I have been watching some baseball lately. Or at least paying more attention to baseball lately. And I know exactly what that means...it's almost football season.
I have pinned my hopes of winning a fantasy football league for the past 10 years of my life on one team, which is the Denver Broncos. For the past 10 years I have not won a fantasy football league. For that matter I have never won a fantasy football league. I think one year I got like 3rd or 4th. But that is besides the point. For the past 2 maybe 3 season I have not even made the playoffs.
So here is my dilemma. I am not sure where to set my goal, and therefore I have no idea how to form my strategy for the team that I will be picking in less than a months time! See the things is 2 years ago I only won, 1 measly game. A single game. It was atrocious. See but last year I won 4! Same strategy it's just that the Broncos got a lot better. And that is my problem. It was a lot more fun to win 4 games than just 1. So my problem is do I keep on with my same strategy and think i'll make the playoffs this year because I think the Broncos will be better? Or do I go out on a total limb and choose a bunch of players that I have little to no interest in and hope that they get me to the playoffs...
It is a little like should I abandon the ship that i'm on, after they almost got me to the shore last time, and go with a new boat? I am not worried about making it to the top of the mountain. I just want to ride out the storm, and make it to the shore. I'll leave the top of the mountain to someone else. Another part of me thinks wouldn't it be so much better to make it to the shore with a team that I can route for every week anyway? But the worst part is, what if my boat sinks again. Which could possibly happen, it has happened the last two years.
My last dilemma is this, if it get's to my turn to draft and Peyton Manning is still there do I take him? Last year, is the only time he was not there and it actually made my life so much easier. For some obscure reason that I can not pin point, I have this incredible complex that I feel like I have to draft Peyton Manning. Even when he played for the Colts I just could not pass him up. Then he get's traded to the Broncos and the clouds opened, I finally could draft Peyton Manning guilt free. But now the question is do I? I'll let you in on a little secret, one of my greatest fears is having the first pick of the draft because I know for a fact that Peyton will be there, and he has about .000001% chance of being there when the pick gets back around to me at 20. So do I take him with the first pick of the draft? The pressure is already mounting.
This year we have a new league. We have elected new officials, with a new name, and a new people. It's a true new beginning. But does that mean I have to have a new beginning with my team? Is this the year that I finally make it to the shore? Only time will tell.
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Thursday, June 12, 2014
A Jazz Fan..
Fan (noun): an enthusiastic follower or admirer
Fanatic (noun): marked by excessive enthusiasm and often intense uncritical devotion
Today as I was listening to Locked on Jazz with David Locke (My favorite way to get my daily fill of the Jazz) David Locke said something that I wanted to highlight that I think it is so true. The link is here and it starts at 23:05 if you would like to listen for yourself.
Utah Jazz fans for a long time around the NBA world have been known as the loudest fans. Even the Jazz Bear holds up a sign at the games saying "Prove we are the loudest fans" during timeouts in the fourth quarter. The ESA can get up on any given night for any given game making it one of the most intimidating places to play for opposing teams. You know it is official when Wikipedia devotes a paragraph to our noise on it's Energy Solution Arena page.
From Wikipedia--
"The EnergySolutions Arena is well known for being one of the hardest places to play for visiting teams in the NBA. According to an NBA Players Poll taken by Sports Illustrated on February 11, 2008, the ESA is considered "the most intimidating arena in the NBA" with 20% of the vote made up of 240 current NBA players.[15] Many commentators referred to the arena as the "Decibel Center", a play on the name "Delta Center". During Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals, a decibel meter installed at floor level had readings of over 110 decibels, close to the noise generated by a jet takeoff. Also, during the 1997 NBA Finals, Hannah Storm of NBC called the then-named Delta Center "one of the loudest places in sports"[16]"
Another point we ought to hit on is the fact that players love to play here because we as fans route for them on and off the court. Over the years we have had to many mentions to count of players expressing appreciation and gratitude for the fans here in Salt Lake. So many times we have been called the "best fans in the NBA". When we truly love our players simply because they are "ours" it makes Salt Lake a truly special place to play.
