State schedule (notice the sarcasm). Broncos win easily.

Utah State 31- SUU 10- I was very impressed with how Utah State played against Texas A&M. I picked Texas A&M in a blowout but USU kept it close. Finally Utah State gets a chance for a win. They should have no problem with Southern Utah and then they face the Cougars in Provo next week. So enjoy your week Aggies because things will change next week.

Clemson 27- TCU 21- I am picking an upset in this matchup. Clemson had a good showing against Georgia Tech and then really handled Boston College. This game is at Clemson and I think TCU will struggle but keep it close.

Memories of Coach Sloan

With the Hall of Fame Inductions happening last week, I was thinking a lot about our two Jazzmen who were elected into the Hall of Fame, specifically Jerry Sloan. Sloan is one of the best coaches in NBA history. I really enjoyed listening to his speech about how he got his start and the type of person that he is. I have been privileged enough to have met him on three different occasions. The first, and probably most memorable, was at the Rocky Mountain Revue. This was when the Revue was at East High School, I think I was 11 years old. I remember that very well, It was so hot that they had to keep the doors open and had these huge industrial fans blowing all over the gym. That same day, my Aunt from Canada had sent my brother, sister, and I some pink tye dye hats. I cannot begin to describe what these hats looked like, but they really stuck out. My mom forced us to wear these hats to the games. So we see Jerry Sloan sitting on the other side of the gym. My dad convinces us to go and get his autograph. So we went and sat a few feet away from him on the bench. We didn't do anything at first, just sat there. He kept looking over at us. Imagine with me if you will, these two little kids with these pink hats coming and sitting next to Jerry Sloan. Everytime he looked over we were just sitting there starring at him. Finally I mustered up enough courage to say "hi" but my throat was dry and it was really soft, my little brother Jonny kind of snickered at me. So we sat there for a few more minutes. I think Sloan was probably as nervous as we were. Now keep in mind that I really liked Jerry Sloan, almost as much as Karl Malone. So this was really cool for me. I got so excited I finally stood up right in front of him at the next timeout, Jonny stood up with me, and he looked at Jonny and I and said the words that I will remember forever, "How are you girls doing." Jonny gets all mad and says, "We aren't girls we are just wearing these stupid girly hats," he then ran off. I stayed and Jerry was laughing and signed my piece of paper. I shook his hand and then I ran off. His hand shake was and is still the firmest handshake that I have ever had.

Second experience, I had won a contest to be able to go and meet some of the Jazz players and have a tour of the Delta Center. I took a friend of mine and we meet players like Matt Harpring, Andrei Kirilenko, and former Jazzman Mo Williams. As we went to the Coach's office for a tour we got to meet Jerry Sloan and Phil Johnson. This was memorable to me because he was joking with me about playing basketball. He said, "You play basketball?" "When you dribble the ball, it won't come back up, it will just pop when it hits the floor. You should play football and give basketball up." Man, I was laughing but that stung a little bit. So we had someone take a picture of Jerry and I and then we shook hands, same strong handshake, and we left. About two minutes later I realized I forgot my camera case. So I went back in his office and grabbed my case and as I was walking out he says, "See what football does to you, it messes you up and makes you forget stuff." One last little dig before I left. That was a great night and I really enjoyed the interaction I had with him.

Third experience, this one wasn't as cool and funny as the other two but my wife and I won season tickets to the Jazz two years ago and we had a meet the team party. We were able to get a lot of autographs and photos with players. I was hoping that Sloan would be there again as well. So I found this really old basketball card I had of him when he first took over the coaching job for the Jazz. He had dark hair and looked completely different than he did now with his gray hair. He was infact there and we were able to go and talk to him for a minute. When I pulled out the card he just laughed. He said, "Well that was a long time ago, before these kids (pointing to Paul Milsap) gave me all this gray hair." He signed the card and we shook his hand and he said, "take care," as we walked away. That was a good experience as well because it was the first time my wife was able to meet him and I may never have the opportunity to talk with him again.

These experiences are very special to me as a life-long Jazz fan. I have a lot of respect for him and how he has lead the team over the years. One day when my kids are older, I think that they will want to know about the legendary Coach Jerry Sloan and I will have these cherished memories of being able to meet the man himself.

NFL Week 1: Week 2 Predictions

Well the NFL is officially underway. It is a great time of the year, my favorite. Especially with Fantasy Football starting, kick aside Fantasy Baseball and let's roll. There were some intriguing matchups this past week. My favorite, Tennessee v. Pittsburgh. As a Titans fan, this one was a little disappointing in the end. Nevertheless, the Titans defense played well for the most part of the game but ran out of gas late in the 4th quarter and OT. I wouldn't be surprised if these teams meet again in the postseason. The other game that I found interesting was the Bills v. Patriots, I wanted to see how Tom Brady played coming back from injury, mainly because he is my fantasy QB. I was a little disappointed in his game at first. He was overthrowing receivers or throwing behind guys, it was a rough start. Just as I was about to turn off the game, He hit Watson for his first TD of the game. I thought, wow, took long enough. Then I went into the kitchen to clean up a bit and came out a few minutes later and saw the New England had the ball again. Then, BAM, TD number 2. I thought, okay, now he is back. New England is the team that everybody loves to hate but this year I am kind of pulling for them to do good. I hate Belichick but I like Randy Moss. Another thing I like to watch for is how ex-Ute players do. If anybody stayed up to see the Chargers v. Raiders game on Monday night, they saw a great hit by Eric Weddle. I can't remember the name of the receiver but it was probably tattooed across Weddle chest after that hit. Nothing like having a big hit and then watching the receiver limp off to the sideline. That reminds me of a funny Cougar story. My brother Jonny and I were at a Utah v. BYU game and Quinton Ganther had a nice powering run and right at the end of it a BYU safety, something Gooch, came up to make a hit. Ganther absolutely ran him over, the funny thing is is that it was Gooch who had to be carried to the sideline. Usually it is the offensive player but not old "Goochie." I love that story. Classic Cougar defensive backs.


Ute Player Watch:
Paul Kruger: NA
Sean Smith: 2 solo tackles, 2 pass deflections.
Eric Weddle: 6 tackles-5 solo, 1 pass deflection, 1 punishing hit.


Week #2 Predictions-*Each week I am going to make 8 picks for the most intriguing games. I am going to keep my record starting this week and post it at the bottom right below the predictions. We will see how I do.

Tennessee 24 Houston 13- Tennessee is going to have a big bounceback game after the OT loss at Pittsburgh.

NY Jets 26 New England 24- I am calling the upset on this one. New England's run game was exposed and Brady can't pass that many times everygame and be effective.

New Orleans 31 Philadelphia 17- I don't think this one will be very close. Without McNabb, Philadelphia will have to rely on its defense, which is great, but not enough to stop Drew Brees.

San Francisco 23 Seattle 17- I think that the 49ers keep it going this week. Seattle looked decent in Week 1 but it was against the Rams. I look for the 49ers defense to play well and they will go 2-0 in their division.

Pittsburgh 20 Chicago 14- This will be a defensive battle. Both teams are without their defensive leaders (Polamalu, Urlacher). But I think that both teams have the players to overcome this. Good comeback for Cutler but Big Ben and the passing attack will pull through in the 4th quarter to win it on the road.

San Diego 23 Baltimore 20- Baltimore's defense is great, best in the league in my opinion, but Phillip Rivers is good enough to put just enough on the board to make it past Joe Flacco and the boys. Look for Sproles to get a lot of touches in this game with Tomlinson nursing the ankle.

Dallas 34 NY Giants 27- This game will have a lot of scoring as well as a lot of fans. I am hearing over 110,000 for the home opener in big D. Despite the ankle, I look for Romo to have a big game. Hopefully Roy Williams as well (my Fantasy WR). I think that the Giants will get a lot of production from Brandon Jacobs but Manning will be less than stellar. Not a lot of defense in this game.

Indianapolis 31 Miami 10- I don't know if Miami has what it takes this year. Pennington doesn't seem to be the leader that I think that they need. Ronnie Brown should have a better showing that he did last week but Manning, Wayne and the gang will be too much. Look for Indy to jump on the Dolphins early and often.


