Jazz Take

What would it be like to be the greatest ever at what you do?

2008-08-11T10:34:00.001-06:00

THC, it's time to come back to the fold. We need you. The olympics are here and there is only one blogger qualified to explicate on such events as badminton, canoeing, and archery. It's you. All kidding aside, I have caught the fever that is Michael Phelps. After all of the commercials, I figured he was just the marketing team's poster boy, a personality they were trying to sale to anyone that was buying. However, one thing I am a sucker for is greatness. I typically root for the underdog (the Spud Webb's, the small market team, the non-BCS programs), UNLESS there is someone that is the best that has ever been. I root for Federer, I root for Tiger, and now I root for Phelps. Dude destroys his own world records every time he gets in the pool!!!

I hope some of you had the chance to watch Phelps help the U.S. win the relay last night. I know nothing about swimming, but it was one of the greatest sporting events I've ever watched. I love storylines and this was ripe with them. If you missed it, check out the front page of espn.com. Michael Phelps is the greatest swimmer in the history of the planet, and he will likely be the most decorated olympian in the history of the planet when it's all said and done. I'm too much of a busy body to spend very much time on the olympics, but I love to identify a few highlights and follow them to the medal ceremony. This is a good pick.

And will the real THC please stand up.

It Was a Wardrobe Malfunction!

2008-08-07T20:03:00.005-06:00

Greetings folks. For those of you like me who missed the Espy's this year, you missed some great entertainment. Luckily, Nic (one of our guest authors here at Jazz Take) posted a clip from it on his blog. After re-watching it for the umpteenth time I knew I had to share it here. When you have a chance, sit back and enjoy the most entertaining 8 minutes I have ever witnessed. Justin Timberlake is one talented son-of-a-gun, and so is the staff that wrote this musical montage to this past year in sports.

College football fans…

2008-08-04T14:14:00.002-06:00

Can you hardly wait? I have never been more excited about the start of a sports season in my life! I get so sick of hearing about the NFL in May, but I have admittedly anticipated college football for months now. A couple comments on semi-local competition. I don’t care if you’re for Utah or BYU, the entire conference needs a booster seat if either are going to get anywhere. How great would it be for the MWC Big 3 to be top 25 this year? It’s a long shot, but they won’t be able to blame their schedules if it doesn’t happen.

That said, we need to send a fruit basket or a boo-yah or something to the few BCS’ers that are kind enough to throw our feeble conference a bone. There is very little to gain for a BCS-conference program to play a top-tier non-BCS program like BYU, Boise State, Utah, and the like. Such teams are good enough to catch you sleepin’, but not good enough to bolster your schedule. What that means in BCS terms? If you win - you were supposed to. If you lose – there goes your season. The Sooners will get no credit for beating TCU this year, but lose and their shot at a championship bid is nil.

So whatever shape your props come in, give them to these trail-blazing programs. Be it letting the car with a Michigan decal in on the merging lane (instead of driving them into the burrow pit), defending the Boston College nerd at work when the other guys try to steal his lunch money (Easy fellas, he’s with me), or donating a research wing to the new Bruin science building (GOOOOOOO, RESEARCH!!!!). It just takes one to make a difference.

The most underrated athletes...

2008-08-02T15:03:00.006-06:00

are skaters and BMX-ers. The hubris in me likes to think I could play some major sport if I was just a little bit faster, a little bit more disciplined, a lot taller, or if I had round-the-clock trainers. I'd like to think I have a vivid imagination, but I have yet to create the alternate universe wherein I would be able to do the things that I see at the X-Games. I do not foresee them getting their due anytime soon either, since their athletes will continue to look like punk kids, and their announcers will continue to say 'dude'. But the things happening at X-Games in 2008 are a lot different than what was going on in 1998. "Extreme sports" often carry a stigma of being a spectacle more than a sport, but next time you see one of these events as you flip through the channels, do yourself a favor and stop on it for 5 minutes. You'll be glad you did.

Jason Hart a Clipper

2008-07-24T13:05:00.002-06:00

The Jazz are the hands-down winners of the offseason award for most pointless trade. Yes, Jason Hart sucks. They never should've let Dee Brown go in the first place, but I understand as a GM, you win some, you lose some. But adding Brevin Knight to the mix does nothing but bring unnecessary debate as to who should backup to DWill. It is obvious that spot was earned by Ronnie Price with his play during the regular season (after taking over for Hart, who was given way too many opportunities) and more so the playoffs. There should be no debate. Hopefully the media doesn't make it an issue and the Jazz keep the 32-year old Knight as the 3rd string, where he should be. If not, I guess better for my Blazers as we gear up to win 5 of the next 10 NBA titles! (OK, maybe a little too optimistic, but I gotta be)

A Point Guard's League?

