Bleacher Report - Articles by The Brothers Lynn

BYU-Oklahoma Game Time Is Set

The Brothers Lynn — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 17:10:53 -0400

After much waiting and anticipation, there is finally a game time and network for the BYU-Oklahoma game.

The September 5th game, which is part of the kickoff week for college football, will be televised on ESPN at 6 pm central time. That’s 5 pm mountain for those of you in Utah.

I tried to look at the OU website to see if they said anything about the game, but there was more there about the Cowboys' new stadium than the game itself.

Tickets have been released for season ticket holders, but the rest of us will have to wait for a little while to get our chance. They are going for $50-$80, as of right now, but I expect they will get a lot higher as the game draws closer.

Most people will be better off paying the $30-$40 for parking and just watching the game on the big screen. It is ridiculous how much it all costs, but that is Jerry Jones for you.

Either way, I am really looking forward to this game. In the past, when we have played great teams, we have had lots of questions on our team, but this time, the nucleus is still there. The biggest question is how good our O-line will be, but I am not really worried about it. We always have at least an average O-line.

I’m getting really excited, and seeing as how there are no major sporting events between now and the start of the season, we should start seeing more and more about college football.

Sorry, I forgot the NBA Finals will start in almost a week. They just last so freaking long that they feel like the regular season never ends. Plus, all these long breaks between rounds make me lose interest.

Forgive my sidetrack. BYU is going to have a good season and may very well have a great season, if they get a few good calls and some favorable bounces.

Longing For Summer to Be Over So Football Can Start

The Brothers Lynn — Fri, 08 May 2009 23:23:55 -0400

Today, I was seriously jonesing for something BYU, and there just wasn’t much to be had. If the men’s volleyball team had played better then maybe they would be defending their homecourt right now, but no.

Jonathat Tavernari is still testing the NBA waters, but if he leaves he is stupid—in my opinion.

Matt Ah You is now a former BYU linebacker, though I can’t imagine why you would leave before your senior year. I’m sure he had a reason, and I wish him the best.

CNNSI.com had BYU listed under the barely missed it section of the post-spring top 25. Obviously this ranking doesn’t mean a whole lot, but the fact that TCU and Utah were both in the top 25 it goes to show that the MWC really made an indelible mark on the country last year.

I can’t imagine how Utah could be so high after losing Brian Johnson, Paul Kruger, and others but whatever, it is what happens on the field that matters, not the polls.

Tickets for the Oklahoma game should be released shortly, which is exciting. Part of me hopes people are expecting a blowout so tickets will be cheaper. On the other hand, I want as many people as possible to see BYU be competitive. I guess we will see.

BYU’s softball team is now waiting to see where they will end up to take their shot at the women’s College World Series. They should make a good run of it, if they get a good draw.

So, while I am anxious for the football season to come, there is still quite a bit of BYU stuff going on.

BYU Rugby Destroys Utah

The Brothers Lynn — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 23:08:39 -0400

This hasn’t been the best year when it comes to the head-to-head matched between Brigham Young and Utah, but I came across a pleasant surprise tonight.

My wife and I had just finished watching a show on our DVR, and when I turned it back to live TV, as I flipped up the ESPN stations I happened up college rugby, so I decided to stop and take a look.

As luck would have it, it was BYU and Utah playing.

What was even more beautiful was that BYU was dominating, and they have continued to do so since I started watching. I started watching about ten minutes into the second half, and it has just been a BYU score fest since then.

I won’t begin to tell you that I know much about rugby, but any idiot can tell you that winning by 39 is a good thing. The hits have been hard, the passes accurate, and the play-making has been very creative.

Make that winning by 46.

Call me crazy, but that is a good score for the game, not just for margin of victory.

I really wish I had gone to more rugby games in high school because it is just so much fun to watch. Having gone to Highland High, the few games I did see were a lot of fun to watch.

It is such a pure sport when it comes to straight-up strength and skill against your opponent. From what I understand, it is also the ultimate team game. Having one or two stars does you no good if they don’t have the support behind them.

It is so refreshing to see athletes playing just for the thrill of playing your best and winning. There is no expectation of huge pay days from the pros, and no over-analyzing by the media.

Congrats to BYU for a dominating win, and good luck with the rest of the season.

Utah Attorney General's Attack of the BCS Is Building Up

The Brothers Lynn — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 22:21:46 -0400

I was reading another article that had a similar theme and was extremely well written. I started to write a comment, but then it started to get so long that I decided to just write my own article.

In essence his article mentioned the Utah attorney general’s antitrust lawsuit against the Bowl Championship Series that should take place sometime this summer. To fully make sense of what I am saying, you will need to read Jeremy’s article as well as the comments. Hopefully it will make some sense either way.

Do I think the BCS is unfair? Absolutely.

Do I think this lawsuit will result in a playoff, or even a better system? No.

But, this is the best-laid argument I have seen. Every other attempt to take down the BCS has been nothing more than a "cryfest" about how our team got left out and we should have gotten in, blah, blah, blah. The huge factor that continues to grow is that the major BCS schools, meaning the ones that consistently have a title shot like USC, are saying we need a playoff.

What that says to me is that this is no longer simply a question of who should play in a BCS bowl, but that it has sincerely become a question of crowning a true national champion. That is the argument that has needed to be raised to create change.

Let’s face it, the big conferences and networks are going to get their money one way or another. What I have really started to take issue with is declaring a national champion when there is a legitimate case for multiple other teams.

If any major sport were to simply pick two teams based on polls and they played one game to determine the Super Bowl champion, or the winner of the Stanley Cup, then there would be outrage. Why is college football the only exception to the rule in the world?

Of all the sporting events in the world, from pee wee sports, to high school, to professional sports, and even to the Olympics, there is a playoff in place.

Sure, there is debate over what teams should make it, but now that I think about it, when was the last time you heard a country cry about not making it into the World Cup, or even the playoffs in major U.S. sports? There is a system in place that makes sense and ultimately crowns a true champion.

There will always be people making excuses about why their team didn’t win or why their rival did. However, there is no legitimate argument to take away their title.

