Tuesday Grab Bag: Happy New Year!

Wow, Utah is a steaming pile of shit.  The Pac-12 would be wise to pump out a press release disavowing their actions this season.  They're so bad that the university is considering a name change. I have honestly never seen a worse power conference squad.  If they win a conference game the rest of the way, there needs to be an investigation, 'cause the losing squad probably took a dive.

In the year's first post, I'll be taking a look back at the historic ass-whupping laid on the heads of those hapless Utes, yet another win from the womens team, and a quick look at the end of the NFL regular season and the crux of bowl season.

Click below for the bag...

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Win over Utah - 


With a final score of 73-33 to the good side, I'll have to ask you to please remember that this was a conference game against an opponent masquerading as a member of a power conference.

I never even got the feeling that Utah cared that much, which surprised me since I figured this would be their last chance to turn the year around; a token effort would've been expected.  Instead, they came out flat and stayed flat through the course of the 40 minutes, seemingly unconcerned with what CU was doing to them.  As advertised, the Utes sucked, but it was the obvious lack of "give-a-shit" that opened my eyes.  That squad is broken and buried with three months of ball still to play.

The stats are mind boggling.  CU held the Utes to under 23% shooting (8.7% from 3), out rebounded them by 16, held them to a paltry 11 points in the 1st half, and lead them by as many as 42.  Again, please remember that this was a conference matchup.

WEEEEEEEEEEEE!  A 40-point win in conference play!  From: the BDC

Utah fit right in line with a spate of lack-luster opponents that the Buffs have feasted on over the past two weeks.  Over the past three contests, CU has held opponents to an average half-time score of  under 16 points.  Combined with the Dec 28th romp over D-II destined New Orleans (was Utah that much better than UNO?), the Buffs have given up the fewest points in back-to-back games (67) since 1948.  Additionally, the two games combine to have the largest margin of victory (98) in back-to-back games since CU bested Leadville High School and the Grand Junction YMCA by a combined 119 points in 1910. (Research hat-tip to the BDC)

Yes, that's right, Utah is the modern day equivalent of the Grand Junction YMCA.  Woof.


Enough about Utah, how 'bout those Buffs? - 

Andre Roberson continues his campaign for cleaner glass as he grabbed 17 rebounds en route to yet another double-double (he finished with 17 points, as well).  That makes 9 on the year in 13 attempts.  He's 3rd nationally in boards with 12 per game, and stands nearly 4/game ahead of his nearest conference competitor.

The look on 'Dre's face as he effortlessly crushes the Utes is priceless.  From: the BDC

Also, Spencer Dinwiddie is beginning to put together a freshman campaign reminiscent of former Buff greats who also dominated in their freshman seasons.  With his easy-going 19 point effort against Utah, his 8th-straight double-digit performance and a career high, he's providing 11.5 points per game, and has turned into the teams primary "go-to" option on offense.  The man they call "the Mayor" has been doing his constituency well this year, and it's a great sign of things to come from the lanky guard.

Dinwiddie continues to impress.  From: the BDC

Overall, while the win over shitty Utah was easy on the eyes, I'm not ready to start beating the drum for an over-.500 record in Pac-12 play, like Ringo is.  Confidence abounds, but a huge matchup with Washington looms.  Should CU take that game, we might have something.




Yet another win over Utah - 


Proving that beating Utah just isn't that big of a problem for this university, the CU womens basketball team also took down the travel partner Saturday afternoon.  It took a miraculous comeback which saw the Lady Buffs hold Utah without a point over the final 8 minutes, but CU comes away from SLC with a 58-52 win.  Regardless of the conditions of the win, the perfect season is intact and conference play is off to a positive start.

Strong defense keyed the rally, and none too soon.  From: the Salt Lake Tribune

One would think that these Buffs would finally start getting some national attention.  As one of only 6 remaining unbeaten teams in the country, certainly a national ranking would be in the works, right?  No matter how puffed-up the schedule may seem, 12-0 is still 12-0.  Yet, sadly, the world is not perfect, and the Buffs can only boast a single, solitary vote from the AP poll along with that unblemished record of theirs.

The Lady Buffs will continue to search for some national respect this week as they take their perfect record on a two-stop tour of the State of Washington.  A few more wins this week,  and I can't imagine voters continuing to slight Coach Lappe and crew




Around the nation of football - 


NFL

Kansas City @ Denver - Congrats, I guess, to Denver for backing into the playoffs; the season wouldn't be complete without that one team making it to the dance who doesn't deserve to (not that the Raiders were a more appetizing option, or anything).  Big props do go to Kyle Orton.  Dude nearly got his revenge as he lead 'his' Chiefs to a win that should've sent the Donkeys to the golf course. 

Detroit @ Green Bay - The greatest bar trivia question in 10 years time will be "who holds the Packers single game passing yards and TD's records."  The answer: the immortal Matt Flynn, who dropped 480 yards and 6 scores on the Lions on Sunday.




College Football


Alamo Bowl - I think Baylor scored another 21 points while no one was watching.  Near 1,400 yards and 123 combined points damn near broke the scoreboard in the AlamoDome.  No one is attendance can even spell 'defense.'

Rose Bowl - Oregon proved, I don't know, something.  First Rose Bowl win since the Wilson administration is something to be proud of, however.

Fiesta Bowl - Oh, Andrew Luck.  Seemingly destined to play the brides maid, he had a perfect view as Stanford's kicker missed two crucial kicks to cost the Cardinal a much deserved win.  Okie State now seems to think they've earned a split of the national title, for some reason.  That's cute.




Happy Tuesday!