2008-06-04T21:06:00.002-06:00

I am confident that three point guards playing in the league today will go down as three of the top ten point guards of all-time (Nash, Paul, Williams. Some would argue for Kidd, I do not). Does any other position come close to that? How many “top ten players at their position” are even in the league today? Kobe, Duncan, Shaq, Lebron, maybe Garnett? This is a league with a history so bigman-saturated that the top ten at 4 and 5 would never be cracked by a 3 or 4-year player, but that is exactly what is happening at the point guard position. Not only that, but those in the know aren’t entirely convinced that Derrick Rose can’t do what Williams and Paul have done. He’s as big as Williams, and more athletic. The only question is if he can develop a shot.

You may disagree with my original assertion, and if that’s the case, I dare you to dispute me. But if you accept the premise of this post, is this not an interesting evolution of the sport?

The Voices In Your Head

2008-06-01T21:54:00.003-06:00

I am willing to admit that I probably listen to more sports radio than I actually watch sports. I love the analysis, the stories, the personalities. So here are just a few of my favorites.

There are two styles that I appreciate: likeability and accuracy. A perfect example of likeability is Dan Patrick, which was my first A.M. Obsession. Dan spends much of his show talking about things other than sports, and although he doesn’t say much that I disagree with, he also doesn’t say much that is overly insightful. But he has great guests, and there is no one I would rather hear shoot the bull than DP.

When Dan left ESPN, I gave Jim Rome a shot. Although he bugged at first, I have really grown to like him. The show is the cleverest I have ever heard, but if you are like me, I’m tuning in for Rome – not the clones. He allows the clones way too much airtime.

My new favorite voice in sports is Michael Wilbon (via my Pardon the Interruption podcast). He has the rare combination of likeability AND accuracy. I love his banter with Tony on PTI, and in my opinion, he never misses with his analysis. Also, he gets extra points from me because he’s an NBA guy.

Locally, you are only going to get so much accuracy. I have heard some hair-brained schemes from all of them, but David Locke is by far the best at breaking down games and stats. Yet, he’s as annoying as he is intriguing. That “Eddie Haskel” laugh of his is enough to make me change the channel. DJ and PK are my most likeable, and I would like to nominate Jake & Jim as the worst radio personalities to ever punish the airwaves.

Feel free to pitch in your two cents. Who do you like, who pushes your buttons?

Why the Jazz Lose Tonight

2008-05-16T10:40:00.003-06:00

There is only so far a point guard can carry a team. All series long, Deron Williams has been carrying the load of a team that desperately needing scoring assistance (23 points, 12 assists). Don't blame it on Mehmet, unlike last year, Memo is putting up 18 and 11 and playing decent defense against Pau Gasol, who is averaging almost 4 fewer points and 2 fewer rebounds than he did against Denver. The reason the Jazz are going to lose tonight is the same reason they lost game 5, when the game is close in the fourth quarter, and it will be close, the Jazz only have two guys that can come through (Williams and Okur) and they can't get stops. They are very similar to Denver in that they can score, they just can't play defense. In the 4th, the Lakers are good enough to keep Okur from shooting outside (his only real offensive skill, even though he recently learned to take it to the basket), and Williams isn't going to hit big threes every game. The Jazz need Boozer to help with the scoring load, because we know he won't help defensively, but he can't. Basketball is just as mental as any other sport and Boozer, in this series, is mental. I know, I know, he had one breakthrough game (his 20/20 game) in the dump (ESA), but this is a closeout game for the Lakers, who by the way have the best player on the planet playing for them. Yes, the Jazz are 41-5 at home this year, but one of those losses was to the Lakers and I was at that game. The Lakers have no problem playing in Utah. And yes, home teams are 19-1 in the second round of the playoffs, but we all know this won't last...it can't. All that starts tonight with wins by both Boston and L.A.

Prediction:

L.A. Lakers 107

Utah Jazz 102

What kind of party is this? We need more Booz!

2008-05-15T08:57:00.002-06:00

The misconception with Boozer is that he looks like a Karl Malone type, but he’s really a Nowitski type. He will kill you all season long, but because he cannot force his game, teams can gameplan him into non-existence. You could not gameplan Malone. If you haven’t noticed, you cannot gameplan Kobe. But finesse offionato’s like Nowitski and Boozer are very easy to take out of the picture. What’s worse is that Boozer has played right into their hands. The media, coaches, and basketball logic tell him that if your jump shot isn’t falling, pound the ball into the paint. This is a foolproof plan; that is, unless you are a finesse player. In my opinion, Boozer should have kept shooting mid-rangers. When the shots eventually start to fall, the defense would be forced out of their original scheme. Instead, Boozer is leaning on the weakest part of his game. It boggles my mind how inept this guy is at breaking down interior defense. I have never seen a dominant power forward get more shots blocked or have defenders take more charges than #5. That tells me that his game is predictable. You wouldn’t notice that during the season because having a 55% efficiency from mid-range has a tendency of opening the lanes, and suddenly guys are no longer beating you to your spot every time.

