The Games of 2013

What another great year of sports! I was able to check some major things off my "Sports Bucket List." I got to see the Jazz beat LeBron and the Heat for the second straight year in Salt Lake. In March I was able to attend the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, even though Gonzaga lost to Cinderella story Witchita State, it was a lot of fun to go with my mom and dad. The next week Major Leagues Baseball's Rockies and Mariners faced off for a final exhibition game at Spring Mobile Ballpark! You couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day. The summer brought a lot more Bee's game and also allowed me to develop my fan-hood for soccer and Real Salt Lake. What a great year as they nearly won the MLS Cup in December. Aggie and Ute football filled my fall. Though there were some definite ups and downs (such as the Aggies narrowly losing to the Utes on opening night, which cost me a bet that has made me grow out my hair until the end of college football season) it turned out to be a great year for Aggies in their first season in the Mountain West Conference. The highlight of my year came when I was able to attend my first NFL game in Baltimore. It was also the coldest I've been this year! There were a combined five touchdowns by the Ravens and Vikings in the last two minutes with the Ravens eventually prevailing. The teams I rooted for ended up 12-12-1 (.500) record in games I attended this year. My worst record since I have been keeping track but the memories surely won't be forgotten.

For the previous "Years in Review" click here.

Men’s College Basketball 

Record in Games I Attended:  3-4

01/09/13 Utah vs. UCLA L, 53-57 Huntsman Center, SLC, UT
01/27/13 Utah vs. Stanford L, 56-87 Huntsman Center, SLC, UT
02/02/13 Utah vs. Colorado W, 58-55 Huntsman Center, SLC, UT
02/28/13 Gonzaga at BYU W, 70-65 Marriott Center, Provo, UT
03/23/13 Gonzaga vs. Wichita St. L, 70-76 NCAA Tournament 3rd Round 
03/23/13 Arizona vs. Harvard W, 74-51 NCAA Tournament 3rd Round 
11/30/13 Utah St. vs. BYU L, 74-85 Energy Solutions Arena, SLC

College Football 

(all Utah State games at Romney Stadium, all Utah Games at Rice Eccles Stadium)

Record in Games I Attended:  4-4

08/29/13 Utah St. at Utah L, 26-30 
09/07/13 Utah vs. Weber St. W, 70-7
09/14/13 Utah St. vs. Weber St.W, 70-6
10/04/13 Utah St. vs. BYU L, 14-31
10/12/13 Utah St. vs. Boise St. L, 23-34
11/02/13 Utah St. vs. Hawaii W, 47-10
11/09/13 Utah vs. Arizona St. L, 19-20
11/30/13 Utah St. vs. Wyoming W, 35-7

Utah Jazz

(all games attended at Energy Solutions Arena, Salt Lake City, UT)

Record in Games I Attended:  1-4

01/14/13 vs. Miami W, 104-97
02/08/13 vs. Chicago L, 89-93
02/27/13 vs. Atlanta L, 91-102
10/30/13 vs. Oklahoma City L, 98-101
11/11/13 vs. Denver L, 81-100

Real Salt Lake 

(all games at Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, UT)

Record in Games I Attended 3-0-1

07/03/13 vs. Philadelphia T, 2-2
08/24/13 vs. Columbus W, 4-0
10/23/13 vs. Chivas USA W, 2-1
11/10/13 vs. Portland W, 4-2 Second Round MLS Playoffs

Other Events 

Record in Games I Attended 1-0

03/30/13 MLB-Colorado Rockies vs. Seattle Mariners- MLB in SLC  
                        Spring Mobile Ballpark, Salt Lake City, UT
12/08/13 NFL-Baltimore Ravens vs. Minnesota Vikings W, 29-26
                        M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, MD

A Year of Games 2011

One of my favorite parts of the year is looking back at all the memories. Here is my 2011 list of major professional and NCAA events that I attended throughout the year. I went to a total of nine different venues in four different states. Four of those venues I visited for the first time in my life. I saw teams from 11 different states. I experienced my first college bowl game and my first MLS game. The teams I supported finished with a record of 12-6 (.667) this season, slightly down from last years 20-4 mark.

I look forward to 2012. I became a half season Jazz ticket owner and have tentative plans to visit the east coast and the likes of Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium. As always, thank you friends and family, it was an interesting year and I am happy to have you all to go to these games with.

Look for my list of the Biggest 2011 Sports Moments next week.

Aggie Men’s Basketball

(all games attended in D.G. Smith Spectrum, Logan, UT unless otherwise noted)
Record in Games I Attended: 10-0

01/20/11 vs. Louisiana Tech W, 74-57
01/22/11 vs. New Mexico State W, 59-49
02/02/11 vs. Nevada W, 67-45
02/05/11 vs. Boise State W, 77-49
02/12/11 vs. Fresno State W, 71-55
02/26/11 vs. Idaho W, 84-68
03/11/11 vs. San Jose State W, 58-54 WAC Tournament, Orleans Arena, Las Vegas, NV
03/12/11 vs. Boise State W, 77-69 WAC Championship, Orleans Arena, Las Vegas, NV
11/11/11 vs. BYU W, 69-62
11/26/11 at Idaho State W, 75-62 Holt Arena, Pocatello, ID

Aggie Football

(all games attended at Romney Stadium, Logan, UT)
Record in Games I Attended: 1-3

