Hat's Off

Congratulations to Jordan Gross, who was selected as a starter for the Pro Bowl! That is quite an accomplishment given the major injury that ended his season a year ago and the difficult season the Panthers' offense has endured. It's a testament to the respect he's earned in the league. Gross hasn't been in contention for the ProUte of the Week award as a result of his team's play, but he's the only ProUte to be selected for the Pro Bowl. This marks the second time Gross has been selected (2008).

All Out

Eric Weddle left it all out on the field on Sunday, making 11 solo and 5 assisted tackles. He managed one PDef, but it wasn't enough as Carson Palmer threw 4 TD passes and the Bengals (4-11) knocked the Chargers (8-7) out of playoff contention.

After the game Weddle said "Our season is done. It's probably the worst feeling you can have." Another ProUte of the Week award won't change that, but Weddle deserves it for battling to the end. Hopefully San Diego's management will reward him with the new contract he has earned instead of dumping more money into a conditional player like Vincent Jackson.

Stand Out

The performances were outstanding across the board in week 14; naturally there weren't enough stand out performances in week 15 to warrant a poll or a ProUte of the Week award.

The success of the Atlanta Falcons (12-2, best record in the NFC) has brought up comparisons to the '98 team that finished the season 14-2 and made it to the Super Bowl. That team featured ProUte RB Jamal Anderson (1,846 yards on 410 carries), much like the current squad is built around Michael Turner (1,256 yards on 300 carries through 14 games). The two teams share a lot of similarities (there's even a Jamaal Anderson on the roster), but Mark Bradley, a blogger for the Atlanta Journal Constitution, states that the 2010 team is better overall. I'd say that's a bit premature, considering the season isn't over. Regardless of the outcome, Anderson had a stand out season in '98 with 16 TDs and the most rushing yards in franchise history. Who could forget the "Dirty Bird?"

Stop, Drop, and Roll

David Reed was on fire Monday night. Three Texans tried to stop him, but they dropped and he rolled into the end zone. Reed set a new Ravens record with his 103 yard return to start the second half, and his 233 total return yards is the second highest single-game total in team history. Reed was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance, and he can add ProUte of the Week as well. Reed leads the league averaging nearly 30 yards per return.

It took a tremendous effort to overcome the triumphant return of Alex Smith (17-27, 255 yards, 3 TDs), the dominating interior presence of Sione Pouha (10 tackles, a sack, and a fumble recovery), and the tight coverage of Sean Smith (5 tackles, 4 PDef).

Play of the Day

Andrew Bogut had the Play of the Day in the NBA, tipping in an inbounds pass for the game winner against the Pacers. Bogut was only 5-for-14 from the field, but his touch was golden on this perfect pass from Luc Mbah a Moute. He shot a respectable 7-for-10 from the line en route to 17 points, pulled down 11 rebounds and blocked 5 shots.

4x4x4

Week 13 in the NFL was a tough one. Six ProUtes played tough defense in tough losses. Naming the ProUte of the Week is a tough call as a result. Do we recognize Sione Pouha's individual effort leading the Jets with 8 tackles in a 45-3 loss to the Patriots? Or do we go with the overall team effort Miami got from Koa Misi, Sean Smith, and Paul Soliai (4 tackles apiece) in a 13-10 loss to Cleveland?

Eight tackles is a rare feat for an interior lineman like Pouha, but the Patriots broke the century mark in rushing yards and had two rushing TDs. The Dolphins held Peyton Hillis and the Browns to 52 yards rushing and no scores on the ground. If not for Chad Henne's 3 INTs and a blocked FG in the first quarter Miami could have come away with a win. Mark Sanchez also threw 3 INTs for New York, but that was forcing the ball downfield under duress.

Pouha tallied as many tackles as Misi and Soliai combined, but throw in Smith's tackles and the 4x4x4 gets the job done. This marks the second time this season Miami's trio has shared the award. Eric Weddle (6 tackles) and Ma'ake Kemoeatu (5 tackles) were also in the running.

Be Like Dwight

Andrew Bogut was back in the line up Saturday after missing the last five games with back spasms. Dwight Howard (ill with a stomach virus) was missing from the Magic, which left Bogut free to do his best impersonation of Howard. He posted 31 points, 18 rebounds, and 2 blocks in the mismatch. Bogut was 13-of-20 from the field and a Dwight-like 5-of-16 from the line, including eight straight misses in the fourth quarter when Orlando played Hack-a-Buck. Milwaukee held on to beat the depleted Magic (down four sick players), 96-85.

Bogut is averaging 13.1 points and 11.5 rebounds in the 13 games he's played this season. He scored 11 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in an 88-78 loss to Miami tonight.

Andre Miller was suspended for "making excessive and unnecessary contact" with Blake Griffin in Portland's 100-91 win over the Clippers on Sunday. I didn't see the play (it isn't in the highlights), but Griffin's a pretty physical player. Are you sure he can't take a bump from an aging point guard? Or has he already reached the superstar status for calls? More likely it was a referee reaction to the flagrant foul, ejection, and two game suspension of L.A.'s Brian Cook. Miller will miss Tuesday's game against Steve Nash and the Suns.

