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: