Thank You!

On behalf of Shades of Blue and those of us who post here, I would like to take the opportunity on this Memorial Day to thank the brave men and women who have fought and continue to fight to protect the freedoms that we enjoy.  We honor the memory of those that have paid the ultimate price with their lives on our behalf and promise to ensure that their death was not in vain.

There is a soldier out in harms way at this time who is a good friend to Shades of Blue. He checks this blog every so often from over in Baghdad where he is deployed.  I would like to thank him as well for the sacrifice that he has made.  

Many of you know James from our childhood.  He was our friend, our teammate, our coach, and for Brian and I someone we considered another member of the family.  

James, there are damn few like you.  We miss you and look forward to your safe return.  Take care brother and we'll see you soon.  

The Savior of IndyCar Racing....

At least that is what they are saying.

Do you recognize the driver in this photo.  You would had you been watching the Indy 500 this afternoon.  

How about this one?

That's right.  It's Danica Patrick.  I tuned in for the last 60 laps of the Indy 500 and all I heard about was Danica this, and Danica that.  Even though she was well behind, when they would return from commercial break they were sure to update the viewers of her placing even before telling who was in the lead.  Why?  Is it because she is such an amazing driver?  Or, is it because she looks good in a Bikini?  What do you think?

Since her rookie season in 2005 she has had 53 starts.  Of the 53 starts she has one win.  That's right.  ONE.  In the race today where she owned the media attention she finished an amazing 22nd.  

Call me sexist if you want but if a women wants to earn the respect of her men counterparts in a male dominated sport do it by winning and not by just looking good.  The only way she deserved the hype she received today is if the race was won by whoever had the best looks.  Otherwise we shouldn't know her name any more so than the driver who finished 21st.

At least she didn't run anyone over on pit row.  That's newsworthy.  

Danica, rely on your ability and not just your body.  

Yours truely, 

Anna Kournicova

Danica, Why don't you quit embarrassing yourself and just stick with racing other women?

Sincerely,

Michelle Wie

Talking Points

-At the Munson family BBQ I beat Amanda's brother twice in a row in 1-on-1 basketball.  When Amanda found out that I had won she asked, "How did you beat him?  Is it because he is out of shape or what?"  The thought never crossed her mind that I actually have any basketball ability.  I get no respect around here.  (In Tyler's defense he did have a bum knee.  But still, where's the credit?) 

-Pirate Motor Sports has a bye tomorrow night.  You'll have to wait another week for the much anticipated recap of the monday night doubleheader.  If you were to tune into baseball tonight and catch the nights top ten it would be nearly identical to what you could expect from the softball diamond.  Maybe that could hold you over until next week.

-Big Brown has  a cracked hoof.  The 30 year drought of the Triple Crown might make it to 31.  I hope not.  They say he should still be able to race.

-Even though I said I wouldn't, I have found myself watching quite a bit of the conference finals.  I had thought that I would want to see the Lakers play the Celtics in the finals, but as I watch I find myself cheering for the Spurs. (I know, break out the tweezers)  What can I say?  I hate the Lakers.  

It's similar to the feeling I get when I try to convince myself to cheer for the Utes because it is what is best for the conference.  In the end though I can't bring myself to do it for fear of possibly making myself physically ill.  I haven't quite got to the sick part but I am confident that cheering for the Utes would cause me to projectile vomit and break a rib.  I don't care what anyone says the MWC is not worth that pain.

So to sum it all up: Go Spurs!  

Oh yeah: Go Celtics too!  

And while I'm at it: Utes Suck!

Later..... 

A Moment of Silence

Please remove your Bingham Baseball caps for a moment of silence. Yes, it is true. They lost the State Championship to Timpanogos. For full details, click here.

At least the girls took state. Click here for their history making win.

Talking Points

-Teamwork: 

Pirate Motor Sports made the clean sweep last night in our double-header.  Not only did we blow out the competition but one of the teams actually was upset because we let up and took it easy on them.  I think because we had guys hitting left handed that they felt like we were trying to show them up.   

