The humming of the Xerox machine in your office has a bit of a different tone to it in mid March. The anticipation around the buzzing machine increases as NCAA Tournament brackets are spewed out of the printer and piled on top of each other like a newspaper fresh off the press.
The grandest stage in sports, the event that turns stars into heroes and heroes into legends is the NCAA Basketball Tournament — simply known to basketball fans around the country as March Madness. Since Bird and Magic faced off in the 1979 tournament final, March Madness has become a stepping-stone for college basketball stars entering into the NBA, and Utah Valley University, as of next season, will technically be eligible to be invited to the big dance.
The first week of March signifies the end of college basketball careers for seniors across the nation. Some, such as North Carolina’s Tyler Hansbrough, have enjoyed illustrious tenures, while others have been super-glued to the bench for four years. Some of these seniors will go on to star in the NBA and others will have to find other ways to fill up their bank accounts.
Having been ravaged by injuries this season, the Utah Jazz finally appear to make a run with a clean bill of health. While it will take Jazz forward Carlos Boozer a few games to get his legs under him, just having him in the lineup has been refreshing to Jazz players and fans alike.
Utah Valley recently had its seven-game winning streak snapped by Ohio University despite another fantastic performance from Robyn Fairbanks. The senior poured in 32 points to go along with 10 rebounds in the loss. After the lady Wolverines got out to a sluggish start to the 2008-09 season they have come together to rival last seasons record, which was the best in the programs short Division I history.
Utah Valley basketball will look to make a splash this off-season with several players who could be playing professional basketball next year. And one in particular has been considered as one of the top senior prospects in the country. If you were thinking Ryan Toolson, leading scorer for the men’s basketball team, you would be off the mark.
Baseball, unlike other professional sports, is defined by its rich history. From The Babe to Bonds the sport holds its heroes sacred and the records they set like scripture in the history books. However, is it because of this loaded history that some players are turning to illegal substances to help them live up to monstrous expectations? Or is it the greed of a fat paycheck? As the game evolves and athletes become bigger, faster and stronger, the bar has been raised.
There are few things as graceful as a Ryan Toolson jump shot. Perfect form. Perfect release. Perfect result. Whether he’s wide open, in traffic or eluding defenders–who routinely grab and bump him to gain any possible advantage–Toolson believes his shot will rip through the net.
Utah Valley guard Josh Olsen, who has been sidelined with a sprained ankle, made his first start since the injury and led the Wolverines to a runaway 55-39 win over Savannah State. With UVU’s leading scorer Ryan Toolson held in check with only five points, Olsen made it his duty to put the ball in the hole as he picked up the slack with 15 points to go along with four assists.
With Deron Williams sidelined by a sprained ankle, the Utah Jazz got off to a modest start this season. When Carlos Boozer landed awkwardly on his left knee, fans began to worry, and now that Andrei Kirilenko has been sidelined with injury, the season appears to be lost.