09/24/11 vs. Colorado State L, 35-34 (2OT)
09/30/11 at BYU L, 27-24 Lavell Edwards Stadium, Provo, UT
11/12/11 vs. San Jose State W, 34-33
12/17/11 vs. Ohio L, 24-23 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, Bronco Stadium, Boise, ID

Utah Jazz

(all games attended at Energy Solutions Arena, Salt Lake City, UT)
Record in Games I Attended: 0-2

01/05/11 vs. Atlanta L 110-87
02/11/11 vs. Phoenix L 93-85

Major League Baseball

Record in Games I Attended: 0-1

08/30/11 Seattle Mariners vs. Los Angeles Angels L 6-13 @ Safeco Field, Seattle, WA

Other Events

Record in Games I Attended: 1-0

10/29/11 Real Salt Lake vs. Seattle Sounders 3-0 1st Round MLS Playoffs

November in Review- The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

The Good-

Aggie football. A four game win streak and the first bowl bid in 14 years! Robert Turbin is a beast among men out there. Coach Anderson did a great job at rallying the troops after a tough start to the season.

The NBA Lockout is over! After 147 days of negotiations, there will be basketball this year. I didn't think I'd miss the NBA that much but I really have. Obviously the players were starting to miss there paychecks too.

Denver Broncos. Haters going to hate, but week after week, Tim Tebow keeps winning.

The Bad-

Aggie Basketball. It really saddens me to say this, but the Aggies just don't have it together right now. For as long as I have been around Aggie basketball, well that's only about six years, but in that time Utah State has had a system and when players leave, new players fill those spots in that system. Well this year the talent level is different, can't say if its better or worse just different. Up to this point the Ag's haven't figured out what works yet. Hopefully they will get it figured out by the time WAC play rolls around.

The Ugly-

USU apologizing to BYU after the basketball game. This is college basketball, not Jr. Jazz. I am sorry if people were offended, but I was at the game and it was no worse than the other USU/BYU games I have attended before. Nobody was beaten up, nobody left in tears. Athletes like coming to hostile environments and trying to silence the crowd. It makes it exciting. So administrators, let the Spectrum remain a spirited place and if you have a problem with a sign or a students language, take care of it at that moment, have them removed from the game, whatever. Just don't go apologizing later.

USU Student Protest. If there was a "Really, Really Ugly" category this would be in it. Fortunately I wasn't there but last night when the students were quite for the first three minutes of the basketball game for whatever reasons was ridiculous. We are athletic supports, support the athletes and your school. If there is a problem to be resolved, take care of it so that it doesn't effect your team. A young basketball team, as I mentioned before, needs all the help it can get. Give the positive energy, be the 6th man and protest at another time. Maybe sit in your seats after the game when they try to turn out the lights or whatever. If your going to take some credit for wins, ya gotta take some credit for losses.

Utah State vs. Kansas State Game Preview

No. 12 Utah St. (30-3) vs. No. 5 Kansas St. (22-10)

Thursday, March 17, 2011 • 7:57 p.m. (MT)

Tucson, Ariz. McKale Center (14,545)

Aggie Radio Network • TruTV

SCOUTING KANSAS STATE

Kansas State is 22-10 on the season and finished in a tie for third-place in the Big 12 Conference with a 10-6 league record. KSU had won six straight games before losing to Colorado, 87-75, in the quarterfinals of the 2011 Big 12 Tournament. The Wildcats are 5-5 on the road and 1-3 on neutral courts this year and are led by senior guard Jacob Pullen who is averaging 19.5 points and 3.7 assists, while shooting 41.6 percent from the field, 37.0 percent from three-point range and 77.5 percent at the free throw line. Sophomore guard Rodney McGruder is averaging 11.4 points and 6.0 rebounds, and senior forward Curtis Kelly is averaging 10.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. As a team, Kansas State is averaging 73.1 points and shooting 43.8 percent from the field, 37.5 percent from three-point range and 64.7 percent at the free throw line. Defensively, KSU is allowing 66.0 points and its opponents are shooting 42.0 percent overall, including 34.8 percent from three-point range and 70.4 percent at the free throw line. Kansas State returns two starters and nine letterwinners from last year's team that went 29-8, finished in a tie for second-place in the Big 12 Conference with an 11-5 record and advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament as it defeated No. 15 seed North Texas (82-62), No. 7 seed BYU (84-72) and No. 6 seed Xavier (101-96 2 OTs) before losing in the West Regional Final to eventual national runner-up Butler, 63-56. Frank Martin is in his fourth season as the Wildcats head coach and has a 94-42 (.691) record.

UTAH STATE VERSUS KANSAS STATE SERIES HISTORY

Utah State and Kansas State will be meeting for the fifth time in series history this week with the Wildcats holding a 4-0 advantage. The first game played in the series was on Jan. 3, 1950 season with KSU winning at home, 70-45. The Wildcats also posted a home win on Dec. 9, 1950, 66-56. KSU's only visit to Logan was on Dec. 31, 1987 with the Wildcats winning, 81-69. The last time the two teams met was on Nov. 30, 1988 in Manhattan with Kansas State winning, 86-67.

UTAH STATE VERSUS THE STATE OF KANSAS

Utah State is 8-13 (.381) all-time against teams from the state of Kansas as it is 6-4 versus Wichita State, 2-5 versus Kansas and 0-4 against Kansas State.

