Episode 23: The biggest comeback in NCAA history!

Guys, what we saw tonight was pretty great. And the Death Star D team was there to give (almost) live reaction. We taped this literally minutes after the win, and we re-live one of the most exciting nights in BYU hoops history. Share in the fun!

Episode 22: Selection Sunday special

Trevor assembled the troops for a last-minute, special edition Selection Sunday episode of Death Star D, and you’re reaping all the benefits. Adam, Jeris and Trevor spend a good half hour discussing the Big Dance and BYU’s chances against Iona in the first round. Should we be happy right now? Will we advance? Which school has the more impressive list of notable alumni? Listen to this special edition for the answers.

We’re back on iTunes!

Tards,

You may have noticed Death Star D has been absent from the iTunes library for a few weeks. Or maybe you haven’t. But I sure have. Don’t worry about the “why,” it’s a long story. Just know that we have been aware, and have been working overtime trying to fix the situation.

Today I am pleased to announce we fixed the situation. Death Star D is back in the iTunes library! Or at least it will be in about 24 hours. It’s been a long battle, but it looks like the DSD team will emerge victorious. Dumb little podcasters: 1, Apple, Inc.: 0.

Speaking of DSD though… that’s the name of the podcast, as far as iTunes is concerned. Search for DSD in the iTunes library to get our Cast. That’s the not-so-good news. The good news is we finally have Podcast artwork and Author information, so we don’t look like a little rinky-dink operation any more. We’re the real deal!

Thanks for following us and listening to our words. You guys really make this little engine go.

-Adam

Don’t you judge me.

Don’t judge me, I’m not a weirdo. I’m not a creep. My name is Jeris, and I love high school sports. I had a three day weekend this past week and I spent a good part of this little treasure watching the Utah 4A and 5A Boy’s Basketball Tournaments. It was lovely. I learned a lot this weekend, or at very least, I had a lot of things reinforced. There are three things that I want to highlight here. Hopefully a little of what I learned and saw will rub off on you because high school sports is a little gem that very few people seem to be embracing. 

1. I promise I’m not creepy.

This little obsession of mine started a long time ago, but has only gained momentum through the years. I went to all the games as a high schooler just like everyone, but it wasn’t until I returned home from my LDS mission that I really settled in as a high school super fan. I was living at home and all my friends were on to bigger and better things. My little sister was a senior in high school and she was my only real contact to the outside world. I began attending my old Alma Mater’s games with her and I before I knew it, I was in over my head. That year the boy’s team didn’t do too much, but the girl’s (yes, my love holds no bounds) navigated a lossless season only to miss the State Tournament by losing twice to a team they had blown out twice in the regular season. They were the number 1 ranked team in the state and didn’t even play for the championship! (I rarely use exclamation points). 

A few years later as I was trying to get in with administration, I picked up a job as the Cottonwood Colts Boy’s and Girl’s Basketball PA announcer. I went to all the home games. I got to know the team, the coaches, and most important, I got to know the fans. Not just the Cottonwood fans, but the fans from across the state. My announcing job lead me to my score keeping job and for three seasons I watched from center court. This job lead me to my first State Tournament experience. I bought one ticket and with it came almost 10 hours of athletics. I had no vested interest, just me and a bunch of the most meaningful games that will ever be played (depending on your perspective). So as you can see, I’m not a creep. I just love sports in its purest form. With raw emotions (more on this later), limited talent, and below the rim play. 

2. The athletes, I’m going to include the fans in this, are just so real.

These boys have no future in basketball. Most of the players won’t get a sniff at a D-I scholarship. Even the ones that do probably won’t be amazing. I’m sure the best of them have been getting the star treatment for quite some time, but when they put on that uniform in a State Playoff game they know that it might be for the very last time…EVER. These kids play for this moment and have no other thoughts. I played tennis, but I have never played in a game where anyone other than my coach or a few teammates gave a crap about the outcome. These guys are different. They want it so bad. Brighton for example is a team that was 3rd in their region. They upset there way all the way to the championship game because their seniors didn’t want to take off that jersey for the last time. That is intense. 