BLOCK THAT KICK!

Brandon Burton's block of Mitch Payne's field goal attempt to seal Utah's 17-16 victory over BYU wasn't the only resounding blocked kick on Saturday; the Las Vegas Locomotives also got a blocked FG to preserve their 23-20 win in the second UFL Championship Game! The Locos defeated the Tuskers for their second consecutive title. Las Vegas has a dynasty! Congratulations to former Utah head coach Jim Fassel and ProUtes Jesse Boone, Brian Hernandez, and Lauvale Sape on winning back-to-back championships!

For an amusing wrap up of the UFL season, see DJ Gallo's Page 2 column on ESPN.com.

Can't Catch Him

We will forgo the poll this week and give the ProUte of the Week Award to Eric Weddle, who ran away with one of Peyton Manning's 4 INTs. Weddle returned it 41 yards for a pick six in the 3rd quarter of the Chargers' 36-14 win over the Colts (linebacker Kevin Burnett also had a pick six in the 1st quarter).

Weddle told ESPN that the lack of credit given to San Diego's top ranked defense was "a slap in the face." He played a major part in his team's response, with 4 tackles and 2 pass deflections to go with his INT return for a TD. Here at ProUtes we give credit where credit is due: this is Weddle's third award of the season.

Return With Honor

Utah has had its share of phenomenal kick returners, from Steve Smith to Shaky Smithson. David Reed doesn't share the same initials but he's working his way into that game-changing role. The kick return game has been pivotal this season in the NFL, and Reed is capitalizing on his opportunities. Against the Panthers he returned 3 kicks for 135 yards, with a long of 84 yards. He didn't score six (and was sick later), but he did win ProUte of the Week honors!

Reed edged out teammate Paul Kruger, who recorded his first sack, perennial favorite Eric Weddle (3 tackles, PDef), and Sean Smith (4 tackles) for the award.

Behind the Line

Quarterback Kyle Orton may be the AFC Offensive Player of the Week, but he knows who to thank: his offensive line. Here he is slapping the helmet of #68 Zane Beadles, our ProUte of the Week. Behind the blocking of Beadles and Co. the Broncos amassed 452 net yards, 299 passing and 153 rushing. They didn't allow a sack for the first time this season, and with that protection Orton (4 TDs, no INTs) posted a 131.5 passer rating. The Broncos finally established a ground game with the first 100+ yard performance of the season for a Denver running back. Tim Tebow also got in on the action with a TD pass and a TD run. Even Brady Quinn could have had a good day behind that commanding O-line!

Beadles wins the award for the second time in his rookie season, stonewalling David Reed (3 kick returns for 64 yards), Sean Smith (6 tackles), and Paul Soliai (3 tackles, 1 PDef). Smith and Soliai (along with Koa Misi) will be back in action tonight, as Miami hosts the Bears. Denver will face off with San Diego on Monday night.

Pickin' 'Em Up and Puttin' 'Em Down

Eric Weddle picked up another ProUte of the Week award in week 9. Weddle wraps up these awards like he wraps up ball carriers (8 tackles). He deflects all challengers like he defends passes (2 PDef). This week's poll had five other candidates, but none of them could get by Weddle to reach paydirt. It would take Sione Pouha (4 tackles, PDef) and Sean Smith combined (5 tackles, PDef) to surpass Weddle's numbers. Koa Misi had 6 tackles while Paul Soliai registered 3 tackles and a sack - that might win the award during Weddle's bye week, but not this week. There was a surprise contender on the offensive (and special teams) side: David Reed saw his first action this season. He rushed once for 15 yards and returned two kicks for 44 yards. That's an average of 19.66 yards per play, not bad for a rookie. But no ProUte makes more plays on the field than Eric Weddle.

Week of the DB

It was the Week of the DB in the NFL, as Brice McCain racked up another 5 tackles against Indy, Sean Smith had a tackle, defended two passes, and snagged the first interception of his career, and Eric Weddle had 11 tackles and defended a pass. Even the offensive players turned DB, as Quinton Ganther and Chris Kemoeatu each had a tackle after an interception. You voted and Sean Smith takes the award for his takeaway (see the video here)! Now he and Koa Misi each have one of their own to go with the one they shared.

Steve Smith did all he could to help his team, even returning a punt 8 yards to go with 9 receptions for 85 yards. Maybe he can play a little DB as well (Carolina throws enough interceptions Smith could have plenty of tackles)!

Misi Mixes it Up

Koa Misi won't have to share the ProUte of the Week award - this time it's all his! He seems to be a contender for the award each week and week 7 belongs to him. Misi isn't putting up huge numbers in a single category, but he has been filling up the stat sheet. Against the Steelers he had 2 tackles, half a sack, and a fumble recovery. In his first six games as a pro he has 14 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and 2 fumbles recovered. This photo shows his first sack on Trent Edwards; he has also brought down Tom Brady, Aaron Rogers, and Ben Roethlisberger. He recovered a Brett Favre fumble for a touchdown and in this highlight he beats fellow ProUte Chris Kemoeatu to the inside, takes on another blocker, and still falls on the ball after Roethlisberger drops it to the turf (of course the story of the game was the Roethlisberger fumble that Miami didn't recover in the end zone). In a league known as the Not For Long the rookie Misi is making some memorable plays! He wins the award over veterans Jordan Gross, OL (379 net yards, 1 sack allowed), Sean Smith (4 tackles), and Eric Weddle (5 tackles).

