Mumblings from the weekend...

As usual, after a weekend full of sports, I have just a couple of thoughts to mumble...

• It might be obvious to you, but I just realized these Patriots are pretty good. No seriously, do they ever lose a big game? I thought the Steelers where in great position to win as they had the home field, a great coach, and an awesome defense. In the end another big game won and dominated by the Patriots. I think its going to take a huge effort from Westbrook and McNabb to have a chance against New England. I think Philly's Defense is near Pitt's level, and McNabb and Westbrook are upgrades, but I still worry that they can score enough to keep with the Pats. As of now Las Vegas agrees and says Philly is a 6 1/2 point underdog. At least the commercials should be good. Never mind the half time show.
  
• The University of Utah men's basketball program looks like it has rebounded from losing its nationally respected coach (Majerus) and is out to show that the program is bigger than just one man (even if that man was realllly big). Note, the Utah football program faces this same challenge next year. Back on the court, the Utes have won 11 games in a row and are finally nationally ranked (#25 this week). Star center Andrew Bogut is on a big-time roll and could possibly be a top 5 NBA pick next year. The Sporting News has caught Bogut fever and made him the starting center on their Half-Season All American Team. If Bogut is drafted as high as expected (lets assume he'll enter the draft), it leads me wonder if any school has placed a Football player and a Basketball player in the top five of each draft in the same season (Bogut and Alex Smith are both possible top picks). I'll research this in the days to come. By the way, in terms of rolling....against New Mexico, Bogut scored 18 of Utah's first 19 points. When have you ever seen something like that? He ended the game with 24 points and 20 rebounds.
  
• Guess who won a golf tournament this weekend? I didn't see it, but if Tiger keeps winning, golf could become very watchable again.
• They say Randy Moss could be traded this off season. Am I the only one who would like to see him get traded to USC for that Smith kid? Yes that's right, the USC Trojans. C'mon it would be great, Steve Smith of USC has great hands and with Culpepper around could be a good player. Moss, could go back to school and have some time to grow up, learn some discipline, and maybe even just a touch of class to go with all that talent. I'd take Ahmad Rashad catching Culpepper any day over this Moss character.
• Speaking of not missing flamboyant wide receivers....I hope Terrible Owens doesn't play in the Superbowl. McNabb and company have proven they can do it without him, and as good as Owens is, he doesn't deserve to be the only one getting all the credit (even if he is seeking it so very badly). Come to think about it, without Owens, when looking at the final four NFL teams in the playoffs who are the wide receivers? Sure New England's guys are solid, and Burress and Ward for Pittsburgh are good, but chances are the average fan couldn't name a WR on Philadelphia or Atlanta. A star WR is a nice thing to have, but perhaps not as valuable as a few of these guys would like you to think they are.
• The Jazz got Andrei Kirilenko back from injury, but in limited minutes, he was unable to help the Jazz from losing two games over the weekend. The Memphis Grizzlies and the Seattle Sonics both used a heavy dose of offense to keep the Jazz at bay.
  
• Jazz Trade idea; Are there two NBA teams with nicknames that are more un-fitting for their cities than the Utah Jazz and the Memphis Grizzlies? Venture into downtown Salt Lake City and look for some Jazz music. Also, chances are there has never been a Grizzly Bear within 500 miles of Memphis. Therefore does it not make sense to trade the nicknames?
  
• Kudos to the Salt Lake Tribune for running an edited version of my "Fouls Called Differential" statistical review of the Jazz, that I blogged a few days ago.