[GameForAnyFuss]

I’m actually heading to Greece on Friday. Never been before and I’m super excited. This week is crawling by…

[GameForAnyFuss]

I heard that if there’s no Pope decided after 4 rounds of voting, they decide it by having the cardinals do alternating possessions starting on the 25 yard line. If it’s still not decided after an additional 2 rounds, they have to go for a 2-point conversion every time. That’s probably how the American cardinal won.

[GameForAnyFuss]

Also shot 81% FT.

My dream of having bigs who can shoot free throws is about to come true.

[GameForAnyFuss]

I’ve told this story before, but just in case:

My son plays college soccer at an Under Armour school. When he got to summer training camp his freshman year, he was given UA boots. By the end of the first week, he couldn’t run due to plantar fascia and Achilles pain. At first the trainers blamed him and his fitness (no way – he showed up to camp in the best shape of his life) but the problem never went away. He finally had to go to an independent doctor. The doctor told him to go back to the boots he’d played in before college (Nike Mercurial). The coaching staff wouldn’t let him due to their UA contract unless he had a note. So he got the doctor to write a note allowing him to play in non-UA boots. He switched back to Nike and was back on the field in two weeks. He’s never had foot problems since. Funny enough, after that incident, about half of the team showed up with their own doctor’s notes allowing them to wear non-UA cleats.

[GameForAnyFuss]

Speaking of merch, one thing I think we underestimate is how much the Under Armour deal is holding Utah back.
1. UA’s graphics and design are inferior to other brands, plus the prices are generally 15-20% higher than the others. I think this hurts when it comes to getting the Utah brand out on the streets.
2. The UA brand has less street cred than Nike/Jordan and even Adidas. Yes, UA has a nice niche in the hunting/outdoor segment, which appeals to some college sports fans, but they are definitely a tier behind Nike and Adidas in the mainstream sports markets. I think this might have a negative effect on recruiting.
3. It’s no secret that foot problems are associated with UA shoes. There are articles on Rivals, 247, and other sites about it. UCLA medical center did a study after their track team complained about UA’s shoes causing foot and leg injuries. I think this may drive athletes away from UA schools to some degree.
4. The fact that we have a “whole school” deal with UA hurts individual programs. The more successful programs (think football, skiing, gymnastics) could get a lot more money by being able to have bake-offs among multiple equipment manufacturers in their respective sports, but they can’t because they’re restricted by the UA deal.

I believe that someday, when this deal is over, we’ll realize the full extent to which the UA deal has hurt our athletics on multiple fronts.

[GameForAnyFuss]

They’re adding a Crimson Club obligation to my level ($100), plus my tickets are going from $100 to $250 each.

Don’t get me wrong – I’ll still do it. It’s still the best deal in the state for high-level basketball.

[GameForAnyFuss]

I got back last night. Greece was unreal. Great beaches, some incredible hiking, really nice people, and everything I ate was amazing. I found myself contemplating if I could move my business there and still be successful.

Already planning on going back next year!

[GameForAnyFuss]

Thanks – I will definitely try all those things and report back.

Yeah, I’m going to the touristy places. But like my mom used to say, “if the tourist traps weren’t cool, the tourists wouldn’t go there and they wouldn’t be tourist traps.”

[GameForAnyFuss]

I’ll be in Mykonos and Santorini. And yes, food suggestions would be appreciated. I know very little about Greek food, except that every American Greek dish I’ve ever tried has been phenomenal. I understand that real Greek food is likely very different than the americanized Greek food we get here, but my expectations are sky high.

[GameForAnyFuss]

The former.

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