SportsHoncho

We employ the TDLM2 system, screw the Triangle.

Imagine this scenario:  You are watching an NBA game, with seats right on the floor.  You are watching the other team beat 'your' team, and it doesn't seem like 'your' team’s lineup is working.  They aren't meshing and the defense is limiting the success of most 'your' players.  3 of 'your' 5 starters are having an off-night.  You have 3 guys sitting on 'your' bench that have proven they can contribute and might be a little hotter than the guys on the floor.  You wait a few more minutes and things are not improving, 'your' team is turning the ball over and can't hit shots, and mostly due to the 3 players having off nights.  Lets wait a little longer… and then some more.  Ok, now it is 2 minutes left in the quarter, lets change the lineup.

Now imagine you are Jerry Sloan.

As you sit and watch 'your' team play you will not (nay, you REFUSE) to change the lineup until there is a stoppage of play near your time-determined-lineup-modification-moments (TDLM²).  It doesn't matter if you are watching your team have the above scenario, as they did last night against the T-Wolves, or having a great game.  At TDLM², you exchange players.  Deron Williams could be having the hottest night of his life, scored 20 in the last 30 seconds, anything he throws up goes in, doesn't matter, HE IS coming out at his TDLM², which happens to be about 2 minutes left in the first quarter.

I don't blame players for having off nights, but I cannot stand watching Sloan do nothing about it until his TDLM²'s come.  I was so frustrated watching the Jazz game I went and watched  American Idol with my wife (yes, that frustrated).  I went back to my office after 5 minutes and the Jazz had the SAME LINEUP, and they still were not playing well.  This happens all the time, coaches change players to counter-act what is happening on the court, except Sloan.  Its all about the TDLM²'s, and he refuses to budge.

To be honest, most of the players, including the bench guys, looked off last night against the T-Wolves, except for Boozer, but at least a change to the lineup at the correct time, might spark the team differently.  How many times do I have to watch Kirilenko miss a shot before he is replaced by Harpring?  How long do I have to watch the other team packing the middle and the Jazz missing the outside shots, while Korver sits on the Bench?  How long do I have to watch the tide turn and Jazz let a big run for 5-6 minutes without a lineup change on Sloan’s part?  Oh wait I know, I need to wait until the TDLM²’s.

AARRGGHH!  I HATE the TDLM² system.

Update to ZipCodeSports.com database:

The following schedules have been uploaded to the website for the 2008 season (Click here to see all schedules uploaded to the database):

• MLS (Major League Soccer)
• Women’s FUTURES Tour
• Champ Cars World Series
• College Basketball Men's Tournaments (March Madness and Div. I Conference Tournaments)
• College Basketball Women's Tournaments (March Madness and Div. I Conference Tournaments)
• Formula One, Grand Prix Racing
• NASCAR Camping World East
• NASCAR Camping World West
• NASCAR Touring Whelen Modified Tour

Every week, more and more league schedules will be uploaded.

March Madness is right around the corner.

College football is over, yeah I know its been over a month; that doesn't mean I'm not already nostalgic.  An incredible Super Bowl has been played and now its time to turn focus to college basketball, and soon March Madness will be under way.  March Madness is one of the top sports tournaments around and produces intense games and fans.  Fortunately, Salt Lake City gets the tournament every few years, with the West Regionals (3rd and 4th rounds) coming in 2010.  With this, I, family and friends have been able to see some incredible games, here are a few that come to mind:

• In 2003, Kyle Korver's Creighton BlueJays playing a very good second half, but falling short in the end.  I remember Korver being an incredible shot during that game and was very pleased when the Jazz brought him for another scoring option.  (For some reason, I remembered incorrectly that he played for the Vermont Catamounts, who also played that day... good thing I researched this a little bit.)
• Also in 2003, Arizona/Gonzaga's, 2nd round, 2OT game that had the entire arena standing and cheering for last 5 minutes of regulation and both OT's.  More incredibly, I would say even with the relatively close proximity to both schools I remember the crowd was locals cheering for the underdog Gonzaga.
• UNLV's 1990 Championship run started in Salt Lake.  This team has been dubbed the 'Best' tournament team by Rivals.com.  I was fortunate enough to see this team 4 times over the 1990 and 1991 seasons.  Both 1990 tournament games in Salt Lake, and then the following year when they played Utah State, we traveled both to Logan and Las Vegas to watch this team.  I may be biased, but I completely agree with the article... this team was dominating.  UNLV started the game in Logan on a 16-0 run that included a timeout.  This is significant only because at USU, the fans have the tradition of standing until the Aggies score.  Every UNLV player, including the guards, had a dunk in the game (I don't know why I kept this stat, I think it was because the game was so lopsided).  Larry Johnson and Stacey Augmon were awesome to watch.   
• Along with these games in Salt Lake City, I also attended the 2005 Championship Game in St. Louis, between Deron Williams' Fighting Illini and North Carolina.  After this game, I told my brother-in-law that the Jazz HAD to get Deron Williams.  He will probably reluctantly admit to this, due to me reminding him ever since, probably monthly.

Check out ZipCodeSports.com to see if any March Madness games are close to your home town or plan a trip around one.  Also, get your 2008 March Madness Tournament tickets at

General thoughts on the NBA (2/7/08)

The Utah Jazz are awesome to watch.  I am finally becoming a fan of the NBA, due to the Jazz molding into a great team, with a great style to watch.  I hated watching Stockton-to-Malone-Ball that the Jazz provided for years.  Now that era is over and Sloan has re-invented himself, I admit it... "I love this Game!"  The Jazz are on a 10 game winning streak and due to their schedule, could easily stretch that out to 13.

Gasol to Lakers.  Pau Gasol to the Lakers is a great move for the Lakers.  As far as the "Poo-Poo Platter" Memphis got back?  Memphis had their reasons which aren't clear to anyone (I hope they had good reasons, but I am doubting it), but this trade is not going to help them win more games this year.  Personally I think it was a trade orchestrated by Jerry West, secretly running both clubs.  This makes LA an even stronger contender and will give the Western Conference teams troubles for the second half of the season. 

Shaq to Suns.  I think this is a horrible move for the Suns.  They traded Marion, a productive 3/4, for a backup 5.  Explain how that makes sense, taking production every night and trading it for a backup center, who hasn't been healthy for 2 years?  Shaq will get rejuvenated for a while, but the Suns will not win their division over the Lakers and will not get to the Championship this year.  They are causing problems with their style and team by inserting Shaq, who doesn't play run-and-gun anymore (he now plays more of a slow-and-run-over-people) and will demand a large portion of the attention. 

SportsHoncho Prediction (ooooh!): This trade hurts the Suns team and will be detrimental to there run for the championship this year.

Find NBA Games and Schedules at ZipCodeSports.com.

The New York Giants are Super Bowl Champions!

What?  With Eli Manning as quarterback?  Yeah, I think the entire nation is still in shock.  I had my money on the Patriots, however I thought either outcome was going to be impressive; either a 19-0 season or a team that stopped a 19-0 season from happening.

I was going to write this line ("I can't wait to see what Bill Simmons writes, IF he even writes anything").  I love his columns, but there is no bigger fan of the Patriots and he had predicted a destruction of the Giants in this game.  I was looking forward to his humbling and eating a little crow.  Well, with great dignity he has already written a great column, and more impressively he did it in the wee hours of the morning, after the game.  At least in defeat he can be subjective about the game.

Here are a couple of thoughts I had about the game:

• The Patriots offensive line lost this game for them, or more accurately, the Giants' defensive line WON the game for them.  The Pats line could not stop that pass rush.
• Tom Brady wasn't safe, especially if he dropped back 7 steps.  I don't understand why it took the Patriots 3 quarters to figure this out and change to a 3 step drop and have him get rid of the football.
• I am glad that now the "Is this the Best Team ever" discussion can now go away.  I hated it and thinks it is very hard to compare teams, separated by decades.
• It was really strange to see Peyton Manning cheering as a fan.  I know it was his brother, but it was still strange.  I also thought it was funny, that the woman next to him really wanted to celebrate with Peyton on some of the plays, and he completely ignored her.

For you NY Giants fan, I got this email offer in my inbox from Fathead, minutes after the game ended, thought I would pass it on - Celebrate the World Champion New York Giants!