The crowd is the same story. They live and die by the play on the court. They have their chants and their fight songs, but more than anything they cheer with the same unabated emotion. Out of all the games I saw, I observed no quit. Sure the players played from horn to horn, but I’m talking about the fans. They stayed in the games even when the outcome was decided. They wanted it as much as any one of the players. Of the games I saw, Orem had the best fans. They were witty (razing the Lone Peak fans for having lost to the 4A Champions). They were cruel (reminding the losing team that they should play there seniors while they still had the chance). The Tigers have his one cheer that starts loud and then gathers strength until it is just deafening. It seriously gave me chills (more on this later). These students and student athletes may not be destined for greatness, but for those 32 minutes they are the most amazing show on earth.

3. The Emotions…no not of the students.

I feel weird saying this, and if I wouldn’t have experienced it for myself I wouldn’t believe it. These games were extremely emotional… for me. I didn’t think I cared. I went to these games strictly to be entertained, but I walked away a true fan. I live about 2 minutes away from Olympus High. If we stay in this house, my children will be Titans. I have been to a few games with a good buddy of mine, an alum and former player for Olympus, who filled me in on some of OHS’s basketball history. Earlier that day I heard that the Region Stake Basketball games were cancelled so the community could go watch the championship game. Needless to say, the stage was set for a great atmosphere. I went to the final 4A game alone with my daughter. To give my daughter some room to roam we sat far away from the ruckus student section and the parents. I was able to view the game and the fans from a distance. Olympus fell behind early, but managed to keep it close. The Titans made a late run, but it just didn’t last. No one gave up. Everyone knew that anything can happen in high school sports, but more than that, they didn’t want to admit that their run was over. No I didn’t cry, but when you look at a kid pull his jersey up over his face knowing full well that this is the last meaningful sporting event he will ever fill the box score in, you can’t help but feel his pain. When you look out at the faces of your neighbors who are still waiting for the school’s first state title (school opened in 1956), you can’t help but look at the what-ifs. You can’t duplicate this. The pros make tons of money and are artistic in their play. College athletes are on television and wear free apparel. The high school athletes don’t have the skill, but you’d never know it. They play like we want to live our life, like there is no tomorrow. 

Episode 21: Championship weekend

Hey everybody! Today Jeris and Trevor and Adam are here to take on the hard-hitting issues. The ones you all care about. The issues that make us stronger.

Issues like:

• BYU in the WCC championship tournament
• Looking back on the season: The Optimist vs. The Pessimist
• A hearty and heart-felt congratulations to the BYU women’s basketball team
• Trevor’s exploits in the Tampa International Airport
• Adam and Jeris go back to high school
• Grading the recruits: Jackson Emery, TJ Haws and Jordan Loveridge

Thanks for listening!

Episode 20: Has anyone seen Trevor?

It’s just Jeris and Adam for our landmark twentieth episode. But even though we’re missing our ornery third partner, don’t worry: I’ll be darned if the Jeris & Adam monster still didn’t put out one heck of a cast.

Not saying each podcast episode is like one of our children, but if they were this one would be the tall, good looking athletic one that everyone loves.

Today the DSD crew speaks out about:

• Our sucky game against Gonzaga
• Brock Zylstra’s no-show
• WCC tournament confidence
• A musical tribute to BYU’s seniors
• Just a little tiny bit of Oscar Talk
• The return of Police Beat!
• Jeris’ US Capitals quiz

And remember, if you want to open the show for us, record your voice and send us the mp3 at DeathStarD@gmail.com

A running diary of ’90s Pop on Pandora Radio

Bad music is everywhere. And even though it seems especially bad today, I’m pretty sure music was just as bad in the ’90s. Fortunately the powers that be have done us a great service by putting all bad music into one, easily avoidable category: Pop.

But sometimes it’s just as fun to listen to really bad music as it is to listen to really good music. It’s like movies. I love it when I’m watching a movie and I realize it’s awful. It gives me something to talk about for weeks!

So I decided I want to do that with music. I want to listen to bad music, and then whine about it here on the DSD blog. so I dug in the headphones and turned on the ’90s Pop station on Pandora. Here are the songs, the artists, and my snarky little commentary. The only rule? I can’t hit Thumbs Down on anything.

Creep – TLC: RIP, Left-eye. No, Lisa “Left-eye” Lopez didn’t impact my life in any meaningful way. That’s just what you have to write when you listen to a TLC song.