Now the idea of sending the 11 conference champions plus five at-large bids to a playoff is completely stupid to me. There is no remotely decent argument that the conference champion of C-USA, WAC, Ivy League, MAC, or even in some years the MWC champions have any place playing for a national championship.

Last year provided evidence that even the BCS conferences don’t always warrant a BCS bid. There is no reason to make it even that complicated.

I have written this before, but it could be very simple. You take the top eight, or 16 (though I prefer eight), and put them against each other with their ranks as seeds. Add the Cotton and Holiday bowls, or others if you prefer, to the original four BCS bowls.

They rotate yearly through first-round games and the semifinal games. Then you pick an entirely separate place, picked just like the Super Bowl and most leauges’ all-star games, for the national championship.

This creates even more money to spread around, and the major conferences would still get their cut because their teams would be the ones making it regularly. At the same time, smaller conferences would have just as much chance.

There would be no argument that smaller teams don’t deserve it, because they would have to schedule better teams to get ranked in the top eight. Going undefeated would not be enough for a non-BCS school.

I really don’t understand why they make it so complicated. Everyone in the world knows it is about money and nothing else. Don’t give me the time argument, because the national championship is already more than a week later than it used to be.

This may not be the best answer, but it seems like a legitimate one for me.

BYU Softball Having Another Strong Season

The Brothers Lynn — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 21:11:58 -0400

BYU has consistently had a strong softball team, and this year is no different. After winning in New Mexico over the weekend, they are now at 26-14 on the season, and 3-0 in conference play.

They feature a very potent offense that has been putting up big numbers all year. They have scored more than 10 runs nine different times, and are consistently scoring 7-9 runs.

They also have a solid pitching staff, that has thrown 13 shutouts this year, and has only allowed more than five runs twice all season.

The highlight of the year in pitching came March 28th when Christine Zinanti threw a no-hitter. Her only walk came against the first batter of the game, who was hit by a pitch.

It is unfortunate that TCU doesn’t have a softball team because that means there is no way I will get to see them play. Having been a softball coach, I look forward to any opportunity to watch a quality team play, and that is exactly what BYU has this year.

Is There Too Much Media In College Sports?

The Brothers Lynn — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 13:01:09 -0400

This modern era of information overload is no different in the sports world. However, when it comes to college football, it may have come too far.

Not only can you get daily reports on every practice of your favorite team including play-by-play and stats, you can now watch the spring games on ESPN. That is just going too far.

It used to be special to watch a game on national TV. You would anxiously read articles about what games would be televised.

This was even a bigger deal if you were an out-of-town fan, and your team was going to be on a network station.

Growing up in Texas and being a BYU fan, I was lucky to see one or two games a year, but now you can get not only every single game, but spring games and practices.

While I do appreciate being able to watch more games than I used to, I almost miss the old days. The quality of broadcasts has totally fallen off of a cliff.

From the broadcasters themselves to the game production, it just isn’t nearly as good. Now we are stuck with former players that never made it, and never should have been given a spot in the booth.

The days of classic sporting events analyzed by well known broadcasters is gone. Instead we would probably be better off hitting the mute button and just enjoying the game itself.

The one exception I have found to this is most radio broadcasts still carry classic announcers.

I realize they can’t live forever, but by and large most teams keep the same broadcasters on the radio. I have found myself muting the TV and listening to the radio because they do such a better job.

So while I will continue to watch and read everything I possibly can about BYU, I wish the quality of broadcasts would go back up to what it used to be.

Reasons for Optimism About BYU's Tournament Chances

The Brothers Lynn — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:25:09 -0400

I must admit that I was shocked when I heard that BYU was matched up with Texas A&M again. I remember the feeling last year and A&M just isn’t a really good match up for us. They just have more athletes.

However, we were in the game and so I think we still have a chance. On top of this, I think there are a number of other reasons why I’m still optimistic about BYU’s chances against Texas A&M in the tournament.

Jimmer Fredette - Jimmer is the future of BYU and thankfully he’s here now. He’s the first point guard at BYU in my lifetime (or at least memory) that can take someone off the dribble, get penetration and take it to the hoop.

Plus, Jimmer just seems like a big game guy who seems to really get up for big games and I think he’ll do the same on college basketball’s biggest stage.

Team Defense - I haven’t heard nearly enough about BYU’s defense this year. I mentioned this a while back, but I think that BYU’s help defense and rotating to cover the open man is the best I’ve ever seen it.

Add in quick hands by Jackson Emery and the JT’s ability to cause steals and turnovers (which is a surprise to me) and I have reason for optimism.

Underestimating Lee Cummard/Jackson Emery - Let’s be honest. If you looked at Lee Cummard and Jackson Emery for the first time, would you be nervous? Sure, they’ll have a reasonable amount of tape and hype on Lee, but he’s so long that I think that it takes teams a little bit to realize what he’s capable of doing.

Emery should surprise people even more. Just wait and see if the A&M coach isn’t singing these two guys names after the game.

Miles Free Throw Shooting - I’m too lazy to look up the specific numbers, but we’re all familiar with Miles past troubles at the foul line.

I’m not sure what has made the difference, but I’m not getting a heart attack every time Miles goes to the free throw line. In fact, he really seems to have some confidence on the line and won’t be the reason we lose the game.

Any other reasons that I’ve left out? I can’t wait for the game!!!

What Can BYU Gain from the Mountain West Tournament?

The Brothers Lynn — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 12:46:52 -0400

With the conference tournament really starting today, it merits a few moments to consider what BYU stands to lose, and in turn gain, in the tournament.

In short, I really don’t think the outcome of the tournament will have a tremendous impact on BYU in terms of the NCAA tournament. Of course losing to Air Force in the first round would not be a good thing, but how likely is that to happen?

Beyond a first round loss, there really is not much damage to be done. Losing to San Diego State would not be a huge upset, nor would losing to UNLV in their home invitational. Losing in the championship to anyone else would not be terribly tragic either.

In terms of what good can come of it, I also feel it is limited. Let's just say that BYU beats Air Force, then either San Diego St. or UNLV, who both are pretty comparable, and then Utah in the championship. All that may do is move BYU up one seed, two at the most. So instead of being an eight or nine seed, they would be a seven or eight. There really is not a huge difference in the long run.