In other news, Quinton Ganther is back with the Seattle Seahawks following an injury to fullback Michael Robinson. Gabe Long is back with the Las Vegas Locos, but Josh Savage was released by the Omaha Nighthawks, despite leading the team with 1.5 sacks. He was slowed by a back injury, so they replaced him with Reynaldo Wynn. The Locos and Nighthawks will square off for first place in the UFL.

Weddle Gets His Groove Back

Eric Weddle finally got back to posting the numbers (12 tackles, one pdef) we're used to seeing from the ultra-productive safety in week 6. Weddle got his groove back, even if the Bolts are still looking for the Lightning Thief. This is his first ProUte of the Week award of the season, to go along with the four he won last year.

Four other candidates had noteworthy games: Chris Kemoeatu, OL (378 net yards with no sacks allowed), Koa Misi, LB (3 tackles, 1 sack), Sione Pouha, DL (4 tackles, 1 sack, 1 pdef), and Alex Smith, QB (16-33, 196 yards, 2 TDs, and zero turnovers).

Homecomings

Brett Ratliff is back with the Browns as a back up to rookie Colt McCoy. Ratliff bounced around the practice squads of the Jaguars and the Patriots after he was released by the Browns. Cleveland brought him back as insurance after injuries to starter Jake Delhomme and second-stringer Seneca Wallace thrust third-stringer McCoy into action against the Steelers.

Receiver Brent Casteel, another player released by Cleveland, is back in Utah as a new member of the Blaze (AFL). The Blaze also signed former Utes quarterback Tommy Grady and lineman Garrett Smith.

Number One with a Bullet

Embattled quarterback Alex Smith is our ProUte of the Week. The boo birds were out in Candlestick Park, and detractors will say "How can he win the award when he can't win a game?" and "Pretty sad if that's the best Utah has to offer!" Those people are so focused on the few negative plays Smith made they can't see all the positive plays. Yes, he threw two more interceptions (the last one while getting drilled) to add to his league-leading tally of nine. But he also threw three TD passes, two in the fourth quarter. The fumble (which was returned for a TD) was atrocious, but fluke plays like that happen. Frank Gore fumbled twice in the game, but you didn't hear the crowd chanting for his back up. Philip Rivers isn't taking as much flak for his fumble (which was also returned for a TD) late in the Chargers' loss to the Raiders. Tony Romo threw for career high yards against the Titans, but his last pass of the game was an INT (his third), just like Smith's.

Critics aren't impressed with Smith, the former top pick, but analysts are. Just ask Peter King. He threw for 309 yards with some pinpoint precision. He deserved to be chewed out by Coach Singletary and he responded. The coach and the team still believe in him, according to this report on 49ers.com. This blogger still believes in him, too.

The costly mistakes downgraded his game from great to good, but it was good enough to win ProUte of the Week honors over Sione Pouha (5 tackles as the Jets held AP under 100) and Eric Weddle (4 tackles).

Triple D

Two teammates will share this week's ProUte award as Koa Misi (1 tackle, 1 sack) and Sean Smith (5 tackles) tied in the voting. Although the Dolphins lost to the Patriots 41-14, the final score doesn't tell the whole story. Miami's defense only allowed two touchdowns, held Randy Moss without a catch, and limited Tom Brady to 146 net passing yards. Paul Soliai also contributed a tackle for the Dolphins D.

Miami is the only team in the league with three active ProUtes, all on the same side of the ball. Carolina has two active players (although Steve Smith is out with a high ankle sprain) and one on the practice squad, while Baltimore and San Francisco both have two active and one on injured reserve.

Tales of Beadles the Guard

ProUte honors go to a rookie for the second time in as many weeks. Zane Beadles and the Broncos offensive line allowed only one sack in 57 pass attempts, allowing quarterback Kyle Orton to throw for a career-high 476 yards. Against a pass rush that includes perennial Pro Bowlers Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis (who combined for 6 sacks in their first two games) that is truly a commendable performance.

Beadles played tackle at Utah, but the Broncos drafted him to be a guard. Injuries to the line moved him back out to tackle, where the rookie is holding his own. Zane is versatile enough to play either position and intelligent enough to move in to center if need be.

The Broncos didn't get the W, but Beadles gets the award over fellow O-line #68 Chris Kemoeatu (387 total yards, 201 rushing, 0 sacks), Ma'ake Kemoeatu (5 tackles), and Eric Weddle (6 tackles).

In other news, Quinton Ganther was released by the Seattle Seahawks to make room on the roster for former Denver wideout Brandon Stokely. Perhaps Ganther will follow LenDale White yet again and team up with Beadles in Denver!

Sylvester Sets the Tone

Stevenson Sylvester set the tone for the Steelers on Sunday, forcing a fumble on a kick return. It was the first of seven takeaways in the game, a 19-11 win over the Titans. Sylvester, a rookie third-string linebacker (who wears #55 now), made the most of his time on the field, collecting three tackles to go with his FF. Sly also collected the ProUte of the Week Award!

