Life Lessons Learned From "Angels in the Outfield"

     From the time I was nine, I have watched the movie "Angels in the Outfield" nearly every summer at least once.  I love the movie because it's a story of the underdog never giving up and always looking on the bright side.  

     Tonight, as I sat down for the annual viewing, I was reminded of how profound the movie is.  Well, at least as profound as a Disney movie gets anyway.

     As the movie begins, two young boys are shown bicycling around in different areas of Los Angeles.  As they bike along, they talk about their struggles.  Instead of the usual visions of glory in professional sports, these two have a simple dream.  They just want a family.  They want their parents to come back and get them.  They want to feel loved again.  

     As they go, Roger, the older boy, remarks that they won't have to stay in foster care for long, because "something good is going to happen".  JP, his trusty sidekick responds, "yeah! something good!  Maybe today even! It could happen!"  

     What a motto to live by!  No matter how hard life gets, no matter what obstacles we face, we can ALWAYS remember that "something good is going to happen.  maybe today even! It could happen."  I really believe that. 

     As the story goes, Roger's father sarcastically remarks that they can be a family again when the Angels, a down on their luck bunch of losers led by a bitter manager named George Knox, win the pennant.  Roger takes him literally and prays that the team can win some games.  Real life Angels show up and before you know it, this team can't lose.  Roger is the only one who can see them, and so he tells the manager who to put in the game.  JP desperately wants to see the angels too, but he never can.  He responds to this the way he always responds to challenges...."hey, it could happen!"

     Right before the game that will determine if the Angels win the pennant or not, it is discovered that the Angels manager believes that these unseen angels are helping his team win.  Of course, he is laughed at and fired.  In a press conference where he is given the chance to renounce this "hogwash", he is saved by the courage of Maggie Nelson, the foster mother of JP and Roger.  She defends him by saying that maybe it's not so far-fetched......

      "The footprints of an angel are love.  And where there is love, miraculous things can happen."  

 

      I find that to be very profound.  What if we all had a little more love for each other?  Even for those who are difficult to love.  What if we were more patient with each other?  More willing to forgive each other?  More willing to embrace and befriend those who may not see eye to eye with us?  Where there is love, miraculous things can happen.

       My favorite passage of scripture reads like this (speaking of charity, or perfect love)........

      And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

       Wherefore.....if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth.  Wherefore cleave unto charity which is the greatest of all for all things must fail-

 

        But Charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.  

      As always, I feel I am probably more in need of this reminder than anyone who is potentially reading this, but I hope it's something we can strive for.  The world could be such a better place if we just loved and looked out for each other a little more.  

      Well, I have already given enough spoilers, so I may as well tell you how it ends.  The angry manager has grown to love these two boys and decides to adopt them.  As the three of them hug and laugh together, JP looks toward the window and sees Al, the boss angel, smile and tip his cap.  To this JP says....

      "I KNEW it could happen!"

     How true your words are JP.  It could happen, and it does happen.  

Becoming Apathetic - a Die-Hard Fan's Struggles

    On Saturday night, I found myself making the long walk through the Wal-Mart parking lot when my phone buzzed.  Looking down, this is what I saw:

FINAL: Jazz lose 120-109 to Kings. Next up: OKC Thunder on Tuesday - http://bit.ly/14KLOMT  #UTAatSAC

     This came from the official twitter account of the Utah Jazz.

     I looked at that text message and my only thought was.......

    "Huh"

     That's it.  Nothing more, nothing less.

     As I thought about it, this was the worst thing in sports fan-dom.  Apathy.  Total and complete lack of care.  As I continued, I tried, I really tried to care or be upset about this loss.  But I wasn't.  And it scared me.  Was it not me who skewered apathetic fans last month?

     I am not writing this to give my opinion on what it will take to get me interested again or what the team needs to do for me to be happy.  That's just the point; I have watched so little of the team this season that I don't know what needs to change.  I am usually more than happy to enter a debate about my favorite teams and take/throw a few punches.  But with this Jazz team?  I don't know enough to do that.

     I don't want to be "that guy"; the guy who only cheers for his team when they win.  But I feel so disconnected.

    So, here is the time when I turn it over to you, the reader.  For those who are Jazz fans, are you feeling this way also?  Do you feel as strongly about the this team as you have in the past?  For those who are just sports fans in general, have you ever felt this apathy for one of your teams?  If so, how did you get out of it?