The biggest thing BYU could gain from the tournament is getting on a roll. It is insane how good they are when they get hot. With a shooting team like BYU, it cannot be overlooked how important getting on a run can be. When shooters get hot, it is hard to stop them. Playing three quality games in a familiar, if not friendly, arena could do wonders for helping them go into the Big Dance with some momentum.

Either way, I am excited for the tournament to start and the madness that is March to commence.

Did Lee Cummard Make the Right Choice?

The Brothers Lynn — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 23:10:36 -0400

The end of the regular season gives me cause to reflect on the events of this year all the way back to the end of last season. The biggest decisions that affected how this season played out were made shortly after the season when Trent Plaisted decided to declare for the NBA Draft, and Lee Cummard decided to stay.

There is no way that anyone could possibly know what would have happened if those choices were changed in anyway. All we can do at this point is look at how those decisions have played out.

First, we’ll consider Plaisted. He was drafted No. 46 by the Seattle Supersonics, now the Oklahoma City Thunder, and was immediately traded to the Detroit Pistons. He ultimately signed with Angelico Biella in Italy until he suffered a season ending injury in December.

While there is no telling how his fate would have changed had he stayed at BYU, at the time, I think he made the right choice to enter the draft, and I still do. There is no way you can forecast an injury, and with a full season of development he may very well have cracked into an NBA roster next season.

Now let's consider Cummard. Many so called experts felt he had a good chance to be drafted, but there is little reason to believe he would have gone much higher, if at all, than Plaisted did.

The risk you run of staying another season is you may get injured, or you may not have a very good year, and your stock could drop.

While Cummard did not get injured, he did not have quite the stellar season he probably would have hoped for. He obviously did not show that he is a superstar team leader, but that is not all bad.

In this day and age of egotistical superstars, there is more need than ever for roleplayers that are willing to do the dirty work.

I look at Lee as more of an Adam Keefe type player. Someone that you know will work their butt off, scrap for rebounds, and in the vein of Robert Horry, may just hit a game winner for you when the game is on the line.

He is not an up and down emotional player, but rather someone that will consistently give you all he has. He will probably never put up 20 points a game in the NBA, but he may just be the difference maker in a series like Robert Horry, Steve Kerr, or Jeff Hornacek.

There is no way to know what would have happened if Lee had entered the draft last year, but as a diehard BYU fan, I would just like to personally say thank you to Lee for all of his hard work in his time at BYU.

He has been a huge part of building a foundation of success at BYU that will hopefully last for years to come. Best of luck in the Las Vegas Invitational, and the Big Dance, and here’s hoping you find much success in the NBA, you deserve it.

BYU Basketball Getting Back to Basics

The Brothers Lynn — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 00:13:36 -0500

BYU’s early season success was due in large part to a few basic basketball principles. They played great help defense, they made the extra pass, giving up a good shot for a better one, and along those same lines, they played with a team first mentality.

Starting with a Dec. 20 loss at Arizona St., they started to drift away from those basic principles. Their defense appeared to get lazy. Their passing was inaccurate and in short supply, and the cohesion of the team as a whole was lacking.

It was frustrating to see them come so close to knocking off two ranked opponents only to fall short at the end of both games.

It is hard to understand why teams change their style when it is successful, but it is not usually a conscious decision.

No one decides they want to play poorly; they simply drift into bad habits that cost them games at the end. You also cannot discount the ability of opposing teams to impose their style on their opponents. Quality teams play their style no matter what, and whatever team holds true to their gameplan is usually the victor.

Luckily for BYU fans, this team has rediscovered their style, and it is working quite beautifully. In today’s dominant victory over TCU, BYU got back to basics.

Their defense was solid, repeatedly forcing TCU to kick it back out and take challenged shots. Chris Miles has really come into his own this season on both ends of the court, but especially on the defensive end. He was consistently strong on the low block and wasn’t giving up anything easy.

On offense they suddenly remembered how to pass the ball again. They were working it inside and out, and all around the perimeter. They were taking quality shots and giving it up when someone else had a better one. I was also impressed with the guards' penetration, especially from the backups. The benefit of having such a quick, surehanded guard is immeasurable.

It was also nice to see a little fight back in the team. They seem to be playing with a little more of a killer instinct again. It is coming out at just the right time too. Now is the time for BYU to assert themselves on a national level so that when UNLV steals the most biased tournament in the country, they will still make it to the big dance.

BYU and the MWC Finally Getting Some Respct

The Brothers Lynn — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 00:02:58 -0500

It has been very nice of late to hear the names of Mountain West teams being mentioned on national sports shows. I have noticed that BYU is almost always mentioned as a quality win for Wake Forest.

Now I realize that being mentioned for losing a game is not exactly the best press you can have, but it says a lot about how far they have come as a program.

A huge part of that recognition is their dominance at home over the years. It is unfortunate that with their first quality opponent outside of the conference in years that they lost, but at least they put up a good fight. In some ways losing may actually have been good because they may be able to entice other quality schools into the Marriot Center and spring a few upsets.

In looking at early predictions for the NCAA tournament, I have also seen that writers are picking as many as four teams from the MWC. The four teams are BYU, Utah, UNLV, and San Diego St. It just goes to show that the conference as a whole is improving greatly, and that the balance of power across the country is being spread more evenly.

I also can’t help but think that the conference’s success in football has an impact on it. While having quality football teams does not directly impact your basketball team, it does lead to more attention for your school in general. The MWC is making a legitimate case for being included in the BCS and I can’t help but think that that is helping their case in basketball too.

So as much as it sucks having to go without a game this weekend, take heart in the fact that the conference is gaining respect, and that, more importantly, BYU is being noticed at a national level.

The Kyle Van Noy Issue

The Brothers Lynn — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 12:53:40 -0500

It has been quite awhile since I last wrote. I can thank my baby and job for that, but after reading a ton of comments about this story, I just had to say something.

I am sure most of you are aware of the story. As I understand it, Kyle Van Noy, a linebacker that was recruited by BYU, was pulled over for a DUI last week. When sending in his letter of intent to BYU, he included a letter apologizing to the coaches and the school for his actions.