Now to my point. Over the years of my being a Jazz fan I have noticed a shift in us as fans. We have stepped away from our true role as fans and become analytic's, and crytic's of the team and players we love. One characteristic of the Jazz organization is that everyone works hard and does their own job. Coach's coach, players play, and the fans cheer.
It seems that recently every Jazz "fan" has a better idea of what to do with the team than the people who are actually running the team. We tend to hear a lot of this player needs to play more, the reason we are losing is because of this coach, our star player needs to carry more of the load. We have gotten away from being true Jazz fans. We feel like if the team is playing poorly it entitles us to care less.
Any player that dawns a Utah Jazz uniform ought to be cheered for with gusto. It should not matter if that players name is John Stockton, Jeff Hornacek, Karl Malone, Mehmet Okur, Raul Lopez, Gordon Giricek, Carlos Boozer, Andrei Kirilenko, Deron Williams, Gordon Hayward, or Trey Burke. As a fan we should have our players backs on and off the court. It is us as fans that make the ESA a "great and terrible" place to play. Great for us and terrible for other teams. The team that the Jazz put on the court should make no difference to how we act as fans.
A Jazz fan boos loudly as the other team is introduced. A Jazz fan yells and cheers for every point we score. A Jazz fan dances crazy during the timeouts. A Jazz Fan boos the refs for a call against us whether it was right or not. A Jazz fan thinks the Jazz Bear is the best mascot in the NBA. Those are the things that make us Jazz fans. It is not the players that are put on the court or the win loss record at the end of the season. We are Jazz fans because we love the Utah Jazz.
I feel like it is way past time for Jazz fans to get back to doing what we do best and that is being Jazz fans. Listen to the analysis, the pre and post game interviews. Research the statistics, and the details of the game. But love the Jazz. Find a way to get into all of that without losing sight of what our job is. We as fans can make this a place that players want to come and stay. We as fans can make the ESA the best place to play in the NBA.
Fanatic (noun): marked by excessive enthusiasm and often intense uncritical devotion
Today as I was listening to Locked on Jazz with David Locke (My favorite way to get my daily fill of the Jazz) David Locke said something that I wanted to highlight that I think it is so true. The link is here and it starts at 23:05 if you would like to listen for yourself.
Utah Jazz fans for a long time around the NBA world have been known as the loudest fans. Even the Jazz Bear holds up a sign at the games saying "Prove we are the loudest fans" during timeouts in the fourth quarter. The ESA can get up on any given night for any given game making it one of the most intimidating places to play for opposing teams. You know it is official when Wikipedia devotes a paragraph to our noise on it's Energy Solution Arena page.
From Wikipedia--
"The EnergySolutions Arena is well known for being one of the hardest places to play for visiting teams in the NBA. According to an NBA Players Poll taken by Sports Illustrated on February 11, 2008, the ESA is considered "the most intimidating arena in the NBA" with 20% of the vote made up of 240 current NBA players.[15] Many commentators referred to the arena as the "Decibel Center", a play on the name "Delta Center". During Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals, a decibel meter installed at floor level had readings of over 110 decibels, close to the noise generated by a jet takeoff. Also, during the 1997 NBA Finals, Hannah Storm of NBC called the then-named Delta Center "one of the loudest places in sports"[16]"
Another point we ought to hit on is the fact that players love to play here because we as fans route for them on and off the court. Over the years we have had to many mentions to count of players expressing appreciation and gratitude for the fans here in Salt Lake. So many times we have been called the "best fans in the NBA". When we truly love our players simply because they are "ours" it makes Salt Lake a truly special place to play.
Now to my point. Over the years of my being a Jazz fan I have noticed a shift in us as fans. We have stepped away from our true role as fans and become analytic's, and crytic's of the team and players we love. One characteristic of the Jazz organization is that everyone works hard and does their own job. Coach's coach, players play, and the fans cheer.
It seems that recently every Jazz "fan" has a better idea of what to do with the team than the people who are actually running the team. We tend to hear a lot of this player needs to play more, the reason we are losing is because of this coach, our star player needs to carry more of the load. We have gotten away from being true Jazz fans. We feel like if the team is playing poorly it entitles us to care less.
Being the best fans in the NBA comes with a price, and the price is being actual fans.