UTAH STATE VERSUS RANKED OPPONENTS

Utah State is 12-58 (.171) all-time against ranked opponents, which includes a 6-15 (.286) record under head coach Stew Morrill. The last time USU played a ranked opponent was on Feb. 19, 2001 when it won at No. 23 Saint Mary's, 75-65. USU is 1-2 against ranked teams this year as it lost at then No. 14 Georgetown, 68-51 and lost at then No. 23 Brigham Young, 78-72. This is the first time in school history USU has played four ranked teams in one season according to available records.

UTAH STATE VERSUS THE BIG 12 CONFERENCE

Utah State is 16-36 (.308) versus current members of the Big 12 Conference as it is 1-0 versus Baylor, 5-18 versus Colorado, 2-2 versus Iowa State, 2-5 versus Kansas, 0-4 versus Kansas State, 1-1 versus Missouri, 0-2 versus Nebraska, 0-1 versus Oklahoma, 2-0 versus Texas, 2-1 versus Texas Tech and 1-2 versus Texas A&M. The last time USU played a team from the Big 12 Conference was on March 19, 2010 when it lost to fifth-seeded Texas A&M, 69-53, in the first round of the South Region in Spokane, Wash. The last time USU beat a team from the Big 12 was on Dec. 12, 1987 when it won at Texas, 80-75, in the Longhorn Invitational. USU is also 1-3 versus current members of the Big 12 in the NCAA Tournament as it lost to Oklahoma (50-39) and defeated Texas (51-49) in 1939, lost to Kansas (64-61) in 2003 and lost to Texas A&M (69-53) in 2010.

Utah State's second-round matchup with Kansas State is the only game with two top 25 teams playing one another as USU is ranked No. 17 in this week's ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll and No. 19 in this week's Associated Press Poll, while Kansas State is ranked No. 24 in the coaches' poll and No. 21 in the AP poll.

UTAH STATE IN ARIZONA

Utah State is 6-5 all-time in games played in the state of Arizona. The last time USU played a game in the Grand Canyon State was on Nov. 30, 1999 when it lost at Northern Arizona, 64-52. The last time Utah State won a game in the state of Arizona was on Feb. 11, 1967 when it won at Arizona State, 90-59.

12 SEEDS IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT

Since the NCAA Tournament went to a 64-team format in 1985, 12th seeds in the tournament have an overall record of 54-104 (.342), which includes a 35-69 (.337) record in the first round. Since 1985, at least one 12th-seed has defeated a fifth-seed in the NCAA Tournament every year except 1988, 2000 and 2007. Last season, the No. 12 seed went 1-3 vs. the No. 5 seed, finishing 2-4 overall in the tournament. Last season, 12th-seeded Cornell defeated fifth-seeded Temple in the first round and No. 4 seed Wisconsin in the second round, before falling to No. 1 seed Kentucky in the Regional Semifinal.

UTAH STATE AS A 12 SEED

Utah State is a 12th-seed in the NCAA Tournament for the sixth time since seedings began in 1980 and is 1-5 all-time as the 12th-seed. In fact, the last time USU won a game in the NCAA Tournament was in 2001 when it was a 12th-seed and defeated fifth-seeded Ohio State, 77-68, in overtime in the East Region in Greensboro, N.C. Overall, this is the third No. 12 seed for Utah State in its last four NCAA Tournament appearances and second in a row, as last year, 12th-seeded Utah State lost to fifth-seeded Texas A&M, 69-53, in the first round at Spokane, Wash.

Going Dancin'

Finishing off a near perfect season with a WAC Tournament Championship, to compliment the regular season championship, the Aggies are headed back to the Big Dance! A little bit of a bummer with the bracket seeding gives the Ag's a tough opening round opponent in Kansas State. A full game preview to come later this week.

Senior Night

2011 Senior Class

Where does time go? I honestly can not believe my time here at Utah State University is almost up, I can't comprehend that tonight is my last night attending an Aggie game in the Spectrum as an undergrad student. It has been a helluva fun four years!

It was fall of 2007 when I first arrived at Utah State and when I first met a couple of these guys. I remember when Tai Wesley walked in my living room and asked, "Where are all the honeys at?!" I remember the first game of pool I ever shot with Tyler Newbold in the commons of the Living and Learning Center.

These two guys along with Matt Fomisano, Pooh Williams are the winningest four year class in Utah State University history with a record of 105-27. They have only lost one game at home in their ENTIRE careers, a 63-68 loss to St. Mary's, which they took revenge for last weekend. It truly has been a remarkable ride!

Tonight is senior night for more than just the players though, its an end of an era as Wild Bill debates retirement and as the last original writer of the Refraction calls it quits after this issue. I will never forget the good times I enjoyed in the Spectrum. Jaycee Carroll becoming the all-time leading score, Coach Stew winning his 500th game, watching Wild Bill become famous, the loudest moment of my life when Stavon Williams and Brady Jardine put on a show against Nevada, storming the court after winning multiple WAC championships, and doing the Winning Team/Losing Team chant at BYU on my birthday, some of the best moments in my life! Go Aggies!

Jaycee Carroll

Tyler and I after clinching the WAC Championship in 2009

Bracket Not Busted

Wow. Simply put, the Aggies victory over St. Mary's on Saturday was the best win I have ever seen by this team. To go into a tough environment against the #23 ranked team in the country, when basically your whole season is riding on that one game, and come out with the W is so very impressive!

Though Brady Jardine had the highlight of the night, it was Tai Wesley who really made the idea of victory a reality.

