Thanksgiving Day Ten

Goodness gracious, the weather is bad outside. Andrew and I spent the morning running errands and looking at apartments and stopping by my parents' house and doing various other things that we needed to do. Most of the time that we were driving around Salt Lake, it was snowing. A lot. And I was super glad that Andrew was driving and not me.

After we got back to Orem and relaxed at Andrew's for a little while, we headed down to Provo to meet my brother and sister-in-law. BYU's last home game was tonight, and we were all going together. So after grabbing some food, we bundled up as best we could and headed over to the stadium. It was SO COLD. Holy cow. And snow was still piled up under all the bleachers, so getting to our seats was treacherous. I was slipping and sliding all over the place.

Andrew and I only stayed for the first half. Because by halfway through the second quarter, BYU was beating Idaho 42–7, and I couldn't feel my toes or my face. On our way back to my place, we stopped by the Cocoa Bean and got hot cocoa and cupcakes. It was delicious.

All of this leads to what I am thankful for today, which is a warm house and a roof over my head. I'm so thankful for my working heater and all my blankets and a fiancé who is more than willing to cuddle with me to keep me warm.

Individuality

Day Eighteen: What makes you different than everyone else?

Well, one rather obvious thing that makes me different than at least other girls is that I absolutely love sports. Case in point: I am currently watching BYU play Gonzaga. I had been flipping back and forth between the BYU game and the Jazz game, until it became apparent that the Jazz were going to lose. And the BYU game was much more exciting. And I'm not just a casual fan—I am an avid fan. When I talk about games, I know what I'm talking about. I can't tell you how many times I've watched games with a bunch of dudes and have ended up explaining the rules or some other aspect of the game because I know more about it than they do. My father has taught me well. [Update: BYU kicked Gonzaga's trash all over the court. Such an awesome game. I wish I could have gone to the Marriott Center—it was rockin' tonight.]

Another thing that unfortunately sets me apart from a lot of people is my common sense. I am pretty level headed, and I do my best not to let my emotions run away with me. Granted, there are times when that doesn't work out so well, but I do my best. Especially when I'm around guys. I'm not one of those girls whose brain leaves her body as soon as boys enter the room. I don't turn into a brainless flirt. Then again, that seems to work for a lot of girls, so maybe I need to incorporate a little bit of that into my life. But only a little.

The last thing that makes me different is that I am a Mormon. Granted, in Provo, that doesn't make me different. That makes me normal. But when compared with the rest of the world, being Mormon makes me pretty weird. We are a peculiar people. We have peculiar beliefs. I believe in morality. In absolute right and wrong, in Truth with a capital T. In modern-day revelation. I believe that my life isn't mine to do with what I please. It has been given to me so I can learn to align my will with my Father's will. So that by doing His will, I will bless the lives of those around me and will in turn be blessed. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has blessed my life in a myriad of ways. There is no doubt in my mind that it is true.

Giving Thanks Day 10: Morality

Okay, so I know that title is a little weird, but I promise it will make sense once I'm done with this post.

So. I'm a college sports fan. We should all know this by now. No surprise. And my favorite team is BYU. Again, no surprise. In the past little while, there have been all sorts of scandals involving college athletics, and especially football. Ohio State, Miami, UCF, Oregon, and USC have all been involved in various illegal activities that have brought sanctions from the NCAA. But the worst sports scandal of all time broke this week at Penn State. I don't want to get into details because they are awful and sordid and make me ill. You can go look them up yourselves if you don't know them already. Basically, there was a sick, sick man who coached the football team and whose alleged crimes were seemingly covered up by the athletics department. Two people have stepped down, two have been fired, and one has been placed on administrative leave because they all failed (in the hugest way possible) to make the right decision in a moral situation when children's welfare was at stake.

Now to what I'm thankful for today. I am thankful that I attended a university that stands for something more than athletics. I am thankful that while the athletics department isn't perfect (men's volleyball has had some issues), it at least knows that it isn't the be-all and end-all and doesn't take precedence over human life. After this Penn State scandal, BYU is now the only Division I football program to have won a national championship without a major NCAA violation, and I am proud of that.

With so much moral ambiguity in the world, I am so thankful that I have a good moral basis. I belong to a church that espouses moral excellence and teaches its members to strive to do good in all things. Because of that foundation, I have an automatic answer in many situations that would confuse and conflict others. I know that there is a right and a wrong choice, and I know that I have the ability and the knowledge to choose the right. That is such a blessing in my life.