Any player that dawns a Utah Jazz uniform ought to be cheered for with gusto. It should not matter if that players name is John Stockton, Jeff Hornacek, Karl Malone, Mehmet Okur, Raul Lopez, Gordon Giricek, Carlos Boozer, Andrei Kirilenko, Deron Williams, Gordon Hayward, or Trey Burke. As a fan we should have our players backs on and off the court. It is us as fans that make the ESA a "great and terrible" place to play. Great for us and terrible for other teams. The team that the Jazz put on the court should make no difference to how we act as fans.
A Jazz fan boos loudly as the other team is introduced. A Jazz fan yells and cheers for every point we score. A Jazz fan dances crazy during the timeouts. A Jazz Fan boos the refs for a call against us whether it was right or not. A Jazz fan thinks the Jazz Bear is the best mascot in the NBA. Those are the things that make us Jazz fans. It is not the players that are put on the court or the win loss record at the end of the season. We are Jazz fans because we love the Utah Jazz.
I feel like it is way past time for Jazz fans to get back to doing what we do best and that is being Jazz fans. Listen to the analysis, the pre and post game interviews. Research the statistics, and the details of the game. But love the Jazz. Find a way to get into all of that without losing sight of what our job is. We as fans can make this a place that players want to come and stay. We as fans can make the ESA the best place to play in the NBA.
We are Utah Jazz.
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Local Bank teller thwart's check fraud: Hero of the day
Salt Lake City, Ut--On Wednesday March 27 at approximately 9:43 AM 2 individuals pulled into the Zions Bank on 1300 S and Foothill Drive and were caught attempting to cash fraudulent checks.
Check fraud has been increasing over the past century as a result of improvements in technology, and an increased amount of greed among people. Check Fraud falls under a larger umbrella category of money scams according to the United States Government. Checks are printed, or forged by these criminals with various different business account numbers for any amount of different sums of money. These checks are then taken and cashed at a local bank or convenience store while the business foots the bill.
The Zions bank employees were alerted to a potential stolen business account just minutes before one of these stolen business checks appeared in the drawer at the drive up.
"It was scary!" one Zions bank teller said of the incident. However she kept her cool alerted her boss, who informed the authorities of the situation on hand.
"I tried to stall them until the police came, but there is only so much you can do before they start to wonder what is going on." the bank teller said.
The individuals in question left the bank drive up before the police arrived. The businesses however, I am sure, are very grateful for one bank teller who was simply doing her job, as she puts it.
Check fraud costs businesses and consumers lot's of money every year.
Check fraud has been increasing over the past century as a result of improvements in technology, and an increased amount of greed among people. Check Fraud falls under a larger umbrella category of money scams according to the United States Government. Checks are printed, or forged by these criminals with various different business account numbers for any amount of different sums of money. These checks are then taken and cashed at a local bank or convenience store while the business foots the bill.
The Zions bank employees were alerted to a potential stolen business account just minutes before one of these stolen business checks appeared in the drawer at the drive up.
"It was scary!" one Zions bank teller said of the incident. However she kept her cool alerted her boss, who informed the authorities of the situation on hand.
"I tried to stall them until the police came, but there is only so much you can do before they start to wonder what is going on." the bank teller said.
The individuals in question left the bank drive up before the police arrived. The businesses however, I am sure, are very grateful for one bank teller who was simply doing her job, as she puts it.
Check fraud costs businesses and consumers lot's of money every year.
Friday, February 14, 2014
Evolution
Humbly began here,
Moved here,
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Graduated from High School here,
Started college here,
Transferred here,
Grew here,
Am so excited to go here.
Grad school here we come. June, 2014
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Never alone
Every once in a while I like to do this thing in my scripture study. I hear on occasion that we are in a "war" or a "battle" with Satan. I believe that this is true. I believe that Satan is battling every day over as many souls as he can get. He is a miserable little puke and all he wants is to drag as many down as he can. The saying misery loves company is never truer than with the great devil himself.
So back to my scripture study, I like to do this thing and I call it game film on Lucifer. Every great team that are champions study game film on their opponents. They study their tendencies, weaknesses, and strengths in order to gain an advantage. Once again I believe that Satan has watched eons of game film on us and there is a good chance he has watched game film on you personally. He knows our tendencies, weaknesses, and strengths and he works to exploit them. And as much as a little puke he is, he is good at what he does. So it's only fair and only makes sense to study a little film on him. Learn his tendencies, his strengths, his old fall backs, and even his weaknesses so that we can know what play he might run next.
