Bleacher Report - Articles by Dustin Johnson

Busting Up The BCS: BYU and Houston are Cougars on the prowl!

Dustin Johnson — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 22:46:07 -0400

Welcome back fans of the underdogs. This last week included some big wins(Houston) and some devastating losses (Notre Dame).

The losses by Ohio State and Oklahoma State were helpful to our hopefuls. Dropping off the radar for now as BCS busters are Notre Dame (tough loss to Michigan), Fresno State (heart breaker to Wisconsin), and Bowling Green (gut wrencher to Missouri). Added to the conversation are SMU, Hawaii, and Sourthern Miss.

Big games with big implications this week are No. 14 Georgia Tech vs No. 20 Miami, No. 10 Boise St. vs Fresno St., No. 19 Nebraska vs No. 13 Virginia Tech, Tulsa vs. No. 12 Oklahoma, and Florida St. vs No. 7 BYU.

Don't forget there is also the possibility of a major upset or two. So lets look at the teams vying to bust up the BCS.

THE CONTENDERS

BYU Cougars AP No. 7, USA Today No. 9

The Cougars did what they needed to do against Tulane. That was roll right over 'em. Next up is the Cougars first home game against Florida State. Another win against a BCS school will help BYU's cause immensely.

Boise State Broncos AP No. 10, USA Today No. 11

Boise pounced on Miami(OH) and never relented with 48-0 win. Next up is a tough game at Fresno State. The Bulldogs will be looking to make sure everyone knows that Boise isn't the only team with game in the WAC.

TCU Horned Frogs AP No. 15, USA Today No. 15

TCU looked good in their win over Virginia on Saturday. They dominated defensively and did what they had to on the offense, typical Gary Patterson coached team. This week should be a cakewalk for the Frogs against Texas State.

Utah Utes AP No. 18, USA Today No. 16

The Utes looked less than impressive in their win against San Jose State, waiting until the fourth quarter to decide the game. They'll need more than that this week when they head to Eugene to take on the Oregon Ducks.

Houston Cougars AP No. 21

The Cougars did what those other Cougars did in week one and that is break the spirits of the state of Oklahoma and stun the nation. Houston jumps into the category of contender after offing Oklahoma State 45-35. The Cougs have the week off and will spend it getting ready for Texas Tech in week four.

ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN

Tulsa Golden Hurricane
Ran over New Mexico 44-10. That won't happen this week when the Cane takes on Oklahoma in week three.

SMU Mustangs
Will have a tough road as next two games are against Washington State and TCU.

Hawaii Warriors
Won at Washington State 38-20. Next up is a tough game at UNLV (just ask Oregon State).

Southern Miss Golden Eagles
Beat UCF 26-19 but up next is Virginia followed by a tough game at Kansas. Win those and they'll be contenders.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Loss at Michigan may be overcome if Michigan goes on to have a great season while the Irish win out. That is easier said than done with a game against No. 3 USC on the horizon.

Fresno State Bulldogs
Fresno lost a heartbreaker in Wisconsin after two OTs. They have a chance to save their status though with games against No. 10 Boise State and at No. 17 Cincinnati back to back in weeks three and four.

Let's all get ready for more BCS busting action in week three. This season promises to be the most exciting for the underdogs yet!

Preview the 2009 NFL Season ... And the Super Bowl Champ is?

Dustin Johnson — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:18:19 -0400

Within these hallowed grounds you'll find the predictions of winners on the gridiron battlefield. The men will rise up among the boys and dominate this sacred game of the gods. Many brats and many beers will be consumed by true fans lucky enough to witness the clash of these title hungry titans. The true warriors of the green will rise to the occasion in 2009 to claim their place in pigskin history. Find out here who those teams will be before it even happens.

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Busting Up The BCS: A Look Back at Week One and Ahead To Week Two

Dustin Johnson — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:19:44 -0400

Welcome fans of the underdog to my weekly column on which of the little geeky guys can end up crashing the big dance and becoming the hit of the year. Each week we'll take a look at the mid-majors trying to bang with the big boys. The teams on the radar after week one include the old standbys of Boise State, Utah, TCU, BYU, and Notre Dame. Also possibly in the picture are Tulsa, Houston, Bowling Green and Fresno State. Lets stop wasting time and take a look at the teams.

The Main Contenders:

BYU COUGARS: AP No. 9, USA TODAY No. 12

The Cougs won arguably the biggest game in MWC history by beating Oklahoma 14-13. They used a stout defense (holding OU to 13 points and knocking last years Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford out for two to four weeks) and the senior leadership of QB Max Hall (78 yard 4th quarter go-ahead drive) to overcome early turnovers. The surprise here is that BYU has a defense! Bronco Mendenhall's Cougars now have the inside track to a BCS game and other possibilities. Up this week @ Tulane—need I say more.

BOISE STATE BRONCOS: AP No. 12, USA TODAY No. 11

Boise played a heck of a game against Oregon even though it was overshadowed by the Punch heard round the nation. Boise is now set to run the table and make another trip to a BCS game. Next game is Miami(OH)-Broncos will continue to move up the rankings.

TCU HORNED FROGS: AP No. 16, USA TODAY No. 16

Gary Patterson and the Horned Frogs (why does that mascot not inspire any fear in me?) didn't see any action last Saturday. Up this week TCU is @ Virginia. The Cavaliers lost in Week One to William & Mary. TCU's vaunted defense should force more turnovers than the seven Virginia gave up last week.

UTAH UTES: AP No. 17, USA TODAY No. 17

The Utes broke in their new quarterback in Terrance Cain against their in-state rivals Utah State. Matt Asiata was a workhorse with 36 carries and 100+ yards. Expect more of the same this week when the Utes meet San Jose State fresh off a 56-3 drubbing from USC.

NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH: AP No. 18, USA TODAY No. 20

The Irish won 35-0 against a lackluster Nevada team. The Irish who are picked by Lou "Where are my meds" Holtz to play in the National Championship will meet a bit stiffer resistance in Michigan at the Big House. The Irish will either rise to the challenge or wilt under the pressure.

The Hopefuls Looking In

Tulsa Golden Hurricanes: Tulsa dropped Tulane in Week One 37-13. In Week Two they will face a slightly tougher match-up in New Mexico

Houston Cougars: The Cougars ran all over Northwestern State on Saturday. This maybe the first and last week they are discussed as they would have to take No. 5 Oklahoma State this week to remain in any BCS consideration.

Bowling Green Falcons: BG may be in the same boat as Houston. They beat Troy in Week One but are looking at a very tough test in No. 25 Missouri in week two.

Fresno State Bulldogs: The Bulldogs rolled over UC Davis 51-0 in a tune up game. Well they better have gotten a great tune-up because this week they travel to Wisconsin. If they make it past that game there is a little road block called Boise State the next week.

Anyway, that's all for now. Let me know what you think and tell me who I left out.

DJ's NBA Midseason Awards: Western Conference All-Stars

Dustin Johnson — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 16:46:18 -0500

Continuing my midseason awards I give you my Western Conference All-Star team. My picks are based solely on production, leadership, and a players value to their team. I won't go on and on about these guys. I'll just let their stat lines speak for them. So without further ado lets turn out the lights and begin the introduction of your West starting five.

PG: Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets

20.8 ppg, 11.1 apg, 4.6 rpg, and 2.8 spg. I'll say this about CP3 he is a ball hawk. John Stockton you better watch out cause your all-time steals leader spot is gonna be Chris'.

SG: Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers

27.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 4.9 apg, 1.3 spg. Kobe continues to show he can be a great scoring as well as distributor, and he's always a cold blooded killer when the games on the line.

SF: Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder

24.1 ppg, 6.2 rbg, 2.5 apg, and 1.2 spg. Kevin Durant is sole reason the Thunder won't go down as the worst team in NBA history.