Pies in the Sky

Three years ago, I was super interested in this guy, and he seemed to at least marginally return the sentiment. Things were going well. We went on a date. We hung out all the time. We flirted. We texted. We made grilled cheese sandwiches. (That's a funny story. Maybe I'll relate it at some point, but not in this post.) And then he decided he didn't want anything more than to be friends. He took me on the walk to have the discussion. It sucked hardcore.

Needless to say, I was bummed, as one would expect. Then the next day, my brother called me. My brother served his mission with Travis Bright, who was a starting offensive lineman for BYU. Travis had a friend on the football team who wanted to be set up, and I was the only single girl Travis could think of. So my brother called me and told me that I was going to be set up with a football player. It's amazing how quickly my mood changed.

I should tell you right now that I never actually went out with the football player. He apparently had some girl issues and didn't want anything to do with girls for a while (lame, I know). But the prospect of going out with a football player was so exciting, and everyone told me repeatedly how awesome I would be as a football girlfriend. I would be able to talk football if he wanted to and I would go to every game to cheer him on.

Ever since then, I have had a desire to date a football player. (Don't worry, I'm not being exclusive. I'd date baseball players, basketball players, rugby players....) There's something about football players that I find incredibly attractive. There's only one little problem.

I turned 24 this year.

That means I'm older than pretty much everyone on the team. The only people that are my age are the seniors that redshirted a year and went on a mission. And pretty much all of those guys are married. So this post is basically me lamenting the loss of a dream. (I don't care that even when I was younger than the football players I never met any of them. Just because it was never going to happen in the first place doesn't mean I can't lament it when the dream truly goes down the tubes.)

It's a shame. I really would have been the best football girlfriend ever.

Happy Independence Day!

No, not that one, silly. It's only July 1. I'm talking about BYU's independence day.

Source: byucougars.com

As of noon today, BYU is officially a football independent and a member of the West Coast Conference in most other sports. Since this is a BYU athletics subject, you have to know that I have an opinion about it, and that I am going to now write about it, whether you care or not. So there.

I think independence was a fantastic move for BYU. BYU fans are everywhere. Students are encouraged to move beyond Provo after graduation, and since BYU focuses more on undergraduates than on postgraduates, it is often better for students to go elsewhere to do their graduate work. BYU alumni are all over the world, really, and independence gives the school an opportunity to spread their brand far and wide to reach all those fans.

The partnership with ESPN gives BYU the kind of exposure it craved but couldn't have while under the absolutely atrocious MWC TV deal. Now every game will be televised on an ESPN network or on BYUtv, which in and of itself is pretty amazing. No other school in the nation has its own TV network that is already in 60 million homes across the country and is broadcasting in full HD. If you really think about that, it is phenomenal. BYU has been setting BYUtv up for independence for years. Without this network, there is no way independence would be feasible. 

For 2011, seven games have already been announced as being on ESPN or ESPN2, including the first five games of the season. Five more games are yet to be scheduled. From everything I've read and heard, as many as eleven games this season could be broadcast on ESPN, which is more ESPN appearances than BYU has had in the last five seasons combined, including bowl games. I don't care what anybody says; this is bloody brilliant. 

The main concern with independence is the scheduling. That is an issue, but Tom Holmoe is already handling it really well. The Cougars have some pretty cool opponents this year, including Ole Miss, Texas, Central Florida, Utah, TCU, and Oregon State. Of course, then you have to throw in the pancakes like San Jose State, Idaho State, and New Mexico State, which make up for a rather boring home schedule. But really, is that any different than a schedule with SDSU, Wyoming, New Mexico, and UNLV? Every team, regardless of conference, has some cupcakes. BCS teams intentionally schedule their out-of-conference games as cupcakes so they don't risk sliding against non-conference foes. Plus, it's only the first year. In a couple of years, I'm willing to bet that BYU is going to be playing against some pretty awesome teams.

Then there's the move to the WCC. Most say it's a step down in competition, especially in men's hoops, and I can't completely argue with that. But the addition of BYU raises the bar for the rest of the teams. Gonzaga will have a worthy foe after dominating the conference for the past several years. If the NCAA tourney game between BYU and the Zags was any indication, it's going to be a fun rivalry. I know that I'm looking forward to watching schools like Pepperdine and St. Mary's come into the Marriott Center and be bombarded by 22,700 screaming fans when they're used to venues that hold at most 8,000 people. I'm also looking forward to watching the other schools figure out that when BYU plays on the road, fans come out of the woodwork. I would guess that many of the basketball away games will almost be home games for BYU. I think the WCC is in for a bit of a culture shock, which will be fun to watch.