His forced fumble may not have been as high profile as Koa Misi's fumble recovery for a touchdown, but Misi (another rookie LB who wears #55) was the beneficiary of that play. Sylvester caused the fumble. And he had three tackles to Misi's two, despite playing fewer downs than Misi. To see the video replays of their exploits, see Monday's post titled Fumble!

Also in the running for week two's award were Sione Pouha (6 tackles to lead the Jets), Steve Smith (3 rec., 66 yards, TD), and Eric Weddle (5 tackles and .5 sack).

New Look Locos

The Locos are back for their second season in the UFL with new uniforms, a new starting quarterback, and a new roster with only three ProUtes. The fledgling league overhauled its image between seasons, an upgrade so drastic it apparently required a fashion show. Stay tuned for America's Next Top Football Model! I mock, but at least one of my predictions came true: last year's merchandise has become obsolete.

Some teams changed their monikers along with their uniforms. The California Redwoods are now the Sacramento Mountain Lions and the New York Sentinels became the Hartford Colonials. The league is also expanding, adding the Omaha Nighthawks this season and a team in Virginia later.

No ProUtes parlayed their play into a second stint in the NFL (a second accurate prediction), although John Madsen came close. He and Gabe Long have not returned for year two. That leaves Las Vegas with Jesse Boone, Brian Hernandez, and Lauvale Sape on the roster.

The new look did not avail the Locos as they lost to the Florida Tuskers in the season opener.

Louie Sakoda was released today by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He signed with Winnipeg after being dropped by the Saskatchewan Roughriders, but an injured calf prevented him from suiting up.

Fumble!

Utah had no trouble handling New Mexico on Saturday, but they did have some trouble handling the ball. They had four fumbles in the game and lost three, one of which was returned for a TD. Against an opponent like New Mexico that isn't too costly, but against a team like Air Force or TCU it could be devastating.

A pair of rookie ProUtes were on the other side of fumbles this weekend. Stevenson Sylvester made the most of his time on the field, forcing a fumble on a kick return. Pittsburgh had seven takeaways in their 19-11 win over the Titans.

Koa Misi fell on a Favre fumble in the end zone, resulting in a touchdown that ultimately proved to be the difference in Miami's 14-10 upset of Minnesota.

Pouncin' Pouha

Sione Pouha came out of the pile with two recovered fumbles and the ProUte of the Week Award! Pouncin' Pouha had 7 tackles in a stout effort against the Ravens in the first game of the 2010 season, but it was the pair of fumble recoveries that set him apart (watch the video here) . Sione also won the award in week 6 of the 2009 campaign, making this his second overall. With Kris Jenkins out for the season Pouha will have to up his productivity. He's off to a good start, beating Brice McCain (7 tackles), Koa Misi (4 tackles, 1 sack), and Steve Smith (5 catches, 75 yards, TD) for week one honors.

Practice Squad

Freddie Brown, Brett Ratliff and R.J. Stanford were relegated to the practice squad as NFL teams cut down to their final 53 man rosters this weekend. Brown was waived by the Bengals during the summer, then brought into the Vikings' camp to fill in for injured players. Ratliff was waived by the Browns later than expected, then signed by the Jaguars. Stanford showed some promising plays for the Panthers, but was the odd man out of the crowd. Kelly Talavou (Ravens) joined Martail Burnett (49ers) on IR and is done for the season.

David Reed secured a spot on the Ravens' roster with his sure hands and kick returning ability. Baltimore waived Demetrius Williams prior to the deadline, then traded Mark Clayton to St. Louis when they signed free agent T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Reed is now listed as a third-string receiver behind Derrick Mason and Donte Stallworth, as well as the second-string kick returner (Stallworth is out with an injury, but Houshmandzadeh has yet to be added to the depth chart).

Quinton Ganther's DUI stop did not stop him from making the Seahawks as a first-string fullback and fourth-string running back. Robert Johnson made Tennessee's team, beating out fellow rookie (and Rhodes scholar) Myron Rolle, and Stevenson Sylvester earned one of many linebacker spots with Pittsburgh.

Most Improved

Leilani Mitchell was voted the Most Improved Player in the WNBA this season. Mitchell was given the chance to start at point guard for the New York Liberty and the lady capitalized, leading the league in 3 point percentage. Read the article in the USA Today here.

Top of the Arena

Offensive lineman Ed Ta'amu got in on the scoring action as the Spokane Shock defeated the Tampa Bay Storm 69-57 to win ArenaBowl XXIII. Ta'amu was named First Team All-Arena for his contributions to the Shock's championship season.

Rookie's Ride

There is a nice profile of Robert Johnson on Titans Online, although Kyle Meacham did make one glaring factual error. Utah's humbling of Alabama in the 2009 Sugar Bowl was not the first BCS bowl victory by a non-BCS school. That would be Utah's dismantling of Pittsburgh in the 2005 Fiesta Bowl. At that time a non-automatic qualifier had to finish in the top 6 in the BCS rankings to earn a berth in a BCS bowl game. Another game was added and the rule was subsequently changed to a top 12 finish. Utah was the original BCS Buster and the first team to bust in twice. The Utes have one more chance to do it again this year before they join the PAC-10.