"They were getting the best of me in the first half," Wesley said. "Coach took a little jab at me and said, 'You've been waiting for this your whole career. You're one-on-one, what are you doing?' The second half I came out and just played better."

I wrote in a previous post that it would be essential for Wesley and the other big men to have a good game and they did! The team shot 50% from the floor and only attempted 6 three-pointers compared to the loss at Idaho when 28 three's were jacked up and only 33% of the total shots fell. The Aggies definitely work better when their offense goes through the post positions.

The win should secure a spot for the Aggies in the NCAA tournament even if they somehow falter again down the road, but more than a spot, I think this win gives the Aggies the confidence they need to win a game in the tournament against a high quality opponent come March.

Here We Go Again

It's the first day of February and just like the previous two seasons the Aggies are experiencing a nice win streak and garnering some national attention. The teams 15 straight wins matches the days temperature here in Logan. Despite the freezing temps, Aggie basketball fever is at an all time high!

Coming off a thrilling double overtime victory in Hawaii, ( I would say Hawaii's home court advantage in basketball is the best in the country. Basketball teams can't take a whole week to adjust to the time change and recover from jet lag like football teams can.) the #21 Aggies shouldn't have any problems with the rest of the WAC schedule. In a way this is a two edge sword. Bad, because there is no one to really prove yourself against in this years depleted WAC. Good, because we shouldn't lose a conference game.

Thank goodness for the Bracketbuster game on Feb. 19 @ St. Mary's. We've played St. Mary's the last two years in the Bracketbuster series with them getting the best of us each time. This year though needs to be different. And it should be. Tai Wesley is a mature player and now that St. Mary's doesn't have Ogar, I mean Omar, Samhan, he should be able to dominate down low. A win on the road at St. Marys late in the season will be just as big as an early season win against BYU or Georgetown would have been. It will solidify us as a tournament team.

Stay tuned. These next few weeks will be exciting!!

A Year of Games

It's Christmas break and I'm a little bored so I have compiled a list of all the professional and NCAA sporting events I went to this year. The links will take you to my blog posts that I wrote on the events. Check the blog next week for my Top 10 Sports Moments of 2010!

I finished the year with a 20-4 (.833) record for teams I was rooting for. I saw teams from 14 different states. I went to 7 different venues. I saw all of my favorite teams (the Phillies, the Jazz, the Aggies). I saw Tiger Woods. I saw the World Series Champion. I saw one of the most prestigious events in professional sports in the most beautiful spot in the world when I attended the 110th U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. I felt the magic that is the Spectrum on a winter night. And I experienced it all with you, my family and friends. Sports wouldn't be the same if I didn't have you there to cheer and jeer with. I have been very blessed, thank you! Here is to the games and championships that we will enjoy in 2011!

Aggie Basketball

(all games attended in D.G. Smith Spectrum, Logan, UT unless otherwise noted)
Record in Games I Attended: 12-1

Jan 11 vs. Hawai'i W, 98-54
Jan 16 vs. Boise State W, 81-59
Feb 2 vs. Idaho W, 80-62
Feb 6 vs. Nevada W, 76-65
Feb 17 vs. Louisiana Tech W, 67-61
Feb 20 vs. Wichita State W, 68-58
Mar 1 vs. Fresno State W, 76-39
Mar 6 vs. New Mexico State W, 81-63
Nov 13 vs. Weber State W, 77-65
Nov 17 at BYU L, 78-72 @ Marriot Center, Provo, UT
Nov 27 vs. Northeastern W, 56-54
Dec 7 vs. Long Beach State W, 81-53
Dec 31 vs. Hawai'i W, 74-66

Aggie Football

(all games attended at Romney Stadium, Logan, UT)
Record in Games I Attended: 2-2

Sep 11 vs. Idaho State W, 38-17
Sep 18 vs. Fresno State L, 41-24
Oct 1 vs. BYU W, 31-16
Oct 23 vs. Hawai'i L, 45-7

Utah Jazz

(all games attended at Energy Solutions Arena, Salt Lake City, UT)
Record in Games I Attended: 3-1

Jan 23 vs. New Jersey W 116-83
Feb 27 vs. Houston W 133-110
Apr 23 vs. Denver W 105-93 1st Round of the NBA Playoffs
Dec 3 vs. Dallas L 81-93

Major League Baseball

Record in Games I Attended: 2-0

May 10 Philadelphia Phillies at Colorado Rockies W 9-5 @ Coors Field, Denver, CO
June 14 San Francisco Giants vs. Baltimore Orioles W 10-2 @ AT & T Park, San Francisco, CA

Other Events

Record in Games I Attended: 1-0

June 16 & 17 The 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links, Monterey, CA
Oct 31 Utah State Soccer vs. Hawai'i W, 4-0

Provo Preview

The Aggie men travel to that school down south tonight. You know the one we beat in basketball last year, the one we beat in football this year, the one that still doesn't think we are a rival. A win tonight will solidify the fact that we are indeed a rival. In what could be the last game in the series for some time the Utah State Aggies (1-0) take on the #23 Brigham Young Cougars (1-0).

It's a huge early season match up, especially for the Aggies as they only play one more quality opponent out of. A win will go a long way come tournament time in March. Here is what happened up in Logan last year when the two teams met up. Hopefully there will be more of that tonight and my road spectating record will improve to 2-3. It will be a tough game for the Aggies, who are already missing starting forward Nate Bendall, as defensive specialist Pooh Williams may be unable to go after straining his groin in the opener vs. Weber State. He is listed as a game time decision but I expect him to play in a game as big as this.