Will LeBron Ever be Considered "Elite"? (Part 1)

    We use the word "elite" to describe athletes all the time.  To me, there are only 6 players in the history of basketball that I consider to be truly elite.  I had the chance to watch LeBron James last night as he came to town with the Miami Heat to play the Jazz. This got me thinking about where he fits in the history of basketball.

     This blog will come in two parts.  First, I will explain my criteria and why the six members are in and why others are not.  Part two will look at what LeBron has done already and what he needs to do to move into this elite group.

    First the criteria.  Pretty simple.  You have to have the talent.  You had to have maximized that talent.  You had to be a guy who brought out the best in others, lifted them, and been a leader.  In other words, you had to be a great teammate.  You had to win, but that's not enough.  You had to continue to win.  There had to be a driving force that inspired you to win and win again.

     Without further delay, here are the 6 members of my Elite Club:

     1.  Michael Jordan
   
      A no-brainer.  The only criteria where MJ fell short was in the teammate department.  In his early days, MJ was absolutely belligerent toward his teammates.  He couldn't fathom why other people were not as driven as he was.  While he never became as good of a teammate as the others on this list, he became adequate.

     Here is what separates MJ (and Bill Russell) from everyone else:  They owned their era.  We look at Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, John Stockton, and Reggie Miller and we say "Those guys were good, never won a title, but they played in the Michael Jordan era" and we cut them a certain amount of slack.  Russell and Jordan are the only two in this category.

      2.  Bill Russell

      He was an outstanding teammate.  In fact, he is probably the best teammate of all time.  Easily the best defensive player ever.

     In a recent Bill Simmons article, Russell talks about watching film of new teammates and devising a plan to incorporate their strengths into the team goal.  He then made adjustments to his own game to ensure that his teammates strengths were amplified and their weaknesses minimized.  He did this every single year.  No one has ever done it better.

      3.  Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

      Kareem was a freak.  With his 7'4" height, long arms, and an extremely strong lower body, Kareem was able to develop the most unstoppable weapon in the history of sports: the sky hook.  The only way to stop him was to pound on him and pray that the officials were in a "lets them play" mood that night.

     4.  Larry Bird

     Nobody can touch his career 24-10-7 career averages.  More than anyone else in history, Bird milked every bit out of the talent he was given.  Technically, he played small forward.  But really, there isn't a position for him.  Larry Bird was just a basketball player.

    5.  Magic Johnson

     Another guy who grew from being a pest to a good teammate.  Magic's vision and play making were and are unparalleled.  You could take any team in NBA history and Magic would have fit in stylistically.  How many players can you honestly say that about?  Yeah, that's my point.

    6.  Tim Duncan

    Go ahead.  Call him boring.  Make fun of him for his wide-eyed "no way!!!!!!!!!!!" looks when he gets called for a foul.  Duncan got the job done.  He made everyone else around him better.  He could do anything, defense or offense.  Even now in the twilight of his career, he is still leading his team to title contention.

      I know there are some people reading this whose blood is boiling right now.  "How could you exclude player x? You're an idiot!"  Well yeah, but let me explain the big omissions.

    Kobe:

    Talented enough.  Has won enough.  But are we ever going to look back and say "Man, Kobe lifted his teammates to be the best that they could be!"?  Nope.  Final thought:  How many of the elite six had their coach write a 200+ page book that was meant to be a recap of a season that ended up being a cover to cover beat down of their character because they were such a pain in the butt to everyone?  None.  I rest my case.

     Wilt Chamberlain:

     Wilt's stats are eye-popping.  On numbers alone, he should be in any top group of players.  But he is not.  He led the league in assists because he thought it would be cool.  He passed up wide open layups to dish to teammates so that he could pad his assist numbers.  He often berated teammates for missing shots, but only when it would have given him another assist.  That's not unselfish, its idiotic.  For more reasons, I invite you to read Simmons' "The Book of Basketball".

    Shaq:

    It is difficult to look at Shaq's career and say that he underachieved.  But he did.  Shaq could have been so much better.

    As he got going, he ran up against players like Luc Longley and Arvydas Sabonis who had the size to withstand his powerful post up attacks.  Instead of changing his game to dominate these slow-footed counterparts, Shaq decided to just become bigger so that he could barrel through anyone.  The added weight was hard on his lower body, robbing him of his explosion. If he had kept reasonably close to the 300 pounds that he started his career at, and expanded his game to include more moves, Shaq would have passed Kareem in the pecking order.  Instead, he just gets to be considered among the best.