PF: Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks

26.0 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 2.6 apg, and 91 percent free throw shooting. Dirk is a nasty shooter who plays with some serious intensity.

C: Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs

20.3 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 3.6 apg, and 1.9 bpg. TD is a consistent threat down low against any team. There's a reason they call him the big fundamental.

And now here's the rest of the team in no particular order. The Bench will consist of:

Chauncey Billups, Denver Nuggets: 19.0 ppg, 5.6 apg, 2.9 rpg, and 1.4 spg.

Brandon Roy, Portland Trailblazers: 22.6 ppg, 5.2 apg, 4.8 rpg, and 1.1 spg.

Al Jefferson, Minnesota Timberwolves: 22.2 ppg, 10.5 rpg, and 1.7 bpg.

Amare Stoudamire, Phoenix Suns:21.8 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.1 spg, and 1.1 bpg.

Carmelo Anthony, Denver Nuggets: 21.1 ppg, 7.3 rpg, and 3.6 apg.

Paul Millsap, Utah Jazz: As a Starter - 17.4 ppg, 11.1 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.4 spg, 1.1 bpg.

Yao Ming, Houston Rockets: 19.6 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 1.8 apg, and 1.7 bpg.

I put Millsap's number as a starter to show my belief why he should be in. Oh, and Yao's in there to appease about six billion people.

DJ's NBA Midseason Awards: Choosing the Best Coach

Dustin Johnson — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 21:42:16 -0500

This year has seen the firing of six coaches so far! To add to that there are others who either seem to be on their way out or are adding to the speculation of their own demise. That being said who will be this years Coach of the Year when the season winds down? Who will stand and take up the mantle of greatest basketball general for the 08/09 season. Well here is my unbiased(mostly) thoughts on who is in the race and who is leading the field at the halfway mark of the season. Keep reading as it just might surprise you when you see which Coach I think should be number one. Then again for those of you who have read any of my articles before it might not. Let's just say that a teams win loss record doesn't have everything to do with the ability of its Coach.

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Utah Jazz Agree To One Year Extension For Coach Jerry Sloan

Dustin Johnson — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 18:17:55 -0500

The Deseret News is reporting that the Utah Jazz have reached an agreement on Sunday to a one year contract extension with Coach Jerry Sloan. Sloan who is the longest tenured coach in all of professional sports will be rejoining the Jazz for his 22nd year at the helm.

Recently Sloan's contracts have all be one year deals, the difference this year is that the agreement has not waited until season's end to be finalized. This year alone six NBA coaches have been fired.

During the time that Jerry Sloan has roamed the bench of the Utah Jazz over 225 coaches have been fired in the NBA alone. Each team in the league has made at least two coaching changes since Sloan was hired on December 8th, 1988.

Coach Sloan is the only NBA coach to have won over 1,000 games with the same team(1019 and counting). He is also the fourth winningest coach in league history. Meanwhile Jerry has led the Utah Jazz to 18 playoff appearances in his first 20 seasons. The only two things eluding him now are an NBA title and NBA Coach of Year. Here's hoping for both in the near future!

DJ's NBA Mid-season Awards:And the MVP is?

Dustin Johnson — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 16:55:40 -0500

The race for the MVP is extremely close this year and included a stable of players who are both perrennial favorites and upstart surprises. Here's my top five. But first the list of Honorable Mentions: Chris Paul, Tim Duncan, Brandon Roy, Joe Johnson, Dirk Nowitski, Paul Milsap, Amare Stoudamire, Yao Ming, Kevin Garnett, and Deron Williams.

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DJ's NBA Power Poll: King James and His Court Are Feasting on Home Cooking

Dustin Johnson — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 18:53:30 -0500

Sorry for the long delay between power polls. It seems that when you take a new job and your company offers to pay you salary they really mean you work more for less overall. Oh well, I will try to continue posting power polls every two weeks throughout the rest of the season.

Cleveland Cavaliers 31-7: LeBron and his fellow Cavs have been nothing less than perfection at home. At this point a 70-12 season is not out of the realm of possibilities.
Orlando Magic 32-8: Dwight and Co. have won the first three of their four game west coast trip. What's more impressive is they beat the Spurs and the Lakers. Can they go four for four with a win over the Nuggets tonight? As a Jazz fan I hope the answer to that one is YES!
Los Angeles Lakers 31-8: The Lakers maybe reeling off back to back losses to the Spurs and Magic, but they need to regroup quick because LeBron James and the Cavs are in town on Monday night looking to prove that their ready to contend for a title.
Boston Celtics 32-9: Wasn't Boston supposed to be challenged by the revamped Toronto and Philly teams? Guess not with a 12.5 game lead on Philly, they may have the Atlantic Division all wrapped up by the All-Star game.
Denver Nuggets 27-13: I now hate the Pistons almost as much as I do the Nuggets after that AI trade. That being said I have to hand it to C-Bill and Denver, they are much improved without AI and Carmelo it seems!
San Antonio Spurs 25-13: I almost wrote off the Spurs by mid-November, but they have risen from the near dead to take the lead in the Southwest division. Once again this team could be dangerous by season's end.
New Orleans Hornets 23-13: Only two wins in their last five games means Chris Paul needs to come out strong tonight against the Pistons to keep his team in stride with the Spurs.
Portland Trail Blazers 24-15: These young Trail Blazers are looking to give both the Nuggets and Jazz a run for their money. Jerrod Bayless is looking to step up now that Steve Blake has gone down with a separated shoulder.
Utah Jazz 24-16: Jerry Sloan's team has an excellent opportunity in the next five games, as four are against Dallas, Houston, Cleveland, and Denver. If Deron can get this team to win four of the next five they'll be in great position going into the second half of the season.
Phoenix Suns 22-15: Currently sitting in eighth in the West the Suns now embark on a daunting six game East road swing. If things don't at the least go decent they could be that ninth team looking in at the other eight.
Houston Rockets 24-16: They will move up the rankings if T-Mac and Yao can stay healthy. However that is a very large IF!
Atlanta Hawks 23-16: Their play of late has looked more like the Hawks we've all come to know and love beating up on. Can they turn it around now that they have three of their next four at home?
Detroit Pistons 22-16: Losers of four in a row try to get back on track tonight while hosting the Hornets. D-town made a big mistake with the AI trade. Oh they'll make the playoffs, but they won't be a factor anymore in a vastly improved East.
Dallas Mavericks 22-17: Seriously people this is outrageous! The fact that this has been allowed to go on to the point it has cost a single man $1.5 million is reprehensible! What am I talking about you ask? Mark Cuban's antics as an owner. His latest fine for getting into it the Denver Nuggets has put him at right around $1.5 million in fines over the years. I don't know about you but I wish I had 1.5 percent of that.
Miami Heat 21-17: It doesn't get any easier for D-Wade and the Heat, after they finish off their seven game road trip on Sunday. They have Boston, Orlando, and Atlanta coming to town right after. A good stretch of basketball could leave them sitting pretty.
Philadelphia 76ers 19-20: The Elton Brand era has now been what was expected so far. That being said they sit in seventh place overall in the East right now. That being said they company vying for the seventh and eighth spot right now is crowded with every East team still in the hunt but Washington.
New Jersey Nets 19-21:Losers of four of their last five with a four game West road swing coming up makes for an ugly picture. One bright spot is Brook Lopez, who is leading the team in rebounds, FG percentage, and blocks. I put him on my all NBA breakout team and he's not letting me down.
Milwaukee Bucks 20-22: With Richard Jefferson, Michael Redd, and Andrew Bogut, how is this team not better than they have shown so far this season? How? I just don't get it.
Chicago Bulls 18-22: The baby Bulls went into Toronto and won, they held off Cleveland at home, (no small feat) now they could get their first three game win streak of the year by beating San Antonio tonight.
Toronto Raptors 16-25: I understand playing in the same division as Boston can be intimidating because they need to do something quick or this boat is gonna capsize. Rumors are swirling, including picking Steve Nash or shipping O'Neal off to the Heat. Stay tuned.
Indiana Pacers 15-25: The Pacers are one of those teams that can't decide whether they're good or bad. Quality wins against the Lakers and Celtics, among others and yet they just can't seem to get it together against the mediocre teams of the league. If they figure it out they could be a dangerous six, seven, or eight seed in the east.
Charlotte Bobcats 15-24: First they trade J-Rich to Phoenix, now they send Matt Carroll and Ryan Hollins to Dallas for Diop. Rumors are shoulder deep about trades involving Raymond Felton. It's entertaining to see who is in the lineup each night anyway.
New York Knicks 15-23: New season, new coach, new offense, same ol Knicks record. It's just painful to watch really.
Minnesota Timberwolves 12-26: On the bright-side the T-wolves have won four of their last five and Al Jefferson and Randy Foye are both ballers.
Oklahoma City Thunder 8-33: OKC has won five of it's last 10, including wins against Utah and Detroit. Oh and just in case you still wondering, yes Kevin Durant is an All-Star.
Golden State Warriors 12-29: Captain Jack is back. That's about the only positive thing for Warriors this year.
Sacramento Kings 10-31: This team has shown no signs of life. If they don't wake up and start playing the team doctor will pronounce them dead at any moment.
Memphis Grizzlies 11-28: Outside of OJ Mayo this team can't score. Their last game against the Jazz, Mayo scored 21 points, the rest of the starters also scored 21 points combined.
Washington Wizards 8-31: The reason they rank above the Clippers? Gilbert Arenas is sitting behind the bench waiting to comeback for the end of the season.
Los Angeles Clippers 8-30: Give these guys credit. I mean to win eight games in NBA as an NBDL team is no small feat! Yeah I said it Billy Crystal! What ya gonna do? Make me watch City Slickers 2!