Some quick facts about the game via the USU Media Guide:

• Utah State and Brigham Young will be playing for the 227th time this week in what is the oldest rivalry in school history. USU's first game against BYU was during the 1905-06 season. The Aggies trail in the all-time series 135-91. The first game played in the series was on Feb. 23, 1906 with BYU winning 21-14. The last time the two teams played was on Dec. 2, 2009 in Logan with USU winning, 71-61. The last time the two teams played in Provo was Dec. 16, 2006 with BYU winning, 75-62, and the last time Utah State won at BYU was on Dec. 18, 2004, 84-62. Overall, USU has won six of the last nine games played in the series.
• Utah State has won 16 straight regular season games dating back to the 2009-10 season with its last regular season loss coming at Louisiana Tech, 82-60, on Jan. 4, 2010.
• Utah State has won 24 of its last 30 games versus in-state opponents and is 31-10 (.756) against the state of Utah during the last 11 years. During that time period, USU is 6-4 versus Brigham Young, 6-4 versus Utah, 11-2 versus Weber State, 5-0 against Utah Valley and 3-0 against Southern Utah. Overall, USU is 32-15 (.681) versus teams from the state of Utah under Morrill.
• Utah State is 11-56 (.164) all-time against ranked opponents, which includes a 5-13 (.278) record under Morrill. The last time USU played a ranked opponent was in the first round of the 2010 NCAA Tournament when it lost to No. 23 Texas A&M, 69-53. The last time USU defeated a ranked team was on March 9, 2007 when it beat then No. 9 Nevada, 79-77, in the semifinals of the WAC Tournament.
• Utah State is starting the 2010-11 season with four-straight in-state games as it defeated Weber State (77-65) at home, plays at Brigham Young (11/17) and Southern Utah (11/20) and hosts Utah (11/24). Those four in-state games to start the year are the most for USU since the 1991-92 team began its season by playing five-straight in-state opponents.
• Utah State's four returning starters have a combined 353 games played while at USU including 288 starts.
• Only one player on the Aggie roster has ever played a game at BYU, Morgan Grimm a U of U transfer.

The End Starts Tonight!

Well tonight, at approximately 7:05, my senior season of enjoying Aggie basketball begins as the Aggies take on in-state rival Weber State. It'll be a bitter sweet moment for me, so happy for the fun nights in the Spectrum to begin but sad that this is it! This is it for me watching as a student. This is it for my friends and favorite players playing, Tyler Newbold, Tai Wesley and Matt Formisano. That being said there are 30+ games and I thoroughly believe that those boys are going to do everything in their power to win every single one of them!

There are two key games in the early part of the season, Nov. 17 @ #24 BYU and Dec. 4 @ #20 Georgetown. Both will be tough tests and at least one victory will be needed to boost the Aggies tournament resume come March. Other than that there aren't many games the Aggies should lose if the team comes together like they usually do by January.

As I stated before it will be the senior season for Tai Wesley (who is the only Aggie to ever record 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 200 assists and 100 blocks), Tyler Newbold, Pooh Williams, Nate Bendall (assuming he recovers soon from a foot injury), and Matt Formisano. Wesley, Newbold, and Williams will all retain their starting positions. Athletic Brady Jardine will fill in while Bendall is injured and JuCo transfer Brockeith Pane will run the point. From the two preseason games, Pane looks like a very exciting player and could be the missing piece to help this seasoned line-up win an NCAA tournament game.

Some analysts are saying Utah State is the most likely team to go unbeaten through the regular season, I won't go that far. My predictions are as follows, the Aggies will lose 3 games throughout the season, Georgetown and two WAC road contests. The team will win WAC Regular Season Championship for the fourth straight year and then win the WAC Tournament in Vegas with a strong Aggie crowd behind them. And finally they will win, not one but TWO tournament games propelling them into the Sweet 16. Too bold? Nah, these guys are ready for this.

State of WAC

States of the former WAC

I woke up yesterday morning and like usual turned on ESPN while eating breakfast. Low and behold, some of the best sports news I had seen all summer, BYU was to join the Western Athletic Conference for all sports but football. The Cougars would have to come to Logan every year and play basketball against the Aggies in the Spectrum. It seemed as if this summers conference shake-up was going to be a good thing for everyone including, a Boise State-less, Western Athletic Conference.

That was until the Mountain West poached Fresno State and Nevada, two of the premier WAC football teams, yesterday afternoon! Leaving the WAC with the following six schools, Utah State, Idaho, San Jose State, Hawaii, Louisiana Tech, and New Mexico State. Six teams spread across six states, with no natural rivalries and limited historic rivalries. This is a very bad situation. Only two of the state are even neighbors!

I was opposed to the idea of super conferences (Texas & Oklahoma going to the PAC-10) this summer because of the ruining of rivalries and the large geographic distances that would separate the institutions, but in reality those conferences could survive that. The WAC with six teams, can not. And I am not willing to pay another increase in student fees so that Utah State's athletic teams can travel to Ruston, LA and Honolulu, HI because ESPN and its TV money do not want to support a conference with just six teams.

Honestly, I don't know what can be done and I have absolutely no power to do anything about it. So in theory, this blog is more of a rant than a solution, but if I were in charge of the WAC, this is what I would try and do; entice Montana to move up from the Big Sky and Wyoming to move back from the Mountain West, all the while still getting BYU's sports for everything besides football.