And for those fans who say that BYU only went independent because they had to show up Utah's move to the PAC-12, I say stop whining. I have been hearing and talking about BYU going independent for years. Sure, I may have been regurgitating what my dad told me, but that's not the point. The point is that independent talk has circulated around BYU for a long time, much longer than the couple of months between Utah's PAC-12 announcement and BYU's independence announcement.

Besides, when you really think about it, which schools do you think were driving the MWC to become better? Who gave the MWC credibility? Do you think it was SDSU and UNM? Yeah, I didn't think so. It was always Utah and BYU. They worked together; they were each other's staunchest supporters. They had the same goals in mind. So when Utah understandably took the much better option of going to the PAC-12, what reason was there for BYU to stay? Their conference partner had been offered a better opportunity that passed BYU by. Instead of moping and seeing if some other conference would come calling, the BYU officials took stock of their tools and resources and decided that going it alone was the best option. I wish Utah luck in their foray into the BCS world. I hope they succeed. But I don't think they did any better than BYU. Both schools made the best decisions for their respective programs, and you can't fault either one of them for it. I just hope both schools can excel with what they have and put the state of Utah on the map for college athletics.

Basically, I'm super stoked about all of these moves. BYU probably won't go undefeated and bust into a BCS bowl their first season. But they have more than a fair shot at another 10+ win season, and I can't wait to watch it unfold. September 3 can't get here soon enough. Go Cougars!

Jimmer and the NBA Draft

Here's the deal. Last August, when everyone was on tenterhooks waiting to see if BYU was actually going to go independent in football, I started scouring the interwebs for any news I could find on the subject. It was the first time I had actively gone and looked up sports articles (shocking, I know, what with my love of sports and all). Then there was all the hype about BYU basketball before the season and how good they could be. Then the Jazz had their stint of however many straight double-digit comeback wins (you know, before Sloan resigned, Deron was traded, and they sucked it up). Then Jimmermania exploded and I spent ridiculous amounts of time reading articles about it.

Suffice it to say, I am hooked on sports articles. A vast majority of the people I follow on Twitter are sports analysts (both professional and amateur), and I frequently scroll down my feed and click open half a dozen articles that people have posted. Twitter is pretty much my main source for sports news. I find myself reading all sorts of articles that I never would have cared about before. I've even read articles about soccer. Crazy, I know.

So what does this mean for me? Well, it means that I know more about sports than I probably need to know. I can't rattle off crazy stats or anything, but I can make informed opinions about sports. Especially pertaining to the teams that I really care about (which basically boils down to the Jazz, BYU basketball, and BYU football).

If you don't care about sports and don't care about Jimmer and don't care about what I think of where Jimmer should land in the NBA and why, stop reading. This post will just bore you. But it's my blog, so I'll write about what I want, whether it bores you or not.

Everybody knows I'm obsessed with Jimmer Fredette. That's not exactly a secret. Which obviously means that I've been paying much, much more attention to NBA draft talk this year than I ever have before. Jimmer is a huge question mark in everyone's minds. Will his ridiculous college game translate to the pros? Will he develop some defense so he doesn't get eaten alive on the floor every night? Does he have the right size to actually play point guard, or will he have to be some kind of combo guard? Does he have the ability to truly run an offense as a PG, or will he simply be instant offense off the bench? Is he athletic enough to create shots against the athleticism of NBA players?

Then there's the question of the system that Jimmer should play in. Most people seem to agree that it doesn't really matter how high Jimmer gets drafted—it's more a matter of the team that drafts him. He needs to get in the right system to get a chance to succeed.

Which leads me to my reasons for why the Jazz need to draft Jimmer at number 12. (Come on, you knew this was coming, right?)

1. The kid can shoot. (I like that I say "kid" when he's only a year and a half younger than I am.) Have you seen the Jazz's outside shooting lately? It sucks. Like a lot. The best shooters they've got are probably CJ Miles and Raja Bell. (Blech, did I just write that? Yeah, yeah I did.) Criticize Jimmer's game all you want—you can't argue that he would bring some desperately needed help to the Jazz's shooting plight. Jimmer would be a threat as soon as he crossed half court, meaning that defenders wouldn't be able to ignore him. That opens up the floor for the rest of the players.