So I thought that I might share one little tendency that I saw on film today. In Sunday school we were reading a few verses on Satan and we were talking about putting on the armor of God. Those are great verses. They are read often by Mormons and Christians, and I think Satan knows them by heart, well if he had one, but he doesn't. So he can't know them by heart but he probably still knows them. I think it is interesting to note that there is no mention made of back armor. Every good soldier knows that back armor is not as important as long as someone has your back. I think that Satan has also noticed that. With that in mind I would like to make an observation on one of Satans plays that he tries to run all the time. Satan wants everyone to feel as if they are alone. That no one has their back. He wants every person that lives on the planet to feel as if no one understands them. He wants them to feel cold, and separated. He wants them to feel as if they are alone.
I wanted to take a moment to blog this because it is an answer I wanted to share but I didn't. I think it's important to note that Satan wants all of us to feel like we are the only ones trying to live the law of chastity and keep ourselves morally clean. He wants us to feel like we are the only ones reading our scriptures at night. Satan wants us to feel like we are the only ones trying to be a good example. He wants us to think that we are the only ones that have rough days. The truth is that we are never alone. By looking around at church we can realize we are not alone. By talking with friends we can know we are not alone. By spending time with family we realize we are not alone. And in the event we truly feel no one else can help us, the Savior personally knows what you are going through and how to help. That is the power of the atonement, that no matter what spot we may hit in life we are never alone. And in this there is really strength in numbers. We have the best to cover our back.
"And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
So back to my scripture study, I like to do this thing and I call it game film on Lucifer. Every great team that are champions study game film on their opponents. They study their tendencies, weaknesses, and strengths in order to gain an advantage. Once again I believe that Satan has watched eons of game film on us and there is a good chance he has watched game film on you personally. He knows our tendencies, weaknesses, and strengths and he works to exploit them. And as much as a little puke he is, he is good at what he does. So it's only fair and only makes sense to study a little film on him. Learn his tendencies, his strengths, his old fall backs, and even his weaknesses so that we can know what play he might run next.
So I thought that I might share one little tendency that I saw on film today. In Sunday school we were reading a few verses on Satan and we were talking about putting on the armor of God. Those are great verses. They are read often by Mormons and Christians, and I think Satan knows them by heart, well if he had one, but he doesn't. So he can't know them by heart but he probably still knows them. I think it is interesting to note that there is no mention made of back armor. Every good soldier knows that back armor is not as important as long as someone has your back. I think that Satan has also noticed that. With that in mind I would like to make an observation on one of Satans plays that he tries to run all the time. Satan wants everyone to feel as if they are alone. That no one has their back. He wants every person that lives on the planet to feel as if no one understands them. He wants them to feel cold, and separated. He wants them to feel as if they are alone.
I wanted to take a moment to blog this because it is an answer I wanted to share but I didn't. I think it's important to note that Satan wants all of us to feel like we are the only ones trying to live the law of chastity and keep ourselves morally clean. He wants us to feel like we are the only ones reading our scriptures at night. Satan wants us to feel like we are the only ones trying to be a good example. He wants us to think that we are the only ones that have rough days. The truth is that we are never alone. By looking around at church we can realize we are not alone. By talking with friends we can know we are not alone. By spending time with family we realize we are not alone. And in the event we truly feel no one else can help us, the Savior personally knows what you are going through and how to help. That is the power of the atonement, that no matter what spot we may hit in life we are never alone. And in this there is really strength in numbers. We have the best to cover our back.
"And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his aeyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and bchariots of fire round about Elisha."
--2 Kings 6:16-18
So here's to never being alone. Take that Satan!
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Over or under 26?
The Utah Jazz will be ok. The Utah Jazz always are. It's me that i'm worried about. Don't worry I think i'll make it too. I mean we remember 26-56 right? We remember Carlos Arroyo, Raul Lopez, Kris Humphries, and Gordon Giricek right? And the thing is I like this team a ton better than I like any of those guys so that makes it better. The point is the Jazz have been through some rough seasons, and they will go through some more rough seasons. It's like I have been saying this past week, it's easy to love the idea of rebuilding in the off season. But to stick to it, and carry it through that is what makes it tough.