Their left fielder in an attempt to throw a guy out at home overthrew the backstop and bounced it off the complex building roof where the scorekeepers sit.  I've never seen anything quite like that before.  

I predicted a 6-4-3 double play by Tikes and I.  It didn't happen.  Instead we upped the degree of difficulty and made it a 5-4-3 double played turned to absolute perfection.  Unfortunately we assumed Vanessa would be there as the blog photographer, but she wasn't, so the moment wasn't forever captured on film.  No posters for us.  The season is still young though.

Tikes brother hit a dinger out over Payson main street that ended up in the high school parking lot.  Shortly thereafter my 2 year old boy disappeared and was eventually found out on the road with a ball in his hand.  The kid has got a nose for the ball. 

-Western Conference Finals

The Spurs closed out the series on the road against the Hornets.  I had the feeling that their experience would come through in the end and even told Elton as much about a week ago.  I can't stand watching the Spurs. I think I would rather sit at home and pluck out my pubes with a pair of tweezers than watch them win another championship. (Graphic?  Yes.  But I doubt any of you now question how bad I dislike watching the Spurs play)  

So, who do I cheer for now?  I hate the Lakers, and can't stand watching the Spurs.  That's a dilemma. 

-Locker Clean Out

Jazz cleaned out their lockers.  D-Will says Utah is the place where he would like to stay.  As of right now everyone is saying the right things.  I think he will stay but the question is for how long.  Will he go the route of Lebron and Wade and sign the short contract or will he lock into something long term?  We'll see.

-Lastly

No, I am not unemployed.  Yes I do have a job.  I have been on here a lot though lately.

 

Vying for the Triple Crown!

Yeah, that's right.  We're going to talk a little horse racing.  The Jazz season is over, BYU football doesn't start for another 3 months and I don't have a baseball team that I follow (I'll leave the Baseball talk up to the Fat One), so you get to listen to me go on about horses.  

For quite a few years now I have taken some interest in the Triple Crown.  I say Triple Crown rather than using the general term of horse racing because it's not so much the racing that interests me but rather the history that goes along with it.  

Back in May of 2002 Amanda and I found ourselves lounging around our Bountiful apartment on a Saturday afternoon with no plans and nothing to do.  Bored, and with nothing to watch on the tv, we stopped on the channel that was covering the Preakness Stakes, which happened to be on that day.  

As a part of the pre-race build up they spent a lot of time promoting the Triple Crown.  I didn't know anything about it at the time and found myself being really intrigued at what was being said.  After learning that it is a task of near impossibility, our excitement grew even more when we watched the Derby winner, War Emblem, take the race that day clinching 2/3 of what is horse racing's greatest honor.  

With great anticipation, we tuned in 3 weeks later only to watch War Emblem fall short in the Belmont stakes.  Though we didn't witness a Triple Crown Winner at that time, each year since then we have followed the races in hopes of seeing a horse accomplish the feat.

You might be wondering what the big deal is with the Triple Crown.  Let me give you a little history and maybe you'll understand a little better.

In order to win the Triple Crown, a horse must win the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes all in the same year.  That's three long races, in three different states, in a span of 5 weeks.  Sounds simple right?  I mean, come on, how many times have you seen your favorite team win 3 in a row?  It's actually harder than it sounds.

Since 1875 (the first time all three races were ran in the same year) only 11 horses have been able to succeed in winning the Triple Crown.  That's 11 horses in 132 years of racing.  The last horse to do so was a horse by the name of Affirmed who won it back in 1978. 

Since 1978 11 horses have won the first two legs only to fall short in the Belmont Stakes.  You might remember the names Smarty Jones, and Funny Cide, some of the more recent horses (within the last few years) that gave their all to make history only to lose in the third and final race.