2. Jimmer dishes the ball. People argue this point all over the place, but Jimmer isn't a ball hog. I can't count how many times I watched him create plays for his teammates while he was at BYU. Let's look at the top three point guards in the draft: Kemba Walker averaged 4.5 assists per game. Kyrie Irivng averaged 5.1 APG. Brandon Knight averaged 4.2 APG. And Jimmer? He averaged 4.2 APG. Not too shabby, comparatively. Oh yeah, and he also scored 5–10 more points a game than those guys. I think Jimmer distributes just fine.

3. He's more athletic than he looks. Jimmer's a white guy. A white Mormon guy, no less. We all know it, and we all know that people look at him and automatically think he can't really play. But he can. Did you see what he did against double and triple teams all season long? He found a way to get the ball in the basket regardless of who was guarding him, and he played some long, athletic guys. And if he didn't get the ball in the hoop, he drew three guys with him then kicked it out to a teammate. I'm willing to bet that Jimmer won't see double teams as soon as he inbounds the ball in the NBA.

4. Jimmer can create for himself. Jimmer isn't just a shooter; he's a scorer. As Coach Rose always said, Jimmer's a relentless scorer. He knows what he has to do to get a shot off, and he does it over and over, regardless of the defense. He became a master at reading defenses and figuring out what he needed to do in individual situations, whether it be score points himself or draw off the defense and let his teammates get the points. More often than not, Jimmer wouldn't start putting points on the board until a good ten minutes into the first half, after he had figured out what the defense was going to give him. He's also got enough bulk that he can play through contact. And have you seen those off balance jump shots he takes? All he needs is to get his shoulders square, and he can let that ball fly. Remember this picture?

5. The Jazz need a face to the franchise. Stockton and Malone have been gone for years now, and with Deron Williams getting shipped off to the Nets and Sloan retiring, the Jazz have no face. They have no one person that identifies who the team is and how they play. People would argue with Jimmer being the face of a franchise, but what better person could there be for the Jazz? Jimmer's lived in Utah for four years. He likes it here, and he likes the Jazz. The Jazz are known as a classy, well-behaved team, and Jimmer is a classy, well-behaved guy. He's humble and likable. What else could you want as your franchise's front-man?

6. Jimmer's Jazz jerseys would fly off the shelves and his game would put butts in the seats. The Jazz were absolutely abysmal last season. I know everything was falling apart and there was a lot of turmoil and change, but that doesn't change the fact that they sucked, and people stopped coming to games. I know this shouldn't be the main reason the Jazz draft Jimmer—regardless of who's on the team, if they're winning, the seats will be filled. But having Jimmer merch for sale would give a little cushion until the team figures things out and starts winning games again. Jimmer has a ridiculous fan base in Utah, and if he's available and the Jazz think everything else fits, they might as well take advantage.

7. I really just want a chance to take a sign that says "The Lakers got Jimmered" to a game at the ESA. And I'd love to see if the "You Got Jimmered" chant survives into the pros. I feel like it has major potential to break out beyond college students. Everybody was chanting it by the end of last season—I don't see why it couldn't make it in the pros too.

Wow, this post is a lot longer than I expected. If you actually read it all, kudos. I may be rambling and people may think my opinions are crap, but I can't help but think that Jimmer would fit with the Jazz. The Jazz have a history of good guards, and I am so on board with Jimmer being part of that history. Sure, this might be because I'm obsessed and I just want him to stay on my team in my state, but regardless, I think these are some valid points. If Jimmer's there at number 12, I say there's no reason for the Jazz not to roll the dice on him. If given the chance, I think he could do some amazing things as a pro.

My life is officially mine again.

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I have a tendency to get really into things (hence the section in the sidebar for my current obsession). These things generally take over my brain and occupy 80 percent of my thoughts. Sometimes I honestly wonder if I have a little OCD, which is what causes me to think about things so much.

In addition to my five month long BYU basketball obsession, the past few weeks I got seriously addicted to "Veronica Mars." It's a stupid (yet ridiculously awesome) TV show from a few years ago, featuring Kristen Bell as a teenage, amateur private eye. It's awesome, and I loved every second of it. I spent three weeks straight watching as many episodes as my free time would allow. I finished the third and final season in three days. (In my defense, there were only 20 episodes. But that's not really much of a defense.)

Well, on Tuesday night, I stayed up way too late and finished the incredibly unsatisfying third season. The series was canceled for who knows why, so it ends on a cliffhanger and Logan and Veronica don't get back together. Lame. And yesterday, the Cougars ended this insanely awesome season with a disappointing loss to Florida in the Sweet Sixteen.