Montana could be looking to make the jump from the FCS Division and into the Bowl Divison. They have done just about everything in the FCS and they could see this move as their chance to make it on the national scene. Boise State made the jump less than 20 years ago and look where they are now! The WAC is a depleted conference football wise and the Grizzlies could quite possibly have a winning record in their first season. They would restore a rivalry with University of Idaho by doing this too. Wyoming would make the move for similar reasons; a chance to play in an easier conference, keep its long standing ties with BYU for all other sports, and create new rivalries with schools such as Montana and Utah State.

It will be interesting to see what happens to the WAC, the 6th oldest conference in the Bowl Division, hopefully it will still be around by the year 2011.

In a Year Full of Cinderellas, the Aggies can't Dance with Their Two Left Feet

It has taken me nearly a week to write this blog. I have been just so distraught about our loss in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to Texas A&M that I haven't really wanted to think about it since then. Not so much that we lost, all but one team will eventually lose, I'm more upset about how we lost. I honestly believed this year would be the year that we would break through to at least the second round.

Maybe I am just getting too greedy though. I love my school and I love our basketball team and they had a great season and one loss isn't going weaken my affection for them one bit. Besides I spent my childhood years rooting for Idaho State who never came close to even making the Big Dance, much less winning a game if they ever got there. We had a good season and a good team, we beat BYU, who won a first round game, had a heartbreaking five point loss to St. Mary's, who is in the Sweet 16, and dominated a Witchita State team who was competitive all season long with Northern Iowa, a team who knocked off overall #1 seed Kansas last weekend.

It has been a year completed dominated with story lines of upsets and Cinderella teams such as the aforementioned St. Mary's and Northern Iowa. The Ivy League's Cornell even made it to the Sweet 16. Murray St., Ohio, and Old Dominion each pulled off first round upsets as well. The little guys are putting there mark on this years tournament, showing they can play with the teams from the six power conferences.

So whats missing for the Aggies? Coach Morril said that our team hadn't played anyone as good as Texas A&M. Maybe it's time to swallow some of that "not playing anybody unless they play home and home" pride. If we go on the road and get beat but get the experience necessary to win a tournament game, wouldn't the loss be worth it? I think so. I would love to see us play at least two schools from power conferences in the preseason every year. Be it we play them away, in a holiday tournament, or even in the friendly confines of the Spectrum. Us playing the teams could be the missing link to a NCAA Tournament victory. Look at Cornell, they played Syracuse and Kansas in the preseason. Northern Iowa plays in-state rivals from power six conferences in Iowa and Iowa State. As I was looking at the schedules of these "Cinderella" teams, all had played at least one "big" school prior to the tournament. It's time for the Aggies to do the same!

My preseason predictions for the Ag's were not too far off. We had 27 wins, were regular season champions once again, and I DID get to sing the Scotsman after we beat BYU on my birthday! Not to bad of a season. With four returning starters in their senior season next year, I'm already ready for the next edition of Utah State Aggie Basketball!

Battle of the Aggies: March Madness Style

For the third time in the last five games and the fourth time this season the Utah State Aggies will take on another Aggie team. Here are some facts and figures breaking down tomorrows matchup.

#12 Utah State (27-7) vs. #5 Texas A&M (23-9)
Friday, Mar. 19, 2010 • 2:45 p.m. (MT) • Spokane, Wash.
Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena (12,210) • Aggie Radio Network • CBS

SCOUTING TEXAS A&M
Texas A&M is 23-9 on the season and finished in a tie for second-place in the Big 12 Conference with a 11-5 league mark. The Aggies, who are 5-5 on the road and 8-8 away from home, defeated Nebraska (70-64) and lost to No. 1 Kansas (79-66) in the Big 12 Tournament and are currently ranked 23rd in the nation. TAMU is led by senior guard Donald Sloan who is averaging 18.2 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game, while senior forward Bryan Davis is averaging 9.5 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. As a team, Texas A&M averages 71.8 points and is shooting 44.2 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from three-point range and 66.1 percent at the free throw line. Defensively, the Aggies allow 64.9 points and its opponents are shooting 41.1 percent from the field, 33.6 percent from three-point range and 70.6 percent at the free throw line. Texas A&M returns two starters and 13 letterwinners from last year's team that went 24-10 on the season and finished tied for fourth-place in the Big 12 Conference with a 9-7 record. The Aggies defeated Brigham Young, 79-66, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before losing to Connecticut, 92-66, in the second round. Mark Turgeon is 72-30 in his third year at Texas A&M and 225-149 in 12 years as a collegiate head coach.

UTAH STATE VERSUS TEXAS A&M SERIES HISTORY
Utah State is 1-1 all-time against Texas A&M as it defeated the Aggies at home, 94-71, on Dec. 10, 1963 and lost to TAMU, 78-73, on Dec. 14, 1983 at the Indiana Classic in Indianapolis, Ind.

OTHER GAMES AGAINST TEXAS A&M THIS YEAR
Utah State Football played against the Aggies of Texas A&M in College Station, Tex. on Sept. 19, 2009. Utah State lost 30-38 in the first meeting between the schools football programs.

VERSUS THE NCAA TOURNAMENT FIELD
Utah State is 2-3 versus teams in the 2010 NCAA Tournament as it defeated Brigham Young (71-61) and New Mexico State (81-63), and lost to Saint Mary's (68-63) and New Mexico State twice (55-52, 69-63).

