News on Everything Utah!
Source: Utah News
The Dragon Bravo Fire — now the largest wildfire in the continental United States in 2025 — has surpassed 111,000 acres, officially reaching “megafire” status, officials confirmed Aug. 1.
Ignited by lightning around July 4, the blaze has destroyed parts of the developed area on the Grand Canyon’s North Rim and continues to burn largely unchecked. As of the latest update on July 31, containment had dropped to just 9% amid red flag warnings driven by extreme heat and strong winds.
Videos circulating on social media Thursday show the fire generating massive pyrocumulus clouds — also known as pyroclouds or “fire clouds” — capable of producing dangerous fire behavior.
The Dragon Bravo Fire in Arizona and Monroe Fire in Utah grew under conducive conditions yesterday.
The Dragon Bravo Fire has exceeded 100,000 acres and is now the 10th largest fire in Arizona history. pic.twitter.com/Zuivx3L1O4
— CIRA (@CIRA_CSU) July 31, 2025
Similar conditions during the Deer Springs Fire in eastern Utah last month led to the formation of a rare fire tornado — or “firenado” — which caused significant damage as winds reached up to 122 mph and a fiery vortex tore through San Juan County for 12 minutes. According to the National Weather Service, it was the 10th EF-2 tornado recorded in Utah.
Pyrocumulus clouds — also known as pyroclouds or commonly called “fire clouds” — are real clouds, not just smoke plumes, as they might appear at first glance. Despite being filled with smoke and ash, these clouds also contain moisture, classifying them as true meteorological clouds.
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Described by NASA during an outbreak in Australia as the “fire-breathing dragon of clouds,” pyrocumulus clouds form when intense heat from a wildfire or volcanic eruption rapidly forces air upward. As the air rises and cools, water vapor condenses into a cumulus-type cloud, with smoke, ash, and vapor particles acting as condensation nuclei, according to an explainer on NASA’s website exploring their evolution.
Under the right atmospheric conditions, a pyrocumulus can evolve into a pyrocumulonimbus — a storm-producing fire cloud capable of generating lightning (which can ignite new fires) and even fire-induced tornadoes.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: What are fire clouds? ‘Fire tornado’ risks amid Southwest wildfires
Source: Utah News
In the last handful of years, the Utah Jazz have gambled on a few guard prospects, none of which have proven to be long-term impactful NBA players just yet.
While Keyonte George and Isaiah Collier still possess immense upside — and have plenty of time to iron out the kinks of their games — they’re still early in their developmental stage and its shows. With that, the Jazz’ backcourt rotation has been somewhat of a thorn for the team the last few seasons.
But Utah has reinforcements on the way.
One guard the Jazz should have little worry about panning out is Walter Clayton Jr., the No. 18 pick at the 2025 NBA Draft, and their second selection following Ace Bailey.
A four-year collegiate player, Clayton’s been on draft radars since his days at Iona, and those radars lit up as the guard led Florida to the national championship this past season.
At 6-foot-3, he tows the line between point and shooting guard perfecting, seeing a blend of skills such as blistering 3-point shooting, driving ability, passing, stingy defense and plenty more.
He parlayed his late college success right into Summer League weeks ago, where he averaged over 20 points across two games on a high volume of shots. He certainly looked the part, melting between backcourt positions in cruising around off-ball or even handling the ball in moderation.
Walter’s NBA role will be similar, with him playing both on and off the ball plenty. His superior 3-point shooting and knack for moving should allow him plenty of time at the essential two-guard, though there’s a chance he’ll be able to initiate offense for the Jazz on occasion.
Even in an early scouting report from NBA Draft on SI on Walter, his shooting was apparent: “What makes him so special is his ability to knock down shots from the perimeter. While his shooting efficiency from deep isn’t jaw-dropping — mostly due to shot difficulty and distance — he knocks down a ton of triples on high volume. He’s also a great free throw shooter and everything indicates his overall shooting will translate moving forward.”
Regardless, it seems the Jazz have drafted one of the better and more versatile guards in the class to frequent their rotation for the long haul.
Source: Utah News
By HANNAH SCHOENBAUM and SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN, Associated Press
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Two wildfires burning in the western United States — including one that has become a “megafire” on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon — are so hot that they’re spurring the formation of “fire clouds” that can create their own erratic weather systems.
