Comments about ‘Utah Utes basketball: Pointing to 'big-name' week’

As the story points out, this is why Utah gets these games: "The biggest frustration for Boylen has been the lack of support for these games. Last year three of the four "big" games drew fewer than 10,000 fans."
No team fears playing at the Huntsman, whereas all teams fear the Spectrum in Logan and the Marriott Center in Provo. Both Stew Morrill and Dave Rose would play any team in the country, but those teams won't come to Logan and Provo.

Actually, that's not quite true. This is the advantage that college basketball has over college football. It is easier to schedule "big name" teams because a loss does not hurt you as much during the regular season. It's all about building NCAA tournament resumes. This is why so many conferences are involved in inter-conference challenges (ACC/Big Ten, Pac-10/Big 12, Big East/ACC, Mountain West/Missouri Valley). College Football should look at the college basketball model. Teams have more incentive to schedule tougher so their NCAA tournament resume is stronger vs. scheduling weaker so you can end up ranked as high as possible at the end of the season. If College Football were to ever put a playoff system into place I guarantee that "Big Name" teams will be more willing to schedule "home-and-home" series with the "mid-majors".

After the Giacoletti fiasco, it will take five years of good basketball to get the Huntsman Center back where Majerus had it at the peak. To Boylen, I say, "Build it, they will come - eventually".

I thought the Utes were the big-name?

U of U basketball is no longer a program in peril. It is a program fallen into ruin.

...And Boylen is no builder. He's a tool.

You mean big COWARD conferences? The ones that want all the recognition and money, but rarely play away from home, and never at a non-COWARD conference?

The conference that wouldn't DARE play a non-COWARD team in a big-COWARD-conference bowl, because they'll get their butts kicked by a Men With COURAGE team again?

This means two losses of more than 20 points each.

Utah is a football school not a basketball school?

LOL.

Maybe coach can get a couple more steals from the sideline and help the team out.

I guess that is a compliment because BYU & Utah State have never been and never will be mighty. I'm pretty sure the U shared the conference championship and won the conference tourney last year. So I'm not quite sure how they have fallen. When was the last time BYU won an NCAA tourney game? Early 90's?

Was not built in a day

You know how Utah schedules SWBU and seattle as patsies...

So do other teams, Utah is just the patsy.

one of the instate coaches has the intestinal fortitude to play teams in the non-conference.

We all know Stu won't leave Logan. And Rose barely likes to leave his own block.

Teams will play the Utes because they are a quality team, and a win looks good, while a lose doesn't look bad, especially in SLC.

Take note Aggies and Cougs. This is how you avoid being the token 8/9 NCAA matchup every year. Actually go out and play someone.

Michigan and Oklahoma? Oh boy two more guaranteed losses for Utah.

last time I checked, Utah was the 11th or 12th winningest program in NCAA history. Final four in '98. that's 14 years after YBU won the mythical Na'tl championship in a 7 point win over the 5th place team in the Big Ten in football. The way they still crow in Provo, we've got 14 more years before we need to worry. Boylen is doing fine. Give him Time.

Since when is Oklahoma a big basketball power? If Boylen has courage what would you say about Fat Sweater Man.

This article implies Majerus would not play anyone or that the HC was half empty while he was the coach.
First off, until Boylen gets us to the final four, never slight Majerus again.
Second, the HC was always full during Majerus top ten team years.
So, do not try and place Boylen anywhere near What Rick Majerus has meant to the Utah BB program.
Sorenson, you should be ashamed of yourself.

No doubt Majerus is a great coach and did great things here. Nonetheless he had a huge ego and let things slide quite a bit his last few years here.
BYU and USU have much better fans in terms of attendance and noise, as far as basketball is concerned. They set a good example for ute fans.
Boylen is doing a great job and building the program the right way. This year will be tough, but playing good teams is the right way to do it.
Utes need to play much tougher and constant D while the O comes around. Go Utes.

re:"Good to see... | 12:36 p.m. Dec. 8, 2009
one of the instate coaches has the intestinal fortitude to play teams in the non-conference.

Teams will play the Utes because they are a quality team, and a win looks good, while a lose doesn't look bad, especially in SLC.

Take note Aggies and Cougs. This is how you avoid being the token 8/9 NCAA matchup every year. Actually go out and play someone."

SWBU??? Seattle??? Weber State???

When's the parade?

BCS is a football term, not relevant to basketball. Both teams come from 'major' conferences. But neither are major powers this year. You don't play the name or the history unless u are a ute fan.

OK lost to San Diego, not State, the City, As in the site of the flower bowl. Both teams are unimpressive this year and should be very beatable. Although there is A win over Houston Babtist, and everyone knows Utah cant beat the Babtists.

I predict a very disappointing week in Uville.

The Cougars can say the Utes "can't beat babtists" but when the Utes call the Cougars "Losers" in the first round you get thin skinned about it?

Is that the DSNews won't ever again print headlines like "Jazz lose in OT" or "Utah loses to..." Because we can't say "loser" oh but we can print the entire Max Hall diatribe of "Hate" and keep discussing his "Hate Comments"....But we can't call the Cougars LOSERS in the 1st round of the NCAA Tournament. NICE... Let them spew and when their losing record is mentioned...it's not.