Dear Santa, I Want an Extension For Paul Millsap and the Jazz to Trade Boozer

Dustin Johnson — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 06:38:34 -0500

Dear Santa,

This year for Christmas I only want two things as a Jazz fan. First and foremost please help the Jazz to get an extension signed by Paul Millsap. And second how about a big trade involving Carlos Boozer? That's not beyond your power is it? With the economy the way it has been maybe you could employee a couple of out work elves to get this done.

Santa, here is my reasoning why you should bring this for Christmas. Paul has been a very good boy this year. He has 15 double doubles in row now. 15 out of 16 games started that he did that. As a starter this year he is averaging 18.5 points per game and 11.5 rebounds per game. Paul has gone from super-sub to one of the best power forwards in the game.

What is the poll on the Utah Jazz's website right now? Well it asks, "Is Paul Millsap an All-Star?" Let me answer that for you Santa, YES! Of Course he is. Paul is a man among men. He never takes a game off, a quarter off, a minute off, or even a single play off. He is made of one hundred percent pure heart and hustle just the way Coach Jerry Sloan likes 'em made.

Santa, I am scared that this summer every team in the league that can, will be throwing money at Paul (who's the money man now Memo). So I come to my second Christmas wish. Please trade Boozer, it would give us something in return and free up the cash to resign Paul. We all now know that Carlos is going to opt out at the end of the year anyway.

Now Santa let me ask you given the choice of Salt Lake or Miami where would you want to spend the winter months? Oh wait you hang in the North Pole, don't answer. I'm thinking Carlos and his wife are gonna be looking at South Beach and thinking why not.

So that being said Santa please help the Jazz get something in return instead of just possibly watching both all-star power forwards walk out the front door of the ESA without looking back next summer.

Send an elf over to Kevin O'Conners house to whisper possible deals in his ear. Tell your elf to be imaginative. Maybe suggest something like C Booz for Andrew Bynum, Trevor Ariza, and a couple of Laker girls. Or maybe send him to Atlanta for Al Horford, Marvin Williams, a case of Coke, and a crate of Peaches.

Anyway thanks for reading this Santa and please remember my Christmas wishes.

DJ's November NBA Awards Spectacular: It's the Year Of LeBron

Dustin Johnson — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 15:36:14 -0500

Here is my personal take how the NBA season has gone so far and how things would fall if the season were over tomorrow. Enjoy!

Most Valuable Player

LeBron James: He is averaging robust numbers with 27.8 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 6.4 apg, and 1.9 spg. Beyond that, the Cavaliers are off to their best start ever and own the leagues third best record behind LA and Boston (Both of which have multiple stars contributing).
Dwayne Wade: The only thing keep D-Wade from the top spot is his teams record at 9-9. He sports numbers just as good as King James with 28.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 7.9 apg, 2.3 spg, and 1.7 bpg.
Dwight Howard: The Magic center is averaging a jaw dropping 14.0 rpg and 3.9 bpg to go with his 21.4 ppg off of nearly 59 percent shooting. This is down-low dominance has not been seen Shaq still had legs to jump with.

Honorable Mention: Chris Bosh, Kobe Bryant, Devin Harris, Chris Paul, and Chauncey Billups.

Rookie of the Month

Derrick Rose: Rose has lead the Bulls to an 8-9 record. He is averaging 18.4 ppg, 6.0 apg, 4.1 rpg, and 1.0 spg.
O.J. Mayo: Similar to D-Wade above the only thing holding Mayo from the No. 1 spot is his teams dismal 4-13 record. He is averaging 21.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.2 apg, and 1.3 spg.

Honorable Mention: Michael Beasley, D.J. Augustin, Russell Westbrook, Marc Gasol, and Rudy Fernandez.

Coach of the Month

Jerry Sloan: Sloan's decision to start CJ Miles and bring former all-star Andrei Kirilenko off the bench was a genius gamble. To top that off, the Jazz are having an 11-7 record with all the games lost to injuries is a reflection of the hard-nosed style of play Sloan preaches.
Doc Rivers: Doc continues to develop his younger players around the Boston Three Party of KG, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen. The whole time continuing to get great production from his entire team who stands at 17-2.

Honorable Mention: Phil Jackson, Stan Van Gundy, Greg Poppovich, and Mike D'Antoni.

Sixth Man of November

Utah Jazz Bench: Hear me out on this one. The Jazz has lost more than 50 games to injury this year already. Mostly from Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer, Andrei Kirilenko, Matt Harpring, and Kyle Korver. At different times this season the entire bench has stepped up. The effort has been lead by AK, Ronnie Price, and Paul Milsap.
Nate Robinson: He is averaging 14.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 4.2 apg, and 1.7 spg.

Best Decision So Far:

Denver Trades For Chauncey: The Nuggets are 12-4 since shedding Allen Iverson for Chauncey Billups in order to provide a floor general for a team that had enough scorers. Doesn't that really say it all?
Jazz Bench Kirilenko: Andrei and CJ Miles are thriving under this arrangement. AK is averaging three year highs of 12.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 3.4 apg, 1.4 spg, and 1.3 bpg off of the bench. While as a starter Miles is averaging career highs of 11.1 ppg, 2.6 rpg, and 2.2 apg.
New York Dumps Salary: Seriously, can anyone doubt that dropping the salaries of Zach Randolph and Jamal Crawford was a great idea? Who in New York doesn't want LeBron to sign as a free agent in 2010?

Mostly Likely To Contend For Championship

LA Lakers
Boston Celtics
Cleveland Cavaliers

Honorable Mention: Utah Jazz, Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic, Houston Rockets, and the Phoenix Suns.

