Down Goes Number 4...Twice!

To be honest, I didn't give either the University of Utah men's basketball or their football team a chance in their upcoming games. When it comes to the basketball team, there have been so many changes with the basketball program--I hardly know any of the players, and by the lack of fans at the Huntsman Center, I wonder if many others do either. I know more about the football team. Still...

I don't know if anyone believed what would happen last week.

First, the basketball game. Unlike the football season, the college basketball season has just begun. There are ranked teams, but the rankings are based not so much on games played, but more on reputation. The 4th-ranked team in the country came to Utah to play the Runnin' Utes. Arizona's a "blue blood" college basketball program. They were undefeated and probably thought Utah would be a push-over. 

Yes, it was a push-over situation, but Arizona were the push-ees, not the push-ers. 

Great win--loved seeing it.

Then, came the "sure thing," the "safe bet." Number 11 played number 4 for the PAC-12 Championship. No one--at least, no logically-thinking sports fan--gave Utah a chance against the University of Southern California. After all, a win guaranteed a PAC-12 team in the National Championship Playoffs and an almost certain Heisman Trophy winner.

Sorry...didn't happen.

Non-Utah fans say the beat-down was due to the UCS quarterback being injured. He was, but the rest of the team didn't step up. Basically, if the team can't do better, maybe that player was #4 in the country, not the team. Either way, what's done is done, history was made, and the result can't be changed.

Yes, it was a fantastic week for be a Utah fan. I enjoyed it thoroughly, immensely, completely. Beating the 4th-ranked team in the country is fun...doing it again the next day...priceless.