Off Season

It's been a disappointing off-season for three ProUtes: Freddie Brown, Martail Burnett, and Quinton Ganther. Brown was waived by the Bengals at the end of July, then signed by the Vikings to take some reps while other receivers recover. Burnett injured his left knee and was waived by the 49ers. The team placed him on injured reserve once he cleared waivers. Ganther, pictured here being tackled by a former Tennessee teammate in a recent preseason game, followed his running backs coach from Washington to Seattle. The running back position is still unsettled in Seattle, with LenDale White (another of Ganther's former Tennessee teammates) getting released by his old college coach, Pete Carroll. Ganther was arrested for DUI in Sacramento this summer. He had a hearing on Wednesday, which did not prevent him from playing this weekend. He may yet make the team, pending any legal or league-imposed discipline.

Training Camp

Training camps open this week in the NFL. Of the six ProUtes drafted this year only the first one taken, Koa Misi, has yet to sign a contract. Misi has been impressive in workouts thus far, and the Dolphins open camp on the 30th. The Baltimore Ravens got started yesterday, and David Reed has been seen catching everything thrown his way. Reed is competing with Mark Clayton for the 4th receiver spot. R.J. Stanford and the Carolina Panthers began their camp today. Stevenson Sylvester and the Steelers report on the 30th. Robert Johnson and the Tennessee Titans will get underway on the 31st. Zane Beadles just signed his contract with the Denver Broncos yesterday. Denver's training camp officially opens August 1st.

Throw the Flag

In addition to attending the University of Utah, Steve Smith and I have something else in common: we have both broken our left arms twice. I broke mine in elementary school one year apart, and Smith broke his twice in one year playing football. He got credit for scoring a touchdown after breaking it against the Giants (see post on 12/28/09), but he's taking criticism for breaking it a second time playing flag football. It's not the smartest move he's made in his well-documented career, but the only person who has a legitimate complaint about him playing flag football is the guy who had to cover him! His contract does not grant the Carolina Panthers total ownership of his body, and they have wisely decided not to penalize him for what amounts to a freak accident, according to this release from the Associated Press. The break is not in the same spot, and Smith won't miss any part of the regular season, just the preseason.

Chris Shelton has been out of action since May 30th and remains on the 7 day Disabled list with a hamstring injury. Former Utah pitcher Jordan Whatcott signed a free-agent contract with the Philadelphia Phillies this week and was assigned to the Gulf Coast League. According to John Coon of the Deseret News there are now seven former Utes in the minor leagues: Jay Brossman, Brian Budrow, Stephen Fife, Ryan Khoury, Shelton, Jesse Shriner, and Whatcott. Brossman was last seen on the 7 day DL with the Arkansas Travelers, Fife pitches for the Portland Sea Dogs, and Shriner plays catcher for the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes.

Olevao Back with the Blaze

The Utah Blaze announced that they have re-signed Kautai Olevao, a LB/FB who played for the Blaze from 2006-2008. Olevao delivered the greatest hit I have witnessed in Utah's rivalry with BYU when he leveled fleet-footed RB Ronney Jenkins, who coughed up the ball and a lung. Check it out:

Make Room for Ma'ake

Ma'ake Kemoeatu has a lot on his plate, even for a 345 lb. self-described "big fat guy." He's trying to come back from an Achilles tendon injury that kept him off the field last season, and he's doing it with a new team that's transitioning to a 3-4 front. According to this article on redskins.com Kemoeatu could be the first nose tackle in the proud history of the Hogs. Albert Haynesworth doesn't want the job, so make room for Ma'ake!

Supporting Cast

Andrew Bogut was back in the states this week, getting his cast removed and partying with his supporting cast known as "Squad 6." Bogut, who earned third team all-NBA honors this season, has been spending the off-season in his hometown of Melbourne, Australia. He's healing, but not in time to lead the Boomers at the FIBA World Championship in August.

Luke Nevill is also in Melbourne, playing for the Melbourne Tigers of the NBL. Nevill was a member of the Boomers squad in 2009 but does not appear to be on the roster for the World Championship.

Savage on the Move

Josh Savage has played for a number of teams in his career: the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, Tennessee Titans, New Orleans Saints, and Florida Tuskers. Add to that list the Omaha Nighthawks, which selected him in the recent UFL expansion draft.

Omaha also took a pair of defensive tackles from the Las Vegas Locomotives, which could spell more playing time for Lauvale Sape and Gabe Long. The Locos protected Jesse Boone and Sape (who is currently playing with the Utah Blaze of the AFL) from the expansion draft. Long is a free agent following his workout with the Detroit Lions in December.

Tight end John Madsen also had a workout with the Lions last week, but was released on Friday and remains a free agent.

I'm a few seasons behind, but I finally got my #95 Josh Savage Titans jersey!

Home Run Homer

Chris Shelton was right at home in Spring Mobile Ballpark yesterday, hitting his first home run out of the park since he played there in college. The Round Rock Express beat the Salt Lake Bees for the second time, with two games remaining in the home stand. The Express have struggled on the road, but this is a homecoming of sorts for Shelton, who leads the team in HR (5) and RBI (20).