Mostly Likely To Win The Lottery

Oklahoma City Blunder
Los Angeles Slippers
Memphis Fizzlies

Dishonorable Mention: Washington Wizards, Sacramento Kings, Minnesota Timberwolves, and the Golden State Warriors.

All That Jazz: 10 Things Jazz Fans Can Be Thankful For

Dustin Johnson — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 16:32:40 -0500

Happy Turkey Day Jazz Fans. So far this season there has been a lot to be thankful for despite the many injuries and disappointing road record. Here is a list of those things that we should as Jazz fans all be thankful for.

D-Will Is Back

Okay so he may not be 100 percent but look at the difference Deron Williams made in the Memphis game last night. Sure he can't be as aggressive as normal, but he can still dish the rock as shown by his 15 assists last night. Utah erupted for 117 points in response to having their unquestioned leader back on the floor.

Jerry Sloan

I believe that if Jerry Sloan does not get the Coach of the Year award this year, there is a serious amount of injustice in this NBA universe. His strong and steady leadership has kept this team together with all of the injuries so far. On top of that, his call to bring Andrei Kirilenko off the bench was absolute genius. AK has been spectacular off the bench and thrives in bringing that spark of energy to each and every game.

Andrei Kirilenko

Speaking of AK. Lets all be thankful that he has pulled on his big boy pants, wiped away the tears, and started playing like the All-Star he can be. This is the AK-47 of old mowing down opposing offenses with a variety of swipes, deflections, nasty blocks, and overall hustle.

Paul Milsap

Two words describe what we have to be thankful for in Paul Milsap: Heart and Hustle. This guy is the prototypical Jerry Sloan favorite. He has a nose for the ball and complete disregard for his own physical well-being. He is the reason there might just might be a Carlos Boozer trade in January. He has shown that he can be a starting power forward in this league with an emphasis on POWER.

Bench Depth

The bench for this Jazz team must be not only the deepest in the league, but perhaps the best bench Jerry Sloan has ever coached. On this bench are Kirilenko, Paul Milsap, Kyle Korver, Matt Harpring, and Ronnie Price. Seriously I think those five would make a better starting five than half the teams in the league. I dare you to name five guys coming off another team's bench that are as good as these guys.

The New ESA Speaker System

Now you can really hear a Jazz game when your there. I can hardly wait for the Pacers game in January when my daughter will be dancing at half time.

Larry H. Miller

Lets all give a moment to be thankful for Larry and his ability to pull through his recent health problems. Hopefully he will be a staple courtside for years to come at Jazz games.

The Dunkmaster

AKA Ronnie Brewer. This guy cuts the lanes and finishes dunks as good as any player in the NBA. After years of dealing with the likes of Gordan Giricek, it is nice to have such an athletic finisher at shooting guard. On top of his finishing ability, he is quickly developing a jump shot to match.

Centers Who Can Shoot The Globe

Thank you Memhet Okur and Kosta Koufos. We all know that Boozer and Milsap rule the lane like a pack of hungry lions. So who needs an inside force at center? A pure outside shooter works just as well.

How many times has the Money Man sent the other team a Memo to win a game? Kosta looks to be cut from the same cloth. If he can develop into what Memo is, then the Jazz will have made an awesome pick in the late first round.

Ghosts of the Past

One last thanks goes out to all the Jazz players and personnel that came before helping to make this franchise one of the best in the league. Special thanks to Karl Malone, John Stockton, Pete Maravich, Adrian Dantley, Darrell Girffith, Jeff Hornacek, Mark Eaton, Thurl Bailey, Jeff Malone, Bryon Russell, Tom Chambers, Frank Layden, Kevin O'Conner, Phil Johnson, Ron Boone, Hot Rod Hundley, Craig Bolerjack, and Walt Perrin.

The Best Reasons To Be Thankful for Utah Sports

Dustin Johnson — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 18:14:41 -0500

It that time of year that we should all be giving thanks as sports fans. I could go on and on about all the things I am thankful for:

Turducken (that's a Chicken stuffed in a Duck stuffed in a Turkey and then slow cooked mmm mmm), my family, a new season of Ghost Hunters, Megan Fox, The Dark Knight on blue-ray, a Jeff Dunham Christmas special, and other things...but I digress.

The real reason for this article is to give my list of things to be thankful for about the State of the State of Utah Sports. The reasons are many, varied, and cover most of the sports teams in Utah...

UTAH UTES

Even the most vehement of BYU fans need to be thankful for 12-0!

The Utes are now sitting back and waiting for that automatic BCS bid. Oh and BYU fans your program will now be getting a cool million for your sports programs. Ute fans your team get dos million.

UTAH JAZZ

Let's all give thanks that we can still field a starting five! Honestly with as many injuries these Jazz have endured let's be thankful the team is 10-6. Give thanks for Jerry Sloan being the backbone of this team. Without his steady influence this team might have fallen apart with everything they have been through.

A great big thanks goes to the bench of these Jazz. AK, Milsap, Price, Korver, Knight, and Kosta have stepped up big time in the absence of some key Jazz players most notably D-Will, Booz and Harpring.

BYU COUGARS

Let's all give thanks for Bronco Mendenhall. Glory has been restored in Provo. Yes I know all you Cougar crazies are down in the dumps from the big loss to Utah, but look on the bright side of life:

You're 10-2 and going bowling.This team will be ranked to start next season due to their returning starters on offense. In effect this will lead to another BCS run and duel with your rival Utah.

Next give thanks for Lee Cummard's decision to not enter the NBA draft last year and return for another season of Y basketball. He will be the MVP of the MWC this season—mark my words.

UTAH STATE AGGIES

Um, let's see, there has to be something here, I know there is, must be, oh yeah the Football team won two games this year and then fired Brent Guy. Not that Guy is a bad well guy but it was time for a change. On the other hand Stew Morrill and the basketball team are the one thing every Aggie fan gives thanks for.

Look for another 20 win season and possible NCAA Tournament berth.

UTAH VALLEY UNIVERSITY WOLVERINES

Okay first all of us Wolverine fans need to give thanks that this is the last year on division one probation. Next year the Wolverines will be eligible for postseason play and finally be part of a conference instead of an independent. On top of that give thanks for two UVU players.

One current player in Ryan Toolson who is lighting up opposing defenses so far this year averaging 29 points per game. The is alum Ronnie Price who has been filling in admirably for the injured Deron Williams for the Utah Jazz.

SNOW COLLEGE BADGERS

Thanks, Thanks, Thanks, and more Thanks. This is the only Utah football team with a chance at a national championship.

The No. 1 Badgers play No. 2 Butler Community College on Dec. 6th in the Top of the Mountain Bowl for the National Championship. This game is a rematch of last years championship game against these same two teams. GO BADGERS

REAL SALT LAKE

Utah's only other major league sports team finally made the playoffs.

SKI SEASON

It is ski season in Utah once again. Thanks for Utah's ski resorts for allowing us to ski on the greatest snow on earth.

I sure there are more sports items in Utah to be thankful for but I am tired and can't think of them right now. Whatever I missed please please please comment on it below.

One thing I am not thankful for in Utah sports is adult recreational baseball leagues. My reasoning is simple. I blew out my knee in the first game of the season and now I can't ski until next year.

Adult Baseball League Registration Fee $85, Season Ski Pass $325, Knee Surgery $12,679, Inability To Use Ski Pass...PRICELESS.

DJ's NBA Power Poll: A Tale Of Two Teams In One City, LA That Is!

Dustin Johnson — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:58:06 -0500

It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. Some celebrities (Leo and Jack) were grinning. Other celebs (Billy Crystal and ?) were groaning. It all happened in one city. The rise of one fan nation. The continued and prolonged fall of another.

