Week 8 Podcast - Recovering from the Houston Circus

The Sports Bros talk about the rise of Taysom, the importance of beating Boise State, and the ceiling of this BYU team.

Week 7 Podcast - The Road to Bowl Eligibility

The Sports Bros talk about the tough upcoming schedule, how the Cougars can become bowl eligible, and the possibility of facing Utah again in the bowl game.

Stubborn Mistakes by Rose Cost Cougars Big

Let me preface this posting with this. I love Dave Rose as the basketball coach at BYU. He has done so much for this program and will continue to do so. However, he has some major flaws that some people just aren't willing to say.

Against Gonzaga and Saint Mary's, superior teams I might add, BYU has gotten out coached. Plain and simple.

While I believe and honestly know that Dave Rose is an excellent coach, he has made some enormous blunders as the leader of this team. Those mistakes cost BYU their shot at key victories this season.

BYU all season long is known for not committing to one particular form of defense. They rotate between manning up, a match up zone, 2-3 zone even a 1-3-1 zone. This is usually done by teams that can't "hang their hate on one particular thing," as one ESPN announcer mentioned during a recent broadcast. However, BYU is in zone a majority of their games. This is the biggest downfall of this team

Gonzaga time and time again found Kelly Olynyk in the soft spot of the zone and he made them pay. Gonzaga's big man lit the Cougars up, and not just in his scoring. Olynyk made quick decision at the free throw line, the soft spot of all zone defenses. His passing was crisp and quick. His shots were on the money, and his drives were strong and with a purpose.

Despite this showcase of shredding a zone, Dave Rose continued to go with it down the stretch, even when BYU made their final move with about 10 minutes left in the game. This was a fatal coaching decision. BYU had not stopped the 7 footer from beating them all game, yet they invited him to camp in the same spot over and over again, and he made them pay over and over again.

I am not sure why BYU thought that zone would work? It hadn't before against weaker competition, what did you expect from a legitimate top 5 team? Gonzaga is extremely well coached and disciplined, something BYU has to work on.

Secondly, Tyler Haws has had difficulty getting open, especially against the better teams on the cougars schedule. Which leads to my next problem with coach Roses offensive approach. Haws inability to get open.

While some may place this blame on Haws, I see it as Roses mistake. The same play is run at least 15 times to get Haws open, each time it being in vain. Gonzaga had that play scouted and were ready for it. Yet Rose did not make the adjustment to get Haws open in other ways. The nations 7th leading scorer had an awful game, where when he actually was able to catch the ball he forced up bad shots.

Against Saint Mary's, BYU showed their biggest weakness. Rebounding. This team is just not a good rebounding team. To compound that problem, zone defenses are extremely hard to get rebounds off of, considering the lack of player-for-player accountability. Yet, Rose stuck with the defense. Against the Geals I will admit it was an improved zone, but they still couldn't crash the glass.

All in all, I am not calling for Dave Roses head. Not by a long shot. He is an excellent coach. I just noticed these flaws in the last few games and they were driving me nuts. Anyone who has played basketball knows you can get open with the right play calls. Rose has had trouble finding those schematics.

Getting Jabari Parker in Blue and White

I just wanted to use our yet small readership to promote and awesome movement of fans to help convince Jabari Parker to become a Cougar.

I try not to spend too much time on Cougarboard, but I found myself there and saw that they are starting a donation drive to buy shirts for the fans at the game Parker will be attending in the Marriott Center. The hope is that with a huge outpouring of support in Provo, Parker will see the light and put on the blue and white.

Here's the link.

If White is Hurt, Another Advantage for Cougars

I believe BYU is the better team in this year's edition of the rivalry. I truly do. I think they are more experienced, they have better leadership and they have more play makers. Maybe that's biased, oh well. That being said, another reason has recently surfaced that could give BYU another advantage in Saturday's showdown.

Word on the street is that Utah's starting running back, John White IV is hurt. He rolled his ankle in the loss against Utah State and saw limited action after the sprain. There has been no official word down from the hill whether or not they are sitting white out against the Cougars, but with him hampered, that takes away the Utes' biggest offensive weapon.

You may remember White torched BYU last season running for 174 yards and 3 scores in the blowout. Now, while many of those yards came in the second half when everything came undone for the Cougars, he is still a threat to be respected.

If White cannot go, or is limited in his role, this could be all the Cougars' D needs to pitch an impressive game against the boys up north.

King Jimmer

Savior of the Kings franchise?

Jimmer is headed to Sacramento.

The Kings were in need of something, or in this case, someone to put fans in the seats. No one did it better last year than the one name phenom, Jimmer.

This was an obvious PR move by the Maloof brothers, but one that I feel will work out very well for both sides. The Kings could use some instant offense beside Tyreke Evans and Demarcus Cousins, who are not exactly lighting up the score board. Fredette can shoot from... well anywhere. That is not a mystery. This team will benefit from Jimmer, and likewise the other way around.

Jimmer is best when he is in open space, and handles the ball. He is also best when he  is given reign over the shots he can take, and I think he will get that in Sacramento. Now, this is not to be confused with him becoming an all-star or the "leader" of the team. I think it simply means this is a good situation for Jimmer to flourish to start his NBA career. He will be an immediate impact on a team that is needing some shooting, and some energy for its dwindling fan base.

My prediction.... Jimmer will start eventually sometime next season, if not right away. He was drafted to please the fans, so thats what he is going to need to prove in an early stage. I think he will do well, make shots, and he will surprise people with his natural ability to run the point guard position. His passing ability is very undervalued, and his frame (6'2" 195) is one that once his defensive fundamentals are sound, will make him a decent on defender. No lock down defender, but D-Willi like with his ability to move and get a body on someone.

Jimmer will succeed early on in his career. He will continue to do what everyone says he can't do, perform at the highest levels. He already has, just go check out his trophy room in his new house in Northern California.

Jimmer goes Where?

Like many anxious Cougar fans, we are all waiting to see where "The Jimmer" gets drafted come June.

A big step could be tomorrow, when the draft lottery is decided. I anticipate this could hurt/help Jimmers positioning for the upcoming draft, depending on what happens.

I have read many things saying Jimmer would be a good fit in Phoenix, presumably to replace an aging Steve Nash. Problem I forsee there... REPLACING Steve Nash. It simply cannot be done. Jimmer is Jimmer, and the boy can surely Jimmer, but Nash is a 2 time MVP, and can pass better than anyone since John Stockton.

I believe Jimmer will be a valuable bench player in his beginning years, somewhat like a JJ Reddick, only he can shoot a little better, and can drive light years better than JJ. This comparison then brings us to the idea that Jimmer can one day become a key contributor, but it all just depends on where he lands.

Here's to Jimmer's future! Best of luck!