Still, it’s astonishing that teams have eliminated our biggest offensive contribution, and yet we are still in this thing. It changes how teams have to play the Jazz when Boozer is getting his, but unless he gets a Plan B, opponents will only allow him his Plan A when it’s convenient for them.

Ah hem! You were saying Z?

2008-05-12T09:35:00.003-06:00

Z, today is the day to say "Welcome back Boozer!" Game 3 seems to be the aberration rather than a return to normalcy. I love the guy and we need him to win this series, but he returned to his latest form on Sunday.

05.09.08

2008-05-09T21:41:00.001-06:00

Welcome back, Boozer.

Game 2 in LA - Jazz Win!

2008-05-07T18:31:00.003-06:00

OK Jazz historians - even though many of you were probably still in diapers in 1988 - name the greatest Jazz playoff win in the history of the franchise?

Stockton's shot against Houston? I say no.

Game 4 in the 1998 Finals against Chicago? Great, but not the greatest....

How about that classic deciding Game 5 win on the road against the Rockets where The Whopper got smacked by Olajawon? Maybe...

For me, the Jazz finally arrived on the NBA landscape in the 1988 Western Conference semi-finals against the World Champion Los Angeles Lakers. This was the ultimate Lakers team: Magic, Worthy, Scott, Cooper and Kareem.

After getting beat in game 1 in LA, the Jazz shocked the basketball world with a game 2 win on the Lakers home court. I still remember the game to this day. I remember the Mailman's slam dunk to seal the win. Stockton was unbelievable throughout the series.

After game 3 the Jazz had a 2-1 series lead and they made the front cover of Sports Illustrated. Salt Lake City was going nuts. We lost game 4 and the series was tied 2-2 going back to LA. You figure in game 5 the Jazz roll over and die, right? No way - another shocker, nail-biting finish - back and forth in the final minute and the Lakers pull it out on a Michael Cooper jump shot.

And then there was game 6. I was a 17-year old punk at the time, but bought tickets in the old Salt Palace with some friends. I'll never forget that game. We utterly demolished the Lakers in that game. It was unbelievable - I still remember after the game cars honking, running down the street, high-fiving complete strangers. Whooping it up on the streets of Salt Lake.

Of course we lost game 7, but the Jazz had arrived. They had scared the World Champion Lakers to the core - and now Malone and Stockton were up and coming superstars.

20 years later look where we are.... can D-Will and Booze carry the torch? Can they inspire the team to another great Game 2 victory against LA on the road? They would do well to look for inspiration from another great Jazz team, 20 years ago.

How Great Was Deron Last Night?

2008-05-03T08:37:00.006-06:00

At the beginning of the 2007-2008 season, I was confident that it would be Carlos Boozer, not Deron Williams who would take us to the promised land. Well, the jury is out and I was wrong. The two started as equals six months ago but have moved in opposite directions ever since. Even the first two months of the season looked a lot like "The Carlos Boozer Show, with special guest Deron Williams". However, the Jazz have continued to win despite #5's continuing shrinking act, and it's all due to the emergence of a top 10 player in Deron Williams. In fact, if I were starting from scratch, there aren't 10 players in the league I would take over D-Will. Deron and Cp3 are changing the face of the league; changing it to a league lead by point guards.

Steals = DE-FENSE?

2008-04-24T15:59:00.001-06:00

At first glance, it makes sense. We don’t have too many quantitative ways to measure defense, so keeping an eye on blocks and steals seems to be the way to go. But let’s look at some context of this statistical measure. You would presume the team with the most steals would be the team known for rigid, unrelenting defense. It would surprise you then to learn that the team with the most steals per game this season was the Utah Jazz. This can only mean one of two things: 1) The Jazz aren’t as bad defensively as we think they are, or 2) Steals do not equate to good defense. My analysis is some of both, but more of the latter. Although steals will certainly change the number of offensive possessions an opposing team gets, it doesn’t necessarily affect field-goal percentage. We have perhaps the best help-defender in the game in AK-47, yet we often struggle defensively as a team. That’s because although AK can cheat off his own man, he cannot stay in front of his own. On-the-ball defenders like Bowen, Battier, and Artest influence a team’s defensive effort much more, because you put them on the competition’s best offensive threat and limit his impact. So even though our team leads the league in steals per game, the opposing team’s star consistently has career games against the Jazz (often much less than a star). 25-point guys go for 50, 15-point guys go for 40, and so on. Remember Kleiza’s 41? Al Harrington’s 38? McGrady’s 47? The half a dozen 50-point games hung on us last season?