Bronco offered him the ability to take back his letter of intent and go to a different school, or to wait a year and take care of his legal issues and prepare himself to be admitted to BYU in good standing, which was not required by BYU itself, but by Bronco. Van Noy stuck to his original commitment, and so did Bronco.

I simply cannot believe all of the completely stupid comments that people are making about this story.

First of all, the religious aspect. I have read numerous comments stating that because he violated the honor code he should never be admitted to BYU. What these people are saying is that if you want to be accepted to BYU you have to be perfect. Nevermind the true teachings of the gospel, which give all people an opportunity to make mistakes and then learn from them.

It would be a totally different story if he had tried to hide it and pretend it never happened. Instead, he decided to come forward, admit that he was wrong, and in essence ask for help. Bronco did the right thing by offering that help, as long as he really wanted it.

How many other BYU students got DUI’s before they enrolled, but were given the chance to make changes and come to BYU in good standing. So many people want to say that the only reason he is being allowed to come is because he is a football player.

I say that the only reason we heard about his DUI and not the DUI’s of who knows how many other students at BYU is because he was a football player. He is not being held to a lower standard, but simply a more visible standard.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not approving of his actions. Drunk driving is one of the most idiotic things you can do. Not only are you risking your own life, you are actually more likely to kill someone else through your actions. But to say that if you make a mistake, however large, you cannot change and come to BYU is denying the very essence of the gospel.

From a football standpoint, this in no way helps BYU. Anyone who thinks that knows nothing about sports. This is going to force him to take a year away from football, with a whole lot of free time to possibly get into more trouble.

Besides all of his free time, it will be a hinderment to him physically, as well as to his football instincts. After any extended time off you start to lose your edge a little.

Now, I am not under the delusion that he will not be working out and training on his own, but he will not have the structured workouts that come with being a part of a team, and more importantly, he will not be giving and taking hits.

At the very least, it is going to slow him down when he first comes back and has to re-acclimate himself to not just the football he was used to in high school, but a faster, bigger and stronger football at the college level.

I also don’t agree with all of the comparisons between Kyle Whittingham and Bronco. Kyle is a good man just like Bronco. He is building a quality program based on whatever standards he sees as right. To say that one or the other has stepped away from those values because of separate DUI incidents at each school is childish.

They each had unique situations that they responded to under the given circumstances and not one of us is in a position to judge what they did because we do not know all of the details.

I hope this isn’t digressing, but I also feel inclined to address the comments stating they were at parties where they saw BYU athletes and/or recruits drinking and thus breaking the honor code.

My response is very simple: I am sure the athletes were not the only students there so why is it that you choose to single out the people that it would do the most damage too?

It also dawns on me that you are probably a BYU student, too, so what are you doing at a party like that if you are so perfect that you are in a position to judge other people?

My hat is off to Bronco for his handling of this situation. It would have been easy to simply tell this young kid go away and deal with your problems yourself. Instead he stuck with a guy that was very forthcoming about his problems and made a very clear statement.

That the principles of the gospel, including repentance, are right at the top of his list where he says they are. He stuck to his commitment and may very well change this young man’s life forever.

To Kyle Van Noy, you screwed up big time, but my hat is off to you as well for allowing millions of judgemental BYU fans and other members of the church to criticize you for your actions. It says a lot about your TRUE character that you were willing to expose yourself to that in order to make a change in your life.

You made a commitment, and when given the opportunity to take the easy way out and run away from your problems, you chose to take the high road and run into the fire head on. I look forward to watching you running into opposing running backs head on in 2010.

Congratulations to TCU on Ponsettia Bowl Victory

The Brothers Lynn — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 23:53:58 -0500

This game was billed as one of the most competitive bowl games of the season and it certainly lived up to that description. It was a close game right to the very end, and was extremely enjoyable to watch.

What blew me away yet again, was how fast TCU’s defense is. It is amazing how quickly they can recover when they make a mistake, and how quick they get across that line. There were a couple of plays that would have gone for touchdowns if their defense wasn’t so fast. I was at the game when they played BYU and it was surreal in person.

Their offense was obviously not clicking all the way, but they got it done when it mattered and won the game.

While I am not a TCU fan, it is always good for the conference when one of our teams beats a quality opponent and Boise St. was certainly that. This just reaffirms to me how great it would be for the conference if Boise St. were to join the Mountain West.

I would detail all of the reasons why, but I have already done that in this blog. All I will say at this point is that if the Moutain West consistently had five (BYU, TCU, Air Force, Boise St., Utah), four of which could easily be in the top 10 in any given year then they would have to be given serious consideration as an addition to the BCS.

I know the Mountain West won’t join the BCS for at least a few more years, but seasons like this, and the addition of a quality team like Boise St., would force the BCS to at least consider adding the Mountain West.

While BYU’s season left something to be desired, it has been a great year for the conference, and though I know it would help the conference in the long run, as I true BYU fan, I have to hope that Utah loses to Alabama. Here’s hoping for another great year in the Mountain West next year.

BYU's Las Vegas Bowl and Hoops Losses Make It a Tough Day for Cougars Fans

The Brothers Lynn — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 01:55:14 -0500

I’ve already talked about the loss in basketball today, which is still upsetting me and will continue to upset me for a few days, so I won’t say anymore about that.

The football game was even worse to watch. Not only because I will be getting teased at work until football season next year, but because I simply hate to lose in anything, especially a game that was very winnable.

Give Arizona all the credit in the world—they screwed up less than BYU and had a couple more big plays than BYU. Congrats on ending your 10-year bowl drought with a very nice win against a good team that played like crap.

The easiest excuse to make is that they hadn’t played in a month so they were rusty, which absolutely showed for most of the first half, but they started to get it going right before halftime and at the beginning of the second half. Unfortunately, that is right about where it ended.

Personally, I have to say the difference maker was the lack of Dennis Pitta. He adds another dimension to this team that makes them almost unguardable. Without him, they are just like anyone else.