All the Small Things – Blink 182: I admit, I went through a punk phase in Jr. High. And when Blink 182 went mainstream with “All the Small Things” I felt like James Bond when he discovered the true identity of Janus in Goldeneye. ’90s.

Oops I Did it Again – Britney Spears: Fine. I’m a sucker for the spoken-word astronaut love scene in the middle of this song. But seriously, I think every guy my age became an expert at tuning out Britney’s music in Jr. High.

I Saw the Sign – Ace of Base: Whatever happened to those guys? They struck gold with “All that she wants” and then left us standing in the streets, empty handed. It’s either great showmanship, or a crime against humanity.

Killing Me Softly – Fugees: Ah, a ray of light bursts through the clouds! I really do like this song. Wyclef and Lauryn were my generation’s… Donny and Marie? Woah… Yikes! who is that random angry guy at the end of the song?! Have you guys heard this? Weird.

Right Here Waiting – Richard Marx: I pride myself on my musical knowledge, but this is a no-brainer. There are some songs that just seep into your brain, and this is one of them. I’m pretty sure you could sing the opening lines of the chorus to a Burmese headhunter and he’d be able to sing the rest back to you without skipping a beat.

Barbie Girl – Aqua: Seriously considering violating my only rule…

Hit Me Baby One More Time – Britney Spears: Seriously? I thought I’d get at least one H&TB song before I got more Britney Spears. That’s my abbreviation for Hootie and the Blowfish, by the way.

I Love You Always Forever – Donna Lewis: I’ve always wondered who sang this song. It reminds me of being in the car on my way to swimming lessons. I’m definitely not going to go home and put this in my permanent rotation…

Tearin’ Up My Heart – *NSync: JT must look back on *NSync like Teddy Kennedy looked back on Chappaquiddick. He’s in a good place now, but he knows that if he takes one bad step we’ll bring up his dark past. (A big sorry to my friends on email who already saw that joke).

Give Me One Reason – Tracy Chapman: I love this song, and I’m not ashamed to admit it. In fact, this song has found a place on my ultra-exclusive “Five-Star Generals” playlist, reserved only for songs who receive the coveted five-star rating.

Summer Girls – LFO: Yes! I was waiting for this song, and here it is! You know, I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for LFO. Their songs are so bad, but I always considered it a wink at the boy band era. Like their songs were just a big inside joke. Whether that’s true or not, that’s what I’m going with. Seriously though, do yourself a favor and look up the lyrics to this song. You’ll be rolling. “Stayed all summer then went back home, Macauly Culkin wasn’t Home Alone. Fell deep in love, but now we ain’t speaking, Michael J Fox was Alex P Keaton.” You can’t make that stuff up.

I better call it here. End on a high note, you know? This was fun, though. I’ll definitely do this again soon. Heaven knows there’s enough bad music to go around.

Episode 19: Winnsanity

I can’t believe it took us the length of the entire podcast to come up with the Winnsanity joke. But it’s here now, and it’s not going away.

Episode 19 is chock full of all the crazy stuff you love about Death Star D. Stat Man Steve makes another appearance, and Trevor fights the blues to bring you true A-game content.

Listen to Episode 19 now, and hear juicy morsels like these:

• Adam’s experiment with the ‘Today’s Top Hits” station on Pandora.com
• Jeris’ expanding Presidential platform
• Trevor’s wife’s nickname for Charles Abouo
• A Jimmer update from Stat Man Steve
• Oh yeah, and great BYU sports coverage. BYU at USF, Santa Clara, and a Gonzaga preview

Episode 18: Sorry, no Whitney

Jeris requested we use Whitney Houston to open the show, but I don’t have any Whitney songs. Please forgive me. To make up for it, just hum “The Greatest Love of All” as you read this little introduction.

The DSD trio is back for a shocking 18th week in a row, and they’re here to deliver quality podcast content for your listening pleasure.

In episode 18:

• A critical analysis of Hoosiers: Was Norman Dale or Jimmy Chitwood the key to the Huskers’ success?
• How did Buddy make it back to the team?
• Shooter: A brilliant assistant or a coaching liability?
• Oh yeah… and some other stuff.
• Like BYU basketball!
• BYU blasts Pepperdine
• The Cougars leave their shooting slump behind, Matt Carlino lingers.
• The Grammys: Who are all these people?

