I was trying to think of an accurate analogy for the U men’s basketball team this season and-go figure-I was drawing a blank.
Then, like a cheeseburger to Rick Majerus’ fat mouth, it hit me.
The 2006-2007 Runnin’ Utes are kind of like the cast of “Seinfeld” during the show’s first couple seasons. They have all of the key characters necessary to win a Mountain West Conference championship and make noise on the national level, but first they have to mesh together and become a cohesive unit. They’ve got to get on the same page and develop that on-screen chemistry for success to really flower.
They have a potent lead role that draws the majority of the attention in Luke Nevill (Jerry Seinfeld). Everything in “Seinfeld” runs through Jerry, and it is not much different with Nevill, who was third on the team in scoring (11.6 ppg) and first in rebounds (6.6 rpg) last year. In short, it’s his show. He’s the reason people will be drawn in. The 7-foot-1 sophomore from Perth, Australia, is hailed as the next Andrew Bogut, and he will surely be the go-to man on this year’s roster.
Much like Jerry, he may be out there on his own sometimes. He may go off on tangents, but he’s the golden ticket-the established name. He’s got to deliver or this show hasn’t a chance.
The Utes also have a dynamic role player in point guard Johnnie Bryant (George Costanza). The junior from Oakland, Calif., may be a bit more nimble than George, but Bryant-like our friend George-has carried the team quite a few times, and will undoubtedly be a vital piece in coach Giacoletti’s puzzle.
Playing the part of Elaine is, of course, small/power forward Shaun Green. Green is one of those guys who is always hanging around and you’re not really sure how or why. He just chills in the background and then, at the end of the night, ends up with decent stats and you have no idea how it happened. Somehow, the cast wouldn’t be complete without him. Last season coach Giac needed a young, steady contributor, and that was Green. His game doesn’t always make sense and rarely blows you away, but he’s a part of the main core and always contributes.
Rounding out the main four in the cast is Cosmo Kramer. I had an immense amount of trouble putting a name to this one, but finally came up with an answer: Ricky Johns. I came to this conclusion because, just like Kramer, Johns is a streaky player. He came up huge in several games last year, but at other times, he was non-existent. It’s almost like during some shows/games, the script is just written around him rather than through him. True, it’s a complimentary position, but when played right, he can make all the difference in the world. You might ask yourself, when is Kramer non-existent? I have absolutely no clue-it just seemed like a good fit, so I went with it.
There are a few in the supporting cast that I can’t go without mentioning, as well. First off, Misha Radojevic is Newman, if for no other reason than that he is twice as tall and doubly skinny. The Serb should be a solid contributor this season.
Next up is Lawrence Borha. Now, I couldn’t come up with a catch line for LB, because I honestly have no clue what he is capable of, so I’m going to go with Bob Sacamano. Those of you I lost by using Sacamano, I encourage you to watch more “Seinfeld,” or just bludgeon me in the head with a soldering iron because there is a solid chance I’ve lost it.
Now, I have no idea what the new guys can do, so they don’t have to deal with my incoherent crap yet, but there will be a time to do it. Actually, my insider sources (Giacoletti) told me the freshman class should make an impression for the Utes.
“We expect Stephen Weigh to make an immediate impact for us,” Giacoletti said. “He’s a gifted shooter. He and Daniel Deane will probably get time this year.”
Weigh is yet another acquisition from “day-own-undah,” as he hails from Rockhampton, Australia. The 6-foot-6 guard/forward can shoot the ball from anywhere on the court and has been impressing coaches since he stepped on campus.
Deane is a 6-foot-8, 245-pound freshman from Judge Memorial High who is renowned for his aggressive low-post play. Deane was selected as Utah’s Mr. Basketball a year ago and was recruited by college basketball powerhouses Stanford, Kansas and Gonzaga. The power forward should be an immediate contributor for the Utes, who lost their leading scorer and only power forward when Bryant Markson graduated last year.
So, who is the real magic man of the team? The wildcard that makes the Utes go?
Cody Fueger.
This stellar graduate student/assistant has been putting impressive numbers as the team’s manager for some time now. And honestly, the season pretty much rests on his shoulders. Call him a poor man’s Uncle Leo.
Godspeed, Utah basketball. Godspeed.