In sum, steals do not necessarily equal on-the-ball defense. Just ask pocket-picker offianato’s Iverson and CP3 the next time they are dominated by the bigger guards.

I'm calling it. Time of death: First Round

2008-04-22T16:19:00.006-06:00

Houston Rockets 1967 - 2008

("Where's your messiah now, Tracy?")

Clutch City... Believe It! (not....)

2008-04-21T18:23:00.003-06:00

Very creative.... enjoy Houston fans, the suffering will be over soon.

Anyone interested in making playoff predictions?

2008-04-18T09:40:00.002-06:00

If we are going to make predictions we need to do it before tip-off tomorrow! THC, you got schooled on your 2-5 prediction, so it's redemption time. We are cutting it close, but if you guys are interested I can probably find a bracket for us to fill out.

Just Win Baby.....

2008-04-14T00:12:00.004-06:00

Unless my math fails me (which could be the case) the Jazz hold their playoff seeding destiny directly in their own hands this week.

2 games left: Houston at home, San Antonio on the road.

Win them both, and I do believe we vault at least to 3rd place and possibly as high as 2nd. Win 1 of 2 or lose both, and we end up in the 4-5 game without home court. (assuming Houston goes 1-1).

It's now looking like Los Angeles gets the #1 seed - So I'm thinking a home court series in the 1st round and a possible 2nd round match-up with New Orleans is a pretty good possibility.

I'm actually thinking positive this week.... I'm feeling good vibes. I think we beat Houston at home... and I really do think we're due against San Antonio on the road. I've been ultra impressed with the team's stretch play, compared to last year.

It's time Jazz, c'mon.... step up and Just Win Baby!

An Open Letter To The Officials At Last Night's Jazz/Mavs Game:

2008-04-11T09:36:00.004-06:00

Dear Refs aka Stupid B-holes:

If I have learned anything about NBA rules from last night's game, it's that 1) Throwing elbows into an opposing player's face whilst going after a ball is fair game, as long as the elbow thrower is/was last year's MVP. 2) Continuation scoring fouls can be overturned if the player is fouled by a "star veteran." 3) When a player goes for a layup and is body blocked in mid-air by a much larger player, thereby sending the smaller point-guard player crashing to the ground slamming his head to the floor in the process, leaving him to lay in injury for the next minute, there isn't a need to call a foul. And finally, 4) Mark Cuban is the greatest scam artist of all time. For years, we have heard him complain that the officiating is rigged, only to find out last night that each of the refs were completely in his pockets.

Now obviously, the Mavs deserved their win, what with members of the Jazz squad falling asleep for the last 3 seconds of the game (Boozer using his famous 75 feet from the shooter defense tactic), but I feel that you, as officials, have a certain responsibility to fairly call a game. And if the above first three points are fair, then I hope you will understand and be more sympathetic to the Jazz when Matt Harpring plays the upcoming game with brass knuckles and elbow pads covered in spikes.

In closing, I really don't like you, and I hope that each of you get a horrible diarrhea-like disease that causes you to completely poo your innards out.

Sincerely,

Jerry Sloan

Double Your Pleasure, Double Your Fun

2008-04-10T18:39:00.003-06:00

(Be forewarned, what follows is the most boring post imaginable.)

People love round numbers. We love centennial anniversaries, or doing anything enough times to have a zero on the end of it. But is 100 years any more impressive than 99 or 101? The world of sports revels in round-numbered statistics, none more favorable than the NBA’s double-double. The DD is referenced endlessly by color analysts and Sports Center types, counting the number of times a player has achieved double digits in any two given categories. It seems that the only time we aren’t being drubbed over the head with the DD is when there is a potential triple or quadruple double waiting in the wings. I have never understood how such a simplistic trend has become a legitimate measure of performance. How does the double-double err? Let me count the ways.

For starters, we are asked to agree that doing anything ten times is noteworthy. Not only that, but that doing task A ten times is at all relative to doing task B ten times. I think it is safe to say that no one has ever achieved a DD without scoring ten points. The problem is that scoring ten points in an NBA game is a rather irrelevant statistic, if asked to stand alone. Yet the other half of the formula (typically ten rebounds or ten assists) is certainly something worth mentioning. So why does every statistical category have the same magical milestone of ten? Why do people keep telling me how many DD’s Carlos Boozer or Steve Nash has? Aren’t we just talking about a bunch of solid rebounders and assist-men? Or is ten points relevant when the average game logs 8-ten players achieving that number?