And now my life is mine again. I currently have no obsessions, and it feels a little strange, I must admit. We'll see how long it lasts.

March Madness Is FUN!

This would definitely not be my blog if I didn't post something about March Madness. I mean, it's sports, right? And BYU is playing, right? Perfect combination for the subject of a blog post.

This is the first year that I have paid close attention to college hoops, and boy did I pick the right season. I knew before the season that BYU was poised to be really good, and I had just gotten more into Jazz basketball than I had ever been, so basketball was already on the brain. Plus, I was coming off a not-so-stellar football season, and I needed some awesome to come from BYU athletics. So I watched every BYU game I could find in the early season and watched as the Cougars won game after game and Jimmer grew more and more famous with each ridiculous shot he made.

As the regular season closed with amazing highs and devastating lows, I couldn't be prouder of being a BYU alum and hoops fan. BYU came under major scrutiny, and no one thought they would go far in the NCAA tournament without Brandon Davies, especially after being blown out by SDSU in the MWC tourney.

But one thing I have learned this season is not to count those Cougars out. They are tough, and I don't remember ever seeing a team react to being the underdogs like they do.

On Saturday, BYU played Gonzaga as the underdog, despite BYU's 3 seed and Gonzaga's 11 seed. No one thought BYU could handle the size of the Zags. Every national analyst said BYU was toast. And you better believe Coach Rose let the team know that.

I watched the game at my parents' house, and as soon as the game started, my dad and I determined that Jimmer had his Jimmer-face on. You know, that look he has when he is completely determined not to lose a game. He had it at New Mexico, then dropped 52. Well, he didn't need 52 against Gonzaga; his teammates stepped up and shot lights out alongside him. And now BYU is headed to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time in 30 years. I am ecstatic. After the game, I would randomly turn to my dad and say, "Sweet Sixteen, Dad! Sweet Sixteen!" and he would just grin like an idiot with me. Cougar Nation has been waiting for this for a long, long time.

So keep rooting against the Cougs, nation. The more you place them as the underdogs, the more likely I think this team is to win. Those Florida Gators better watch their backs—they get Jimmer far away from home, in a foreign environment, wearing his road blues, in the biggest spotlight of the season. Just add a contingent of obnoxious Gator fans and you have the perfect storm to drive Jimmer to play at his ridonculous best.

Whatever happens on Thursday, this has been the best season ever. It has been unbelievable, and here's hoping the amazing keeps happening.

Upholding Honor

We all know that I am a ginormous BYU basketball fan, so when I heard the news that Brandon Davies had been suspended for violating the honor code, it felt like someone had punched me in the gut. I think the wind may have escaped my lungs. It sucks big time, and the Cougs are definitely going to miss that big man in the middle. It could have serious repercussions for their post-season play.

I've heard a few people wishing BYU had swept the issue under the rug for a few weeks, until after the NCAA Tournament. This is arguably the best basketball team in school history—why would the school throw away such a big opportunity to go deeper than ever in the Big Dance? Why would they risk losing that much money and exposure?

There is one simple explanation: BYU doesn't bend because the Church doesn't bend. There are no exceptions to the honor code, regardless of how well a team is doing. If Jimmer had been in this situation, the same thing would have happened. He would have been suspended. (And as sad as I am for Davies, when I thought about what my reaction would have been had that headline read a different name, it made me feel slightly better.)

BYU is a school that upholds honor. It is sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which means that it must adhere to all the standards the Church requires its members to live. The result is stricter consequences to certain actions when attending BYU. Every student who enters knows what is expected. Every student knows what the honor code is. Every student knows what is in the honor code. And every student signs his or her name at the bottom of that piece of paper willingly, knowing full well what consequences come from not living accordingly.

This is what happened with Davies. From everything I've read, it seems as though he realized he had made a mistake and came forward with it, knowing full well the ramifications of that action. (Granted, I'm not positive on that, but it seems to fit. Don't quote me on it.) Davies could have hid what he did until later, but he didn't, and that gives me great respect for him. Integrity like that is hard to come by, especially in the sports world.

The fact that this upsetting news comes on the heels of some major NCAA investigations of other schools' basketball programs makes BYU's actions even more commendable. It seems that more often than not, coaches and athletic programs bend rules and cut corners in order to land that promising recruit. In the end, it leaves players feeling like they deserve undue benefits and organizations being weakened and often punished. What BYU decided to do was rough, but it was honest, and it showed that the organization knows that there are more important things than sports. Being good, upstanding people is more important. Living high standards is more important. Having faith in something greater than yourself is more important.

