SB Nation User Blog: rxmike12

The "Perfect Game"/My sad attempt at inspiration...

rxmike12 — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 04:46:28 -0000

So what will be included in said perfect game? I agree, it'll take a perfect game to win on the road (and maybe at home...), so how do I see it playing out?

Well, I think it's as much the failure of the Lakers as it will be the success of the Jazz. If Kobe isn't getting calls and going to the line (uh huh, that's bound to happen...) and misses some jumpers, that's step one. Odom will have to start firing up threes for no reason. Gasol and/or Bynum will get a couple quick fouls and have to sit for a half.

For the Jazz, obviously Deron will have to be full blown Ninja, likely getting himself to the line as much as possible. Boozer will rebound the ball offensively and go strong to the hoop. Memo and Korver will be hitting threes. AK will be brilliant defensively and not turn the ball over with reckless abandon. Brewer and Millsap will be hustling around the court deflecting passes and limiting the Lakers to one shot. Our bigs will wreak havoc on the defensive end, and the game will be in the high 90s, low 100s.

I'm sure some of these things will happen... whether they can all happen at the same time or in the same game... hard to imagine.

But, I'm not here to give up hope. The playoffs are a different animal. These guys have been there before, and maybe it's just the thing needed to snap the team into reality. All I can say is it's time... SHOCK THE WORLD.

Why not? Those who say it's not worth being in the playoffs with no shot to win don't get the playoffs. That in itself is the shot to win. Yes, we've been playing like total ass, and yes I am a realist, but right now we're 16 games from a title just like everyone else. Let's get behind this team... who knows how long this team will be like it is? Get to the games, support the boys, eff the haters. We'll worry about fixing the long term problems in the long term. Hell, let's win one for Larry, whatever. Just get out there, bring the noise, and show LA that we're not gonna roll over and die.

Life off, playoffs on!

A Dear Clarkpojo letter from the Utah Jazz...

rxmike12 — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 17:13:05 -0000

Dear Clarkpojo,

Is that how it is? Rashes of injuries, a brutal Western Conference, and a four-game skid and it's over? Fine then. Be a Memphis fan. Walk out on what we have, but remember... when #8 breaks Jacque Vaughn's ankles, #47 swats a Shaq shot, #5 dunks with his off hand, #13 is Money, #9 makes ESPN's Top 10 with a highlight flush, #24 goes for 20 and 20, #34 makes a cold-blooded three, #15 gets Nowitzki ejected, #26 ices a game at the FT line, #41 hustles to the scorer's table, #2 leads the second team, #17 brings some energy, #44 clotheslines LeBron, #31 uses his 6 fouls wisely, or #22 has Mo Nuts----we'll be enjoying it without you.

The rest of y'all, stick with us. Continue to bleed Jazz blue and scream your guts out at the TV. It *should* hurt when we lose, but we'll hurt together. Then, when we win, we'll celebrate together. Love us for who and what we are, and we promise to be there night in and night out, 82+ times every year. We *are* the Utah Jazz, and if that's not enough for you, we'll move forward without you.

Sincerely,

Your Utah Jazz

Staples Center Report (Jazz vs. Lakers, 1-2-09)

rxmike12 — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 04:24:36 -0000

Living in Vegas, I'm close enough to SLC to want to go to as many games as humanly possible. So when the Jazz schedule came out, I noted the weekends I had off and was able to get some tickets for certain games at the ESA. But, I noticed a weekend when the Jazz played the Lakers in LA, and I was able to make it.

So way back when, I purchased a pair of upper bowl tickets (Row 1, aisle seats, but still upper bowl) on StubHub for about $50/each. I'll jump ahead a bit here - Staples is really strange once you're inside. The true upper bowl is really really small. Only looks like 10-12 rows or so in each section, which is odd to see. There's a lower bowl and then like a mid-lower bowl, and then three (3!) levels of suites. Quite impressive.

So back to the "story," I ended up Priceline-ing a room for about $60 a couple weeks back and we were golden. We drove from Vegas to LA, and it turned out our hotel was in Chinatown which was kinda funny. We seemed a little out of place, but oh well, the Utes were up 21-0, and it was time to head to the game! On the way to the game, we were informed we had a little surprise at Will Call (courtesy of a BC7 hookup). So we parked in a scary little parking lot and made the saunter in our Jazz jerseys and hats to the arena.

