The BCS Scheme

Seriously, what would a person rather do, go to that meeting for "Quickstar" with that friend that gets dooped into every multilevel business, or listen to ignorant BCS league executive back the BCS like it's some sort of proven system?

I would personally rather not do either. Lets not throw in the timeshare presentations either because I would like to punch the sales people in the mouth when sitting through to "earn" the Home Depot gift card.

In the history of the BCS, I can only think of one year that the system got it right. That would be the 2006 Rose Bowl and the BCS national "title" game between the University of Texas and the USC Trojans. But even then it was a fluke that both teams made it through their schedule unbeaten while no other team in America did. So in the ten years or so the BCS has been around, the right decision fell into their laps one time. In the Bible, I think 1 tenth is revered to as a "Tithe." So in essence the BCS has officially been tithed! When I hear the phrase Bowl Championship Series, I think of a series or playoff such as the World Series.

So who is number 1 this year when the final poll was released? Obviously it was Florida who won the lottery of computers for the "title". Are they the best team in America? I don't know, especially after their uninspired win over Oklahoma. Didn't OU give that game away by the way?

Why not this? I keep hearing that a "plus 1" should be added. WHY? The BCS could work but it chooses not to. A playoff is not fully necessary although there must be one inside the BCS system. 5 BCS games is to many. I am the first to admit that year in and year out, teams like Utah, Boise State, BYU, and TCU cannot compete in the big leagues. But there are years where their teams are special.

Why not go back to the original 4 games; the Rose Bowl, the Fiesta Bowl, the Sugar Bowl, and the Orange Bowl. An 8 team playoff. Change the requirement for a non-BCS league team once again only this time to be in the top 8 to have a shot. In this system, Utah is the only team that would have gotten in if this were the system from day 1.

Once you take the top 8 or the 6 BCS league champs, there is room for 2 at large teams. 1 non-BCS league school, and one other such as Texas this year. If you took the league champs this is how the playoff would have looked and the seedings.

1. Oklahoma v. 20 Virginia Tech
2. Florida v. 15 Cincinnati
3. Texas v. 7 Penn State
5. USC v. 6 Utah

Does that not look better to anyone else. It does to me although I would never want garbage in the system such as Cinci and a 4-loss Virginia Tech team. But they were both the conference champs of their leagues. In this playoff, OU defeats Va Tech, Florida defeats Cinci, Texas defeats Penn State, and I believe USC probably beats Utah. But anything can happen and thats the beauty of a playoff. See NY Giants over New England in 2008 Superbowl.

Re-seeding the teams you get

1. Oklahoma v. 5 USC
2. Florida v. 3 Texas

My opinion tells me that USC defeats OU, and Florida hammers Texas. But again, anything can happen!

We then have an actual title game with USC v. Florida and everyone has their chance to prove what they need. This system will never happen but it would sure be nice. What is an extra three games to the eventual champion and runner-up? I don't think any player or coach would argue this. And for the record, I think Florida would beat USC but we'll never know so I am not agreeing with the BCS computers.

Changes need to be made so America can have a TRUE college football champ!!!! But since they don't, the only undefeated team in America, the University of Utah should be the national champions.

Get a clue you BCS morons! The writing is on the wall! How many corporations would allow their system to fail regularly without making changes to improve the system? I can't think of any that would!!!!!!!

2008 Deer Hunt

This year I was lucky enough to go down to the La Salle's with a couple friends from work on the archery hunt. I wasn't hunting, but rather showing them some area that they hadn't been to in the La Salles. They were the ones I originally began going there with.

This was more or less a scouting trip for me. The trip was priceless as they all are with Brandon. The first trip down there was the "cactus incident" and the Mason Draw mistake. This time Brandon locked his car keys in his car. Brandon has no patience and takes things immediately to the extreme to fix his current problems. To make a long story short, Brent and I talked Brandon out of smashing in his window to wait until the morning to find some loose fence wire to try to jimmy his door open. It worked and we were able to get in his car without smashing in his window.

While there, I learned some new area that was fruitful during the blackpowder hunt not to mention I saw some deer worthing hiking after.

The muzzle load hunt came and we went down a couple days before the opener. We go early to scout, fish, and play on the ATV's. We scouted nearly two full days before the opener and saw a grand total of 8 deer. Every last one was a doe. I was discouraged and was considering not going to the clearing where I saw a big one on the archery. I decided to go there anyways and I am glad I did. I began seeing bucks right off the bat that morning when there began to be daylight. I am picky so the two 3-points I saw were not even worth looking at. I was slowly making my way over to the base of the upper clearing when I began to see movement in a clearing just below the base of the upper meadow. I saw there was another 3-point buck in there. I watched him for a moment hoping to see more. Some does stepped out and I decided to move them along and pushed them into the upper meadow. Through the tree's I could see there were other deer I was missing so I began a pretty swift hike up to the meadow. As I was about to get into the upper meadow I saw a big buck. I glassed him, and was surprised to find a non-typical heavy horned 3-point frame with a lot of "SH&T" kicking out. Not really wide about 25-26" but very tall and heavy. This was my deer!!! I began a fast pursuit. I had at one point about a 200 yard shot but didn't feel comfortable with it. I decided I would stalk him even though he was moving away. While I was catching my breath, I heard my dads friend on the radio state "theres the big one." I thought they were talking about the freak buck that just went up the mountain. After this thought I looked back to where the deer had been moving and saw a massive 4-point. Looked from where I was to be about 27-29"wide. I was tired and remembered something I heard on a hunting video. If you have time to calm down and relax then do it because it improves your chances of getting the big one. The shot was between 125 and 150 yards. Not a terrible shot, but I have a 1 power scope so not great either. With my trusty shooting stick I aimed at him but couldn't get still. The deer had stopped and was watching me. After probably 5 minutes, the deer was up and looking to move into the trees. I was now calm and smooth. I put the crosshairs on his heart and squoze the trigger. The impact was devastating. It looked as if the deer was knocked out standing. I later found I hit the deer just below the backbone just above his guts. He just stood there for what seemed to be an eternity. Then I went to chamber another round and remembered I had to cram another damn slug in my Thompson. I hit him one more time at a short distance in the heart.