Biggest Movers: New York +11, Toronto -10, Memphis -9

Los Angeles Lakers 12-1 (1): Should remain number one into December, as the next five games are against teams with .500 record or less.
Boston Celtics 13-2 (3): KG and team are on a five game winning streak and have four of the next five at home.
Cleveland Cavaliers 11-3 (5): LeBron leads this team and I mean literally, as he is the team leader in points, rebounds, assists, and steals per game.
Orlando Magic 10-4 (10): D Howard is the man in Orlando. Averaging nearly 21 points, 14 rebounds, and four blocked shots per game.
Houston Rockets 10-5 (8): Until T-Mac or Yao Ming go down to injury this team looks to be a steady top 10 or maybe top five.
Utah Jazz 9-6 (2): The fact that this team is 9-6 and not 1-14 with as many injuries as Utah has had is a testament to why Jerry Sloan should win Coach of Year.
Phoenix Suns 9-5 (9): Nash and Co. look to close out November strong with games against teams that are a combined 17-34.
Denver Nuggets 10-5 (12): The trade for Billups is having a great effect, as the nuggets have won seven of 10.
Portland Trailblazers 9-6 (13): These are the Jailblazers of old. These young men will give the Jazz and the Nuggets a challenge this for the Northwest this year.
Detroit Pistons 8-5 (7): I just might be right about the AI trade not working Detroit's lost three of the last four, including one to Minnesota.
New Orleans Hornets 8-5 (6): CP3 is averaging 21 points, 12 assists, and three steals per game. The man is an animal, a speedy leopard that can handle a basketball.
Atlanta Hawks 8-5 (4): The Hawks fast start has slipped back to a more proper level of mediocrity.
San Antonio Spurs 7-6 (20): If only the Spurs could play the Jazz all 82 games they might go undefeated.
New York Knicks 7-7 (25): Is anyone sure that the Yankees aren't secretly playing for the Knicks? Does Mike D'Antoni look like Joe Torre?
Chicago Bulls 7-8 (17): Derrick Rose is making a case for why he was picked first overall. Did anyone see how he played against the Jazz on Monday night?
Miami Heat 7-7 (14): The future is looking quite sunny for the Heat, with their young guns in Mario Chalmers and Michael Beasley.
Philadelphia 76ers 7-7 (22): The starters on this team are starting gel. If only the bench could at least mingle a little bit they might become contenders.
Dallas Mavericks 7-7 (15): J-Kidd and Dirk still have game. But what about the rest of the Mavs?
Milwaukee Bucks 7-9 (18): It won't be long before Luke Ridnour is looking up from the bench while Ramon Sessions runs the floor on a full time basis.
New Jersey Nets 6-7 (21): A four game road swing out West won't help the Nets stay above .500.
Toronto Raptors 6-7 (11): The Raptors have lost seven of the last 10. Not the direction a team this talented should be headed.
Indiana Pacers 5-8 (19): This is a two man team. Fans please welcome your to the floor the Indiana Ford Grangers.
Golden State Warriors 5-9 (23): Jamal Crawford will fit in well with Don Nelson's run and gun style.
Sacramento Kings 5-10 (26): Giving up 105 points per game isn't going to win many games in the NBA.
Memphis Grizzlies 4-10 (16): Young team + talent + no experience = another trip to the lottery.
Charlotte Bobcats 4-9 (24): It's a good thing this team can play defense because they have no idea what an offense is.
Minnesota Timberwolves 3-9 (27): If Randy Foye can play more aggressive then these young Wolves have a chance at a few more wins.
Washington Wizards 2-10 (29): Goodbye Eddie Jordan. Hello Ed Tapscott? It doesn't matter who the coach is the Wizards need Agent Zero.
Los Angeles Clippers 2-12 (30): Is that another star? Nope just the gleam of hope in Billy Crystal's eye after the Zach Randolph trade.
Oklahoma City Thunder 1-14 (28): The Blunder (I mean Durants) have lost eleven in a row. PJ never had a chance at staying on as coach.

Check back Dec. 1st for a special Power Poll and Awards article.

The NBA All-Time Utah Team

Dustin Johnson — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:31:31 -0500

Before I jump into the starting line-up and then onto the bench, I need to explain this is not the all-time Utah Jazz team (although there will be Jazz members on it), but it is the all-time state of Utah team. It can and will include anyone that played either High School, College, or NBA ball for a team in the state of Utah.

THE STARTING FIVE

PG: John Stockton

The NBA's all-time leader in career assists (by almost 6,000 more that Magic Johnson) and steals. He helped lead the Utah Jazz to their only two NBA finals. John has career averages of 13.1 points per game, 10.5 assists per game, and 2.17 steals per game. Stock played in every game in 17 or his 19 seasons with the Utah Jazz setting an NBA record.

John also owns the record for 1,000 assists in a season. He is responsible for seven of the nine seasons that a player has surpassed 1,000 assists.

SG: "Pistol" Pete Maravich

The "Pistol" only played 17 games for the Utah Jazz in the 1979-80 season. That's more than enough for me. Pete was a five time All-Star who averaged 24.2 points per game, 5.4 assists per game, and 4.2 rebounds per game. Maravich was a three time All-American in college and player of the year in 1969-70.

SF: Adrian Dantley

Dantley played seven of his 18 NBA seasons for the Utah Jazz. Adrian averaged 24.3 points per game, 5.7 rebounds per game and three assists per game throughout his career. AD was a six time All-Star and 1977 Rookie of the Year as well as an Olympic gold medalist in 1976.

PF: Karl Malone

Karl made up the second half of Utah's dynamic duo. The two-time MVP and gold medalist ended up as the second leader scorer in NBA history. The 14 time All-Star averaged 25 points per game and 10.1 rebounds per game. The "Mailman" played all 82 games in nine of his NBA seasons. His finishing ability made the phrase "Stockton to Malone" synonymous with the pick and roll.

C: Carlos Boozer

Although Boozer came to the Utah Jazz under dubious circumstances there is no denying his scoring and rebounding abilities. Booz has a 17 point per game, and 9.9 rebound per game career average. Carlos recently won a gold medal in the Beijing Olympics as well as being named an All-Star the past two seasons.

THE BENCH

Deron Williams - If it wasn't for arguably the greatest point guard of all time, Deron would most likely be starting on this team. In the end he just may be good enough to challenge for that spot anyway but only time will tell.

Danny Ainge - A pure shooter that graduated from BYU. Ainge was on a Boston Celtics staple during the Larry Bird championship years. Now, as a general manager, he has made the Celtics a championship for to be reckoned with again.

Jeff Hornacek- The piece of the puzzle that helped propel John Stockton and Karl Malone to NBA finals. Horney was perhaps the Jazz's best pure shooter ever. His play has showed what Utah might have done earlier in Stock and Karl's careers had the Jazz not traded away Adrian Dantley.

Keith Van Horn - There is no denying Van Horn's offensive abilities despite the lack of defensive presence. The U of U graduate played for many NBA teams including Philly, Dallas and New Jersey.

Andre Miller - The third point guard on the team. Miller was a star for the U of U and spent time with the Clippers and Nuggets before being traded to Philly as part of the Allen Iverson deal.

Mark Eaton - The seven foot center was known as a defensive specialist and leads the Utah Jazz in career blocks.

Andrei Kirilenko - The one time All-Star is a dynamic player that has the ability to change games without having to score to do it.

Andrew Bogut - The big Aussie was chosen first in the NBA draft by the Milwaukee Bucks. He has had a few solid years in the NBA, but made this team due to his work in college.

Jerry Sloan - Jerry would function as both a tough minded coach and nasty mean bench player. He coaches the way he played for the Chicago Bulls.

