Just Curious...

[Detroitdad]

Originally Posted by Mormon Red Death

Here are what I consider to be Utah's Homegrown recruiting for that time frame:

Josh Grant
Jimmy Soto
Alex Jensen
Britton Johnsen
Mark Jackson
Drew Hansen
Mark Rydalch (or is he from Colorado?)

That is not an especially impressive group aside from Josh Grant. I know that Britton Jonhsen got a cup of coffee in the NBA but I am at a loss to explain why. Mark Jackson had a really nice season, but was essentially a role player the rest of his career. The rest were role players.

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by jay santos

Thanks for the history lesson. I'm sure the Durrant family were hoping and praying their sons would go to the U with all their history and tradition--too bad Ainge had to screw it up for them.

Then none of them are exceptional players and Utah pursued none of them.

[Mormon Red Death]

Originally Posted by Venkman

Mark and Ken weren't as good as their brothers. They were still good, but not what I'd consider exceptional. But since Red Death has Alex Jensen listed as one of the utes exceptionals, I think we can include them now.

Uh if there was an all time MWC team Alex jensen would be the captain... There has only been one other player in MWC history who could sniff his jock and that is bogut..

[mpfunk]

Originally Posted by Mormon Red Death

Uh if there was an all time MWC team Alex jensen would be the captain... There has only been one other player in MWC history who could sniff his jock and that is bogut..

Damn straight. In fact I take Alex Jensen over Josh Grant, and I am a huge Josh Grant fan.

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by Detroitdad

That is not an especially impressive group aside from Josh Grant. I know that Britton Jonhsen got a cup of coffee in the NBA but I am at a loss to explain why. Mark Jackson had a really nice season, but was essentially a role player the rest of his career. The rest were role players.

You don't kow what you're talking about. Britton Johnsen was a far bigger deal than Josh Grant when he came to Utah. Do you know what a McDonald's all-American is? He and Alex Jensen were stars in Utah's Final Four season, which beat the no. 1 and no. 2 teams in the nation in the NCAA playoffs, the latter the defending NC. Alex started for that team and was one of its three best players. (Each had his growth stunted by missions.) Mark Jackson was one of the two best players on Utah's 29-6 team that was Sweet 16, and two years before that he was the starting PG when Utah beat Pac 10 champ Oregon in the NCAA playoffs. Jimmy Soto started on Majerus' first Sweet 16 team that won 31 games.

If these players aren't special as Mormon Utahns go why do you hold out any hope at all for the future of your program? Payers like this is the best you can hope for.

I don't mind debating these issues with you guys. My job here seems to be enlightening the aborigines about whatever. But one thing I can't abide is some blow hole who comes and just makes stuff up like this. Other than Indy I don't see that happen very often here.

[Detroitdad]

Originally Posted by Mormon Red Death

Uh if there was an all time MWC team Alex jensen would be the captain... There has only been one other player in MWC history who could sniff his jock and that is bogut..

Yeah, I am going to have to go ahead and disagree with that. I will admit that he was a great player, especially when one considers that he had no discernible basketball skills.

[Mormon Red Death]

Originally Posted by mpfunk

Damn straight. In fact I take Alex Jensen over Josh Grant, and I am a huge Josh Grant fan.

Essentially if Alex hadn't have gone on a mission we would be talking about Utah's National Championship in 1996

[Mormon Red Death]

Originally Posted by Detroitdad

Yeah, I am going to have to go ahead and disagree with that. I will admit that he was a great player, especially when one considers that he had no discernible basketball skills.

I guess being MWC Player of the year means nothing...

[Detroitdad]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

You don't kow what you're talking about. Britton Johnsen was a far bigger deal than Josh Grant when he came to Utah. Do you know what a McDonald's all-American is? He and Alex Jensen were stars in Utah's Final Four season, which beat the no. 1 and no. 2 teams in the natioan in the NCAA playoffs, the latter the defending NC. Alex started for that team and was one of its three best players. (Each had his growth stunted by missions.) Mark Jackson was one of the two best players on Utah's 29-6 team that was Sweet 16, and two years before that he was the starting PG when Utah beat Pac 10 champ Oregon in the NCAA playoffs. Jimmy Soto started on Majerus' first Sweet 16 team that won 31 games.

If these players aren't special as Mormon Utahns go why do you hold out any hope at all for the future of your program? Payers like this is the best you can hope for.

I don't mind debating these issues with you guys. My job here seems to be enlightening the aborigines about whatever. But one thing I can't abide is some blow hole who comes and jsut makes stuff up like this. Other than Indy I don't see that happen very often here.

You can trot out team resumes all you like but it does not change the fact that these guys are good solid college players, with the exception of Josh Grant (who was thought of highly enough to be a first round draft pick). The fact that the fat man succeeded with good, but not spectacular, local talent is a testament to his genius.

I do think that there is good role player level talent at all times in Utah, but only infrequently is there high level talent.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Originally Posted by mpfunk

Damn straight. In fact I take Alex Jensen over Josh Grant, and I am a huge Josh Grant fan.

Alex Jensen was a stud. He was one of those Ute players you couldn't help but like.