Alchemy

Please call me if you have anything you would like me to touch so it turns to gold. Things are going my way.

I wouldn't have believed even if I had Grays Sports Almanac from Marty McFly that Riley Nelson would lead a 96-yard game winning touchdown tonight against Utah State. Nor would I believe that Shoppach was going to hit two homeruns and the Rays would crush the Rangers 9-0 holding them to only two hits with a rookie starting pitcher.

Normally, I discount goodwill and intangibles when analyzing a balance sheet. I may need to change my philosophy. Riley Nelson has intangibles. He's anything but fragile physically or mentally. I think a lot of people now know that. With the Yankees game rained out the main sporting event of the night was the BYU game on a little channel you may have heard of called ESPN.

Don't let me wake up from this dream. Go Cougars! Go Rays!

#DoingMoreWithLess

BYU B-ball rolling

The Cougars are 2-0 now in their little tour of Europe for some summer practice. The most recent 114-45 win included everything except an embarrassing brawl.

I'm guessing everyone has heard the old news by now about the Georgetown game in China and the brawl that ended the game. Sad. Word from NPR was that it shouldn't hurt US-Chinese relations because China sensors the media and did not allow the fight to be published. Rather, the front page news was Joe Biden's visit to China.

Glad the Cougars can always be trusted to play without the black eyes that are found all around the NCAA landscape these days.

Go Cougars!

BYU

Caught this while watching True Blue last night. Thought it was pretty funny. I like it.

Move over Vlade Divac

It's about time I do a Jimmer post!

So I've never really sat down and done a formal list but I've always kind of compartmentalized teams into three categories in my head: teams I like, teams I don't care about, and teams I dislike.

Here are some examples. I like the Rays, Cubs, BYU Cougars. I'm neutral on the Royals, the Washington Capitals, the Denver Broncos. I dislike the Nuggets, the Yankees, the Cowboys.

Up until the evening of June 23, 2011 the Sacramento Kings were on the margin between teams I dislike and teams I don't care about. They switched margins during the first round of the NBA draft.

I tried to think of a Kings player I've enjoyed watching in the past and I came up with Vlade Divac. He drove me kind of nuts but in the same way I enjoyed watching Dennis Rodman play basketball, I enjoyed watching Vlade play basketball. He knew how to do it.

And now without ever playing a single minute for the Kings I have a new favorite Kings player of all-time: Jimmer. I'm curious if I become a full Kings fan or just a Jimmer fan but assuming he gets some good playing time I think I'll actually become a Kings fan.

All I know is that I'll be at the game when the Magic host the Kings next season as long as it isn't on a Sunday. Never say never. Never say always. But I'm pretty sure.

I know it is just sports. But this is a sports blog. And as far as sports go, Go Jimmer!!!!

Remember, Remember

The Cubs are the best example but I've supported a lot of teams empathetic to this plight.  I watched a lot of Cubs games growing up.  Usually around June I could spot a few signs in the bleacher seats that all were some variation of "Wait Til Next Year."  In a good year the signs wouldn't emerge until after the Summer Classic and in poor years we might even see the signs in May.  With over 100 years between World Series titles I'm sure there are some sarcastic signs that find their way into the stadium on Opening Day.

Having endured such seasons makes it all the more important to remember and appreciate the winning years. 

Under the leadership of Coach Rose, BYU basketball has built a winning tradition but this year had a little something extra.  I think it was the combination of fairy-tale heroism from Jimmer, the sudden rush of national attention justifying an attention-starved fanbase, and the late climax that appeared tragic when the ladder got knocked out from underneath us with the reports regarding Brother Davies. 

You weren't paying attention this year if you still believe the common phrase that there are no moral victories.  BYU enjoyed moral victories on multiple levels and the season ended with heads held high rather than confidence beaten down.

And so with the NBA Finals behind us and the draft about to remind us, let's take a minute (or 13) to remember.