Plenty to Prove

Enough talk about how far quarterbacks Jimmy Clausen and Colt McCoy fell in the draft. Let's talk about something that really matters: what it means to Brett Ratliff. The third-string Browns qb is the only holdover from the purge that sent Brady Quinn and his hair to the Shadow of Tebow in Denver and Derek Anderson to Arizona, where he will compete with another pretty boy, Matt Leinart. The Rat abides. But will he play? In his career as an undrafted free agent he hasn't taken a snap in the regular season, but he had a nice preseason for the Jets, prompting Coach Mangini to bring him over to Cleveland in the trade for Braylon Edwards. Clearly this is a guy the coach wants in his locker room, but not necessarily on the field. Cleveland brought in Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace presumably as the #1 and #2 qbs, then drafted Colt McCoy. Free agent Graham Harrell has been getting some reps in camp as well. According to The Chronicle-Telegram Ratliff could remain with the team as the fourth-string quarterback. So he goes from last man standing to last on the list? Here's hoping McCoy continues to fall.

Another player who seems to have fallen out of favor is Paul Soliai in Miami. As high as the Dolphins are on Koa Misi (see Peter King's recent Monday Morning Quarterback), Soliai's name hasn't even come up as Miami looks to revamp their defense. Jason Ferguson has been suspended for 8 games, apparently opening a double-wide door for Soliai to step in as a starter for at least half the season, but the only names coming out of camp are Randy Starks and rookie Jared Odrick. The Palm Beach Post spoke with Soliai's new agent, who said Paul is ready to prove he can play. Let's see if the ProUte of Week 8 can play at that level every week!

Firebrand on Khoury

Came across a solid evaluation of Ryan Khoury on the AL Firebrand page.

Misi to Miami

Koa Misi was the first ProUte selected in the 2010 NFL Draft, followed five picks later by Zane Beadles. Both players were taken in the second round of the new three day draft format, making this the second consecutive year Utah has had two players drafted in the second round. Misi went to Miami at #40, and the Broncos picked Beadles at #45. Misi becomes the third ProUte on Miami's defense, joining last year's second round pick Sean Smith and Paul Soliai. If only they would bring back Steve Fifita! Like Paul Kruger, Misi will transition from defensive end to outside linebacker in the NFL. Unlike Kruger, Misi will be expected to contribute immediately according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. Three more Utes were drafted in the fifth round on Saturday. Robert Johnson will carry on the proud tradition of ProUtes playing for the Titans, David Reed goes to the Ravens (the team that cut free agent Bradon Godfrey last year), and Stevenson Sylvester's a Steeler!

Here's the complete list from this year's draft:

#40, Miami Dolphins, Koa Misi, de/lb
#45, Denver Broncos, Zane Beadles, ol
#148, Tennessee Titans, Robert Johnson, s
#156, Baltimore Ravens, David Reed, wr
#166, Pittsburgh Steelers, Stevenson Sylvester, lb
#223, Carolina Panthers, R.J. Stanford, cb

With Stanford's selection in the seventh round Utah set a new school record of six players drafted! By way of comparison that's the same number that traditional powerhouse Texas had drafted this year - only four schools had more.

NBA Playoffs

Andre Miller tied his playoff career high of 31 points to lead Portland to a 105-100 upset win over Phoenix. Portland, a 6 seed, pulled off the only win by a visiting team in game 1 thanks to Andre's 31 points and 8 assists.

The Blazers managed to win without star Brandon Roy, but the Bucks didn't fare so well minus Andrew Bogut. They fell behind by a wide margin and lost to the Hawks 102-92.

In the D League Luke Nevill and the Utah Flash had their season come to an end in the first round of the playoffs. They took the first game against the Iowa Energy but lost the best-of-three series. Nevill averaged 11.9 points and 5.5 rebounds per game in his first year in the developmental league.

Minor League Assignments

Looking for your favorite ProUtes on the baseball diamond? Brian Budrow, Ryan Khoury, and Chris Shelton have all been reassigned this season. Budrow is pitching for the South Bend Silver Hawks, the class A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Khoury has gone from the Portland Sea Dogs to the Pawtucket Red Sox, Boston's triple A affiliate. Shelton is now in the Houston Astros organization, currently assigned to the triple A Round Rock Express.

Utah Man in the Arena

Arena Football returns to action tonight, but I have to say I'm not as excited to follow the Utah Blaze now that I can no longer find Jason Boone or Derrek Richards on the roster. The only connection to the University of Utah on the team is Brett Elliott, the quarterback who lost his starting spot to Alex Smith due to injury. Elliott then transferred to Linfield, a Div. III school where he excelled, winning a national championship and setting all kinds of records. He signed with the San Diego Chargers as a free agent, then joined the AFL. Now that the league is back Elliott is back in Utah.

Tommy Grady, a qb who did not enjoy similar success after transferring from Oklahoma to Utah, returns to his roots as a member of the Oklahoma City Yard Dogz.