I suggest that each category should have its own milestone. It doesn’t make sense to measure ten rebounds against ten points against ten assists, and so on. Besides the current season, the last seven years have seen either 0 or 1 player average more than ten assists for a season (This year there are 4 somehow!). Yet close to a dozen players average more than ten rebounds in any given year. Points and blocks are both extremes; the league leader will average less than 4 blocks, and 109 players are averaging double-digit scoring this year. And finally, ten boards is ten possessions. Ten assists is ten possessions. But ten points is five possessions.

A scale of 20 points, 12 rebounds, ten assists, 4 blocks, and 3 steals would be an immediate improvement, but a better measuring stick might be the average of the top 5 players in that category that year. If someone achieved two of these milestones, they would have a double; three of them would be a triple, and so on.

Future improvements of statistical analysis might include weighing field-goal percentage as heavily as points per game (sorry Arenas and Iverson), and looking at individual statistics per minute, rather than per game (Millsap would have walked away with Rookie of the Year based on minutes per game). Please submit your statistical pet peaves, and I will make sure they make it in the book.

Jazz 77 New Orleans 66

2008-04-09T09:11:00.005-06:00

I know, I know. You thought I would take the month off after writing my second BoSox story... but I was too pumped up after watching last night's game, which in the purest sense of the world, can only be called a defensive drubbing.

Who is this Jazz team? Playing defense? We hold San Antonio to 64 points the last game and hold New Orleans to 66 at their home court... Did I miss something? Has all this talk of becoming a defensive team for the past 70-plus games finally sunk in? Too many questions.

I do want to pat myself on the back for maintaining my Mehmet Okur fan status. I love watching this guy. And for all the Jazz fans out there who have given him crap about his play ethics, I hope they start jumping on the bandwagon. Even Sloan has begun calling Okur the hardest working player on the court. I think the one thing that has helped me keep the faith with Okur is hearing during the All-Star break, the only Jazz player who came in and worked out every day was the big Turk.

And I also think it's fair to say that we have, if not the, one of top three benches in the league. Millsap and Harpring (whom I collectively refer to as the Smash Brothers) are beasts. Ronnie Price brings intensity each time he hits the floor and comes out of nowhere with that 6 foot vertical, blocking shots and picking pockets like there is no tomorrow. And don't get me started on Korver. Kyle, aka The Second Coming, could miss all of his three point attempts and I would still kiss the ground he walks on.

I cannot wait for the playoffs... then again... I'll let you know how I really feel after the next 6 games: yipes.

I've been called out...

2008-04-08T11:34:00.007-06:00

The reason I have not written anything as of late is because "base-uh-ball has not been berry berry good to me."

My Red Sox are last place in their division because our pitching has been somewhat atrocious. But at least they get their rings tonight (in the first home game at Fenway). But seriously, who would have thought that Dice-K would be their shining star at the first of this year. I was waiting for him to fold, crawl into a seaweed wrap, and sell himself off as sushi. But 15 K's already??? Loving it. Suddenly the millions of dollars thrown at him just for a meeting is looking like money well spent. I wouldn't be a true Red Sox fan if I didn't admit that I jumped on the Dice-K bandwagon early, but watching him last year as he settled into his position was not exactly comfortable.

Schilling is hurt - nothing new, and the golden boy Beckett is hurt - nothing new... but the early BoSox schedule has been less than favorable to my team. Here's hoping the home turf can get them rolling again.

As American as apple pie and bla, bla, bla

2008-04-07T10:22:00.003-06:00

Pack4, THC, Sportsjunkie, and El Rockstar, I’m calling you out. I’m getting some requests for a baseball post, so can one of you step up the plate? (Now that’s a pun!)

We need a write-up of the lay of the land this year in MLB; what’s happened, who’s looking good, maybe a prediction or two. So someone bring the heat, or I will pun you to death.

Myth Busters - Episode II

2008-04-04T22:30:00.004-06:00

Myth #2: The Jazz can't win against good teams on the road.

Not true. In fact, the good teams ARE who the Jazz have beaten on the road! D-Will and Company have succeeded in the toughest arenas in the country, places that even the best road teams have failed. With wins over Boston (2nd only to the Jazz at home), Detroit (3rd), Denver (6th), Houston (8th), and Phoenix (10th), the Jazz can and have gotten up for big road games. As we all know, the vast majority of Utah’s losses have come on the road against the worst teams the NBA has to offer. But people are diagnosing the problem without really understanding what the problem is. My interpretation follows.

I don’t believe that the Jazz are a poor road team; when they have needed road wins, they have gotten them (see above). I don’t believe the Jazz play to their level of competition; they beat EVERYONE at home, regardless of competition. I don’t believe it’s due to a hole in their on-court ability; Utah will either win or split the series with nearly every top team in the league. I believe the only problem with this team is that they play to the level of the arena. When you remove the good energy of their home arena or even the provoking energy of the tough road arenas, that has amounted to a lack of focus, slow starts, and abysmal defense.