Let me know your thoughts by posting your comments on the bottom of this post. Also, join me and others as followers of this blog. Click on Followers on the right hand side.

Midge

Week 2: College Football

Week 2 of the College Football season had a lot of hype but failed to live up to it. I was excited for the later games of the day. Notre Dame v. Michigan was good as well as USC v. Ohio State. Can you believe I actually thought Ohio State would beat USC? Stupid Big Ten. But the MWC games weren't as exciting as what I hoped for. Air Force losing to Minnesota and UNLV losing late to Oregon State. The MWC took a step back this week, in my opinion.

I was not surprised with the wins by TCU & BYU. I thought TCU would roll and I thought BYU would jump on the Tulane Green Wave early. Which they did not do. I was wondering what was going on as it was BYU 6 Tulane 3 with only about 5 minutes left in the half. Then two quick touchdowns and the game wasn't worth watching. Tulane looked minuscule in size and talent compared to BYU. There was one telling point in the game about the Tulane team. Tulane ran and half-back pass designed to go to the QB. As the ball approached the QB, who has making his way to the end zone, two BYU defenders were in hot pursuit. With the ball within reach the QB simply got scared and sort of ducked as the ball was coming in. That to me showed the toughness of Tulane. At that moment, I knew that they would not stand a chance. The score was 6-0 at that point. Tough Game for BYU next week. They will have to start out better on offense than they did in their first two games if they are going to win.

Utah: As a Ute fan this one was hard to watch. The first drive we moved the ball with ease. No problems whatsoever. Then the second drive, John Peel fumbled. We lost momentum for that drive. Third drive, Matt Asiata fumbled. Once again we lost our momentum. From then on out it seemed as if we were not playing with any urgency. Defense played good, too many pass interference calls but that is Utah's specialty. Three HORRIBLY kicked field goals by the biggest goof ball on the team, don't think we will see much of him anymore. So with all of the mistakes, I kept thinking that eventually we are going to push through and put those guys away. That is exactly what happened in the early part of the fourth quarter. Two straight touchdown scoring drives and it was 21-7 and pretty much over. One last attempt by San Jose State but not enough as we pulled through to a 24-14 victory. The Utes dropped one spot in the AP poll, rightfully so, and moved up to 16 in the more important poll- the coaches poll. Both polls are important but the coaches poll factors into the BCS formulas while the AP poll does not.

So looking ahead to next week, what team has more on the line? BYU or Utah? I should rephrase that and ask, "What team cannot afford to lose?" My opinion is that it is the Utes that cannot afford to lose. If BYU loses, sure their far fetched hopes of a BCS National Championship are gone but their hopes of a BCS birth are still there. A one-loss MWC team could get in, Boise State loss pending. If the Utes lose, they will most likely drop out of the Top 25 and end the current 16 game winning streak. A loss will also put them far behind in the BCS race as well. They would need to win out and I still don't think that would be enough. BYU needs to watch out and humble themselves just a bit. FSU is fast, really fast and it will be a big test for BYU. BYU should be favored by about 7, is my guess, but I am predicting a score of FSU 27 BYU 21. Sorry Cougs but I think that FSU is a great team and I love Bobby Bowden. BYU is a lot better than I expected but I just haven't seen enough to tell me they will be undefeated. Good thing is that the Cougs have the schedule that Utah did last year, both good MWC teams at home. Feel free to tell me I am wrong. As for the Utes, I think that it will be a tough battle from start to finish. I could see this one getting away from the Utes if they don't score early. As tough as this match up is, It is not even the first or second toughest road game we have this year. I am thinking that Oregon will probably be favored, my guess is by 3 points. But I have faith in my team and I think they will overcome the crowd and win in a squeaker.

Week 3 Predicitons.

Utah 31 Oregon 27- High scoring game but Utah's defense wins it for them.

FSU 27 BYU 21- I think BYU will strike first and have the lead at halftime but FSU will pull ahead late in the fourth quarter.

Boise State 38 Fresno State 24- I am thinking this one might be closer than my prediction but I think the the Broncos are too much to handle for Fresno State. FSU has a good team this year though.