That brings us to this year.  Big Brown, a horse that is being called by many in the racing circles as the most dominating horse since Secretariet, has taken the first two legs with relative ease, really without even being pushed by the competition.  

On June 7 he will run in the Belmont Stakes and many believe will be the horse to finally end the 30 year Triple Crown drought.  He's that good, in fact, he is believed to be better than just good and will prove that when he takes his place amongst a dozen great horses to do what thousands of horses who came before him couldn't.

Will he be regarded within the same category of such horses as Secretariat and Seattle Slew, or War Admiral (the horse that ran against Seabiscuit)?  Horses that rose to the occasion and proved that they were something great by winning it all, or will he be another horse that got close but was unable to seal the deal.  We'll find out in less than three weeks.

They believe the possible spoiler in the upcoming race is a Japan based horse by the name Casino Drive.  He hasn't ran in a whole lot of races but the ones he has ran in he has done very well.  Should be a good match-up. 

Preakness Stakes

Kentucky Derby

Off Season Regimine for the Jazz

Great season with good progress from the keystone (D-Will) from the Jazz. The team need to try and improve this off season and so here is a list for the Jazz to implement in the offseason.

Team Goals
1. Trade Kirilenko and get something even if it is an expiring contract and draft picks. He is not improving and is actually getting worse. He is the most over-paid player in the NBA. I believe it was Fortune magazine that published the most over-paid athletes and he was at the top of the list for the NBA. Normally as a Jazz fan I would try and justify the contract and look at him in blue colored glasses, but I can't and I won't. He needs to get dealt to a lottery team that he can be the man like he thinks he is. He is just one of those players that does not get it. He has not improved since his rookie year and he won't. This should have been the year for huge strides, he is in his prime. Instead, AK has settled into a malcontent that only brings distraction and pulls at the heart strings of fans with occasional good games. He is done, get what you can for him and move him. The Jazz have Milsap, Miles and Korver to take his place and I think they can fill his shoes and more.
2. Get rid of Hart and Collins and develop Almond and Fesinko (spelling). Fez really could become a force and Morris can light it up from deep with a little confidence. If the Jazz have Fez develop into an inside force to alternate with Okurs outside game and sub in for Boozer, that is a good front line. Have Morris back up Brewer and become a Vinnie Johnson/Eddie Johnson 6th man that comes in and gives the Jazz a boost. At three you have the trio listed above with Milsap starting and bringing the energy. Then you have price and Williams at point. I believe this lineup gives the Jazz the best chance to win. You still have Harpring as well to come in and bang around like a pinball and piss opposing players off.

These are the team goals, now I will break out player by player goals.

D-Will
He does not have a lot to improve on. I would suggest that he spend a summer in Utah learning to fly-fish and mountain bike. My biggest fear is that he bails on the Jazz in hopes of greater exposure in a bigger market. If we can get him to fall in love with Utah that would be great. I hope all of the honeys in the bars give him lots of love and that the state legislature changes the liquor laws for him to import good stuff. Also, I think he needs to a hollywood hair stylist to change his hair-do. His hair may be the ugliest in the league and he needs to realize that it just isn't Utah that holds back his endorsements, but that he is an ugly mofo and advertisers are afraid he may scare young children. I love D-Will and believe he is the heart and soul of the future, KEEP HIM HAPPY. One more thing, Larry Miller should give him a car dealership.

Ronnie Brewer
He needs to go to the Jeff Horny school of shooting and re-break that damn arm so he doesn't rival Shawn Marion for the ugliest shot in the NBA. He also needs to move in with Bruce Bowen and go to his school of dirty basketball. If he can learn to play defense, he has all the physical gifts to be a special defender. The NBA is full of 2 guards that light it up and it is funny that every year they light the Jazz up for 50 points. This is nothing new, it has happened for years and I would love to see them finally get that stopper they so desperately need. Bowen can teach him all the dirty little tricks from stepping on peoples heels to under-cutting to flopping lessons. He could become the defensive man. Jerry Sloan could then play him 35 minutes a game instead of 22 mins.

