Quick Hits: Utah Jazz, Spring Football, MLB's Second Opening Day and More

Quick thoughts on the Jazz, baseball, spring football...

Utah Jazz Drop Key Game in Minnesota. At the end of any sports season people always look back and point out games that the team should have won. This year there are a few games that jump out of the loss column for the Utah Jazz: two games at Minnesota, on the road against the Heat, and dropping one in New York against the Knicks. After looking at these games the blame starts, the blame that the team wants to put on those games for not finishing higher in the standings. It is difficult to blame the lower finish of the season on these few games. Yes, the lose against the Timberwolves wasn't good for the Jazz; however, last night they weren't the better team on the court. The Jazz had key injuries to Okur, Kirilenko, and Brewer. Yet, flat out the team on the court last night for the Timberwolves wanted the victory more then any of the Jazz players on the court. Reality is any team in the NBA can beat any other team in the NBA on any given night. The games that people should point out at the end of the season are game when the Jazz just didn't show up at all. The December 29th loss to the Celtics at home, the January 17th loss at Denver, the February 29th blowout loss at the Hornets, and the March 20th egg laying against the Lakers. Those are all games that the Jazz just didn't show up to play, and could have had a much great impact on the final standings then loses against lower level teams.

Who Do the Jazz Want to Play in the Playoffs? - Here is the rankings from DON'T want to play to DO want to play:

Want to avoid at all cost
1)Spurs - When was the last time the Jazz won a game at San Antonio? 1998
2)Lakers - These first two could be interchangeable, but the injuries the Lakers have made them the better match up for the Jazz.
Would prefer not to play.
3)Suns - The Jazz match up well with the Suns, but they have the playoff experience to make the Jazz worry.
4)Mavericks - The Mavericks are slipping and might not make the playoffs, but they still have player the Jazz don't match up well with. Howard, Nowitzki, and Dampier have all had career games against the Jazz.
Tough series but they would be manageable.
5)Nuggets - If the Nuggets ever decided to play defense they would be a scary team to face. The key word though is, "if."
6)Rockets - No Yao Ming, big advantage to Utah. Yet, last year in the series against the Jazz, the Rockets almost played better in the series when Yao was on the bench. Just a thought to give pause to Jazz fans seeing this match up.
Bring Them On!
7)Hornets - Deron Williams owns Chris Paul. If somehow Chris Paul won the MVP, what more incentive would Williams need to humiliate Paul in a series.
8)Warriors - Baron Davis wake up screaming Boozer's name at the mention of another series against the Jazz.

Spring Football Panic - Fans seem to always panic when hearing reports about spring practices/games. Everyone just take a deep breath. Most of the key players are held out. The spring is an opportunity for coaches to teach schemes to new players, and set up an off season routine so players are ready in the fall. Calm down! Just enjoy watching and learning about the future stars of your team.

The Real Opening Day for MLB - Hoorrrrrrrrrrrray!!! Memo to Bud Selig: It isn't hard to do opening day right. Just plan games all day, in the United States, open the stadiums and enjoy. Yet, you even managed to get this wrong. No one else could have blown it worse than you did this year for opening day... oh wait, Craig Thompson just called and assured me he could have screwed it up much worse, point conceded. PLAY BALL!!!