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

My Top 10 Sports Moments of 2010

My annual list of unforgettable sports moments from the past year. This isn’t necessarily a list of the biggest events of the year, just a list of moments that I will never forget.

10. Never Ending Tennis Match
I am not a huge tennis fan but I will never forget the 22nd through the 24th of June when John Isner and Nicolas Mahut played the world’s longest tennis match. It was impossible to turn off the TV! “Isner, Mahut, Isner, Mahut” when will it end?!

9. 2010 PGA Championship

A controversial finish on the 72nd hole left Zach Johnson out of a playoff for the championship where Martin Kaymer beat the long hitting Bubba Watson for his first major championship. Tournament golf at its finest!

8. The Decision
Oh LeBron… Anybody who is reading this most likely already knows about the shenanigans that LeBron James pulled this summer. To break up with a whole city on national TV is heartless and definitely unforgettable.

7. NCAA Basketball Championship
The ultimate David vs. Goliath Story, almost, as the Butler Bulldogs nearly upset the Duke Blue Devils! I know I thought that Hayward’s shot was going in!

6. Canada/USA Olympic Hockey
Wow. You couldn’t ask for a more thrilling game in one the premier events of the Winter Olympics. Both teams really came to play on the sport’s biggest stage and then for the games star to win it in overtime, just classic.

5. Year of the Pitcher
Oh what was that? Another no hitter? Yup! There were six no-hitters, err should have been seven if Armando Gallaraga’s would have counted, including two perfect games in the 2010 MLB season. None of the games were more special though than my #2 Moment of the Year.

4. The 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach
The tournament wasn’t the most exciting but that fact of the matter is, I was there and it was beautiful. To watch the world’s best golfers up close and personal in one of the games four majors is amazing!

3. “Beat the Heat”
November 9, 2010. The day Paul Millsap brought his talents to South Beach. This was just the beginning of what has turned out to be a good season for my Utah Jazz. Make sure to watch the video clip attached to the link.

2. Unhittable Halladay
Rarely does anybody watch an entire baseball game the whole way through (especially on TV) but on this occasion, when Philadelphia Phillie Roy Halladay took the mound in the first game of the National League Division Series playoffs I don’t think I missed a pitch. It is amazing to see person do an almost perfect job at anything.

1. End of a 17 Year Drought

Anytime that something doesn’t happen for as long as time as 17 years, it is definitely going to be worth remembering. Though the Aggie football season didn’t go all according to plan I had to give the victory over arch rival BYU the top spot for the year. We absolutely handled those egotistical Cougars in their favorite sport. It definitely is nice to have some bragging rights for a while!

Alright there is my list! I hope you enjoyed it and I would love to hear your moments of the year! Happy 2011!

Some moments were close but didn’t make the cut… Boise State Football Loses to Nevada, Saints Win Super Bowl, Giants Win World Series, Utah Jazz Upset Nuggets in First Round of NBA Playoffs, Michael Vick’s Return as a star

The 2009 List

Miracle in Miami? Nah, just Milsap in Miami!

Down by as many as 22 at one point in the game the Jazz and their fans were sure a loss was in store to Lebron James and the Miami Heat on the first game of their Eastern Conference road trip. That was until Paul Millsap caught fire from three-point! A man who had only knocked down two triples in his entire NBA career, made THREE in less than 30 seconds! With only four seconds left in regulation and the Jazz down by two points, here is the live reaction from my house...

Who else but Paul Millsap would tip it in to send the game to OT?! Unbelievable performance by this man. He is turning into quite the leader. What a start to the road trip as the scrappy Jazz went on to win by two in overtime with Deron Willams fouled out on the bench. And then to come back from 18 down to Orlando and win tonight the road trip is already a success. I personally thought we would win one of the four games. Hopefully there are even more surprises from this unheralded 2010-2011 Jazz team as the season goes on.

"King" putting on a Jesters Show

I hate the Los Angeles Lakers. I hate how they always win. I hate Kobe and his cocky attitude. And I hate Laker fans. Besides the New York Yankees there is no professional franchise I hate more.

That was until this last week, when LeBron James signed with the Miami Heat. I understand that LeBron needed to leave Cleveland because he didn't want to be "31 with bad knees and no championships." I just hate how he did it. A one-hour TV special to announce his decision, literally bringing many Cleveland fans to tears. Then to top it all off, a huge coming out party for the "Three Kings " in Miami. I would like a party like this next time I sign up for classes, before I ever receive an A, take a test, or even step foot in the classroom. Get what I am saying? At this moment the Heat don't have enough players signed to play a game much less win a championship. What else would we expect from a man who proclaims himself "King" with no rings though?

So if it comes down to it this next June and James and the Heat find themselves playing Bryant and the Lakers, it will be the only time I won't be chanting Beat LA.

LeBron's Twilight Saga

Last night, at midnight, many people were anticipating the release of the new Twilight movie. Tonight, at midnight, an event will take place that will eclipse any summer movie release. Tonight, at midnight, an event begins that may change sports forever. Tonight, at midnight, when the calender turns from June to July, the NBA free agent period begins!

It will be the breaking dawn for any team lucky enough to land LeBron James and other big names such as Carlos Boozer and Chris Bosh.

As I understand it, there are five teams seriously in contention for the services of Mr. James; the Caviliers, Bulls, Knicks, Nets, and Heat. Every day a new, news story breaks about how "it is certain Lebron will land at such and such a place with such and such people."

I honestly have no idea where he will go. It has to be hard to resist the temptations of the Big Apple and South Beach. I don't think Chicago is the place for Lebron though, the city is a rival with Cleveland and I do not believe LBJ could fill the shoes of MJ.

In Cleveland it would be as dark as a night with a new moon if Lebron leaves the Cavs. Knowing me at all, you know I am all for sticking with your hometown values. Saying that, my respect for James would significantly go up if he played until his twilight years with the Cavs, but it is not my decision.

So LeBron, whos team are you on?