Thursday, January 27, 2011

At about 10 PM mountain time, Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant tweeted "Jimmer Fredette is the best scorer in the world!!" This tweet came on the same night that Durant tied his career high 47 points.

That statement couldn't sum up Jimmer Fredette's performance any better.

If there was one thing that could be learned from the big match up between No. 4 San Diego State and No. 9 BYU, it's that Jimmer Fredette is a freak: In front of 25,700 crazy fans, Fredette dropped 43 points in the 71-58 victory for the Cougars.

It truly was a game for the history books that will be remembered by BYU fans for many, many years to come.

I was privileged enough to attend the game in person and I must admit that even I was surprised by what I saw. I've been following Fredette and BYU basketball for years now, but tonight was something incredible.

Full court pressure for virtually the entire game and a bevy of different defenders and looks couldn't even slow Fredette down. Lights out is the only way to describe the incredible performance.

Fredette had 20 points in the first half and ended shooting 14-24 from the field including 5-8 from behind the arc. Perhaps the most impressive stat was 10-11 shooting from the free throw line, including seven in a row that put the game out of reach for the Aztecs.

Who is the NCAA 2011 Player of the Year?
Jimmer Fredette
91.5%Kemba Walker
2.1%Jared Sullinger
6.4%Total votes: 47
Nothing could slow him down.

Fredette was playing his normal game, cross overs and pulling up from way behind the arc; splitting double teams and hitting floaters over defenders.

Fredette was simply amazing.

In the biggest game in Mountain West Conference history, Fredette outscored his entire team.

The Marriott center was the loudest place that I've ever been in for 40 minutes. Even NBA playoff games at Energy Solutions Arena can't rival the noise that was steady at the Marriott Center.

The floor literally was shaking after big three-point buckets by Fredette. It was the fans that carried Fredette throughout the game and they gave him a deserved standing ovation as he exited the floor after the game was out of reach.

As he walked to the bench, the crowd summed this night into one phrase as they chanted in unison, "You got Jimmered, you got Jimmered!" It was simply amazing.

Let me know your thoughts on BYU and their tournament chances this year. This is my first bleacherreport article, so spread the word!

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Sports Stories You Can't Miss In 2011


2011 looks to be an exciting sports year for all of us. Storylines carrying over from 2010 and new stories are enough to keep any sports fan on the edge of their seat. Along with my annual New Year’s Resolutions to lose weight and get better grades, I’ve tacked on “watch all of the biggest sports moments in 2011.” That could be tough to narrow it down, to help I made a list of my can’t miss stories.

STORIES YOU CAN’T AFFORD TO MISS IN 2011

1) Carmelo Anthony- I personally thought that the Melo saga in Denver would be over before the New Year, but since it’s not, we all get to enjoy it in 2011. LeBron James made ‘the decision’ this last summer, and now we get to watch Anthony shape the face of the NBA. Not only has he demanded a trade, but he’s demanded a trade to the New York Knicks. Should he be traded to the Knicks, the entire face of the NBA would change… again. Free Agency has already enabled players to move wherever they please, but to be able to demand a trade to a specific team would seemingly eliminate the small market teams in the league.

2) Super Bowl XLV- Does this really come as a surprise? It’s the Super Bowl, the biggest football game of the year. This year is sure to be a can’t miss game simply because of the venue. The game will be held in Dallas at the recently finished Cowboys Stadium. Jerry Jones has built the most amazing football stadium in history holding over 100,000 people. I’m reminded of Darth Vader’s Death Star when I see the new Cowboys Stadium; the oversized ship that is virtually indestructible.

3) Baseball- As a huge baseball fan, there are a ton of stories that we could follow here, but I will try to narrow it to just a few. In Spring Training look for Chipper Jones coming off knee surgery, Derek Jeter’s relationship with the New York Yankees after a brutal off-season of contract negotiating, the Giants and their quest to repeat, Albert Pujols’ contract negotiations with the Cardinals and the health and stability of the already crowned World Series champs Philadelphia Phillies and their new pitching toy Cliff Lee. Whew, what a season. (There are tons of other stories still to come from baseball, but these are the main headlines.)

4) Mid-Majors in the Tourney- This year is the year of the mid-major. Already, on just January 13, there are two Mountain West teams ranked in the top 10. BYU and San Diego State are looking to make deep tournament runs and bring even more respect to the mid-major schools. Kawhi Leonard is dominating teams averaging over 15 points a game for SDSU and pre-season All-American Jimmer Fredette is leading the nation in scoring at 26.1 points per game. These two men look to lead their teams past the first weekend of the NCAA tourney this year. Also look out for Memphis, Gonzaga, Utah State, Butler and UNLV.