The player I'm most excited to see back on the field is Steve Fifita, one of the heroes of the Fiesta Bowl. Fifita spent a couple of years with the Miami Dolphins but didn't have the size for the NFL. He does have a non-stop motor, which may be a better fit for Arena Football anyhow! He plays for the Alabama Vipers.

One player who will not be returning with the revived AFL is Phil Glover, but that's probably for the best. Some guys don't know when to walk away from the game while they still can!

Bad Break

Andrew Bogut broke his right hand, sprained his wrist, and dislocated his elbow when he fell in Saturday's game against the Suns. The big fella got out on the fast break, threw it down with two hands, then fell and broke his hand. It's gruesome to watch on the replay and I won't post it or link to it here. It's sickening to watch and sickening because it forces an early end to what had been a breakout season for the big Buck. Bogut had 12 points in just 12 minutes against Phoenix, on 6-of-7 shooting. A big man ought to be rewarded for hustling down the floor like he did, not drop to the floor like he did. That's just not right. His team went on to win the game without him, but the injury is a serious blow to Milwaukee's playoff hopes.

Sims Signs, Smith the Spokesman

Barry Sims signed a one-year contract with the 49ers yesterday, returning to a reserve role. The 11 year veteran provides consistency and experience for an emerging young offense.

The Carolina Panthers are revamping their offense and getting younger on both sides of the ball. Steve Smith has always been outspoken, but now his role as team spokesman is official: he is the union rep for the Panthers. Smith's comments about the Panthers' personnel moves are somewhat more calculated and less candid than we're used to hearing from the vocal wide out. Is Steve Smith going corporate on us?

Bogut's Bucks

Andrew Bogut came up big for the Bucks again last night scoring 25 points, snagging 17 rebounds, and swatting 4 shots to lead Milwaukee to a 86-84 win over Boston. The Bucks have now won 10 of their last 11 games, climbing from 9th to 5th in the Eastern Conference, and their success is squarely on the seven-footer's shoulders. I recall a conversation dating back to before Bogut was drafted with someone who will remain as nameless as he was clueless when he said Bogut wouldn't make a good pro player. It has taken the former #1 pick a few years to overcome some injuries and other setbacks, but he's no Michael Olowakandi! He's one of the top centers in the Eastern Conference, and Bogut's Bucks are a contender!

ProDay 2010

The University of Utah held it's pro day workouts on Monday, with 16 prospects participating. Defensive end Koa Misi continues to impress scouts in all of his workouts, and is projected to be a possible second round/probable third round pick. Misi will convert to outside linebacker in the NFL like Paul Kruger did last year with the Ravens. The offensive line coaches of the Ravens, Seahawks, and Steelers came to this year's pro day to evaluate Zane Beadles, another top prospect. Wide receiver David Reed and linebacker Stevenson Sylvester are the other players who stand a good chance of hearing their names called during the new three day draft format, held on April 22-24. Twenty teams sent representatives to Salt Lake City, including a wide receiver coach and a linebacker coach from the Browns. Gil Brandt of NFL.com reports that two players who weren't invited to the combine, safety Robert Johnson and cornerback R.J. Stanford, also had stand out performances on Monday. That comes as no surprise to Utah fans who watched Johnson stand out all season!

Free Agent Moves

The Carolina Panthers parted ways with one of their defensive linemen yesterday. I'm talking about ProUte Ma'ake Kemoeatu here, not Julius Peppers. The latter is leaving Carolina for Chicago as a free agent, but the former was released yesterday along with quarterback Jake Delhomme. Kemoeatu ruptured his Achilles tendon during the first 30 minutes of training camp last summer and complications have required multiple surgeries, the Charlotte Observer reports. Kemoeatu is a casualty of injury as much as salary cap changes this upcoming season.

Spring training has already opened for the upcoming MLB season, and ProUte Chris Shelton is in camp with the Houston Astros. Shelton signed a $500,000 Minor league contract in December. He had a tremendous spring camp with Seattle in 2009, and now he has a chance to show Houston what he can bring to the Astros.

Aussie Abuse

Andrew Bogut abused David Lee last night (seen here in an earlier match up) to the tune of 24 points, 20 rebounds, and 5 blocked shots. Lee may have beat out Bogut for a spot on the All-Star team, but Bogut beat Lee soundly in the low blocks. Bogut shot a blistering 12-15 from the field en route to the third 20-20 game of his career. He's been on a tear since the All-Star game, with 54 points, 45 rebounds, and 15 blocks in his last three games. Sekou Smith finally gave Bogut some post-Valentine's Day love on his blog for NBA.com, but this blogger has had much love for big Bog since the beginning!

Ageless Andre

Andre Miller isn't finished yet. The wily veteran scored a career-high 52 points in his 864th NBA game on Saturday! Andre put on a clinic in Dallas, shooting 22-of-31 from the field and 7-of-8 from the line. The old pro didn't stand outside and rain threes (1-for-1) to amass that total, either. He drove to the basket time and time again. Think the aging point guard has lost a step? It didn't show in the fourth quarter, when Miller scored 18 of his points, including a running hook to send the game into overtime. It wasn't as pretty as Magic Johnson's hook against the Celtics but it went in! Dave Ivey wrote a great recap of Andre's tremendous performance for NBA.com, but I wasn't able to link to it. It's nice to see Andre wearing a red jersey with #24 on it again!