But let’s not leave it there because that is just the symptom. In my estimation, the ailment causing such an odd but consistent pattern is nothing more than sheer youth. Age equals maturity, experience, and focus, things the Jazz are often guilty of lacking. The only squad in the league younger than Utah is Portland, and they have suffered similar ailments as of late. After being the surprise team of the first half of the season by stringing together a 15-game winning streak, the Trail-blazers have all but fizzled out in recent months. On the back of their youthful star Brandon Roy, Portland has made a habit of keeping games close, but losing more often than they win. The team that surprised everyone in November and December is now out of contention for even the final slot in the playoffs.

One thing these teams are not lacking is talent. Because winning requires a nice meld of talent and experience, it could be argued that the two “most-talented” teams in the NBA are the young New Orleans Hornets and the Utah Jazz. But when placing your bets, be sure to look at championship teams of yesteryear, as they are typically heavy-laden with receding hair-lines and knee-braces (look no further than San Antonio, perhaps the ripest team in the league).

So will the Jazz’s road woes be their ultimate demise in the playoffs? Perhaps, but when a team has virtually three automatic wins in a 7-game series, I like their chances. Remember, Utah’s home play earns them slack on the road that other teams can’t afford. And as stated in this week’s episode of Myth Busters, the Jazz are more than capable of stealing a road win when playing in the most hostile of environments.

Youth=Immaturity=Lack of focus=Losing in Miami and the like

The NBA Stretch Run: Prediction Time

2008-04-01T20:25:00.005-06:00

OK class.... the time has arrived. It's the stretch run, where the cream rises to the top. Win or go home. Step up or get out. Make like a tree or leave. With 7 to 10 games to play, I want everybody to lay it down, make your predictions for the Jazz record over the final 7 games, and then rank the West 1 to 8 (disregard true playoff seeding, just rank by record).

At the end of the season we'll add up the tallies, shed a few tears for the homers and get ready to play Kobe in the first round of the Playoffs. So let me give you all an example of what I expect to see in the comments section:

Jazz Record: 2-5 (final record: 51-31)

Final West Rankings:
1 - San Antonio
2 - LA Lakers
3 - New Orleans
4 - Phoenix
5 - Houston
6 - Denver
7 - Utah
8 - Dallas

The Spurs, Lakers and Hornets could literally finish tied at the end of the season. It's that close. The Jazz will come to regret that road loss to Minnesota. Denver will come into Salt Lake City, punk the Jazz on their home court, and steal the Division crown by 1 game. Dallas eeks into the playoffs and beats out Golden State by 1 game.

OK - let's hear it Jazz fans... how are we going to finish the season?

Top 10 NBA Players in 2013

2008-03-31T17:39:00.002-06:00

Local talk radio has had an interesting debate as of late. They have been predicting the top 5 players in the NBA 5 years from now. I thought Jazz Take could have some fun with the debate as well, but let’s look for the top dozen players in the league 5 years from now. Below are some names that could be in the discussion. If you’d like to play, copy the names into your own comment, and vote yay or nay next to each name. I will do likewise. (Write-in’s and commentary welcome. For our purposes, we will be only be discussing players in the league today, and of course this list is not complete, but it’s something to work with. Who knows, maybe we can pull the list out in 5 years and rail on each other!)

(Potential) Top 10 NBA Players in 2013
Lebron James
Dwayne Wade
Brandon Roy
Chris Paul
D-Will
Nowitzki
McGrady
Bosh
Dwight Howard
Tim Duncan
Steve Nash
Al Horford
Kevin Martin
Michael Redd
Gilbert Arenas
Rudy Gay
Rashard Lewis
Kevin Durant
Garnett
Ginobli
David West
Carlos Boozer
Joe Johnson
Al Jefferson
Melo
Andrew Bynum
Amare
Lamar Odom
Corey Maggette
Greg Oden
AK-47
Josh Howard
Ben Gordon
Kobe

Go Jayhawks!

2008-03-31T17:36:00.003-06:00

If Kansas runs the table, I will win my office pool for the 3rd year in a row! I know it's a longshot the way Memphis and NC are looking, but there's still a chance. Woohoo!

Pardon the Interruption.....

2008-03-28T22:10:00.006-06:00

In the midst of the final few weeks before the NBA playoffs, I interupt this blog to remind the masses that the real football season starts tomorrow.... no editorial commentary here needed - the video speaks for itself.

