Friday, April 24, 2009

Vegas for FREE

A couple of days ago my buddy Andrew came running in to my store. He was jumping up and down and doing a dance that looked a lot like a stick figure caught in a mosh pit. He keep saying "You need to get next weekend off! Tell me you can get next weekend off"! After calming him down some he let me know that his father scored 4 FREE tickets to see the Manny Pacquiao VS Ricky Hatton Championship Boxing Fight at the MGM Grand on May 2nd. Also included were two FREE rooms at the New York New York Hotel (which if you've read my reviews of Vegas hotels, is one that I have yet to stay at). I had to pull some major strings to go as I had already planned to take a few days off to get away with Jill in Logan. Trust me, no matter how excited I am to go to Vegas, I would not have given up the trip with Jill to make Vegas happen! So, just to get an idea of what we were getting for FREE, we looked up the tickets to the fight (which is sold out) and found that tickets run from $3,000 to $150. I'm not sure where we are sitting but as you can see the tickets aren't cheap. I also looked up rooms for that weekend and the cheapest room at NYNY is $250 a night. So take two rooms at two nights and there is another $1,000 in free FUN! I am so excited to see this Championship fight in person! I'm not much of a boxing fan, but Andrew is and he has had me watch a few events with him. Manny Pacquiao is the pound-for-pound number 1 fighter in the world, so I know this is going to be real fun! Thanks Andrew! Oh yeah, my brother Keven gets to come too! The only drawback is that my Jillybean has to work that weekend. She gave me the ok to go, just as long as I don't eat at Mario Batali's without her :)

Monday, April 6, 2009

Grant



April 7th-
It has now been six years since you left us and I still dream about you every night. You made an impact on my life that will always be felt. I loved you like a brother and I always will. Everyone who knew you loved you and we all miss you so much that silly words do no justice. I hope you found the peace you truly needed to find. I love you big guy!

Grant A. Loebel
1980-2003

Jerry Sloan and John Stockton

So I already have to go against my word and attend the next Jazz game. Jerry Sloan and John Stockton were both inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. I am going to attend the Jazz game on Saturday and give Jerry Sloan a very loud ovation! Just because the boys on the team have no heart, it is in no way a reflection on Jerry himself. As for John Stockton, I can not say enough words to describe the impact he had on my childhood. Some kids grow up and have hero's such as Superman, or Batman. I had Stockton and Karl Malone. Anyone who knew me as a little boy and even as the man child I am today, they know that I grew up cheering the greatest point guard in NBA history. Congratulations Jerry and John and thank you for all the sweet memories!

Thursday, April 2, 2009

2009 Utah Jazz have NO HEART

As a Jazz fan, I am use to not winning. I'm used to players not wanting to move to Salt Lake. I'm use to being built up, just to be torn down. I'm use to not expecting much at the end of the season.

However, this season has been more trying then others. Michael Jordan broke my heart 12 years ago. Stockton left the game after a first round domination by the Kings. And just a few years ago I watched a Jazz team filled with names like Arroyo, Handlogden, and Giricek, win only 26 games. But even with all that pain, this year has just been torment. This team is filled with NBA All-Stars in Carlos Boozer, Memo Okur, Andrei Kirilenko, and a Super Star in Deron Williams. This team is suppose to be elite, but they are barely good. Injuries have plagued this team all year, and the team, media, and fans alike, used this as an excuse for the poor record on the road. Yet, with all the pieces together, this team still stinks.

The road record I speak of? These guys are 2-16 against teams that are .500 or better. So, against their "peers" they only can beat them away from home 11% percent of the time. Yet, for the most part, the Jazz are the most dominate team at home (no disrespect to the Cavs). The Jazz run at home. They fight. They shoot the ball well. They defend. They play TEAM ball. Yet on the road this team has NO HEART!

It's not just the elite teams that beat us on the road. Out of all the Western playoff contenders, the Jazz have the worst record away from the "Mo-trix". Side note, I call Salt Lake the Mo-trix. It's a play on all the Mormons and the Matrix. Sometimes this place seems surreal. Anyhow....

I just can't take the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde play of this team. Deron Williams is trying too much to prove he belongs with the elite, and in doing so he throws the ball away more than anyone else in the NBA. Carlos Boozer is softer then melting ice cream, on a cloud, covered by kittens, on a giant baby's ass! It is mind boggling how the same guys can beat a team at home by 20, but then lose to the same team when the game is played in a different city, EVER TIME!

In protest of this current Jazz team I am not going to any remaining games this season, nor will I attend the first round beat down that lies ahead. And yes, they will lose in the first round as we will start the playoffs on the road, where they CAN'T win.

It's too bad that these guys can't figure out how to play and to give all these loyal Jazz fans something to cheer for. With the economy the way it is, it is harder and harder for people to pay to go see games, and so I ask, why do we keep investing into men who don't give us their all?