5) NBA Playoffs- Will Shaq bring a title back to Boston? Can Miami continue their dominant play and win LeBron his first title? Can the Lakers three-peat? Are they seemingly ageless Spurs for real? Or will a new team like Oklahoma City, Chicago or Utah step up to win the title? It looks to be an incredible NBA playoffs.

6) Jason Heyward- Yes, I’m a Braves fan. But even if Heyward wasn’t a Brave, he would be on this list. 18 HR last year with a thumb injury that plagued him for much of the year gives me hope and excitement for the 20-year old phenomenon. Lightly put, Heyward is a freak and with a little bit of luck in the health department, he looks to be a perennial all-star. Oh, and don’t forget Buster Posey too.

7) College Football’s new shape- 2011 will be the first year with significant conference changes. Utah and Colorado will be fun to see in the PAC-10. Nebraska’s integration to the Big 10 will be interesting as the football powerhouse looks to get back to the BCS. Don’t forget BYU, as the school steps into independence look for Jake Heaps and the young Cougar football team to make some noise.

8) Sydney Crosby- He’s having yet another career year for the Penguins. The superstar has already had a points game streak over 20 games this year and he continues to play at a top level. He hopes to lead the Penguins deep into the Stanley Cup playoffs yet again.

9) Tiger Woods- In his first full year since the divorce, Tiger looks to take over the #1 ranking in golf yet again. After a poor return to the sport at the end of last year, he hopes to return to the dominating and intimidating golfer that he was a few years ago. I’m pulling for Tiger to be the Tiger we all remember, but only time will tell.

10) Players Unions in the NBA, NFL and MLB- Can new Collective Bargaining Agreements be found in these sports? Both the NBA and the NFL are rumored to be in store for a lockout this year, but should a new CBA be reached, those leagues will carry on as normal. As the negotiations play out throughout the course of the year, be sure to pay close attention to the advancements that are made. I hope we all have our fingers crossed that these sports will be played next year.

2011 looks to be an incredible sports year. There are many more stories to be on the watch for including Stephen Strasburg, Jim Harbaugh in the NFL, and Michael Vick’s second year as a starting quarterback since being released from prison. This list consists of the stories that I will be sure not to miss, and I encourage you to do the same.

Let me know of any other stories I’ve overlooked. What stories are you looking forward to this year?

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Sports: Why We Do It.

I had the opportunity to go to today’s BYU vs. Air Force basketball game in Provo. It was a great game as I got to sit and watch pre-season All-American Jimmer Fredette play and live up to the hype that surrounds him. As I sat there and enjoyed quality basketball, it wasn’t basketball stats or a bevy of 3-point shots that went through my head, but rather it was the simple beauty of sports. Names like Ken Griffey and Ken Griffey Jr. crossed my mind, Cal Ripken and Cal Ripken Jr., Bobby and Barry Bonds, Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning. I couldn’t help but think of the relationships that those father-son combos have.

I was privileged to be at the game and to sit next to Jimmer Fredette’s family. It was an awesome experience for me as I got to hear his parents urge him on throughout the duration of the entire game, as I got to listen to his older brother coach, and pull hard for his little brother to succeed. As I sat there next to my own father for this experience, I couldn’t help but have a little moment as I realized that this is what sports were all about.

Sports, whatever the sport may be, have the ability to build relationships that other things can’t do. It can be that ‘common ground’ that fathers try to find with their teenage son. Or, like Mohammed and Laila Ali, the ‘common ground’ between a father and daughter. Sports that can help us become close with those who surround us.

The beauty of sports is there is no talent required to build these relationships. You don’t have to be a professional athlete in order to reach the level of bond that some the people I’ve previously mentioned share. As I sat there with the Fredette family, it struck me that how normal they were. They are every day looking people, they don’t have immaculate size or anything along those lines, they looked like any other person that was sitting in the Marriott Center. But when their son stepped on the court, there was an instant bond. Jimmer looked to his father when bad calls were made, when a few shots didn’t fall, it was his father that was the first to stand on his feet and say “Come on Jimmer! Keep shooting!” The bond that those two shared was incredible to witness.

That’s the beauty of sports; they are always there for us. It doesn’t matter how much knowledge a player has, they can always turn to their father for instruction. A relationship that has always intrigued me is between Chipper Jones and his father. Chipper has been surrounded by baseball geniuses his entire career, but when he is going through a slump, the first person that he calls is his dad. He will go take some batting practice with his dad and receive tips on how to fine tune his swing. Why does Chipper go to his dad? It’s not because his dad is a baseball super genius, but because of the bond that those two have grown between each other over the years. It truly is incredible the power that sports have.

As we start the new year, it is my hope that everyone can experience a little bit of the bond that comes from a true love of sports. Whether it be a father coaching a son, or a father/son combo playing together on the same team, or (like I frequently enjoy) a dad taking a son to a ball game, or even just sitting around the TV and watching SportsCenter’s Top Plays at the end of a work day, let us all enjoy the power that comes from sports.