4pm - Rice Eccles Stadium - Chicago Fire vs. Real Salt Lake

Why Jazz Fans Are The New Red Sox Nation

2008-03-27T08:58:00.015-06:00

My name is El Rockstar, and I am a Red Sox fan. Almost as bad as an alcoholic: I live and die by Red Sox victories/losses, am covered head to toe in Red Sox stink, and am always thinking (no matter what the previous victories may bring) that my Red Sox are overlooked. I know, I know - a ridiculous statement, what with the past World Series championships, the curse reversed, the dreaded "Yankee comparison" of Boston's million dollar team, and the insane amount of band wagoners catching the "Nation's" spirit - you can't go anywhere without seeing some idiot wearing some sort of Boston paraphernalia.
But it's not my fault! I swear! My Dad and my Grandfather lived through the Williams, YAz, and Fisk years without seeing a title. I sat for 28 years of my life seeing the BoSox lose again and again - it's the same thing every year each time a Red Sox fan mentions their team. This year was "our year." Next year is "our year."
Well, Red Sox fans, meet your Utah Jazz.
Our fan base is not that different: Boston Red Sox fans are stereotypically drunken Irish Catholics with a gigantic guilt complex. "We weren't just losing all those years! We were CURSED! The baseball Gods are against us!" Utah Jazz fans are stereotypically Mormons running a caffeine/sugar high, also with a gigantic guilt complex. "We are the best team in the league, but the sporting world never gives us credit! The NBA is against us!" Both of us think our teams do no wrong. If the Red Sox lose, it's because they were cursed. If the Jazz lose, it's because the refs threw the game.
The Red Sox have Derek Jeter. (Derek Jeter drinks wine coolers.) The Jazz have Kobe Bryant. My brother in law, a ginourmous Jazz fan, actually believes that Kobe Bryant is the son of Satan. (Satan of course, being David Stern.)
Boston has their hero Jonny Damon betray them by leaving to play with the Yankees. Utah has their hero Karl Malone betray them by leaving to play for the EFFING Lakers.
Boston has the famous Tony C incident: their rising star cut down in his prime by taking a fast ball to the face, shattering his cheek bone, severely damaging his retina. The Jazz have Andrei Kirilenko: their rising star cut down in his prime because his feelings get hurt... granted, not the best comparison, but Jazz fans understand.
So here we are as Jazz fans, looking at a playoff run, and just like all of Red Sox Nation wanting their team to win in the Fall, we are both awaiting the breakdown. Boston has Buckner, we have Boozer. Go figure. Go Jazz.

Myth Busters - Episode I

2008-03-26T21:59:00.003-06:00

Before we get started, I would like to introduce everyone to THC, who has agreed to be a regular contributor to Jazz Take. THC is a self-admitted hater. THC makes Simon Cowell look like Tony Robbins on nitrous oxide. He is a very bright observer of sports, but unlike most fans who let their optimism color their analysis, he let’s his pessimism color his. With that said, THC lofted this softball up for me in response to yesterday’s post:

What have they done for me lately? Let's see - they got their collective hynies handed to them by the Lakers on their home court, on national television, in a critical game for home court advantage in the West...

I'm going on record right now to say this Jazz team will lose in the first round of the playoffs without home court advantage - Bottom line, they can't beat good teams on the road (Zster, don't quote me the Boston game - that was a great win - but an absolute abberation). And that's of course, if they make the play-offs -- If we see a repeat of last year's April collapse we'll be watching from home this year.

So with just weeks left in the regular season, I’d like to begin a series of posts, each debunking a myth or criticism of the 2007-2008 Utah Jazz squad. So without delay,

Myth #1: The Jazz are not contenders in the playoffs.
With such disparity in the league, the most useful comparison might be to see how each of the relevant teams fair against the other relevant teams. Luckily, this was done last week
(http://sports.aol.com/nba/story/_a/are-pistons-jazz-bound-for-finals/20080317123909990001). They defined 13 teams as relevant, and then looked at each of the 13 teams’ performances against the other dozen. The best team when pitted against this group of elites? The Utah Jazz. No one in the west came close, with second and third place going to Boston and Detroit.

Fortunately, these are also the teams that are playoff-bound. So THC, you were bold enough to make a prediction, and I’m obliged to match it. The only way the Jazz exit the playoffs in the first round is if they draw the Spurs and the Spurs have homecourt advantage. Any other formula (homecourt or not) puts the Jazz in Round II.

A New Trend

2008-03-25T19:24:00.001-06:00

The Jazz deservedly receive criticism for their performance on the road this season, but a fact that has flown under the radar as of late is that this squad has won 10 of their last 16 games away from Salt Lake. Now, their season road record will still appear devastating due to the hole they dug themselves in December; but if I'm looking for an accurate barometer of a team, I'm more interested in what they've done for me lately.