HONORABLE MENTION

Tom Chambers, Kurt Rambis, Paul Milsap, Matt Harpring, Ronnie Price, Rafeal Aruajo, Anderson Varajao, Raja Bell, Byron Russell, Micheal Smith, Marty Haws, Andy Toolson, and Shawn Bradley.

Matt Holliday on His Way To? Yep Oakland!

Dustin Johnson — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 13:44:40 -0500

So what is the latest news from the Rockpile? All-Star outfielder and Rockies cornerstone Matt Holliday has been traded in principle to Billy Beane's Oakland A's.

Details emerging suggest that the A's will part with outfielder Carlos Gonzalez, left-handed starter Greg Smith, and right-handed reliever Huston Street. Holliday has one year left on his current deal and then his Agent Scott Boras will mostly liking be shopping Holliday's skills and services to the highest bidder.

The Rockies look to be undergoing another youth movement as they are actively shopping Garrett Atkins and Wily Taveras as well. The Rockies are also letting Closer Brain Fuentes walk away to free agency. Rockies fans let's hope this team has some outstanding youngsters waiting in the wings otherwise it could be a long season in 2009.

All That Jazz: Utah Falls for First Time This Year and Other Random Thoughts

Dustin Johnson — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 13:00:05 -0500

OK, fellow Jazz fans, you can breathe now that we've been shown by the New York Knicks that these Jazz won't go undefeated. However, 5-1 is a great start, and here are my random thoughts and musings on everything Utah Jazz so far this season.

AK 47 for Sixth Man of the Year

How great has Andrei Kirilenko looked coming off the bench this year? He has embraced the role and shown that he is a team player, averaging over 15 points, eight rebounds, three assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.5 blocked shots per game. He has been one of the main reasons the Jazz have barely felt the absence of Deron Williams and Matt Harpring. If AK can continue this type of production he should be a shoe-in for Sixth Man of the Year.

Jerry Sloan Is a Basketball Genius

Why this man has not won Coach of the Year yet is beyond my understanding. He has now won 1,000 games with the same team (more than any other coach in major professional sports). On top of that, his move to bring Kirilenko off the bench has energized this Jazz team and should they continue on this pace and finish in the top two in the West, then he will be COY.

Ronnie Price and Brevin Knight

These two men have filled in admirably in place of the injured Deron Williams. Combined, they have averaged 10 points, 10 assists, and three steals per game. Not quite D-Will numbers, but still good enough for many teams around the league. The assists do add up to one of the reasons that Utah can let Williams heal fully before trying to force a comeback.

New York No Longer a League Joke

After watching the game against New York, I came to realize that these Knicks aren't the New York Stephons of years past. Mike D'Antoni has brought his fast-paced offense from Phoenix and has a guard who can run past anybody in Nate Robinson. This team will be playoff-bound but needs a few years before all the pieces are in place to be dangerous.

D-FENCE

Is it just me are these Jazz actually playing some pretty good defense so far this year? This team is usually know for it offensive prowess but, going into Sunday's game against New York, they had the league's third-best defense allowing roughly 88 points per game. Maybe just maybe playing the Clippers twice has something to do with it, though.

Hall of Fame

News out of Salt Lake is the Jazz organization will be nominating both Jerry Sloan and John Stockton this year for induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. A nomination will follow next year for fellow pick and roller Karl Malone. These three men should be slam dunks for first time inductees. These represent what this Jazz Organization stands for and is about.

Back to Backs?

Will this years Jazz be able to deal with back to back road games? Well this week it will be time to find out with games at Philly then Washington on Tues and Weds night followed by games at Charlotte and then a visit with King James in Cleveland on Friday and Saturday. Can they step up to the brutality that is a NBA road trip? Will they be able win on the second night without Deron Williams? We all will know more about this team and their road capabilities at the end of this week. Stay Tuned for more Jazz maniacs.

Busting Up the BCS: Utah's Come from Behind Win Sets Back TCU's Chances

Dustin Johnson — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 09:45:33 -0500

Week 11 of the college football season is done with, and there were more upsets and great games that affected BCS rankings, especially those teams that are trying to break up the party.

The biggest surprise was Iowa's upset of Penn St., allowing Utah to move up after their clutch come from behind win against TCU. Other games that affected the standings were Texas Tech beating Oklahoma St. and Alabama's defeat of LSU.

Here is the skinny on those mid-major underdogs trying to bust up the BCS. As always, BCS rankings are in parentheses.

UTAH UTES 10-0 (7)

The Utes moved up one spot in the BCS standings thanks to the Penn St. loss and their own come from behind win over TCU. Utah now has the inside track to an automatic BCS bid. They determine their own destination with two games left: an easy away game against San Diego St. and then a tough home matchup with their rivals the BYU Cougars.

BOISE STATE BRONCOS 9-0 (9)

The Broncos continued to set themselves up to go BCS partying should the Utes falter in their last two games. With the Oklahoma St. loss, the Broncos move up one spot in the BCS standings. Boise set down Utah St. in easy fashion and now hit the road the next two weeks versus Idaho and Nevada before finishing up the season at home against Fresno St.

BALL STATE CARDINALS 9-0 (14)

The Cards ran over Northern Illinois and now set their sights on Miami (OH) before they settle in for showdowns with Central Michigan and Western Michigan, both of which are very good teams nipping at Ball State for the MAC West lead. The Cardinals move up three spots in the BCS standings as they leapfrogged BYU and past TCU and LSU with their losses.

BYU COUGARS 9-1 (17)

The Cougars won in convincing fashion against San Diego State. They lost two spots in the BCS rankings as they were leapfrogged by Ball St., UNC, and Michigan St., but they moved ahead of TCU and LSU in the rankings as well. BYU can still improve their lot with road wins against two tough teams in Air Force and Utah. If they can win out, they should be able to leap back over those teams they lost spots to this week.

TCU HORNED FROGS 9-2 (18)

TCU lost a heartbreaker to Utah 13-10 in the last minute of the game. They fell six spots in the BCS standings and are now on the outside looking in with a bye this week and only Air Force remaining on their schedule. The Falcons are a tough opponent but not tough enough to propel them back ahead of BYU or Ball St. should both teams win out.

All three of the aforementioned teams need a loss by Boise State to make them front-runners no matter if they win out or not.

Coming up in Week 12, the only top 25 game is UNC vs. Maryland, so our BCS-busting hopefuls will have to take care of business and hope for some more upsets to happen.

DJ's NBA Power Poll: Lakers and Jazz Look Like Title Contenders

Dustin Johnson — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 21:05:39 -0500

One and a half weeks into the season and the NBA landscape is starting to take shape. Only three teams are left undefeated so far: Los Angeles Lakers, Utah Jazz and the Atlanta Hawks...? Yeah I know not expected.

Two teams are still out of the win column in the Wizards and the Clippers. This promises to be an exciting season and I personally can't wait to be for the rest of it to unfurl.