Paul Milsap (New Starting 3)
This man is a beast and has all the tools to be an all-star. He defends, he scores and he is the energy player for the team. I would suggest that he goes to the United Nations and learn diplomacy. He struggles with foul trouble at times and I think if he could work on the refs a little better he could improve dramatically. He also needs to take Jiu-Jitsu to beat Carlos Boozers ass for his practical jokes and for taking advantage of his humble personality. I have heard that he gets a lot of grief for his naivity. Other than that, I would love to see him get the minutes.

Carlos Boozer
Ok, he has shown brillance for most of the year. He was a stud and led the Jazz in scoring. He is great with both hands. However that being said he choked horribly in the playoffs. He played 1 good game in 12 post season games. I can not describe how disappointed I have been in his performance. His instructions for the offseason is to hang out with some navy seals and learn what real pressure is. He also should do yoga and learn to relax his rectal sphincter muscle so he can play in crunch time. He can do it, he just needs to. He should also get a tanning pass because he is pasty, I have more color than he does. I could give a hundred other suggestions, but he just needs to bring it.

Memo
He has been money in the latter part of this year up until game 6 against the Lakers. Nobody can bring it every night unless your name is Kobe or King James. He needs to grow his hair out so he can look like other great foreigners in the league. He also need to go hang out with Shaq and learn how to play muscle ball. He is an amazing player in clutch and just needs to learn to play with his back to the hoop. He could also go to heavy metal concerts and go in mosh pits which will help with his intestinal fortitude.

Price
Hang out with D-Will, enough said.

Almond
Learn self-hypnosis and hypnotize yourself every game and convince yourself that it is the D-League that you are playing in and drop 50.

Korver
Hang out with Kutcher and sneak a few peeks at Demi, has there ever been a woman in her mid 40s that is so hot? If he can go to the olympics and hang out with the track and field guys to improve his athletism that would be great. He is what he is and that is danger, danger...

Miles
Give Sloan a nice MANssage. You need to get some more PT. I really think you have some great skills and I would like to see what you can bring.

Harpring
Go hang out with the million dollar man or whatever that bionic man was called. Get your knees healthy and keep doing what you do. Get some R&R and lots of lovin from the wifey, you deserve it.

Fez
Just keep being the big lovable goof ball that you are.

AK 47
Have fun in France, you hit some big threes at the end of the game 6. You did just enough for the fans to fall in love with you again. I personally hope you go and run for political office in France and decide to forego your max contract. If you do go back you need to go hang out with Jerome Bettis and learn to hold on to the damn ball. Or if you could go see what Greg Ostertag is up to and ask him why he had better hands than you that could work as well. You may also want to read some books on emotional IQ and see if you can get over yourself and see yourself for what you are. If you come back, come back with a good attitude, avoid controversy i.e. getting vacation visas instead of practicing for game 6. Just live up to expectations!!!

For the Jazz the last thing is to beat the crappy teams in the regular season. Just think if you would have won half the games you lost that you should have won.... You would have been a one seed and you would have beat the lakers in a seven game series. Bring it every night!!!! I wish it wasn't over but it is. Good job, you have kept my passion.

Game 6 - At the Half

The wheels are coming off!  

This has been very frustrating.  The Jazz have picked a lousy night not to show up and play some defense.  How many easy lay-ups have the Lakers had with not a single Jazz player slowing them down?  I can remember a few by Kobe alone.  

They are definitely playing out of sync.  Nineteen points is going to be hard to come back from.  They really needed to make a run before the half to realistically  have a shot of getting back in this thing.  I thought they were going to after Williams knocked down that three only to come back and give it up on the next possession.   We'll see.  Hopefully they can come back and have a great third quarter and make a game of it.  

So far it has been nothing but the Lake Show.  I hate that show.