THE WAC IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
The Western Athletic Conference has had a team advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament 10 times in the last 13 years. The WAC has also had at least two teams participate in the NCAA Tournament 20 times in the last 24 years. Overall, WAC teams are a combined 35-68 (.340) in the NCAA Tournament. The last time the WAC had two teams in the NCAA Tournament was in 2008 with Nevada and New Mexico State.

12TH SEEDS IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
Since the NCAA Tournament went to a 64-team format in 1985, 12th seeds in the tournament have an overall record of 52-100 (.342), which includes a 34-66 (.340) record in the first round. Since 1985, at least one 12th-seed has defeated a fifth-seed in the NCAA Tournament every year except 1988, 2000 and 2007. Last season, the No. 12 seed went 3-1 vs. the No. 5 seed, finishing 4-4 overall in the tournament, the second year in a row that the 12th-seed had a 4-4 record.

UTAH STATE AS A 12TH SEED IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
Utah State is a 12th-seed in the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time since seedings began in 1980 and is 1-4 all-time as the 12th-seed. In fact, the last time USU won a game in the NCAA Tournament was in 2001 when it was a 12th-seed and defeated fifth-seeded Ohio State, 77-68, in overtime in the East Region in Greensboro, N.C.

UTAH STATE IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON
Although Utah State travels in and out of Spokane every year to play the University of Idaho, Utah State hasn't played a game in the state of Washington since Nov. 28, 1986 when it won at Washington, 81-72.

UTAH STATE IN MARCH
Utah State is 41-20 (.672) in the month of March under Morrill, which includes a 23-8 (.742) record on neutral courts. Utah State is also 0-1 in known games played on Mar. 19 and 77-15 (.837) in games played on Friday under Morrill.

UTAH STATE ON NEUTRAL COURTS
Utah State is 2-1 this year and 34-17 (.667) on neutral courts under Morrill. During the last three years, Utah State is 19-8 (.704) on the road and 23-11 (.676) away from home.

AGGIES AND THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
Utah State is making its second-straight NCAA Tournament appearance, its seventh in the last 11 years under head coach Stew Morrill and the school's eighth in its last 13 years. USU has gone to the NCAA Tournament (1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010) or the NIT (2002, 2004,2007, 2008) 12 times in the last 13 years. Overall, it is USU's 19 NCAA Tournament appearance in school history (1939, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1970, 1971, 1975, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1988, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2009 and 2010). Utah State has played in the NCAA Tournament 10 previous times since seedings started in 1980 and the Aggies were listed as the 11th seed in the West in 1980, 10th in the Midwest in 1983, 10th in the Midwest in 1988, 12th in the West in 1998, 12th in the South in 2000, 12th in the East in 2002, 15th in the West in 2003, 14th in the Chicago region in 2005, 12th in the Washington, D.C. region in 2006, 11th in the West in 2009, and 12th in the South in 2010.

And we wait...

It was tough, it was bloody, and in the end it was a loss.

The WAC Championship was the rubber match in this seasons Battle of the Aggies. This time, our foes from New Mexico State came out on top. It was last week at this time when we beat this same team by 18 points and were cutting down the cuts nets at the Spectrum to celebrate a third straight regular season title. Now that team has ended our 17 game winning streak and will cause us to wait an agonizing 16 hours to see if the selection committee chooses us as a member of the "Big Dance."

All in all we should be in the field. We have an RPI of 31, had the nations second longest winning streak prior to tonight, the ESPN Bracketologists had us as lock after the win over Boise State on Thursday, and the man who knows the team best, Coach Morrill, said that we should be in!

The Aggies are still considered a team that "should be in" but no longer a "lock" after tonight's loss according ESPN's Joe Lunadri. However, teams like Mississippi St., who plays for the SEC Championship tomorrow, and Illinois, who took #7 Ohio State to two overtimes tonight, are considered out. A few years back the Aggies were a top-25 team and left out on Selection Sunday, be it they still playing their conference ball in the less prestigious Big West. More disheartening news, in the last two years, three teams with 26+ wins have been left out of the tourny.

So for now, Aggie Nation patiently waits. Going over stats and ratings and maybe praying a little in hopes that our name will be called tomorrow afternoon!

Threepeat WAC Regular Season Champions!

Last night the Utah State Aggies finished out the regular season and capped off their third straight WAC Regular Season Championship with an impressive 81-63 win over New Mexico State.

The crowd rushed the court, the nets were cut down, Coach Stew riled everyone up by saying "we should be in!" the NCAA Tournament.

It was truly a memorable night, as all senior nights should be. It was probably the last time I'll ever see Jared Quayle play live in person. I remember at the start of last year the first time I saw him play, I wrote letters to my friends on missions saying how impressive I thought he was. This afternoon he got his proper honors when he and Tai Wesley were named to the All-WAC First Team.


But the season isn't over. Thursday the team heads to Reno to play Boise State in the WAC Tournament, hopefully to remind them to stick to football. Most likely we will then be matched up with a dangerous Louisiana Tech team in the semi-final followed by Nevada in the championship game. But I, I believe that we will win them all and be no doubt headed to the NCAA Tournament.

You Like Bill, We Love Bill!

Check this out! As we wait to get back in the top 25 basketball polls, our local celebritiy Bill is #1 this week on ESPN's Not Top Plays February 12, 2010!

Lucky Numbers Seven

My two favorite basketball teams are both riding seven game winning streaks!

