‘Cats and Devils openers, REO played ASU, Ainge building Jazz

Arizona went on the road and dominated a good San Diego State program. Arizona State was stuck in neutral early at home against Northern Arizona. What are we to make of the two programs after the opening week of the 2022 season? Not much. A week from now, after playing at Oklahoma State, we will know if the Sun Devils have something interesting in the on-the-field product. Can’t make too much or too little out of the first week’s win over Northern Arizona. Meantime, Arizona had an impressive showing from start to finish over the Aztecs. SDSU was never really in the game, and Jedd Fisch has clearly stocked the cabinet with talent. It was the Wildcats’ first win on opening day since 2017. Can they follow it up against Mississippi State next Saturday night at Arizona Stadium? That would be a tall order…

I have to wonder, with the new CFP Playoff alignment, if the Wildcats and Sun Devils can afford to keep playing Northern Arizona or Eastern Michigan early in the season. Nothing against the Lumberjacks, but the new world of college football is going to make playing an FCS program a hindrance to the goal of being in the playoff. Alabama can’t play Furman, just like the Wildcats and Sun Devils will have to schedule outside of NAU. Yes, I just compared our two in-state programs and the Crimson Tide. You have to do that in this new world…

Remember when REO Speedwagon and Molly Hatchet played on the Arizona State campus at the Activity Center on October 9th, 1979? Me either. I bring it up because the building hasn’t changed, and Bobby Hurley deserves much better…

Was told that a round of golf will go for $600.00 per person on Super Bowl week at the prestigious Troon North in North Scottsdale. Already sold out…

James Connor will be off many national radars, but I believe he is in for a big season with the Cardinals. Chase Edmonds will be forgotten early in the campaign…

Danny Ainge tearing the Utah Jazz down to the studs is good for every team in the Western Conference, but with all of those draft picks and some talented pieces, the Jazz will be a force in two-three years. Ainge knows how to build teams. Just look at Jaylen Brown and Jason Tatum in Boston. Look at how he fleeced Brooklyn by trading them future Hall of Famers Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce deal back in 2013. Boston ended up getting three first-round picks out of the deal, using one on Brown in 2017 selected Tatum over Markelle Fultz with the first overall pick  Utah will be down, but not out…