I know my lowly opinion on this blog doesn't count for much, but I say kudos to BYU. I love my alma mater, and I love the honor code that I lived to go there (and still live in order to live in their housing). I love that athletes are not exceptions to the rule at BYU and that everyone knows full well what is expected of them. Those that complain about the honor code can go to schools where students don't have to live such apparently unrealistic expectations (though a good chunk of the 34,000 students at BYU would argue the "unrealistic" part).

While this strict observance of the honor code could seriously injure BYU basketball this season, I'm taking the optimistic route. Davies was consistently in foul trouble, and plenty of other players stepped up to fill his void when he was sitting on the bench. Noah Hartsock leads the team in blocks, so he plays decent defense. Charles Abouo has been a beast on the boards of late. James Anderson has stepped in big when needed. Logan Magnusson can add a bigger body under the basket. Jackson Emery is a freak on the defensive end anywhere he is needed. BYU can go small and run with any team in the country. And let's not forget one little fact—we still have the best player in college hoops in Jimmer Fredette. If any team has the ability and toughness to rise above adversity, it's this one. Dave Rose is no dummy—he'll have a plan for this. And I'll be cheering loud and proud tonight at the Marriott Center as I watch my Cougars take on the Lobos.

My heart goes out to Davies, and I sincerely hope he figures things out and rejoins the team next season. We Cougar fans will welcome him back with open arms.

Go Cougs!

An Inconsistency

When I get an event invite on Facebook, my knee-jerk reaction is to RSVP with maybe. (Unless, of course, it's some awesome event I'm for sure going to or something lame that I for sure won't be going to.) I like the maybe option because it lets me say no without really saying no. Then I don't feel bad when I don't show because I didn't actually say I would go.

This week, I created an event to invite people over to my apartment to watch the mega ultra super showdown between BYU and SDSU on Saturday. This game is HUGE and I didn't want to watch it with just me and Cora. As fun as that is (I love you, Cora), I wanted to watch with a group of people. It's just more fun that way.

So I set up the event and sent a bunch of invites, hoping that at least a few people would say yes and come enjoy the greatness of BYU basketball. Four days later, most of the people who have responded are maybes. And it annoys the tar out of me. Just decide one way or another, people! Geez!

Hypocritical much? Oh yes. But I would be willing to bet money that my days of saying maybe are far from over.

Jimmermania Strikes Again

Okay, we all know I'm obsessed with Jimmer. (But really—what's not to like?) But we also know that I'm not the only one. This rap is one of the many awesome developments of Jimmermania. "Teach me how to Jimmer. Teach me, teach me how to Jimmer." It's been stuck in my head for two days now.

It's Me, Again

Day 19: Another picture of yourself

Me and Cora at the BYU vs. TCU game earlier this month. I love basketball games. Though I think sometimes I love sports too much . . . I'm still bummed that BYU lost to UNM yesterday. I seriously thought BYU was going to win out the conference, though I probably shouldn't have convinced myself of that. It makes the losses suck worse.

The good thing is that tons of teams in the top ten lost last week, so hopefully BYU won't shift too much in the rankings. And if they can win out the rest of their conference schedule (which is totally possible), BYU will still win the conference title. I just have to remind myself that basketball isn't like football—one loss doesn't screw up the entire season. BYU can still go deep into the tournament, as long as they play their game. 

And that really doesn't have much to do with that picture or this day of the challenge . . . I just needed to write that down so I can get yesterday's game out of my head and stop being so sad about it.

You Got Jimmered

Day 16: Your celebrity crush.

Wow, this day of the challenge couldn't have had better timing. On the day after Jimmer Fredette's ridiculous 43-point game that propelled BYU to a 71–58 win over then undefeated SDSU and launched The Jimmer to celebrity status, my current celebrity crush is a no-brainer.

I am obsessed with Jimmer Fredette. I just am. Though I have to say that I have had my eyes on him all season long, not just since he's been catapulted into the national spotlight. 

Jimmer is unreal. I am one of the lucky ones who can say that I was there to witness the ridiculousness that was the BYU vs. SDSU game last night. The crowd was insane. Words can't adequately describe the electricity of the atmosphere in the Marriott Center. I screamed myself hoarse, jumped up and down, and chanted "You got Jimmered" with 22,700 fellow fans. I have never experienced anything like it.