Los Angeles Lakers 4-0 (2): Kobe and the gang have started right where they left off as Western Conference title favorites. LA looks solid on both the offensive and defensive ends.
Utah Jazz 5-0 (3): The absence of Deron Williams has done nothing to slow the Jazz thanks to Carlos Boozer and the Jazz bench. Utah's defense is allowing only 88 points per game 3rd best in the NBA.
Boston Celtics 5-1 (1): Lone loss to Indiana Pacers is the only thing between Boston and the top spot.
Atlanta Hawks 4-0 (19): That's right people the Hawks are 4-0. And no they weren't playing a soft schedule. They beat Orlando, Toronto, Philly, and New Orleans.
Cleveland Cavaliers 5-2 (5): King James still rules on his own court. Cavs are 3-0 at home.
New Orleans Hornets 4-2 (4): Chris Paul continues to lead this team. He is scoring 21.4 ppg and dishing out 11.4 apg.
Detroit Pistons 4-1 (7): I have the feeling that the trade for Allen Iverson just won't work out like expected. Pistons still look like a top team in the Eastern Conference.
Houston Rockets 4-2 (10): The Rockets are rocking the 4th best defense in the league. It still remains to be seen whether or not they can stay healthy all year long.
Phoenix Suns 5-2 (8): Amare Stoudemire is an animal. Kinda like Shaq used to be. The Suns have to rely on outscoring their opponents though.
Orlando Magic 4-2 (13): Dwight Howard continues his 20/10 ways leading the Magic once again in the direction of the playoffs.
Toronto Raptors 3-2 (9): Started off the season strong but have faltered a little with consecutive losses to Atlanta and Detroit.
Denver Nuggets 2-3 (16): As bad as the Marcus Camby trade was the trade for Chauncey Billups was just as good. This team should thrive now with a distributor at PG.
Portland Trailblazers 3-3 (12): Even without Oden Portland has beaten both Houston and San Antonio. Rudy Fernandez has looked excellent so far this season.
Miami Heat 3-3 (15): This team has a great future ahead with the combination of Wade, Beasley, and Chalmers.
Dallas Mavericks 2-3 (14): My faith is still failing in these Mavericks but Jason Kidd may just be able to lead them into the playoffs.
Memphis Grizzlies 3-3 (28): A bunch of young kids with a lot of talent may lead to a bright future. The future is not now however.
Chicago Bulls 3-4 (18): Derrick Rose looks like a strong Rookie of the Year candidate already.
Milwaukee Bucks 3-4 (21): Second round pick Ramon Sessions is helping the Bucks win some games and his chances at ROY.
Indiana Pacers 2-3 (24): This is Danny Granger's team and you better know it because Boston does now.
San Antonio Spurs 1-4 (6): First Ginobili now Parker these Spurs are looking older and older by the game.
New Jersey Nets 2-3 (23): Only one reason to they moved up. They beat the Pistons.
Philadelphia 76ers 2-4 (11): Have yet to live up to expectations since acquiring Elton Brand.
Golden State Warriors 2-4 (20): Stephen Jackson, Correy Maggette, and Andris Biedrins are the hopes for Warriors fans this year.
Charlotte Bobcats 2-3 (27): Quality wins against Miami and New Orleans may mean further upswing to come.
New York Knicks 3-2 (30): Nate Robinson just maybe one of the leaders for Sixth Man of the Year.
Sacramento Kings 2-4 (25): Kevin Martin and recent victories over the Timberwolves and Grizzlies are the only thing that moved this team up.
Minnesota Timberwolves 1-4 (26): Not much hope here as lone win came against the Kings.
Oklahoma City Thunder 1-4 (29): Their only win came against the Timberwolves. Kevin Durrant needs some serious help.
Washington Wizards 0-5 (22): The wiz are the worst defenders in the league so far giving up a rotund 109 points per game.
Los Angeles Clippers 0-6 (17): Billy Crystal must be crying at night when he thinks about the Clipper offense. That's right it's the worst in the league at 84 points per game.

Busting Up the BCS: Tulsa Falters While Others Continue on Pace

Dustin Johnson — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 15:07:55 -0500

Here is your weekly inside look at those non-BCS teams trying party with the big boys. The Tulsa Golden Hurricanes had a heart breaking loss to end their chances at a BCS invite while others held on to fight another day. Here is a look at each team, how they did this week, and their upcoming match-ups as well as record and BCS ranks in ().

UTAH UTES (8) 9-0

Utah went down into New Mexico and outlasted the Lobos 13-10. The Utes better be prepared for a showdown with TCU on Thursday in Salt Lake. This game will possibly make or break the BCS hopes of all three Mountain West Conference teams on this list: Utah, TCU, and BYU.

BOISE STATE BRONCOS (10) 8-0

The Broncos ran wild over New Mexico State to the tune of 49-0. They moved up one spot in the BCS standings due to Georgia's loss to Florida. Up next for Boise should be an easy home game against a weak Utah State team.

TCU HORNED FROGS (12) 9-1

TCU put a whooping to the backside of UNLV this week 44-14. They now travel to Salt Lake City for a top-25 showdown with Utah. The winner should have the inside track to both a BCS bid and the Mountain West Conference Championship. The Horned Frogs want to wrap up the Mountain West with a win this Thursday.

BYU COUGARS (15) 8-1

The Cougs continued to try and redeem themselves after the TCU loss with a come-from-behind win at Colorado State.

At 45-42 this game looked like one from the old WAC days. BYU will have an easy tune up game against San Diego State at home before finishing up with tough games on the road at Air Force and Utah.

The Cougs will be watching TCU-Utah this week as their BCS and MWC title hopes are pinned on the Utes beating the Horned Frogs.

BALL STATE (17) 8-0

Ball State sat back with a bye and watched what could happen to BCS hopes with a loss this week. They saw Tulsa fall out of the BCS standings with their loss. The Cardinals now know they have to finish undefeated to have any hopes at a BCS bowl. They start this Wednesday Night by hosting Northern Illinois.

Continue to watch this week as the BCS will again be shaken up by the following games. Utah vs TCU, Ohio St. vs Northwestern, Oklahoma St. vs Texas Tech, Alabama vs LSU, and USC vs Cal. As well as a few upsets that may happen.

DJ's NBA Power Poll: Lakers and Celtics Lead The Charge

Dustin Johnson — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 15:52:36 -0400

Can Kobe repeat as the league MVP with so much talent around him? Can the Boston Three-party once again hoist the championship banner?

These questions will be answered in the months to come. One thing is for sure, NBA fans, is that it's time to get rocking and let the play do the talking. I will continue this power poll every one to two weeks during the season.

So without further ado, here is the first version of DJ's NBA Power Poll.

Boston Celtics - This is an argument as old as time, but it applies: In order to be the best, you got to beat the best.
Los Angeles Lakers - Reigning MVP Kobe is poised to give Phil Jackson his tenth championship ring.
Utah Jazz - Deron Williams is the driver that makes Jerry Sloan's Offensive scheme purr like a Tiger.
New Orleans Hornets - CP3 will resume where he left off last season. Leading these young Hornets to a top three record in the west.
Cleveland Cavaliers - LeBron James is now running with an upgraded team, and that should mean serious contender status.
San Antonio Spurs - The Spurs won't improve, due to aging problems, but they shouldn't decline too far either.
Detroit Pistons - C-Bill and the Pistons are still top-three in the East and contenders for the crown.
Phoenix Suns - Another aging team that might have just enough to make another deep postseason run.
Toronto Raptors - Adding Jermaine O'Neal moves this team into a whole new company of contenders
Houston Rockets - Normally with the move for Ron Artest I would have put the Rockets higher, but I don't trust Yao and McGrady to stay healthy.
Philadelphia 76ers - The move to bring in Elton Brand plus learning youngest makes this team dangerous.
Portland Trailblazers - Speaking of young and dangerous. Oden, Roy, Aldridge—'nuff said, eh?
Orlando Magic - Dwight Howard fills in the lane and keeps Orlando in the lead in the Southeast.
Dallas Mavericks - Call me crazy, but I just don't believe in this team. Maybe it is because Dirk just can't step up.
Miami Heat - D-Wade played great in the Olympics and should have this team much better than last year.
Denver Nuggets - Traded Marcus Camby for the right to swap second-round picks next year? What the?
Los Angeles Clippers- If Baron Davis can stay healthy. These new-look Clippers should see the playoffs this year.
Chicago Bulls - These ain't Jordan's Bulls. Saying that they should see the playoffs as the lower half of the East is weak.
Atlanta Hawks - A young team that needs more seasoning before making any statements.
Golden State Warriors - Warriors are a mixture of young and old. Usually not a very good mix. Although Corey Maggette should thrive.
Milwaukee Bucks - Micheal Redd will still shoot the Bucks into winning some games this year.
Washington Wizards - If Agent Zero is out longer than expected, then the Wiz-kids can kiss this season goodbye.
New Jersey Nets - This is one team that could move up the rankings with some help from the young guys.
Indiana Pacers - This is now Danny Granger's team, but he still needs some help.
Sacramento Kings - K-Mart and the rest of the Kings have a long season ahead of them.
Minnesota Timberwolves - Season two in the post-KG era doesn't look too much better.
Charlotte Bobcats - This team is a mess. Look for some trades to go down before the deadline.
Memphis Grizzlies - The addition of Mayo should help—but how much?
Oklahoma City Thunder - I would rank these guys last just for abandoning Seattle, but New York gets it.
New York Knicks - This team gets the award for being worst-overall for the last 10 years.

