Adios........ (It's the '08 playoffs baby!)

Ah yes, it is here. Arguably my favorite time of year as a sporting fan. Our Utah Jazz, the best team in all of professional sports are once again in the NBA playoffs. This is a time of year when priorities change in a big way. So much in fact, that on mother's day (a holy day)you will see 20,000 crazy mormon fans pile into "the dump" (Energy Solutions Arena) and shatter the sabbath day while chanting "beat LA" and other vicious rants. Salt Lake turns upside down for this thing. Personally, I turn into a different person. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry.

Thus far the Jazz have not let us down and neither has the experience. D Will and the gang just battled their way through a 6 game series with the hated Houston Rockets. Here are some of the highlights and maybe what some people who just don't quite understand us would consider low lights. Here we go.

Thanks to my good friend Brian Washington, Mark (my bro) and I have guaranteed tickets to every home playoff game this year. After the Jazz took care of the Rock"ettes" in Houston, we warmed up the ESA for them to come back to. We were thinking sweep but Houston in all their ugliness thought different. Didn't stop us from being any less ridiculous.

Earlier today I read on Mark's blog that him and I might come off as somewhat comparable to 12 year olds. Is this because we like to get to games 2 hours early? And wait for "arto grafs" after the game? Maybe, but before you make fun if us, just remember, we have more fun than you,and we are better people. And if I am so immature, how come i take such an interest in the world's issues, as well as support worthy causes?



Like many of the other protesters outside the game, I just think what is happening in Texas is deplorable. What exactly is going on in Texas? Are we protesting the Rockets? And why do the FLDS kids need our help canceling the game? Any ways.

Here is some evidence that we got to the game too early.



Game 3 didn't go as we planned, but the Jazz did what they needed to get us a game 6 at home. Including this little bucket by dKILL!



That's when things got interesting. Game 6 was as, Mark accurately stated, epic. The Robbins family had a strong showing. In attendance were of course Mark and I, Michael our nephew (his 1st playoff game) John John (his 1st game ever) and somewhere Justin was rooting for the home team.

Cute!


As you all well know, when we go to an elimination game, we bring out what is referred to as "the sign". Planets must have been aligned when Mark put pen to paper last year and created this sign prior to the Jazz eliminating the Warriors. It is brilliant! Since that game this has hung on my wall. Friday night it was brought out of retirement. Sorry Mom.



In the end the Jazz did us right, beating the Rockets by many many points. The world seemed like a wonderful place. Everything went crazy from there. Some of you have read about this on Mark's blog, but here is how I saw it.

Shortly after midnight we headed home in the Tacoma. I felt prompted to try a different route to the freeway via West Temple. No sooner than we turned down West Temple we saw two men heading south bound, a tall black and a Caucasian. Guess who the tall guy was. Shane Battier of the Houston Rockets. In a string of events that still confuses me, Battier ended up in the back seat of my truck, while his companion rode in the bed. Turns out the whitey was the president of the Rockets. I had their Kevin O'Connor rolling around on my rhino liner! I took a couple of hard turns. But, before you think I am cool, I should mention here that I totally wussed out. For the duration of this series I singled out Battier as my least favorite rocket and verbally berated him multiple times while watching the games. You would like to think that if you ever ran into someone you hated, you would tell them as much, and not give them a ride back to their 5 star hotel after a beer run. What else is horrible is he was the nicest person I ever met and is probably my favorite non Jazz player in the NBA now. Dammit!



Confused?



Battier and all of his little "loyal" fans. What a bunch of sellouts.


Go Jazz!

What? There was an April this year?

For whatever reason, April was not a very motivating month, as far as the blog goes. Well, here is a half assed effort to catch you all (3 people who might care) up on what happened in April...

April gives us a tormenting sneak peak of fun spring time/summer time activities. Weather wasn't too allowing but I felt it necessary to do what I do when mother nature would give us a window of warmth:

i.e. barbecue (in the snow)



With Britt



not bad.......



A culinary wonder....



I love me the charcoal bbq. Will have to grillify me plenty a meat and veggies this year.

Had to do a little bit of work last month. Nothing new, other than several weekend trips down to Huntington, Utah to do some masonry work at a power plant. This proved to be an interesting endeavor for at least seventeen reasons. One being that we are a tile company and in no way a group of masons. But we told them we were, and I think we pulled it off. Does this look right?



Here is another funny thing, I was told to not take pictures while on the premises of the power plant. Some kind of "guvment" security measure. Specifically, I was told to not post these pictures that I was not to take on a blog, as it would almost assuredly draw attention from the feds. We'll see.

While in Huntington, I discovered a part of the planet that is pretty incredible. We vowed to return to some of these places when the snow is gone. Had to have a little taste to hold me over until then. Picked up the worst fishing pole ever at K-mart and tried a few casts......to no avail. We'll get it later.



Picturesque



A lot of elks. I wonder where these Betties migrate to?



It wasn't all work. Did some shed hunting and hiking. Didn't find any sheds, but I saw many much deer like creatures.





Later, I took Brittny to a nice little sitting spot I found. You just head west of the winter kill fawn to get there.



A little overcast, but still a nice view.



Nuge even tagged along for a run up to Bell Canyon Res. As he was sucking air on the way up, I told him what Greg always told me on long hikes. Free training! Looking good Jazz honk! On a side note, everyone knows that Bell Canyon is a watershed. Well, some clown came up the trail with his way too attractive girlfriend and his young black lab. Personally, I think the watershed no dog rule is ridiculous, but not this time. It is important to note how arrogant this kid was, in his polo shirt (with a freaking collar!) and cargo shorts. With only a bottle of Gatorade that was already almost gone, this kid starts going on to some other hikers about how he's going to get to the top and swim in the upper lake. Should work out nice for his dog, ask Greg. From that declaration he starts JOGGING! up the trail with his dog in tow. Normally I wouldn't care, but on this particular day, I was a hateful enough of a person to perform my civic duties and report this criminal activity to the authorities. I look forward to the horrible karma that awaits me.



This month was way too fast paced. The one fishing trip I got in, was an hour and a half affair up to Tibble Fork with Mark and Dad. Boys, we need to set aside some more time at a later date and get it done right. By the way guys, how many fish did you catch?



The old man, getting his "bait" ready.



Well, if you have made it this far you are probably regretting a couple of things right now. I however am excited to have my conscious clear. Sleep will come easier to me tonight knowing that I have properly updated Suzy and Cathy on the major issues that occur in my life. I can see them now, "Wow, Brian went hiking". I am such a lame. Good news is that I already have the next three posts lined up, and it is safe to say they will be quality... Stay tuned.