Come on over to Hoyo’s Revenge

Well its happened, my new blog is up and running.  Check out hoyosrevenge.com.

You’ll get the same content, hopefully I’ll be able to provide even more Ute related information.  So join me over there for all the new fun and excitement.

Some Quick Saturday Thoughts…

Great Photo and I forgot what the Huntsman Center looked like full...

The Utah v Oregon St. game isn’t really interesting at all.  Oregon St. is under achieving and that might give the Utes a chance as we’ve shown some knack to be in games with teams with fundamental flaws.  Plus their coach, Michelle Obama’s brother might just be dead man walking.

I wish I could be in person for this one however for one reason.  There are going to be some really nasty things yelled at Craig Robinson and it would be amusing to hear them in person.  Imagine if he was playing at BYU?

Utah beat the Georgia Gym Dogs last night or as a southern friend told me they call Georgia’s womens teams, “The Bitches in Red Britches.”  Both offensive and uniquely southern with the britches comment.  I love it.

But the best news of the weekend has to be the news that Sharrieff Shah has joined the Utah coaching staff.  Shah and I came to Utah the same year and I lived down the hall from him in old Van Cott Hall when he was roommates with Cedric Crawford.  Sharrieff is a bright engaging guy and is going to be a hell of a recruiter and I’m guessing a great coach.

And I completely agree with Bill Riley’s take on the Brian Johnson hire.  There have been a lot of stupid reasons given as to while Kyle made this move, none of them actually intelligent enough to discuss here.  It comes down to this, Brian had to knock that interview out of the park.  If it was enough to make Kyle believe, for  now its enough to make me believe.  At the end of the day Brian will have to prove it.  But I like the phrase Riley put one it.

“Audentes fortuna juvat” — Fortune Favors the Bold

Friday Morning Hoop Thoughts…

If this happened to Storey going for a layup would you really be surprised at this point...

Is there anything happening with this hoops team this season that would surprise anyone anymore? (other than a road win, BOOM and for the record I stole that joke)

Last night at halftime, I made a joke that Utah was shooting around 70% for much of the first half but could actually go scoreless in the 2nd.  It seems they took me seriously around the 15 minute mark.  At this point if Storey was going in for a layup and literally burst into flames, would anyone be shocked?

So people began chatting last night about who might stay and who might go.  I thinking that you can’t be a total dick all the time and said that you couldn’t run Washburn and Hines because they’d have no way to transfer having redshirted and all.  Then I learn that the new staff has pushed Washburn and Hines to graduate so they can in fact transfer without sitting out or needing a redshirt year.  So we hear this bullshit story about how Larry kept Hines because Hines was the only one to come by and talk to Larry and Larry has plans to flush him anyway.  Thanks for playing, we have some nice parting gifts.

Which brings me to Kareem Storey.  He seems by all accounts to be a diamond in the rough.  Except Larry is working his ass off trying not to keep him.  He’s actually recruiting 3 PG’s for next year.  With coaches like Larry who needs enemies.

Speaking of recruiting, its clear that its just not going to quite come together for Jason Washburn, and many use this to demonize Boylen.  But it always reminds me of a tale from Rick Majerus.  In the early 90′s Utah had a guard from Wisconsin named Terry Preston.  Preston faded away when some guy named Andre Miller showed up.  In fact, Preston gave up hoops altogether.  When, Majerus was recruiting that scholarship came down to two guards, Preston and some guy from Canada named Steve Nash.  I saw Rick speak about this and he said that he made the right choice based on the info he had.  Hindsight is a lovely thing.

If you want to see the Utes win again, take a peak at the Oregon St. game.  Larry has shown a real knack for beating coaches about to be fired and that describes President Obama’s brother-in-law.  Provided of course, Storey doesn’t simply explode.

In other hoop news…

Gonzaga played the worst single half I’ve ever seen since I started watching them in 2002 last night.  14 turnovers in a half and 2-20 or so from 3 will not win in the Marriott Center, unless their coach is Tony Ingle.

Majerus’ SLU team is 17-5, 5-3 in conference with an RPI of 39.  They’ll need to be very good down the stretch to make the dance.

UCSB a team I’ve been following is 7-2 in the Big West but doesn’t have much chance at catching Long Beach State.  Great season for Dan Monson.

Wyoming, who didn’t need a culture change despite being worse than Utah, is 17-5 and has an outside shot at the dance.  But they need a win over SDSU or UNLV and no more losses to teams like TCU.  They have UNLV at home this weekend.

Colorado St. has an RPI of 20.  How did we not take a look at that guy?

Brian Johnson again becomes Utah’s OC

This is your new Offensive Coordinator Utah...

The title is a little joke.  Utah fans are funny creatures.  For most of Brian Johnson’s career as QB, Ute fans said he should be moved to another position.  As one quite prominent poster told me, “he doesn’t have it.”  Whatever the hell it is.  Then we win the Sugar Bowl.  And suddenly Brian is the great Ute hero we’ve always loved.  In fact Brian was so great, he was actually running the entire offense secretly behind Andy Ludwig’s back.  Now we’re back to freaking out about him.

