I have to admit that a piece of me truly thought Urban Meyer was going to stay at the U and really make a name for himself. Imagine how much hype would surround Meyer if he had stuck around and repeatedly led a non-BCS school to a BCS bowl game. I had visions of the Utes constantly stomping on the Smurfs-down-south until they begged the Mountain West to let them out of the conference so they could have reprieve from their northern rival.
Real Salt Lake takes the longest winning streak in club history into the Big Apple this weekend for a match against the New York Red Bulls. RSL has reeled off four straight wins during the stretch, which began with RSL handing D.C. United only its second loss of the season back on July 29.
Since the Huntsman Center opened its doors in 1969, its domed roof has been a landmark on the U campus. Seven years later, when it hosted its first gymnastics meet, it became the most intimidating venue for any gymnastics opponent. Thirty-one years removed from the Red Rocks' opening season, and 10 national championships later, the Huntsman Center, from January to April on Friday nights, is still the most electric setting for women's gymnastics in the country.
Real Salt Lake is quickly teaching fans to stay in their seats until the final whistle blows. When RSL plays at Rice-Eccles Stadium, it seems, there is no such thing as garbage time, and it's never too late for goals to be scored and games to be won or lost.
They say lightning doesn't strike twice, but try telling that to John Ellinger and Real Salt Lake. Lighting did strike for an RSL opponent in the second game in a row as RSL allowed its second consecutive game-altering goal in stoppage time to Chivas USA on Wednesday at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
Let me just start this column by saying I am a Boston Red Sox fan. By fan, I mean that I paid $400 per to sit in field boxes. By fan, I also mean that I can rank the last four games of the 2004 ALCS as one of the three greatest memories of my life. By fan, I also mean that my stinky Red Sox hat never leaves my head unless I am in the shower or taking a column mug shot.
Real Salt Lake did something on Friday night that it has been able to accomplish only once before. RSL beat the New England Revolution 3-1 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass., marking only the second road win in the team's young history. The win also ended RSL's second six-game winless streak of the season.
Everyone who came to the Fourth of July match-up between Real Salt Lake and Chivas USA knew there would be fireworks after the game. But on the crowd's mind for 90 minutes of soccer was: Would there be any fireworks during the game? Well, they came-but only in fits and starts, and to no avail, as RSL and Chivas played to a scoreless tie.
Real Salt Lake looks to change the current trend for two teams on our nation's 230th birthday, when RSL faces Chivas USA at Rice-Eccles Stadium tomorrow. RSL enters the match on a four-game winless streak, including its latest loss at Chicago on Wednesday, at which the team blew a 1-0 lead in the final 10 minutes of the match.
When I was about eight years old, I would make sandwiches for my younger brothers and sister. I wasn't making them sandwiches because I was nice; I was making them "fear factor" sandwiches way before "Fear Factor" became a popular television show. One of my tamer creations was a relish sandwich with green olives and nutmeg sprinkled across an inescapably sticky bed of peanut butter and jelly.