I can't say how jealous I am of Jimmer's girlfriend. That is one lucky girl. Not only is Jimmer a phenomenal basketball player, he is also a seemingly humble, likable guy. And he's super cute to boot. Then, if he didn't already have enough going for him, he talked about how he has a testimony of the Gospel and how much he loves the Church on national TV today. Now all I need is to find out that he can sing or play the guitar and I'd be a goner.

Home Sweet Home

Day 12: A photo of the town you live in.

(I like this picture because the football stadium is in it.)

Well, there it is. The town that I usually love, though I do often find myself hating it. But be warned, if you are not from or don't live in Provo and you start making fun of it, I will get defensive. It's one of those instances where only people who live in it can make fun of it. (It's like those people who aren't from Utah but live here now and think they know the whole state well enough to make fun of everyone in it. Just so you know, you don't. So shut yer yap and stop perpetuating stereotypes. [This may or may not be a major pet peeve of mine.])

I have made some incredible memories in this town and met some incredible people along the way. I may not want to live here the rest of my life, but I have definitely enjoyed the time that I have spent here.

The Jimmer Show

Day 9: A photo of the last thing you purchased.

So these aren't technically the tickets I paid for (my brother has those), but they represent my last purchase quite well. (These tickets were actually free. Sweet!)

In case you haven't noticed, I love sports and talk about them frequently. I love BYU sports (well, football and basketball) more than pretty much any other sports (minus Jazz basketball). I'm a BYU fanatic; I bleed blue through and through. Which is why I had to buy tickets to BYU v. SDSU and v. UNLV. (Then get free tickets to TCU, CSU, and UNM. Woot.)

So next Wednesday I will be sitting clear up in the nosebleeds yelling at refs and cheering for my Cougs as they play their most important home game of the season. SDSU is currently undefeated, and I'm looking forward to watching BYU hand them their first loss. Go Cougs!

Being Thankful: Day Twenty-Nine

Today is Monday, which means FHE, of course. This is usually what happens with me and FHE: At the beginning of the semester, I try really hard to go and get to know the people in my group. I stay for the activity, then usually leave right once everything is done, because I always feel super awkward about mingling afterward. Then, when I realize that some of the people bug me or we end up doing super lame activities every week, I stop going. That's usually about halfway through the semester. So by the end of the semester, I'm ignoring the flyers and doing other really important things with my Monday night, of course.

Well, last night, my FHE mom roped me into bringing a treat tonight, so of course I had to go. And when I have to go, it makes me want to go even less. But I went, and it actually turned out to be really fun. There were only six of us there (because everyone else in our group is apparently even lamer than I am) and we played Christmas Pictionary, which was surprisingly fun. Everyone stuck around for a while, so we actually got a chance to chill and be ourselves for a bit. It was very entertaining.

I'm really thankful for these experiences that remind me of why I need to be social. There are a lot of really great people in my ward, but because I can be so introverted, I don't give myself the chance to get to know them. Nights like tonight let me know that I really should put myself out there a little more and make some new friends.

Absolutely Perfect

This week was fantastic. In fact, it was perfect—at least, when it came to sports. Yes, yes, another sports post. I like sports, all right? And this past week has turned me into way more of a sports nut than I usually am.

It all started last Saturday. BYU destroyed UNLV, 55–7. It was fantastic to finally see BYU play like we've seen them play in seasons past. It was definitely a fun game to watch. That night, I watched the Jazz play the Clippers. The Jazz were down by 18 in the second half and came back to win in double overtime. It was awesome.

Then, on Tuesday, the Jazz played Miami, where they were down by as much as 22. They came back to win it in overtime. It was one of the most ridiculous games ever—ridiculous in a good way, of course. No one expected the Jazz to win, especially not on the road, and especially after getting down by so much. Then on Wednesday, the Jazz did it again against Orlando. Another double-digit deficit overcome in the second half. They did it again Friday against Atlanta and today against Charlotte. Five in a row—five double-digit deficits, four of them on the road. That alone would make it an awesome sports week.

Friday night was BYU's basketball home opener, which was such a fun game. It took the Cougs a little while to warm up, but once Jimmer got going, it was goodbye to Fresno State. It was awesome.

And today BYU crushed CSU on the road. It was great. Two weeks in a row shows me that this improvement in football isn't a complete anomaly. If they can do it again next week, I'll have even more hope for the Utah game.

While I try not to be the kind of fan that roots for BYU and anyone that plays Utah, I can't help but be happy about the icing on the cake for this perfect sports week: Last Saturday, TCU blew Utah out of the water, knocking them out of BCS bowl contention and out of the top ten. And today, Notre Dame soundly beat Utah, knocking them to the very bottom of the rankings. I honestly feel bad for the players—it really sucks for them. But I can't feel bad for the fans, especially the fans who have been loud and obnoxious in tearing apart BYU this season. I have to admit that it's nice to know that those fans have been knocked down a peg. Or two.

