Jazz vs. 76ers, Kobes minus Kobe

Shortly, I'll be leaving to work the Jazz/76ers game in a new-year's-eve special. Aleen Iverson will probably drop 45 on us.

Then, the Jazz play a home-and-home against the Los Angeles Kobes, starting Tomorrow in LA.

Except that Kobe won't be there, for either game.

Turns out the NBA suspended him (I thought you couldn't suspend/fine/call a foul on God) for two games, which happen to be the two games against the Jazz.

-Bob

Michigan/Nebraska: Worst Officials Ever!

It's a good thing that Utah State got out of the Sun Belt Conference.

The SBC has some of the worst officials ever.

At least the San Antonio Bowl crew.

Nebraska won by four.

However, their team was on the feild before the game was over. The play was still going, and the entire bench was on the field.

15-yard penalty after the play, Michigan 1st and goal from the 8, 0:00 on the clock, final play.

Except, the refs swallowed their flags.

If the game had been in Ann Arbor, there would have been a riot on the field.

And I don't blame them.

-Bob

2005 in Sports

Let's congratulate the following teams on a successful 2005:

USC Trojans ~~ NCAA Football
New England Patriots ~~ NFL
North Carolina ~~ NCAA Basketball
San Antonio Spurs ~~ NBA
The Fans ~~ NHL
Chicago White Sox ~~ Baseball
London, England ~~ 2012 Olympics

-Bob

Jazz win 2 in a row

Whatever funk the Jazz were in seems to be gone.

Or, it was the fact that Yao Ming was absent, and TMac left at halftime (yet still lit up the Jazz for 21) so that he could be with his fiancee, who was going into labor with his child.

Ming/TMac gone means more than Boozer being gone for the Jazz.

Okur contributed a 20-point, 17 rebound effort for the Jazz, a night after a 23/10 OT outing with Memphis.

If Memo ever goes down with injury (knock on wood), we're screwed.

Up next: Annother Back-to-back at home Saturday with Philadelphia, then Sunday at the Lakers.

-Bob

Jazz: Last Night's Game

Last Night's Jazz Game against Memphis was great! It looked like all was lost when, with 3:30 left in the third, we were down 18. But, it's amazing what a 20-point run will do to you.

And, we didn't let down in Overtime, like we did against the Lakers.

Up tonight is the Rockets in Houston. Then, Philadelphia back in the Delta Center New Year's Eve.

-Bob

Robert Whaley

There is a reason I have not commented on the Robert Whaley/Bobby Williams, Deron Williams/Torrey Ellis situation.

It is because I am employed by the Delta Center, a division of Larry H Miller Sports and Entertainment, and therefore need to be careful in what I say.

So, you will get a no comment from me on most Jazz-related matters.

-Bob

The Call: Lakers/Jazz 12/1/05

In my job at the Delta Center, I have a unique opportunity. I happen to work on floor level. In the corner where the infamous foul/nonfoul on Kobe Briant took place Thursday Night.

Unfortunately, I had to watch it on the Jumbotron. The fact is that there were too many employees (fellow ushers, security, the Jazz Dancers, Bear, etc.) standing in there to have a good view. I would have had a decent view of the play, but everyone was standing up in my way.

So, I saw the Jumbotron. And, I don't remember hearing the whistle.

Upon looking at the replays, there was no foul. Kobe Briant claims that Brown kicked his legs out from under him. However, the replays show NO CONTACT with Kobe's legs before, during, or after the shot.

However, do I blame the officials for blowing the call and costing the Jazz the game? No. For several reasons:

1) The Michael Jordan Rule. The big name players will always get the call. Kobe may be a third the player MJ was, but he is the League right now. He will always get the call. The Jazz enjoyed Stockton and Malone occasionally getting the star call.

2) Bad officiating. The official who blew that call missed several calls in the game anyway, so it wasn't unexpected.

3) The Jazz beat themselves. Harpring missed a free throw just seconds before the phantom foul that would have made all this a moot point. Kobe fouled out in OT, but the Jazz couldn't capitalize. The guy who hit the 3 to put LA up by 4 in the closing seconds was wide open. We wit sub-40% of our shots in the game.

4) At least we showed up to the game. It wasn't a 60-point effort.

-Bob