What I don’t understand is why they waited until late in the fourth quarter to involve him in the offense. I realize he was limping, but it isn’t like his knee got better all of a sudden in the fourth quarter. Had they shown more confidence in him early on, the outcome would have been different.

Arizona’s corners played some nice defense, though there should have been a pass interference call on that bomb to Collie down the middle. They were fast and always in good position, or at least recovered fast enough to still make the play. Near the end, their line and linebackers showed up to seal the deal.

If it weren’t for TCU, BYU may have gone undefeated. What I mean by that is that BYU’s three losses all came because of the same reason: The offense got flustered, and the defense couldn’t make a stop. Where TCU comes into it is that they exposed the defense’s susceptibility to underneath routes. I can’t believe BYU never adjusted to cover those routes. They also had a couple of huge blown coverages resulting in touchdowns.

Seeing as how all we can do is look to the future at this point, I am hoping some of the JC transfers will shore up the defensive secondary. I also hope the offensive line will recover from the loss of four good seniors.

My greatest fear at this point is that Austin Collie will go pro. The reason that is a fear to me is that we have no one else to take his place!

Michael Reed is a senior, so he is gone. I think Chambers will be an excellent receiver, but he is not yet a go-to receiver. I really have no idea who we would have as a deep threat. We should still have Pitta underneath, and Unga out of the backfield, but it will take a lot to replace Collie if he decides to leave.

My hope is that these two losses leave a bitter taste in his mouth that he wants to get out. They will also have a better shot to run the table next year with Utah, TCU, and Air Force at home, not to mention non-conference games at Arizona St. and Florida St. at home. It should be a much better chance to bust the BCS next year than this year.

Only time will tell what happens, and now we have to sit around and wait until next August to see how it all plays out. I really hate the offseason.

A Tough First Half

The Brothers Lynn — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 22:07:18 -0500

So a little bit of sloppiness is to be expected after almost a month off, but it was getting a little out of hand there for a little while. It’s like the ball is greased or something.

BYU does seem to be finding a little bit of rhythm; unfortunately it is half way through the game already. I think the biggest thing killing BYU right now is the absence of Dennis Pitta. I know he is on the field at times, but he is certainly not himself. BYU’s offense just isn’t the same without him.

On defense, BYU HAS to find some way to get some pressure on Tuitama. I would say give Arizona some credit, but BYU is only rushing three or four every down. There have been one or two downs where they rushed five or six, and what was the result? Incomplete passes. He is not a good enough quarterback to handle a lot of pressure, but for whatever reason BYU can’t create any.

On offense, they simply need to keep doing what they did to finish the half, minus three penalties on third down. The announcers keep talking about how much bigger and stronger BYU is, so they need to use that to their advantage and keep smashing Harvey down their throats.

They were starting to get worn down, and it will only get worse.

Heartbreaking loss

The Brothers Lynn — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 21:59:32 -0500

It was truly a sad afternoon. BYU controlled most of this game, and then simply let it slip away in the end. Tavernari should have taken that one more second he had to attack the basket, and maybe draw a foul rather than just throwing up a crap shot, but there is no way he could have known he still had that much time. He did the best he could have, given the circumstances.

What most people will probably focus on was the final tip and whether it was a basket or not. It really could have gone either way. I don’t think the refs could have made a bad call because it was truly that close.

The fact that it was that close meant BYU would lose, especially seeing as how the refs were definitely favoring Arizona St. in small degrees. I don’t think for a second that the refs singlehandedly cost BYU the game, because BYU still maintained control right up until the last couple of minutes—BYU simply gave it away.

The biggest positive that I saw in this game was their incredible defense that they played. The aforementioned poor officiating cost BYU a couple of fouls, but the defensive effort was definitely there in this game.

Miles put up a huge defensive effort this afternoon. I can’t remember the last time I saw a big man so consistently move his feet, keep his hands straight up, and put himself in good defensive position. There were numerous occasions he left his man with no other option but to kick it back out.

While they absolutely could have, and should have, won this game, Arizona St. was the toughest test so far this year; in all reality it was a home game for them. BYU played a good game, but simply did not have enough in the end. There are lessons to be learned, and hopefully they will be the better for it in the long run.

BYU—Arizona

The Brothers Lynn — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 23:29:12 -0500

While in all reality this has no business being a very close game, this year, BYU has made the less challenging games far more challenging than they need to be.

I will give Arizona some credit, and a congratulations on their first bowl in 10 years, but not too much credit. What they have going for them is an experienced quarterback, and a vastly improved running game, but that is about it.

Unfortunately, they have the next to impossible task of bottling up Harvey Unga, Austin Collie, and Dennis Pitta. The only team to successfully do that, when they were all healthy, was TCU, and we all know how that ended up. Even Utah didn’t do that, they were just the beneficiary of a lot of turnovers. Arizona should be scared of how bad Max Hall will want to make up for those mistakes this Saturday.

This may come as a surprise to some of you, but BYU needs to get pressure on the quarterback to be successful on defense. That was the key to their success last year, and what has been lacking this year. Give all the credit in the world to Jan Jorgensen for having a decent season being double and triple teamed. If there was even one other player that could command some attention, he would have been an All-American this year.

As I said before, Arizona should be scared about Max Hall’s desire for redemption on Saturday, but at the same time so should BYU. He will be the difference maker in this game. If he comes out fired up having learned from his many mistakes at Utah, he will shred Arizona apart like he was doing early in the season. On the other hand if he comes out with only the emotion, he will start forcing things again and this game could get out of hand the other way.

Knowing how Bronco has been in the past, after a disheartening loss, I would look for BYU to come out full of emotion just like the UCLA game. If they get a few fortunate bounces and calls, this game could end up much the same way. More realistically I would say BYU will simply wear them out with a heavy dose of Harvey Unga (what they should have done at Utah) and then pull away with a couple of late scores to finish it off.

Final score: BYU 42-Arizona 21.

Why I Love Bronco Mendenhall!

The Brothers Lynn — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 09:11:40 -0500

When Bronco Mendenhall was hired as the head coach at BYU, I wasn’t sure how it would work out. I had high hopes because of the success of his defenses while at BYU. The hustle and heart that they exhibited on a regular basis was truly commendable.