Utah State 6 Texas A&M 42- Sorry Aggies but the Aggies are going to win this game. Confusing- I know. Aggies will win! I promise you!

Season of Bliss

As each College Football season begins, I often reminisce of the past season and a way the team can improve upon last year's mistakes. However, with this particular year, I find that not to be very necessary. For those of you who know me, I live Utah Utes Football. It is my ultimate passion in sports. It is my Alma Mater, it is my current employer, and outside of my family and religion, it is my life. So to experience the season that was Ute Football 2008, was an absolute dream come true.

Sure the Utes had been to the BCS before, but as I sat watching the final quarter of the Cougar beat down that took place last November, I realized that this was not like before. This was completely different. Before was the first, yes that is true, but this time the Utes defied all odds. All year we had to listen to the mindless nonsense that the Cougar fans and players were pumping into our heads. "Quest for Perfection" they shouted. "This is our year." All year long I had to suffer through this endless tongue bath of how great the BYU Cougars were. Well what do you know, It was them that were on the wrong side of a 32-7 beating at the hands of TCU. Meanwhile, the Utes, behind proven winner Brian Johnson, kept winning and winning and winning. Some of the games were close but it was the heart of champions that pushed that team along. Then for the crowning moment, a 48-24 drubbing of the once hailed "team of destiny," BYU Cougars. Funny how talk is cheap.

Another monumental thing occured in my life during the 2008 football season, I became of father. In fact, I had just brought my newborn son home from the hospital the night of the big Oregon State game. We watched it at home and I was screaming inside but had to keep it quiet. I would be in a world of trouble if I woke the baby up. However, when King Louie kicked the game winning field goal, I just burst. Sure enough the baby woke up and my wife has a little upset with me. It was worth it though. It was a tough decision to decide if I should go to the Sugar Bowl. The prestigious Alabama Crimson Tide awaited my beloved Utes and I felt that as a life-time Ute fan, I should be there to cheer them on for the most important game in school history. It was tough to leave my wife and three month old son home while I traveled through 5 states in one day to make it to Louisiana. As I sat there looking up at the scoreboard, 21-0 in the first quarter, I could not believe my eyes. I was speechless. My throat hoarse a long time ago, I felt as though I was in a dream. As the last second ticked off the clock and the celebration began, I remember shouting at Alabama fans as they left, "SEC has nothing on us!!!" What a night that was. I will always remember that and always remember the pride I had for our guys.

So as this year has begun in a stunning way, with the Cougars upsetting the #3 team in the nation, and all the talk of BCS and National Championships ring out, I just sit back and laugh. Some people never learn. One game is exactly that, one game. And as the Utes extend the nations longest winning streak to fifteen games, I don't expect an undefeated season. I don't expect a #2 National Ranking. But what I do expect is our program to keep building, our fan support to keep rising, and our team to keep winning. We may not be 12-0, but I know we will be great. Ute fans-relax. We have been to the mountain top twice. We have tasted the glory twice. We have proven everybody wrong twice. Cougar fans do not know what it is like, they have not experienced what we have. Let them have their talk, let them have their short time in the spotlight, let them have their #9 overrated ranking. Just remember that talk is cheap. And keep in mind that we are the first, we blazed the trail, we lead the way, and everybody else is just trying to catch up.

"Those who do not learn from the past, are destined to repeat it"

GO UTES!

A Little Insite to My Sports Mind

I have never really blogged before but I thought it might be an enjoyable way to express my thoughts on sports and life. This blog is strictly sports. Sorry for those who wanted something else. I have had all kinds of sports experiences in my life; from the Sugar Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, meeting favorite athletes, autographs, photos, and loads of stories. My wife has pushed me to write down some of my memories and I am currently in the process of typing up a little something to share with my kids.

This however, is a way for me to share a little of my knowledge of the games. My wife always says to me that I missed my calling in life as a sports announcer or analyst. She notices that as I watch games, I always make comments that ten seconds later, the announcers repeat. Oh, how sweet of a job that would be. Nevertheless, I go forth with my current job and dream of what may have been.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy my posts. If anybody will actually read them. Feel free to comment or contact me with your input. I would appreciate it.