Well, folks, there is the first list—just in time for the season to start. Good luck to all the teams, and let's hope for some great games this year!

Bustin Up The BCS:Hopefuls Keep Moving Up

Dustin Johnson — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 00:42:00 -0400

Alright fans of the underdogs here's the skinny after Week Nine of the CFB season. The following teams in the BCS standings lost today. Note that current BCS rank is in parenthesis.

Texas beat Oklahoma St.(6), Penn St. took down Ohio St.(9), Georgia knocked off LSU(13), South Florida(16) was upset by Louisville, Pittsburgh(17) was taken down by Rutgers, and Georgia Tech(18) was upset by Virgina. So what does this mean for our six BCS busting hopefuls? Scroll down to find out.

UTAH UTES (11)
The Utes had a bye this week but with the losses by Oklahoma St. and Ohio St. Utah should move into the BCS top ten. Next week they will face New Mexico on the road.

BOISE STATE BRONCOS (12)
After beating San Jose St. on Friday night the Broncos should be in the same boat as Utah. Floating up the river to the top ten. Upcoming for Boise is a battle at New Mexico St.

TCU HORNED FROGS (14)
TCU routed Wyoming this week and with the loss by LSU should be moving up to 11th or 12th. Next week the Frogs will be in the city of lights to play UNLV.

TULSA GOLDEN HURRICANES (19)
Tulsa still needs to beat UCF Sunday night to move up. If they do the Hurricanes will easily move up to around 15th. Next week is a tough test at Arkansas for Tulsa.

BALL STATE CARDINALS (20)
Ball St. ran past Eastern Michigan and should plant themselves somewhere around 16th or 17th. Next Saturday they face off against Northern Illinois at home.

BYU COUGARS (21)
The Cougs used a late 4th quarter touchdown to beat UNLV at home. They should continue moving up in the BCS and land right behind Ball St. Upcoming is a showdown at Colorado State.

With six teams still in the running (four of which could end up undefeated) does anyone think this could be the year of multiple BCS busters?

DJ's 08-09 NBA All Breakout Team

Dustin Johnson — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 19:13:40 -0400

Well NBA fans and fantasy gurus, here is the list of players who are headed for a breakout season in 08-09.

The Starters

PG: Deron Williams—Jazz

Look for Deron to enter into the MVP discussion this year. He signed his contract in the offseason and now he wants to take the Jazz to a whole new level. He should average at least 20 points and 10 assists while reducing his turnovers per game.

SG: Randy Foye—Timberwolves

Should eclipse his career numbers in points, assists, and rebounds per game. Randy will be a solid contributor as the Timberwolves embark on season two without KG.

SF: Danny Granger—Pacers

The New Mexico product will increase his scoring average for the fourth year in a row. Danny will continue to assert himself and now with Jermaine O'Neal gone, look for him to make the Pacers his team.

PF: Nene Hilario—Nuggets

If Nene can only stay healthy, the talent is there. Now with Marcus Camby gone, he should be able to step into his vaunted potential.

C: Brook Lopez—Nets

The only rookie to make the starters list. Brook has played his way into the Nets starting center spot this preseason. Look for at least 15 points and 10 rebounds per game this year, as well as possible rookie of the year contention.

The Bench

Carl Landry—Rockets

Carl will be the main man off the bench for Houston this year. Should average double digits in points.

Ronnie Brewer—Jazz

The Arkansas product will boost his points and continue his defensive stats while picking up more rebounds.

Mo Williams—Cavaliers

Assists, assists, and more assists. How can he not increase on his per game average while dishing to King James.

Greg Oden—Trail Blazers

Greg Oden will announce his presence in the world of the NBA with authority. Why then is he on the bench? It's expected from him as a No. 1 pick.

John Salmons—Kings

His numbers will only rise with the relocation of Ron Artest to Houston.

If Karl Malone and John Stockton Had a Bench Like These Jazz, Who Knows?

Dustin Johnson — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 07:40:43 -0400

Alright, the current collection of Jazz players coming off the bench might not have been able to help stop Jordan and the Bulls either. Then again who wouldn't want AK 47, Kyle Korver, Paul Millsap, Ronnie Price and Matt Harping over Bryon Russell, Howard Eisley, Shandon Anderson, Greg Foster, and Antione Carr.

Might Jordan's shot been challenged just a little more if it had been taken over an aggressive shot blocking Andrei Kirilenko than a falling Bryon Russell? Who knows. But one thing is for sure: The 08-09 version of the Jazz bench is perhaps the best yet and one of their biggest strengths.

The main change on the bench this year is Jerry Sloan deciding former All-Star Andrei Kirilenko would come off the bench while CJ Miles gets a shot at starting. Sloan has defended this decision by reffering to AK's ability to come in and be a game changer offensively and defensively.

Look for Andrei to handle the ball more as a point-forward while Deron Williams takes his rests, as he is an underrated passer and ball handler. Defensively AK will again be among the league leaders in blocked shots.

Also providing a spark of the bench will be Paul Millsap. Although his listed height has been questioned from day one, his ability and pure hustle never has been. How this guy dropped to the Jazz in the middle of the second round I'll never know.

From his rookie season he has shown the hustle and desire that allowed him to lead the NCAA in rebounds three seasons in a row for Louisiana Tech. Look for the offense to run more through him this year when he's on the floor as he displayed the ability to score during the last half of the season.

Who was that masked man that just swished four three-pointers in a row? None other than the midseason sensation, Kyle Korver. This Ashton Kutcher look-a-like can flat out shoot the ball. Look for him to change some games with his outside shooting and put the final nail in the coffin on other games with his precision free throw shooting.

The Jazz haven't had a shooter like this guy since they traded for another Philadelphia guard in Jeff Hornacek. Although a slight defensive liability, Korver will give Coach Sloan his best effort.

Another lighting rod off the Jazz bench is Matt Harpring. A Coach Sloan favorite for the last six years, look for Harpring to bring more of his patented football toughness and hard-nosed style of play.

Offensively, watch for him to come off a screen and drop that jumper from the free throw line nearly every time. Defensively, he'll hound and frustrate Jazz opponents into cheap shot elbows and pushes that will result in offensive fouls.

The rest of the bench will consist of incumbent backup point Ronnie Price and veteran challenger Brevin Knight. Both are capable points and could fill in for a short stint as a starter if Deron Williams starts the season injured with his ankle sprain.

Jarron Collins will fill in again as back-up center, with Kyrylo Fesenko and rookie Kosta Koufos behind him when they are not playing down in Orem with the NBDL Flash. Finally, second year man Morris Almond, another Kyle Korver type shooter and defensive liability, will pick up some minutes at SG.

If the Jazz happen to make a deep playoff run into the Finals this year the undeniable praise will be heaped upon...Deron Williams, of course. But after him they need these bench players to produce, to do it big time, and to show up on the road.