BLAZE!!

So those of you who have not heard, the Arena Football League announced today that the 2009 season has officially been suspended with hopes to resume play again in 2010. For those of you who do not know what the Arena Football League is, its a football league that started just over 22 years ago and aside for the Canadian Football League, its the only league in America to survive as long as it has. Except of course the NFL. The AFL plays inside, has a shorter field, less players on the field, different goal posts, and has walls lining the field. It is a much faster paced game than traditional football, the scores are much much higher, and it is very loud. Some who are football die hards have a hard time watching because of the unorthodox style of play, but it is fun to watch the game.

The AFL apparently has a few teams that are really struggling financially, as well as the AFL its self. Suspending the season does not necessarily mean that the AFL is leaving for good, but taking the season off to step back and make necessary improvements to improve the financial stability of the league and its teams. The economic model that the league has been using is not as strong as it should be, and much like other companies in today's recession like atmosphere, the AFL plans to restructure and improve it to better benefit the league and its teams.

Those of you who know me know that I have been working for the Utah Blaze since August. This news took our office somewhat by surprise because the Blaze are not one of the teams who are struggling. Luckily for me, I was just interning here and not employed full time. However, I was offered to stay on and begin working full time in January. It doesn't look like that is going to happen anymore! I guess stuff like this happens and all you can do is move on and find something else. I thought trying to work in the sports world would somewhat protect me from things like a recession, but I guess I was proved wrong. I just hope that the guys I work with are able to find something else quickly, its not really a good time to find yourself on the unemployment list.

Merry Christmas!

Whoa, time flies!

So I swear that I have been super busy with school and work and stuff, but still does not warrant my lack of posting about the Utah BYU game. First off, HA HA! The Utes won. Second of all, I told you they would, the thing is they beat them by more than I thought they would!! I gave the Utes a two touchdown advantage (see previous post). I was mocked and made fun of all week by BYU fans for giving the Utes such a big spread, but they more than covered it. Even Utah fans thought that I was being unrealistic with my predictions. But I must say that I just had a feeling, I knew that the Utes would pull it off. It was destiny!

Just to recap, the game was over before it started. First off, BYU ran out earlier than they were supposed too. Utah was having their "senior day" celebration announcing all of the seniors names who then came out and stood with their parents. The Cougars ran out onto the field before this was even over! Stay classy BYU. Then for some reason BYU feels like they have to do the "Haka" dance before every game. I don't understand why they do this. Is it because of the Polynesian players on the team? Well Utah has just as many Polynesian players on their team and you don't see them do the Haka. Last I checked, Hawaii does it before their games, but that makes sense. And they do it only at home games, which makes even more sense. If BYU feels like they need to do that they can, when they are playing at home. And if it is that important for all their American players to feel like they are Polynesian for every game, then they should do it in the locker room before they come out to the field when visiting other teams. Anyway, Utah would not let them do their pre-game Haka, and rightfully so. Maybe that through BYU off their rhythm, but that was when the game was over.

Utah came out strong, scored first and built a nice lead. BYU, like they always do, brought it close and tied it for a while. Sakoda kicked a field goal and made it 20-17 with a little over two minutes left. Next cam what I believe was the ultimate demise of the Cougars. Max Hall through a pick and the Utes had a chance to kick another field goal before halftime. But wait, Max Hall in all his fury lost his cool and shoved a Utah player over after the play was over. This allowed Utah to score on a touch down pass to David Reed before halftime. Thanks Max! I lost all respect for Max Hall on that play. A QB can't lose his composure like that. What a loser, cost his team a turnover and a Ute touch down.

The Cougars made it interesting in the 3rd quarter bringing it close with a touch down right out of the gate making it 24-27. Still to today I do not understand why the coaches of BYU could not figure out how to be successful. On that touchdown drive, they march up the field 80 yards and racked up about 60 yards on the ground. Unga was running us over. So what did BYU do? They went to Collie of course. He is the big play maker on the team. He was the one who ultimately made it possible for the Y to win last year on 4th and 18. He was the leader WR in college football. But he was also the number one focus for Utah all week in practice. The Utes were ready for Collie and the Y's passing game. So what happened? Max ended up through interception after interception. The U's defense was just too prepared for Max. Thing that bugs is so many people chalked it up to Max Hall having a bad game, which he did. But the reason he had a bad game was because Utah was so prepared and read him like book. Don't believe me, then explain Paul Kruger's interception. It wasn't like Kruger was just sitting back waiting for it. He rolled of his defender and started running back to the secondary where he knew MAx would try to find Collie. Just like Sean Smith did as well. Which also reminds me, the phrase Utah fans are using to rub the win in BYU's face doesn't make sense to me. "Kruger is still wide open!" Kruger wasn't wide open. He did not sit back and wait for it. Max didn't throw it right to him, well he did but only because Kruger ran right to the passing lane. Anyway, Utah was simply more prepared that BYU was and it showed.

So for the second time in five years, Utah is off to the BCS to play in the Sugar Bowl. All the Y fans that said you would clobber the Utes, just remember this; Utah+BCS=2. BYU+BCS=0. Yeah so you have been to the Vegas Bowl four times in a row now. And I hope you thoroughly enjoy it again this year. Keep dreaming of a BCS bid and keep asking me what it is like! Oh and my score that I predicted that everyone made fun of me for? Yeah, it also won first place in the office poll which I will be rewarded for this Friday when my boss takes me out to lunch at the Cheesecake Factory! HAHA 48-24!! GO UTES!!