Looking back now, I am so grateful he is the coach. I am sure Kyle Whittingham would have done a decent job too, but I would much rather have Bronco. I came across a quote in another article that gave another prime example of why I love Bronco.

The hope by Mendenhall is the Cougars meet Arizona with a heightened sense of awareness and resolve.

“If our team chooses to take that approach, and if they don’t, many times it could get worse before it gets better. That doesn’t happen by chance but by choice. And so if we don’t play cleaner and at a higher level—not chance but choice—where they haven’t been quite humbled to the depths where it needed to be to really make changes necessary where it needed to be.”

Then Arizona will be another humbling loss.

“I can point it out. I can impose demand,” said Mendenhall. “But until it comes from personal recognition, choice will determine the outcome. We’ll know at the end of the game if they’ve taken that challenge or not, not to absolve myself, I’m responsible for all of it.

“But when we truly choose to learn the lessons, the program will get better.”

I love this personal accountability that he demands of his players. He takes the ultimate responsibility as the head coach, which is right, but he also puts the players on the spot because it is their effort and execution that lead to the final result.

I know he refuses to say how long he will stay, except that it won’t be as long as LaVell, but let us hope it will be a long, long time.

Utah Utes Basketball Team Acting Like Busch Leaguers

The Brothers Lynn — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 22:03:23 -0500

So I have not really trash talked the Yewts in depth this year, because I honestly feel it is a waste of my time, and mostly self explanatory. However, I had to say something about one of the lamest acts I have ever seen in a sporting event.

In Utah’s game last night against Oklahoma the joke named Luka Drca blatantly tripped one of the Oklahoma players. They were jawing a little bit as they started going down the court, but then, being the coward that he is, he kicked the other guy’s foot, tripping him. It is something you could see in any elementary school hallway without even looking hard.

I realize that the Yewts suck this year, more than I can ever remember them sucking, but this was pathetic. Maybe he was just taking a cheap shot at Oklahoma because he feels the football team got robbed, but we all know that is not the case.

I am not one for blowing things out of proportion, but he really should be suspended for a game, if you ask me. People do stupid things on the court all the time where they get technicals, and that is sufficient, but this was a blatant shot that could have seriously injured the other guy.

Let's just hope they don’t pull some stupid crap like that when they play us.

In closing, congrats to BYU on remaining undefeated; this season just looks more and more promising every week. Go Cougars!

BYU-Boise State: Broncos Can’t Keep Coug Shooters Down

The Brothers Lynn — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 01:58:24 -0500

BYU put on a shooting clinic tonight, and boy, was it fun to watch.

The first half of this game was what most people probably expected with it being a close game. Every time BYU pulled away a little bit, Boise came back to within a few. It was exciting all the way until the second half started, and then the fun began.

BYU just started shooting lights out. Had Boise St. been able to keep a handle on the ball and not turn it over so much, it may have been a slightly different story. But obviously that didn’t happen. BYU came down the court and almost every time that ball hit the bottom of the net. It was a shooter’s dream to watch.

Their passes were crisp, they were giving up good shots for better shots, and everyone had a hot hand. At one point they were shooting near 80 percent in the second half, and a lot of those were threes. It was nice to see everyone getting in on the fun too.

The defense is what has impressed me in previous games, but tonight the offense took center stage. It is so much fun to watch this team because they are just that: a team. They are all out to win, and not for personal accolades.

They also have very sure hands. Any number of players can bring the ball up the court with confidence. This allows for all kinds of fast breaks and open shots because the other team is not able to set up and get ready, and that leads to open shots and layups, which BYU had plenty of tonight.

The more I watch this team, the more excited I get about their success, because it is coming from both sides of the ball and from all the players on any given night. A player or two going cold will not kill us like in the past.

The Mountain West better watch out, because BYU is rockin' this year.

BCS Declares Germany Winner of WWII

The Brothers Lynn — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 10:21:50 -0500

So I found this article on the Deseret News website. I found it to be truly entertaining, and hope you get a good laugh from it. Somebody deserves some credit for it, but, like they said in the article, the author is unknown. Here it is just in case the link doesn’t work:

BCS DECLARES GERMANY WINNER OF WORLD WAR II… US Finishes Ranked 4th

After determining the Big-12 championship game participants the BCS computers were put to work on other major contests and today the BCS declared Germany to be the winner of World War II.

“Germany put together an incredible number of victories beginning with the annexation of Austria and the Sudetenland and continuing on into conference play with defeats of Poland, France, Norway, Sweden, Denmark,Belgium and the Netherlands. Their only losses came against the US and Russia; however considering their entire body of work–including an incredibly tough Strength of Schedule–our computers deemed them worthy of the #1 ranking.”

Questioned about the #4 ranking of the United States the BCS commissioner stated “The US only had two major victories–Japan and Germany. The computer models, unlike humans, aren’t influenced by head-to-head contests–they consider each contest to be only a single, equally-weighted event.”

German Chancellor Adolph Hitler said “Yes, we lost to the US; but we defeated #2 ranked France in only 6 weeks.” Herr Hitler has been criticized for seeking dramatic victories to earn ’style points’ to enhance Germany’s rankings. Hitler protested “Our contest with Poland was in doubt until the final day and the conditions in Norway were incredibly challenging and demanded the application of additional
forces.”

The French ranking has also come under scrutiny. The BCS commented “France had a single loss against Germany and following a preseason #1 ranking they only fell to #2.”

Japan was ranked #3 with victories including Manchuria, Borneo and the Philippines.

BYU Rebounding Problems: 39-29 and 14-7 Offensive Rebounding

The Brothers Lynn — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 18:36:44 -0500

USU dominated the Cougars on the boards with 39 rebounds to BYU’s 29. Add in the 14-7 advantage in offensive rebounds and it makes you wonder what BYU’s big men were doing.

I didn’t need to look at those numbers to know we’d been dominated. Just watching the game we all knew that USU was killing us on the boards, but those numbers sure drive the point home.

I’d be completely upset with our big men, but I think it’s probably more accurate to say that USU has some talented boys in the paint. USU is going to win a lot of games on the backs of Wilkinson and Wesley.