So, yes. This week in sports has been perfect on all counts. What a great week.

Being Thankful: Day Six

It is November, so it's officially time to go on snow alert in Utah. The snow could dump on us at any time (which is possible for next week), so any nice days we have left can't be taken for granted. Today, I'm thankful for the absolutely gorgeous day it was. It was an absolutely perfect day weather-wise. I went to the BYU game wearing capris. Yes, capris, on November 6. Since when does that ever happen? It was actually almost too warm at the game. My brother got a bit of a sunburn. It was fantastic.

Since it's supposed to drop down into the 40s and possibly give us some snow next week, I'm going to be thankful for the beautiful weather while it lasts. I am also thankful for a BYU beat-down of UNLV. It was about time BYU put more than 30 points up on the board (55–7 was the final). It gives me hope for a bowl game.

Being Thankful: Day Five

Today I'm thankful for sports. Odd, it's true, but I like sports. A lot. And I like that I like sports because it gives me something else to enjoy, something else to get excited about. I spent my Friday evening watching a Jazz game. Sure, they lost, which sucks, but I still enjoyed watching it. And tomorrow I'm going to go to Lavell Edwards Stadium and (hopefully) watch BYU beat UNLV, and I'm excited about it. Then next Friday I'm going to the BYU basketball home opener, which should be SWEET because the Cougs have a chance to be ridiculously (and I mean ridiculously) good this year.

I know I'm a weird girl, that I'm out of the ordinary because I go out of my way to watch sporting events, whether I'm alone or with other people. But I've been watching sports my whole life, and it's fun to be competitive. I'm thankful that I have something that I can do with my dad and my brothers. I go get pedicures with the girls and watch sports with the guys. It's fun to have two such different sides to me.

Let the Craziness Begin

What craziness, you ask? Well, in about 24 hours, I will be sitting in my seat at LaVell Edwards Stadium watching BYU kick off the 2010 season. And I turn into crazy Lindy during the football season.

I am so weird. I freaking love sports. I know I've posted about this before, but I'm posting about it again. Because hey, it's my blog, and I can write about whatever I want. And football is on my mind right now. I'm literally squirming in my seat right now because I'm so excited about the prospect of watching BYU play Washington tomorrow. It has been nine long months since the last Cougar football game, and it's about freaking time for another season.

The beginning of a new football season is always exciting. I seriously get chills just thinking about sitting in the stadium and watching my Cougars run onto the field. Is that weird? Yeah, probably, but I don't care.

For me, Cougar football is a family affair. I've been watching BYU play for as long as I can remember. I've been dealing with the BYU/Utah rivalry ever since I started elementary school. Let me tell you, growing up in Salt Lake as a BYU fan isn't the easiest thing to do. Not that anything awful ever happened to me, but I have endured some verbal abuse. Much like the Ute fans down here in Provo get, I'm sure.

Even going to football games is a family thing. The games have never been a social thing for me—even when I was going to BYU, I would get an all-sports pass with my brother and sit with him and about seven of his married guy friends. But it didn't matter, because I was there to watch the game, not to chat. I got to listen to some interesting sports talk from those guys, which was really fun.

And now that I'm all graduated and have moved on from the student section (sadly enough), I buy my own season tickets and go to games with my dad and my two brothers. And I love it. I love talking sports with them and soaking in everything that they know. They know way more than I do, so I learn a lot from them. Especially my father, who really needs to be a sportscaster somewhere. He'd be so awesome at that job.

BYU's recent announcement that they are going independent with an eight-year contract with ESPN has only increased my excitement for Cougar football. I know, I know, the change won't happen until the 2011 season, but this could mean big things for BYU. Sure, it could also blow up in everyone's faces, but I'm looking at the bright side here. And I think there are a lot of very positive things that could come from this. I think it's about time BYU did something different.

I'm not going to give any kind of predictions for this year's team. BYU lost a lot of starters last year, so there are a lot of newbies coming on the field this season. It could be very interesting. I'm just hoping the young guys step up and surprise us with a great season. I definitely wouldn't mind BYU winning the conference championship their last season in the MWC. I'm not expecting it, but it'd definitely be sweet.

The bottom line is that I bleed Cougar blue through and through. And that won't change any time soon. Go Cougs!