Cuddle with your Valentine sweetheart, and enjoy!

Bad basketball diaries: Refs suck

Note: After much thought, I have decided not to name the elbow-happy maniac who put me and my teammate out of commission in this post. But if you follow me on Twitter you could figure it out pretty easily.

I need you to know something before I begin this post: I was a ref before. Believe it or not, I was dumb enough to seek out and apply for a job officiating BYU intramural basketball.

I guess we all do some stupid crap in college, right?

It didn’t take long before I realized I wasn’t compensated near enough to take the kind of abuse I was subject to on a nightly basis, so I quit.

It’s because I have that experience, however, that I’m a little forgiving when it comes to amateur officials. These guys are not trained, first of all, and they are definitely not compensated enough to really take their responsibilities seriously. So even though I allow myself to yell and talk back occasionally, I never go overboard.

But every once in a while, they deserve everything they get. And it just so happens I was a part of such a night this week.

It was a tough game. The score bounced back and forth all night. Both teams were playing their hearts out. The refs were inconsistent and silly, but that’s nothing new. No, it didn’t get egregious until about four minutes were left on the clock. That’s when the elbows started flying.

I was the first victim. I was anchoring the middle of a 2-3 zone, and my team was defending an out-of-bounds play. I noticed the guy throwing it in give a little signal to one of his teammates on the perimeter. They wanted the alley-oop. I know what you’re thinking, and yes, they could have pulled it off. The oop-ee already proved through the course of the night that he could throw down.

So I set out to defend it best I could. I turned around only to find myself in the middle of a tornado of fists and elbows. I don’t know what happened, or how it happened, but the next thing I knew I was on the ground and my head felt like it had been hit with a brick.

I lay there for a while in a haze. I could hear the game being played around me, but I was a little confused as to why whatever happened to me didn’t stop play. Eventually the refs whistled a dead ball and I staggered to my bench, not missing the opportunity to give the dead-eyed ref a piece of my mind.

I sat on the bench, angry, eye swollen shut, and the thought occurred to me that I better not check in because I might actually hurt someone. I silenced that voice and went back in the game anyway.

I didn’t hurt anyone, but I did witness the sacking of the second victim: my teammate Erik. The game was just about over. Thirty seconds, in fact. We were going to lose, but that didn’t stop us from trying to finish the game with a little dignity.

Erik trapped his man on the sideline, the same guy that took me out, by the way, and tied him up. Both were struggling for the ball when the opposing player swung an elbow and viciously tagged Erik on the temple, putting him down on the court, and down for the count.

I was just a few feet away. I saw the whole thing, and there was definitely malice in the offender’s face. It wasn’t surprising; the guy was playing dirty all night. It was a brutal elbow. It was the kind of thing that would probably get most people ejected.

Only the numb-skulled, cowardly and incompetent refs just stood there, breathing out of their mouths, letting play resume.

That’s when all hell broke loose. My team, collectively, blew up. We charged at one official (who called the game by this point) and demanded some reason why he didn’t punish the thug who dropped not one, but two of our players. I turned to the other ref and I asked him point blank if he saw the elbow. He didn’t answer, so I asked again. He looked the other way. I kept asking while he sulked away and tried to ignore what just happened.

Erik was still on the floor.

Meanwhile, ref No. 1 was still being accosted. One of my teammates, let’s call him… Greg, was in the ref’s face dropping just about every curse word you can imagine. He was absolutely livid, as we all were, that a member of our team was clocked while the offender went unpunished.

Greg made the conscious decision to see this thing through to the bitter end, regardless of consequence. He kept shouting until both refs, the program administrator and other onlookers threatened to call the cops. Greg was informed he would never play in the league again, but he didn’t care. To him, Erik was more important than a stupid city league.

At this point, I left. I decided it would be best to go somewhere and calm down before I did something I would regret. Besides, I could barely see. I figured it was time I went home and put a bag of ice on my face, or failing that, a nice juicy t-bone.

It was a crazy night. One that made me seriously consider giving up bad basketball forever.

Everything is okay now, I guess, even though I still get a little fired up when I think about it. I guess the parting message I want to leave with you, though, is this: If you ever find yourself officiating any kind of basketball, and you see a player tag another player with his elbow, blow your freaking whistle.