The thing is, I like the hire.  I get that Brian is very young.  But don’t forget he saw  time as a 17 year old during our glorious 2004 season.  He’s essentially been here for 8 seasons now with some very good offensive minds teaching him the game.  Last year he spent a season learning from the very best the game has to offer.  Every week in the offensive planning sessions Brian was there with Norm.

Further, there must be something special about Brian that Kyle saw.  If he wanted to stay on staff, he simply could have returned to A-Rod.  There are plenty of guys Kyle knows, that he could have brought in as OC.  Brian had to have sold Kyle on this.  And while Kyle stays in staff too much I think, he’s certainly done enough to earn the right to make this hire without too much belly aching.

Even further, this will be a recruiting beauty.  Utah has a perception in a lot of places of being unfriendly to minorities.  Other schools will look foolish trying to say that about Utah now, with a Polynesian defensive coordinator and an African-American Offensive Coordinator.  One who loves Utah at that. (Cue white old men telling me this should not be a consideration and how they never think about race and Utah doesn’t have that perception)

Finally, this brings stability to the position.  Think about this, 2008 Andy Ludwig, 2009 Dave Schramm/Aaron Roderik, 2010 Aaron Roderik, 2011 Norm Chow.  Brian is going to be thankful and loyal for this job.  At some point, someone is going to offer the kid a head job.  But he’ll stay here till its the right one.

And maybe one day Brian becomes the first African-American head coach in Utah history.

In fact the only downside here is his age and perceived inexperience.  At some point you’ve got to be the guy calling the plays.  I’m not really sure what more Brian gains at this point without actually calling plays.  Even if there are learning pains, he gets a great big O-Line, a stable of running back talent, and some very good receivers and hopefully an experienced running back to make it all happen.  If Brian is your guy of the future, and it’s clear that he is, this is a hell of a time to say the future is now.

So let’s give this a real shot.  It could be very very good.

Not sure I feel more pathetic than National Letter of Intent Day…

Yes I'm waiting on 18 year old decisions.

I’m certainly not going to sit here and give you one more rundown of the recruiting class, there are guys who are far better than me at that.  Although I can’t wait to see Utah’s new 6-6 400 lb offensive lineman in action.  That is a whole lotta man.

But in a way its an odd day.  Here I am, ignoring my family checking the interwebs just to find out decisions made by 17 and 18 year olds.  Its a very strange and uniquely American day.  And a little pathetic.

It reminds me of a documentary for the BBC called Stephen Fry’s America.  Stephen Fry was Hugh Laurie’s (House on Fox) comedy partner.  In this documentary, Fry travels to all 50 states.  At one point he goes to the Iron Bowl and is shocked at all that goes into that game when it is as he puts it, simply a match between two local schools.

So NLI day is so very silly and its a little sad that I care so much.  And I’ll be right back here next year.

Bernie Krystkowiak: Coming Back Hard Again…

This is Bernie's new theme song...

Since today is kind of a calm before the storm day, recruiting LOI’s tomorrow, Ute hoops this weekend as well at Utah v Georgia in Gymnastics, I think I’d take a moment to salute the guy who just won’t quit.  Larry’s brother Bernie Krystkowiak.  Now I tried to tell Bernie that he might think about stopping because this could be embarrassing for his brother and the program.  But the guy is committed to battling all those who dare question Larry’s genius.  Since I last posted here are some more comments from Bernie.

Hoyo Silver, AWAY! To your new blogosphere and beyond!! You are the most hateful and vindictive jerk to ever disgrace the web with this disgraceful pretense of knowledge. There. You have a RARE comment!! Rejoice in your fame and pretend it’s flattery. Pubes, my ass… at least now you know what they look like. Oh God, I hope ESPN isn’t on the investigation trail… shit, what have I done

That is sooo exciting, I’m peeing a ring around myself!
Does that mean your link disappears from the familiar and evidently inferior site you were so obnoxious on? Gawd help em at Fansided…. ah shucks. Live and let die! Good Luck, CC. You’re gonna need it where the coach of UTE basketball is concerned. Ba Bye

Damn, I didn’t say I wasn’t coming back. How could anyone wanting to stay informed about the inner secrets of the program stay away. Even though it’s you, I feel badly for your lack of popularity. Like I said before, it’s always good to see what the other side is up to or in this case, down on. Yeah, Denzel and I were tight on that set. That was the fakiest damn movie ever made though. None of that stuff could have happened in real operations. Falacy all of it. You can probably understand the concept. Good Day, CC.

You know I’m kind of starting to like Bernie, the way you like your crazy old racist Grandpa.  I mean how can you not love this.  So anyway Bernie, thanks for being you, I might want your brother to stick around if only so you will too.

Deep Thoughts….

Let’s leave Clyburn and J.J. O’Brien out of the equation…

What happens if there was a game between

The Utah Starting Five

Storey, Hines, Martin, Farr and Washburn

vs

Glover, Lee, Kupets, Guiot and Dimaria

The Utah team probably wins because of Washburn’s height, but outside of that… It’s food for thought, isn’t it.