Despite USU’s talent, I thought BYU double-teamed very well. In the past BYU has been regularly hurt by passes out of the double-team that led to open shots. This wasn’t the case against USU and it was fun to see BYU executing the double-team so well.

Of course, my favorite stat of the night was BYU’s 12 steals. It sure is nice to have Jackson Emery back from his mission.

Sick of Las Vegas

The Brothers Lynn — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 22:39:37 -0500

I know I am not the only one that is sick of BYU playing in Vegas. I know that it won’t be official until tomorrow, but we all know what is going to happen. Honestly, I could probably live with it if the Pac-10 could send a decent team, but no, we will either be stuck with a 6-6 Arizona St, or what appears to be the case, a weak Arizona at 7-5.

I realize that the game will sell out thanks to BYU, but don’t they want a compelling game at least? Apparently not, as they have let Cal, the No. 4 Pac-10 team, get away because another bowl wanted a local team. So we get stuck with a crap team instead of a decent matchup.

How can the MWC allow their teams to get screwed out of decent competition? The Bowl is only concerned with money. But, the conference should be concerned with showcasing their teams and playing a team that is barely bowl-eligible, even if they are from a BCS conference, does nothing for gaining credibility.

We had a good year for the most part, and it will likely end with a win over a third Pac-10 team, but what good is it to bust your butts all year to end up with little to no national respect?

If the Mountain West wants to be taken more seriously, it needs to get in some better bowl contracts where the competition will be better, and the teams will have something more to play for. Until that happens, it will continue to be looked down upon, and be forced to play inferior opponents.

BYU Cougars Find Success in Consistency

The Brothers Lynn — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 22:25:30 -0500

While it was not necessarily the same game as the last few in terms of individual results, the team result was the same and ultimately that is what really matters.

Utah State figured to be the biggest test of the year to this point, and they did not disappoint. BYU had every opportunity to run away with this one, but Utah State refused to go away. They kept fighting and took it to the wire.

Luckily for BYU, they are a team and not a one-man show, because the one-man show known as Lee Cummard was not very good tonight. He would be the first to tell you it is the team that matters, but it is stupid to think he wouldn’t be bothered by such a poor outing.

The major upside of Cummard is even if he isn’t contributing with stats, he is still the leader of the team and will get them all going.

In past years if the team leader struggled, the whole team struggled. It seems to me that this year they are much better at stepping up and making something happen when one guy is off.

It helps that this team has a lot more weapons than they did in the past. On any given night almost any of the top six could go out and drop 20 points. That is a huge advantage to have. In much the same way the football team had many options and was difficult to shut down, this team can go in a lot of different directions and be successful.

It is this balance and team effort that gives me confidence that this year will be different and they can actually win a game or two in March.

We should know a lot more about how likely that is after Jan. 3, when Wake Forest comes to Provo.

Who goes pro?

The Brothers Lynn — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 21:15:34 -0500

Seeing as how I have nothing else to write about for a few weeks until the bowl selections are made I thought it might be interesting to consider who may enter the NFL draft early this year from BYU.

Cases coud be made for much of the offense, but I would say really only Jorgensen on defense. However, I really don’t think many, if any of them will go.

If you take away the TCU and Utah games Max Hall had a tremendous season. One which would have at least drawn the consideration of numerous scouts. Fortunately for us, He screwed up any chance he may have had when he threw five picks and had a fumble to close out the season. Talk about leaving a bad taste in their mouths. Max, and BYU will be better off with him hanging around.

Harvey’s season didn’t quite blow anyone away, but the talent is definitely there to go to the next level eventually. He needs one more year to really prove his worth and there is no reason to think he won’t take it.

Perhaps the greatest threat to leave early is Austin Collie. He leads the NCAA in yards, and has had a phenomenal year. I am sure he is garnering at least passive interest from multiple NFL teams, and he would be stupid to not at least consider it. However, the deck is stacked for next year to be even better getting both Utah and TCU at home. Not to mention his timing with Max can only get better, and he could add to his new BYU receiving yards record. Let’s cross our fingers he stays.

Dennis Pitta should also draw some attention which he will definitely consider. The BYU tight end factory continues to roll on, and he is another good one. Just like Collie, I think he would benfit greatly from another year in the national spotlight where he can gain more press and respect. Only time will tell how it turns out.

On defense, the only real prospect to go pro is Jan Jorgensen, but I don’t think this year was good enough for him to move on. He was so stellar last year that teams really started working him this year and knowing his work ethic he will study film all summer and come back that much stronger next year and ready to face the double teams.

This is all merely speculation and we won’t know anything for months but I don’t really see anyone moving on because it would be in all of their best interests to hang around for one more year.

Yeah for Basketball Season! BYU Hoops Eases Sting of Football Failure

The Brothers Lynn — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 01:02:03 -0500

In the midst of my moping while at work about BYU’s terrible loss this evening, I noticed that the men’s basketball team was playing. Hoping that they could bring some happiness to my otherwise sullen day, I decided to turn it on (thank you work for having DirecTV with all the channels).

It was an enjoyable game to watch, if not an exciting one. I needed a game where the outcome was not really in doubt for most of the second half. I will admit my outlook was very unsure coming into this year with the loss of some key players from last year, namely Trent Plaisted. I was very impressed with the way they played though.

What a game Chris Miles had. He had some great moves to the basket and continued to go for it, even when he missed a few. J.T. had a rough game, but every shooter goes through slumps, and he will work out of it.

Cummard had another great game and deserves all of the attention he is bound to get this year. When you are as good as he is, you find a way to score. It will be fun to see how teams try and stop him.

Perhaps the brightest spot I saw tonight was how well the Cougars were with help defense. There were numerous drives where the defender got beat, but another Cougar stepped in and filled the lane, forcing the other team to kick it back out.

I don’t think enough can be said about the importance of defense if BYU is to be successful this year, especially once they start to play better teams with quicker players.

We can’t expect them to go undefeated, but 5-0 is a great start. It should be another great year.

I Hate Losing!

The Brothers Lynn — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 00:52:43 -0500

I don’t know if there is anything I hate more than losing. It just sucks no matter what.

