BYU needs Araujo on the floor

Rafael Araujo's foul-prone senior campaign got off to an inauspicious start this week when he played just 18 minutes in a loss to the Cal Bears in Berkeley.

Playing 18 minutes is less than half a game.

Playing 18 minutes isn't even breaking a sweat.

Playing 18 minutes isn't even enough time for a turkey farmer to find rhythm with his axe.

This may be cause for concern because the Cougars need Araujo like Utah needs snowpack.

The reasons are plenty.

Araujo is needed by the Cougs because: (1) He is 6-foot-11. (2) He weighs 285 pounds. (3) He runs the floor like a Brazilian soccer player. (4) He sucks rebounds out of the sky like a Eureka vacuum cleaner hunting dust mites. (5) His offensive boards are money put-backs. (6) His presence is intimidating. (7) His presence opens up the outside game. (8) Until Mark Bigelow finds his mojo, Araujo is the meat, potatoes and gravy. (9) He's an intense leader. (10) He's the tough guy on a campus known as a milquetoast universe.

Now, what to do?

For starters, Araujo should be kept as far as possible from Pac-10 officials. The last we saw Araujo amongst the Pack stripes, he got called for a bum bump, two-hands-to-heavens stances and basic lung breathing. In the meantime, teammates Mike Hall and Jake Shoff were flying spinal cords after undercuts by Cal defenders, crashing to the floor.

But in reality, you can't peck at the refs. It's part of the game, and the big guy got away with plenty.

Coach Steve Cleveland, not pleased with some of the calls, especially the Hall-Shoff airborne Nike takedowns, could have used a Jerry Sloan technical to make a point. It didn't have to be a screamer or cooler-toppler, but he could have asked Andy Toolson and Dave Rose rein him in while he acted bent on rushing the floor. But that isn't Cleve's style; his gentleman streak remains composed and firmly intact.

So, Araujo remains exposed to the blow of the whistle. His protection and vulnerability remain an issue if not a mystery. What do you do?

I posed this question to a neighbor and good friend, Cal Jones, supervisor of officials for the Scenic West Athletic Conference, which includes SLCC, Dixie State and Snow.

Jones simply says Araujo has to control his brute strength. What he'll get away with in the NBA, the banging and physical play, simply won't cut it in the finesse-oriented college game.