The thing is I like this Jazz team. I think they are good and I don't even really mind that they are 0-4. I like the effort, and I have liked the play so far. All this is even before Trey Burke hits the floor for his first regular season NBA appearance. That is the biggest gaping hole that is noticable on this team. I like the pieces we have. I like our starting five, including Richard Jefferson. I like Alec Burks off the bench, and I think he will continue to thrive in that role.
As a fan I try to be just that, a FANatic. I try not to voice what I think the team ought to do, because it's like listening to the dog bark, no one wants to hear it. So all I will say is this, I sure hope that Trey Burke is awesome. I don't mean that I hope he is awesome the instant he steps on the floor because I know that won't happen. He is a 20 year old out of Michigan. He will make mistakes, miss shots, and have turnovers. No I don't want him to be awesome from day one. I want him to be awesome at game 53 after he learned from earlier turnovers. I want him to be awesome in years to come hitting 50% of his shots and assisting 8 times a game. I want him to be the type of point guard our young guys need. I will also say this, good NBA teams have good point guards. There are no if's ands or buts about it. Good teams have good point guards, or people that can play the point guard position and direct an offense, hit open guys, and hit open shots. The Jazz lack solid point guard play through the first four games of this season and it shows. But I think it will get better. I think that is all I will say about that.
So the whole point of this is just to say that we will make it through this season no matter what happens. 82 games in and 82 games out. I'll be there, and i'll be here in April too...still wearing my Jazz shirts i'm sure. So as always Go Jazz!
The thing is I like this Jazz team. I think they are good and I don't even really mind that they are 0-4. I like the effort, and I have liked the play so far. All this is even before Trey Burke hits the floor for his first regular season NBA appearance. That is the biggest gaping hole that is noticable on this team. I like the pieces we have. I like our starting five, including Richard Jefferson. I like Alec Burks off the bench, and I think he will continue to thrive in that role.
As a fan I try to be just that, a FANatic. I try not to voice what I think the team ought to do, because it's like listening to the dog bark, no one wants to hear it. So all I will say is this, I sure hope that Trey Burke is awesome. I don't mean that I hope he is awesome the instant he steps on the floor because I know that won't happen. He is a 20 year old out of Michigan. He will make mistakes, miss shots, and have turnovers. No I don't want him to be awesome from day one. I want him to be awesome at game 53 after he learned from earlier turnovers. I want him to be awesome in years to come hitting 50% of his shots and assisting 8 times a game. I want him to be the type of point guard our young guys need. I will also say this, good NBA teams have good point guards. There are no if's ands or buts about it. Good teams have good point guards, or people that can play the point guard position and direct an offense, hit open guys, and hit open shots. The Jazz lack solid point guard play through the first four games of this season and it shows. But I think it will get better. I think that is all I will say about that.
So the whole point of this is just to say that we will make it through this season no matter what happens. 82 games in and 82 games out. I'll be there, and i'll be here in April too...still wearing my Jazz shirts i'm sure. So as always Go Jazz!
Sunday, November 3, 2013
A child of Winter
November is one of my favorite months. Seriously it is. First of all I love the fall in general, and the last two falls have been absolutely awesome. A nice long few weeks to a month of 60-75 degree weather while the leaves are changing, the days are getting shorter. It is a great time of year. Now to November specifically I am not sure why exactly I love it so much. I always have though. November just always bring a smile to my face, so as I reflect on November and all of it's goodness I try to make sense of why I love it so much and here are a few things that make it good
-Football season is in full swing
-Weather getting colder
-Thanksgiving
-With Thanksgiving the beginning of "the holidays"
-Sweats
-Jazz basketball season
-World series just ended
-Snow!!
-Ski season starts
-Leaves falling off the trees
Like I said that is only a few of the things that make November truly magical. But I still am not sure that it is those things that make me love it so much. Maybe if all of those things did not happen I would still love the month of November as much. I can't be quite sure to be honest. But all of those things help to enhance November. So happy November to all and to all a happy November.
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