It doesn’t matter if the game is close, or a blowout. It doesn’t matter if you got beat or you lost (there is a difference). It doesn’t matter if it is any other team, or your rival.

Losing just sucks.

So how was I rewarded on this day that could have been so beautiful? I was rewarded with a BYU blowout loss to our biggest rival, the Utah Yewts. I really wish I knew what was wrong today. I am a firm believer that no one person is to blame for any one loss, but it is hard to overlook the game that Max Hall had today.

Let me first say I am a huge Max Hall fan, and was thrilled when he was named the starter last year. I also believe he is absolutely on the same level as Graham Harrel, Sam Bradford, and Colt McCoy when he is on.

But there is no doubt he was very off today. Throwing five picks, three of which led directly to touchdowns, is unacceptable. I am sure he would be the first person to admit that, and that he is beating himself up more than anyone else could, but it was just embarassing.

The saddest thing was that most of them weren’t even close. He was misreading plays like crazy all night long. I have just decided that even though he is a Junior, this is only his second year, so he was just getting the rest of his “sophomore slump” out that was left over from the TCU game. He will definately bounce back and come on strong next year. It’s just sad to already be looking to next year before Thanksgiving.

Is BYU Losing a Good Thing?

The Brothers Lynn — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 11:18:51 -0400

In reading all of the articles following the disheartening loss last week, my positive outlook has been somewhat dampened. I understand the feeling of a coach that there is often more to learn from a loss than a win, but the comments Bronco has been making this week, as well as some of the players, make me feel like they almost wanted to lose.

Bronco has repeatedly referred to the early losses in the last two seasons and how they allowed the team to see their weaknesses and improve for the rest of the season. You can’t argue with the results the last two years, but is it really necessary to actually lose to learn these things?

I would have thought close games with Northern Iowa and a weak Washington team would have provided ample opportunities to learn about your weaknesses. This says a lot to me about the coach's abilities.

Don’t get me wrong, I am a huge Bronco Mendenhall fan, but it seems this team is content with being an average team instead of the great team they had the potential to be. I don’t believe for a second that this team is not as good as everyone thought, and to hear Max Hall say that really doesn’t make sense.

You are only as good as you believe you are, so if you come out and say we really aren’t that good, what does that say to your teammates? Anyone who has watched this team play knows the talent level is there. What was lacking this week was the right attitude.

I will be a BYU fan until the day I die, no matter how good they are or what their record is. It would just be nice to hear a little bit of fire from some of the players. The coach needs to stay even keel and keep everything in perspective, but the players need to get fired up and emotional in order to do great things.

Unfortunately, this team seems content to be average and make, at best, another trip to Las Vegas—but that isn’t even within their control anymore.

BYU's Real Problem With the BCS

The Brothers Lynn — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 18:27:06 -0400

As I go reading through various people’s blogs and comments across the Internet, there is one common problem that I have discovered: Everything is totally black and white to most people. Your team has one bad game and the season is over, even if they don’t lose.

How the outcome of one game barely halfway through the season could result in the rest of the season being a failure is beyond me.

I am well aware of the state of college football, in which one loss, or even not applying a beatdown to a lesser opponent, can result in your being benched by the powers that be in the selection process—but maybe all of the talk is just what the BCS people want.

Every day there is a plethora of articles about how screwed up the BCS is and that change is needed. While I definitely have to agree with that thought process, maybe the BCS is sticking with the “any publicity is good publicity” idea.

If the BCS folded and went to a real national championship that was decided on the field, regardless of what conference you are from and how good voters THINK you are, what would all of the sports radio announcers have to talk about all week? Heaven forbid they actually discuss the games that were played or will soon be played.

This season and last season, more than almost any others, show that supposed experts know very little. Watching the Texas-OU game and having to listen to my favorite announcer aimlessly run his mouth about whatever was apparent to the most juvenile fan simply reaffirmed my belief that sportscasters buy their jobs—they don’t earn them.

You may be asking, what does any of this have to do with BYU? It is quite simple actually.

BYU is undefeated this season. They beat two teams from a supposed “power conference,” putting a major beatdown on one of the most storied programs in college football. Yet their fans talk about this one week being make or break, and the media refuses to give them any credit.

If you want to criticize BYU for the teams they have beaten, why not attack Texas Tech? Their schedule is about to get a whole lot tougher, though, and we will see how they hold up.

This week is going to be the gut check week for this BYU team. TCU is no joke, holding a top 25 ranking for the second time this season with an awesome defense. On the flip side, BYU has a pretty solid defense itself, and an offense that is due for a breakout game.

I am so excited to see them in person for the first time this year. Fort Worth is going to be a fun place to be Thursday night. It’s almost fitting that it will be on a Thursday night so that the whole country will be able to see the outcome independent of the Saturday chaos.

Go Cougars!

Ted Miller’s Take on BYU and It’s Top 10 Ranking

The Brothers Lynn — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 16:02:51 -0400

My friend sent this to me in an email, so I can’t link to it properly. However, it’s too good of a post to pass up.

Opening the mailbag: Ball State, BYU and Bush

October 7, 2008 8:01 PM

Posted by ESPN.com’s Ted Miller

Let’s just dive in…

Adam from Berkeley writes: Hey Ted, What exactly has BYU done to deserve a top ten spot? I’m looking at the teams that they’ve beaten and their opponents schedules thus far and there is nothing truly impressive other than that they have won games by a huge margin. It seems like the only reason that they’re in the top ten is because of their preseason ranking along with their victory over UCLA (right after they beat Tennessee). Seeing how that is no longer a noteworthy win, why don’t they drop in the polls?

Ted Miller: Know why BYU is ranked really high?

Because folks who do the rankings think the Cougars are really, really good.

Why do they think BYU is really, really good?

Because BYU has really, really good players. And a really, really good head coach.

If you’re looking for accomplishments, well, there are plenty of teams that haven’t done much — Texas Tech, Texas, Penn State, Florida, Oklahoma — that haven’t done a whole lot.

Why are those teams ranked highly?

Because folks think they are really, really good.

I couldn’t have said it better myself. Now I just hope we can keep playing like we’re really, really good.