Spring is Upon Us

2008-03-24T21:56:00.001-06:00

March Madness has long been recognized as the quintessential spectator event in the world of sports. The nation comes to a halt for opening weekend as fans and non-fans alike come together at pubs, parties, and office pools. It’s a bona fide kumbuya; fathers and sons mend their strained relationship with a shared day of playing hookie, wives of the nagging variety let down their guard as they dominate the neighborhood pool, even the impossible seems within grasp when this field of sixty-four takes to the hardwood.

But does this annual extravaganza owe its success to the actual game, or are there other factors at play? The assertion that the game is responsible for such a frenzy is a stretch, since few March Madness enthusiasts are onboard in February. The NCAA basketball has the largest discrepancy between viewer-ship in the regular season and viewer-ship in the post-season.

Is it the results? Most would argue that what we want out of a post-season is a true, undisputed champion. While the tournament surpasses many post-seasons in this area, it is certainly not the leader. The World Series and the NBA Finals are the most accurate at awarding the best team with a championship, as they prove their ability over their competition in head-to-head 7-game series. If accuracy were truly the measuring stick for success, the most popular post-seasons wouldn’t be March Madness, the BSC, and the Super Bowl. Without question, college football produces the worst results of a true champion, yet its popularity soars above the likes of the NBA Playoffs.

So what then? I argue that March Madness has risen to the summit of competitive sports simply because it has the most spectator-friendly logistics (let me explain).

Our beef with professional sports post-seasons?
“My team isn’t in the mix!”

Local pride is huge in pulling in viewers, but not everyone has a professional team in their town. Even if you do, odds are good that they aren’t a contender. So what does the NCAA do? The same thing they do with football: They let nearly every program with a pulse into the mix. More than half of the basketball programs in the country are going mad in March, so you're only dilemma is deciding which local team to get behind. But there is a beef with college football (right on cue), which is:

“My team never has a shot!”

Quite honestly, your team probably shouldn’t have a shot, but there is something reassuring about being allowed to prove yourself wrong. Although a sixteen seed has yet to beat a one seed, theoretically, they are given the opportunity to run the table.

Next, most post-seasons miss out on the true cashcow, the non-sportsfan. Behind every sport-obsessed man is a family of viewers that could normally care less about Purdue vs. Xavier. Only the Super Bowl and March Madness tap this market; the NFL does it with the Super Bowl party, and March Madness? Office pools. Suddenly, casual sports fans are entering office pools and non-sports-fans are winning these pools. Families, friends, and perfect strangers are competing in online pools. And what of the fan that was already on board? Instead of caring about the outcome of a few games, they care about the outcome of EVERY game. This may be the largest component to the tournament's formula for success, whether intended or not. Now what would the critic say of the NBA Playoffs?

“It’s just too long!”

Professional basketball is my sport of choice. I don’t care who’s playing, I want to watch. But even as someone that defaults to watching the majority of the NBA playoffs, I get why it’s hard for the average joe to get excited for a post-season this long and this anti-climactic. “But you know what would make us even more money than five games a series?”, overheard outside a boardroom somewhere in Gotham. “Seven games a series!” Although the implementation of seven-game series throughout the NBA playoffs has no doubt turned a hefty profit for the league and teams alike, I contend that this little scheme has moved them in the wrong direction. You want enthusiasm for your season capstone, and in my estimation, watering the experience down by stretching it out must be considered a contributing factor to their relatively poor ratings.

And how does March Madness differ? I describe it as a short burst of adrenaline. Opening weekend consists of wall-to-wall games; watching all of them is impossible, but that doesn’t stop you from trying. The trash talk is thick in the workplace and continues at home. The beginning of the second week finds us pouring over our brackets, pool standings, and picks that we almost made. Monday is a day of tallying points, discussing what should have been, and predicting what is to come. They then take a page from the juggernaut that is the NFL: own the weekend. During the NFL season, people spend Sunday watching, and M-F talking.

Like so many things in life, it’s almost as if the anticipation is better than the real thing. March Madness embraces this concept; pack games in like sardines over 2-3 days, then allow the dust to settle and let it breathe. People need closure and they won’t have it. Pools are undecided and it’s still anyone’s game. Poolers have now identified important games; games that will decide how it all plays out. This continues over just a few weeks until the season culminates with a national champion.

And after all is said and done, what does college basketball do like no other American sport? It rewards 16th place! So often, coaches, programs, and conferences aren’t only recognized for championshiops; they are judged on how many times they have appeared in the Final Four, the Elite Eight, and yes, the Sweet Sixteen. Nowhere else will you find someone with a notch on their belt for 16th place, but that is just another reason why March Madness includes everyone in the fun.

So if I want to watch a basketball game, I just as soon see it done by professionals, and what I consider to be the finest athletes on the planet. But if I want camaraderie, passion, excitement, and competition, I’ll meet you in the Spring.