     If you don't maximize your talents, I have to leave you off my list.

    Jerry West:

    West worked as hard as anyone ever has at his game.  His long arms and extremely quick feet made him one of the best defensive guards ever.  In an era that didn't clearly establish the difference between point and shooting guard, West played both better than anyone in that era.

    His problem?  Russell.  He could never get past the guy.  A title or two in the sixties, and West is in the elite club.  Of those I have listed so far, West was the closest to making it in.

     Oscar Robertson:

     Great stats, a championship (to be fair, Kareem carried a shell of Oscar to a title), and the only guy to ever average a triple-double for an entire season.  Why is he excluded?  He was quite possibly the most horrendous teammate of all time.  No one (except Kareem) was ever good enough for him and he let them know.  His whining about teammates continues to this day.  Of all the people I have written about here, Oscar is the furthest from being included in the elite club.

     So there you have it, part 1.  Look for part 2 about where LeBron fits into this.
   

There Are a Lot of Dumb Ute Fans

    Someday, somebody needs to write the ultimate rule book on being a sports fan.  There would be a lot of things to cover, for sure.  But right up there at the top would be the rules about leaving your team.

    I can't think of many reasons that justify deserting your team.  A Penn State type scandal? Ok, yes, that qualifies.  A family member gets the opportunity to play at the collegiate level  for another school?  Fine.  That works too.

    Other than that, are there any justifiable reasons to abandon your team?  Not really, if you ask me.  And since you're reading this blog, you did just ask me!

    As most of you know, I am a die-hard fan of the Runnin' Utes.  More than any other team I cheer for, they are "my" team.  And as you can imagine, there hasn't been a whole lot of joy in Uteville over the past few years.  For a variety of reasons, the team has struggled to gain any traction.

    This year has been no different.  While it's clear that the team has improved from last year, there appears to be a considerable amount of growth that remains for this team to compete in the Pac-12.

    Yesterday, the team welcomed in the USC Trojans.  There was a buzz in the Huntsman Center that hadn't been felt in a long time.  After taking three of the better teams in the conference to the wire, the fans were hoping that it would be our turn to finally get a win.

     But it wasn't to be.  USC just had one of those nights.  It didn't matter how contested their shots were, the Trojans made them and the Utes were beaten.

    The post game reaction was brutal.  Fans on social media and post game shows were frustrated.  How could anyone not be?  A winnable game turned into yet another loss.  But this one was different.  Many said they were done with this team.  They wouldn't be coming back or watching this team until they figure out whats wrong and fix it.

     That drives me nuts and there's no other way to say it.

     Believe me, I get it.  I know how frustrating it is.  I want so badly for this team to succeed.  But to just pack up and leave your team when they are struggling?  Give me a break.  If that's you, then you aren't a true fan.

     I want to focus on two of our seniors: Jason Washburn and David Foster.  These two have been through a lot.  For Foster, he has played under 3 different head coaches in his time at Utah.  Both of them watched as teammates cut and ran when things got hard.  Instead of following suit, they stayed.  Foster even stayed after finding out his basketball career was over due to injury.  You can now find the 7'3" big man in a suit and tie encouraging his teammates from the bench each and every game.

     Folks, this is a kid who graduated last year and is so committed to this program that he has hung around to see it through.

    Look at Washburn.  He has some talent and ability.  I am not saying he is going to the NBA, but he can play.  He easily could have transferred to UNLV or New Mexico or anywhere else where they have a successful program and played big minutes there.  But you know what?  He didn't.  He believed in this Ute team and wanted to be a part of it.

     So you, Joe Schmoe, Ute "fan", are telling me that YOU are going to quit on those kids?  You have had enough and can't take it anymore?  Fine.  Don't let the door hit you on the way out.  If you can't tolerate losing, go cheer for someone else.  But on your way out, I want you to walk up to Foster and Washburn, or Cedric Martin or Jordan Loveridge or anyone else, look them in the eye, and tell them that you are tired of losing and that you won't come back until the "idiots" figure it out.

    I tell you one thing, these kids deserve a heck of a lot more than for a bunch of fans to quit on them.