Tough Times

Today's edition of The Salt Lake Tribune features an article about former ProUte Luther Elliss, a tough defensive lineman who has come upon tough times. A first round draft pick and two time Pro Bowl player, Elliss spent 10 years in the NFL but as a result of poor investments he has lost homes in Utah and Michigan and has declared bankruptcy. A big man with a big heart and a big family (six of his eleven children are adopted), Elliss also has big debts that he cannot pay back. To his credit Elliss does not blame the NFL or the Lions organization, which provided financial seminars to players. That credit won't pay his bills or save his home, sadly. Since retiring from the Denver Broncos in 2004 Elliss has sold insurance but could not sustain an income equal to his expenses. He left the University of Utah a few classes short of graduating, which has limited his options. It may be time for Elliss to come back to where it all began and complete his education!

Six Out Of Six

Kelly Isleib was selected with the sixth pick in the sixth round of the Women's Professional Soccer draft on Friday. Sky Blue FC of New Jersey, the 2009 WPS champions, drafted the senior midfielder 53rd overall. Isleib, a Park City native, was a four year all-conference player at the University of Utah. She made All-Region three times and has been to camp with the U.S. national team twice.

ProUtes in the Playoffs

Jonathan Fanene had more tackles (4) than Sione Pouha (1 assist), but the Bengals lost to the Jets in their AFC wildcard game. It was the second straight weekend that the Jets celebrated a convincing victory over the Bengals. The Jets get a new opponent this week, and it's a formidable foe: Eric Weddle and the Chargers.

Paul Kruger and Kelly Talavou did not record any stats in the other AFC wildcard game, but the Ravens beat the Patriots and moved on to face the Colts. That means Kruger may get another shot at that [to borrow a phrase from The Office] "arrogant and smudge" Austin Collie!

Over on the NFC side there are no ProUtes in the playoffs. Although the AFC only holds a 10-7 advantage in the number of ProUtes, it's a matter of distribution. There are 7 AFC teams with ProUtes on their rosters, whereas there are only 3 in the NFC (and that's after the Redskins signed Quinton Ganther). The 49ers and Panthers each have 3 ProUtes on the payroll, but the rest of the conference has shown little interest in players from the University of Utah. As a result I have little interest in the NFC playoffs.

Dark Horse

This week a dark horse candidate emerged to win the ProUte of the Final Week of the regular season: Barry Sims. The veteran offensive lineman, seen here blocking for fellow ProUte Alex Smith in an earlier contest, started 7 games for the 49ers this year. Against St. Louis the Niners scored 3 rushing TDs in the second half. Frank Gore got the stats, with over 100 yards and 2 TDs, but Barry Sims and the O-Line get the credit. Alex Smith's success in the spread offense coincides with the debut of rookie receiver Michael Crabtree, the dependable running of Gore, and the development of tight end Vernon Davis, who tied the record for most TDs by a TE in a season with his long score (also in the second half). But what hampered Smith when he came into the league as the #1 pick in 2005 was the lack of protection from his line. This year his line played better and so did he. Sims just concluded his 11th season in the NFL and at the age of 35 he isn't going to start every game, but he contributed to the win that gave the 49ers their first non-losing season since 2001. For that Barry Sims is our ProUte of Week 17!

No ProUtes to Pro Bowl

This year's Pro Bowl will not include any ProUte players - no starters, reserves, or alternates. Steve Smith's numbers (65 receptions, 982 yards, 7 TDs) were down compared to last season (78, 1,421, and 6), when he went to his fourth Pro Bowl. That decline in production had more to do with the struggles of Smith's quarterback than the injury that ended his season early. His teammate Jordan Gross, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, missed almost half of the season with a broken leg, however.

But in a season when Steelers safety Troy Polamalu was hampered by injury, were there really three other safeties better than Eric Weddle in the AFC? He doesn't have Ed Reed's reputation or Jairus Byrd's 9 interceptions, but he has nearly twice as many tackles (82 to 45) as both of them. Brian Dawkins has more total tackles (108), but Weddle would have kept pace if he hadn't missed two games with an injured knee. He has the same number of interceptions (2), and his 1.5 sacks offset the 1 forced fumble that Dawkins has in his favor. Weddle's numbers are comparable to Byrd's, Dawkins's, and Reed's, if not better outright. So why wasn't he at least chosen as an alternate?

The Cincinnati Bengals received the biggest snub, sending no one to the Pro Bowl despite winning the AFC North. Chad Ochocinco has reminded Cincinnati fans that the objective is reaching the Super Bowl, not the Pro Bowl. That's a fine team-oriented outlook, but it overlooks the Colts, Chargers, and Patriots in the process. Should the Colts reach the Super Bowl again that would vacate both starting defensive end positions for the AFC. Reserve Mario Williams would fill one of those slots, but it would be great to see Jonathan Fanene, who has 6 sacks to Williams's 8, be added to the team. The Bengals have not released any information about alternate selections and Fanene's name has not been in the mix, but he is on par with any deserving defensive end behind the top three.