He is a 28.5" 4X5 buck. He isn't real tall, but he is wide, and heavy. I wasn't able to do a full shoulder mount right away so I had a Europian done. I will probably have a shoulder mount done in a couple years. I will just need another cape to do so. This was a fun experience. Come to find out, there was about 11 hunters watching this the whole time but were all to far to take a crack at him.

On a side note, I saw only 8 doe on Monday and Tuesday before the hunt. I saw 26 buck opening day. What a day it was. All of us in our group filled our tags that hunt. Great hunt, 4 for 4....

Photo's of the La Salle Mountains

Here are some photos of the La Salle Mountains. Pictures include some of Miners Basin which was on fire last September. It's a shame to because Miners Basin is really pretty... Others are of the area including the Castle Valley area with Round Mountain.

2007 Deer Hunt

We hunt down in southeastern Utah near Moab up in the La Salle Mountains. I think the La Salle Mountains are some of the prettiest mountains I have ever seen in my life. They are very tall as well. I really need a better camera to catch the beauty of them a little better. That is something I would like to purchase this year. Not anything to special, but something that will grab a great picture.

Two years ago, my dad, brothers Andy, Matt, and Mike along my dads work friend called Worker Boy took our annual trip on the deer hunt. We used to hunt up in the northern region of Utah but since there is a rediculous number of hunter, few deer, little public land and a bunch of idiot DWR officers, I simply quit hunting until a friend introduced me to the area 4 years ago. Since then, I have filled my tag every year. The best part is, the deer have been bigger and bigger every year and I keep seeing bigger and bigger deer every year.

It has taken some time, but we have learned some pretty good area in and around the La Salle's. After a couple days hunting last year and passing a couple bucks (two mediocre 3-points), we decided to move camp to another location. Right off the bat we noticed a difference. We were seeing deer off our ATV's right away. On the first night in our new location, got three shots at a nice 26" 4-point buck. I saw him tucked at the base of a clearing. When I jumped off the 4 wheeler, I left my trusty monopod on the bike which I haven't done since. From 100 yards with my Thompson blackpowder I missed three times. Still the deer didn't move. He didn't see us. Byt this time my brothers were trying to hit them as well with no luck. Still the deer didn't seem to care we were trying to kill them Then a loud pop!!! Dad sounded like he was shooting a .22 pistol at them. When his cap went off, the deer spooked. Dads gun which he neglected to clean as thorough as needed misfired making it sound like a .22 pistol.

I went back and cleaned my rifle and shot it a few more times because I felt like I was still fairly steady. I found when using a dead rest, my gun was about 4 inches low and 4 inches to the right. I don't know how that happened. I fixed it for the following morning. In the morning I decided to head up the mountain where we'd been shooting at those deer. No deer to be found! I decided to keep going up and up and up and up and up. Sometimes when I get hiking, I just need to see whats over the next ridge or mountain. Kind of like the song playing in the background of the diner on Dumb and Dumber. "The bear went over the mountain to see what he could see, the other side of the mountain was all that he could see." This is usually what happens. So I hiked to the top of this huge rock slide. I don't know what I was expecting to see, maybe this sweet watering hole with a 32 inch 5X5 waiting for me. When I got to the top of the slide, naturally it began to blizzard on me. Keep in mind this is in September. But, the top of that rock slide according to my GPS is 11,000 feet in elevation. Since it was snowing, I thought I should start heading down. I was not prepared for snow. I saw a large clearing on the way up and thought I would drop into it. As I was coming into the clearing, I was talking on our Motorolla two way radios with dad. Being the pro hunter that I am, I didn't notice the 5 deer 70 yards walking into the clearing right away until it was to late. Leading the herd was what I estimate to be that 32 inch 5X5 followed by about a 28 inch 4-point. Then there was a pretty nice 4-point looking about 24 inches, then a doe (weird I know) then this dinky 2-point. I thought of my 2-point killing friend Brandon when I saw it.

Since the deer busted me, the two really big ones in a mad dash busted over the top of the mountain 700 feet above me. The other 4-point was interested in the walking tree though. So naturally I set my shooting stick down and got ready to shoot. Thats when the previous day came to mind and I picked up my shooting stick and rested my gun on it. Boom..... Then the cloud of smoke disipated. The deer stood there still looking at me. I thought I missed, cussed at myself and began to re-load. While re-loading, the deer tumbled 12 feet down the mountain. After a short trail I found him in some pines and tagged him. Man I wish I were paying attention when I came into the clearing.