   I frequently argue with a group I will just call the "Larry haters".  On day 1, this group made up their mind that Larry Krystkowiak was the wrong man for the job and have since blasted his every move.  I consider this group to be the "Statler & Waldorf" of Uteville, minus the clever puns.  But, you know something.....at least those guys show up.  At least they care.  At least they follow the team and talk about them.

   I know that I am probably a more "extreme" Ute fan than most, so maybe that's part of it.  For me, it hasn't always been "just" about football and basketball.  I am just as interested in the Volleyball, Tennis, and Soccer teams.  If it's Ute-related, I follow it.  I get pumped every time I hear our fight song, doesn't matter if it's at a baseball game or Rice-Eccles in the fall.

    Speaking of our fight song........look at the lyrics to the chorus:

    Who am I, sir?
    A UTAH man am I!
    A UTAH man, sir,
    And will be 'til I die!

    That's funny.  It doesn't say "Who am I sir? A Utah man am I! (as long as we are winning on a regular basis!) A Utah man sir and will be 'til we lose!"

    Ki-Yi!

    To wrap this up, I don't mean to call out the whole fan base.  I have said it before, and i'll say it again.  Ute fans are the best fans!  No doubt about it!  But let's stick with this team through thick and thin.  I wish you could see this team as I do.  We are so close!  Our best days are ahead of us!  And when we get there, this will all be worth it.

    In the meantime, remember my rule and never quit your team!
 

   

A Change of Pace: Ben the TV Critic?

     There are three shows on TV that I absolutely have to watch each week.  The first (The Office) is one that I have followed for quite some time.  As it prepares to wrap up, I find myself intrigued by how it will all end.  The second (Shark Tank) has been a favorite for a couple of years now, and I feel like I learn a lot during each episode.  Finally, the third show (Go On) is new this season, and I am already hoping that it has a long run.

     I know, this blog is typically dedicated exclusively to sports but I thought I'd change it up today.  So, without further delay, here are the reasons these shows are "must see" TV for me:

     The Office:

    Like many of you, I have seen every episode of this show.  I love the writing and the style of this show.  Through 9 seasons, this show has kept me coming back and never getting bored.

    I know that a lot of people are disappointed in this ninth and final season.  In a way, I am too.  I am not a fan of how the Jim-Pam-Roy love triangle storyline is being repeated with Pete-Erin-Andy (at least that is how it looks).  I find that in each episode, I am laughing less than I used to.

    It still has its moments of course; Creed's subtle "thats what she said" comes to mind, but as a whole, it's just not as funny to me as it used to be.

    So why do I bother tuning in?  Because it's a classic.  As it winds down, there are just some things that I want to know.  Who is the Scranton Strangler?  What is the film crew really up to?  I just want to know.  I tune in each week hoping to see a surprise appearance by Michael Scott.  I cross my fingers as each episode goes by that I will not be subjected to another meaningless/obnoxious scene with Gabe in it.

     I'll see this one through to the end, even if it means less laughs than before.

     As a PS to this section, I want to address those who feel that "The Office" has crashed harder than any show in the history of television.  Try watching "Sabrina the Teenage Witch".  If you get through season 6 and continue to watch season 7, you will be thankful that "The Office" writers have only fallen so far.  Trust me.

     Shark Tank: 

     I believe that this show has some value to society as a whole.  I don't mean in a "Let's all get together and talk about our feelings, Full House" type of way.

     Watching this episode is a crash course in starting/growing/maintaining a business.  Those with an idea are often given advice or criticism in their path to success.  For people at home, this advice can be applied as the next generation of small-business owners.

     If you have never watched, here is how it works:  A person or group with an idea at various stages of production appear before a panel of investors "the sharks".  They explain/demonstrate their product or idea and give a presentation as to why a shark should invest in their product.

    Sometimes, the sharks dismiss the person quickly.  Other times, they get into intense battles over who can give this person the best offer.  Each has their own unique strengths.  Sometimes, they even work together to sweeten a deal.

    I believe that when we look back on American history years from now, it will be said that people with ideas for products saved the country, not politicians.  They put people back to work and as a result, America thrived again.

    I think that people are watching this show and taking notes.  I hope they are anyway.  If folks ask themselves the same questions that the Sharks ask of would-be business partners, they will save themselves a lot of trouble.

     This show is worth your time, every time.