The Utah State Aggies (17-6, 7-2) have won seven conference games in a row to put them back on top of the WAC standings after dropping their first two games. It looks like this team is firing on all cylinders! I, and probably all other Aggie fans, have been really impressed by the play of the sharpshooting, hustler #12 Brian Green. Green has been giving the team a huge boost off the bench, coming in diving for loose balls and knocking down clutch threes. He rarely misses! But when he does another bench player in Brady Jardine has been there to put the ball in the hoop. Stew has definitely figured out a good rotation for this team and hopes of making the NCAA Tournament have been refounded.

The Jazz also have been hot as of late. They've won 11 of the last 12 with wins over teams like the Mavericks, Spurs, Suns, Blazers and Cavilers! This could be called the "Gaines" effect, because ever since Sundiata was called up, the team has been nearly unstoppable. The smile must be contagious.

Nine Things I'll Remember About 2009

If you know me at all, you know that I love lists and being sentimental! The following are not necessarily the biggest sports stories of the year but more of the stories that I will remember from year 2009!

9. Six Overtimes! Syracuse vs. Connecticut in the Big East Tournament

Quite simply a basketball fans dream; six overtimes between two rivals in a meaningful game on basketballs biggest stage at Madison Square Garden!

8. Y.E. Yang beats Tiger Woods in the PGA Championship

Y.E. Beat Tiger in the 2009 PGA Championship. Tiger appeared human for the first time here. It was the first time Tiger ever has lost a major golf tournament when leading going into the final round. Tiger was 14-0 before little known South Korean Yang beat him!

7. Highland High School Wins The Boys Golf State Championship

Twenty-seven years since my school had last won the Championship! Oh how I wish it could have happened two years prior while I was still playing. None the less it is an awesome accomplishment for my friends and former teammates!

6. February 26- Utah State Basketball vs. Hawaii

The Aggies win their first outright regular season WAC Conference Championship! Front row seats, the team cutting down the nuts, and storming the court for my first time ever!

5. Phillies Return to the World Series

My favorite baseball team back competing for the world championship! Just a few mistakes away from being back-to-back world champions and probably a little higher on this list. It was really fun to watch them throughout the season.

4. Tom Watson in the British Open

It was a missed eight-footer on the final hole of regulation that separated 59-year-old Tom Watson from golf immortality. If he had made the putt he would be the oldest person ever to win a major but old Tom missed the putt and eventually lost the four hole playoff to first time major winner, Stewart Cink. This story has inspired hope in all of us who think it may be impossible to do something, that it is possible.

3. Utah State Basketball vs. Nevada & Being Ranked

On January 29 the Aggies were in the midst of a long winning streak when they welcomed rival Nevada into Logan. The game was close until Stavon Willams did this. Quite possibly the loudest I have ever heard an arena. Period. It gave me chills, and still does! The next week, when the top 25 polls came out the Aggies were ranked and gaining respect from the nation. To me, it is one of the coolest things to see your schools name with a number beside it. I can't wait till it happens again!

2. Tiger Woods Scandal

Simply amazing on the golf course, simply a terrible person. In my last post on this topic I said I thought I could support Tiger again, once he got his life turned around. Now, after thinking about it, I'm not so sure. I am much more likely to root for a good family man such as Phil Mickelson over Tiger. Tiger did amazing things throughout the past ten years and was rightly named AP Athlete of Decade. Being such a big player, how could he not.

1. December 2- Utah State Basketball vs. BYU

Ah.. Beating our arch rival on my birthday.. Definitely something I will always remember. Winning team, losing team, winning team, losing team. In the end it was bitter sweet as this was the last win of the Aggies 37-game home winning streak. If the streak had to end I'm sure glad that this win was a part of it.

Beating BYU!

Simply amazing! The crowd, the game, the 71-61 win over our rival BYU! The whole atmosphere was so cool. I have never seen the line to get into a game be so long, the student section was filled to capacity within minutes. The signs and The Refraction were so rude, hilariously rude. For a while there it was scary as BYU jumped out to an early lead and was even winning at half-time. But the Aggies battled back, making it a night that will not be soon forgotten by all in attendance. The article below and the video above sums it all up! Go Ags!

Brad Rock, Deseret News
Hate not limited to 1 in-state rivalry against BYU

Wild. Woolly. Noisy. Intense.

And all those rude, overbearing fans.

But we're not talking about Max Hall and the Utes.

That's so November.

Wednesday night at the Spectrum, Utah State and BYU resumed their long basketball rivalry with a 71-61 Aggie victory. No, it wasn't particularly friendly. That happens when you start playing one another 104 years ago. A century is a long time to build up a dislike. USU and BYU didn't even play one another in 2007-08 thanks to a scheduling disagreement. So they're not bosom friends.

No real trouble actually occurred, unless you count the fat lip BYU's Jackson Emery got for getting too close to Tai Wesley's elbow. The hate was limited to the ever present Aggie crowd, which included a hefty, bare-chested guy who did an outstanding Chris Farley imitation.

...

Thus the Aggies pulled off another win in Logan, their 37th straight, where the crowd brings its "A" material for games against BYU.

"The signs come out, the craziness comes out," said Morrill. "Guy takes off his shirt. Hell, it all happens."

Added Morrill, "They might go over the edge a little, but that's OK with me. That might not be OK with everyone, but it's OK with me. They might have gone over the edge, so what?"

The fat guy had sung, having shown once again that when it comes to rivalries in Utah,there's plenty of hate to go around.