At Will Call, we found two lower bowl tickets ($115 face value) which were behind the basket closest to the Lakers bench, and about 15-18 rows up. Not too shabby. We also saw a couple of "guest passes" of which we really didn't know what those were. Oh, and those upper bowl tix were needed by the guy who got us the lower bowl seats, and apparently Ronnie Price was grateful for them, whatever that meant.

As for the game there, it was truly a show. The Jazz were introduced, and when it was time for the Lakers to be introduced, things went dark and a giant like tarp-screen fell down around the "jumbotron." It was like a cylindrical blanket for the lack of a better word, and was pretty freaking sweet except for all the Lakers highlights that were playing on it. Very impressive.

So game started ugly for the Jazz, and the Lakers fans were pretty into it. Kobe is basically God in that place, and we were catching a little crap for the Jazz garb. The comebacks and such made it nice to be a Jazz homer, but obviously we couldn't pull it off. One of the true highlights of the night was ruining dinner for 18k-plus Laker fans. They were chanting "We Want Tacos," as the game neared conclusion (if they win and hold the opponent under 100, everyone gets two tacos from Jack in the Box), and when Memo hit that late three to make it 100, the place sounded like they had just lost. We both got up and cheered loudly. Priceless.

After the game, we didn't really know what the guest passes were, so we walked down and showed the usher, and he basically told us to go to the opposite side of the court and hang in section 106. So we walked over, and realized this is where the players' family and friends hang out after the game. I'm shocked and amazed how fast AK-47 made it out of the locker room all changed and ready to go. He hung with a couple of people and his wife, and actually thanked us for our support personally, which was kinda cool. We saw a few other players and another highlight of the night was a guy who wanted to get a ball signed. He saw Deron Williams ~~limping~~ walking down the tunnel, and said "Dur-ron Williams will you sign my ball?" My bro and I both laughed as DWill replied only, "It's Deron (pronounced correctly)." LOL! It was pretty comical, but DWill ended up signing his ball anyway, and then the team took off.

Overall, a very very fun trip. Economical too... really, you can pull this off for two people at less than $100 total per person (from Vegas) depending on tickets. Highly recommend---even if it has to be at Staples, go do it! Road games are a crazy experience, but a great time.

Go Jazz - keep rolling, and always remember... 8 > 3!

Breaking(?) News! Boozer to opt out...

rxmike12 — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 05:45:18 -0000

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3777170

Oh, and it's snowing 6-8 inches in Vegas, FYI.

I guess it's hard to say this wasn't expected, but it's still a little jacked up. Especially the quote that says:

"I'm opting out. No matter what, I'm going to get a raise regardless," Boozer told ESPN.com. "I am going to opt out, I don't see why I wouldn't, I think it's a very good business decision for me and my family, but I'd also like to see what happens with the Jazz and stay here."

Good luck, buddy. With the way 'Sap has shown/grown up, I'd be shocked to see Boozer back anytime soon.

Draft thoughts...

rxmike12 — Tue, 20 May 2008 03:04:39 -0000

Hello all,

As a rabid Jazz fan in Las Vegas, I'd like to throw my $0.02 in there about the draft coming this year. Yes, yes, I'm still vomiting on a semi-regular pace after the way the team got back in the game and fell just short, but it's time to move on, or get left behind.

So, who to draft? The pick is late in the first round (23rd, I believe), and obviously we're not getting a Beasley/Brook Lopez/DeAndre Jordan type. But who could slip? NBAdraft.net currently has the Jazz taking plodding center Roy Hibbert (Ostertag, anyone?), and I'm not sure this is the way to go. They have C Robin Lopez (an Anderson Varajeo type) in the same range, and this would be an interesting pick. An active rebounder, shot blocker, defender who lacks on offense, but can wreak havoc inside. I think big has to be the way to go, but if Fesenko develops, then what?

Backup point guard is always an option, but do you want to spend a first rounder on a 12 minute/game guy for the next 10 years (hopefully)? Maybe a small forward type like Brandon Rush? He's long, can get his own shot, and could make a difference if a certain Russian is traded in the near future. Hopefully they don't see a tall white guy from BYU (Plaisted) and think he can play. I saw him play a couple times and thought he was awful.

What do I think will happen? Probably some overseas guy we've never heard of. What do I hope will happen? Joe Alexander slips... Donte Greene slips and stays in the D-league long enough for Sloan to retire because I know they wouldn't get along. :)

Draft lottery tomorrow which will get the pieces in motion. Stay tuned!