     Go On:

     I saw previews for this show during the summer Olympics and didn't think much of it.  My wife is a big Matthew Perry fan and when it was announced that a special sneak peak would be aired, she convinced me to give it a try.

    I was hooked on the pilot episode.

    It follows Ryan King (Perry), a sports radio host who has just lost his wife.  He is sent to group counseling to deal with his grief (though he denies having any).  The show tells of the adventures of King and the fellow group members as they go through their daily life.

    I think the underlying thing about this show is that it shows that people who you might normally consider to be "weird" or "crazy" are really caring, loving people.  At any rate, the show makes me laugh.

    So there you have it, three shows that I have to catch each week.  You should to!

"You cant really smile until you shed some tears": The crazy, tragic, sometimes almost magic, awful, beautiful life of a sports fan, Part 1

    If you read this blog often, you know I like to talk about being a fan of sports and what that has taught me in my life.  Someday, I'd love to publish a book with all this stuff.  But in the meantime, this is what I have been thinking about lately...........

    This year has been a frustrating one for my sports teams.  I know, I know, insert the little "firstworldproblems" hashtag from twitter here.  From the Boston Red Sox to the Runnin' Utes, the ball just has not gone my way.  

     Sometimes, when things are like this, it gives you a perspective you couldn't gain anywhere else.  

     Back  in 2004, my teams were on top of the world.  The Utes football team busted the BCS, the Red Sox finally got rid of "the curse" and the Runnin' Utes were on their way to another sweet 16.  

     Now?  Well, the Red Sox are a joke.  The football team lost last night to Arizona, which ends a streak of 9 consecutive Bowl appearances.  The Jazz are extremely average.  And the Runnin' Utes, my favorite of all teams, across all sports?  They lost to an average Big Sky team at home after being up 13 in the second half.  

     I find myself at times wishing desperately that I could get back to the time when my teams were the talk of the town.  Those were the good old days.  

     But you know what?  It will happen again.  When it does, I will enjoy the heck out of it.  

    By nature, I'm an optimistic person.  The Jazz have some young talent that's going to explode.  The Football Utes will be great in 2014.  I truly believe that we are just a stone's throw away from getting our Runnin' Utes back.  (Wait a minute, when did this blog become a Morgan Philpot political commercial?  I thought we were past that!)  

     I have been fortunate to be in a position where I get to interact with athletes from a local college.  I have greatly enjoyed it over the last three years.  At first, I was star struck.  But as I have had a chance to get to know these kids, I have learned that that's just what they are; kids.  They like to do the same things that I do.  

They don't deserve heaps and heaps of criticism when they don't win.  Sometimes, its easy to forget that these are people with feelings, just like you and me.  

     So that's the lesson I have learned through this "trying" time.  When your team is having success, enjoy it! Treasure it!  It's not going to last, so celebrate!  And when your team is down, stick by them.  They need you to stick with them through the hard times, as well as the good.  Anyone would show up when their team is good.  A true fan shows up regardless.  

A change.........

     If you follow me on twitter, you know I am not a big fan of the local sports media in Utah.  At least mostly.  There are some guys that I really enjoy listening to.  Bill Riley, Hans Olsen, Jeremiah Jensen, Tom Kirkland, etc.  There are also a few journalists that I like, they are Jody Genessy, Tony Jones, and Brad Rock.

      One of my biggest complaints is the lack of coverage for the "small" schools in Utah.  It just doesn't exist.    As I mentioned today, SUU defeated the #1 ranked team in the FCS and they barely got a blurb in the DesNews.

       I think that the blogosphere for the "big" teams is overdone.  There are so many blogs out there for the Utes and Cougars.  But there aren't many for Utah State, Weber, SUU, etc.

      I have created a blog that aims to fill in the gap.  This will be a blog devoted to ALL sports in the state of Utah.  Are you a high school fan? We will have you covered.  Do you like the Dixie st. soccer team? We will have that as well.  We will also give coverage to the Utes, BYU, and the Jazz.  But it wont dominate.

     Needless to say, this is a big undertaking.  I cant do it alone ( I work full time now, thank goodness!).  So, I need some help.  I need people who want to write for fun and cover a beat.  I really feel like this site can get big with the right people.

     If you want to see it (its VERY basic, obviously, ill need some help on design), you can visit it here.  We are working on a twitter handle as well.

     So shoot me an email utahsportscentral@yahoo.com if you want to help.  Or tweet at me.  Any help appreciated!