In Arizona, the wind-whipped wildfire that destroyed the Grand Canyon Lodge is 9% contained and has charred more than 164 square miles to become the largest fire now burning in the continental U.S.
Another large fire in Monroe, Utah, has burned 75 square miles since July 13 and is 11% contained, officials said Thursday. Evacuation orders were issued Wednesday for several towns in the fire’s path, and scorched power poles caused electricity to be shut off in other nearby communities in south-central Utah.
In this photo provided by Lin Chao, ‘fire clouds’ form near the Bright Angel Trailhead at the South Rim in the Grand Canyon, Ariz., Sunday, July 27, 2025. (Lin Chao via AP)
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In this photo provided by Lin Chao, ‘fire clouds’ form near the Bright Angel Trailhead at the South Rim in the Grand Canyon, Ariz., Sunday, July 27, 2025. (Lin Chao via AP)
Towering convection clouds known as pyrocumulus clouds have been spotted over Arizona’s blaze for seven consecutive days, fueling the fire with dry, powerful winds, fire information officer Lisa Jennings said. They form when air over the fire becomes super-heated and rises in a large smoke column. The billowing clouds can be seen for hundreds of miles and look like a dark spear jutting into the atmosphere.
Their more treacherous big brother, a fire-fueled thunderstorm known as the pyrocumulonimbus cloud, sent rapid winds shooting out in all directions this week as a smoke column formed from the Utah fire then collapsed on itself, said fire team information officer Jess Clark.
“If they get high enough, they can also create downdrafts and that’s something we really watch out for because that can quickly spread the fire and can be very dangerous for firefighters who are doing their work on the ground,” Jennings said.
Multiple fire crews in Utah were forced to retreat Wednesday as the unpredictable climate created by the clouds threatened their safety.
The same type of cloud, which the National Aeronautics and Space Administration has dubbed the “fire-breathing dragon of clouds,” recently formed a fire tornado that tore through an eastern Utah neighborhood with wind speeds estimated at 122 miles per hour.
“Think of the fire as kind of like a hot air balloon, so it adds buoyancy and things rise as a result,” said Derek Mallia, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Utah who studies pyrocumulonimbus clouds and tracks fires in Utah and Arizona. “You get this towering thunderstorm over the fire, and just like any other thunderstorm it gets really windy underneath it. Because it’s the West, these thunderstorms tend to be very dry.”
The Dragon Bravo Fire burning on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon was sparked by lightning on July 4. It was about a week later that conditions deteriorated, with hot, dry and windy weather helping to push the flames toward the Grand Canyon Lodge and the historic cabins that surround it. The fire destroyed dozens of buildings and forced the closure of the national park’s North Rim for the rest of the season as hundreds of firefighters struggled to gain an upper hand.
Thursday marked the eighth straight day of historically dry conditions, Jennings said. Humidity levels have been in the single digits, fuel moisture levels are extremely low and wind gusts were expected to crank up to 35 miles per hour.
The pyrocumulus clouds have reached heights of at least 25,000 feet, and fire behavior analyst Arthur Gonzales said they could go higher.
The direction of the wind has been fairly consistent for crews working the Dragon Bravo Fire, and although they’ve been strong, the predictability has allowed fire managers to more easily position crews on the fire lines. But when pyrocumulus clouds form and the winds become less predictable, Jennings said firefighters often have to be pulled back to safety.
Hot, dry winds fanned the flames of the Monroe Canyon Fire on Thursday as firefighters worked to contain the spread. The fire has burnt 12 power poles, and many homes have been without electricity since Wednesday afternoon.
The National Weather Service issued red flag warnings for extreme fire danger in much of central and southwest Utah this week.
In Antimony, Utah, 54 miles south of Monroe, the town’s 123 residents were without power Thursday afternoon. Mayor Kasey King, who was helping people gather food and supplies at a community center, said they could be without power for a week.
The power company Garkane Energy Cooperative said it’s working to restore power as quickly as possible and has brought in backup generators.
Marnie King Reynolds, a resident of Antimony, worried for the town’s many elderly residents. She has been using a camp stove to offer hot meals to neighbors and is using a generator to help people refrigerate groceries and medications.
“We have been facing a lot of challenges, but we have the best community,” she said.
In Richfield, Utah, 10 miles north of Monroe, Lee Stevens said his yard was coated in ash. He and his wife, who has asthma and is sensitive to the smoke, have not yet been told to evacuate but are making preparations in case the fire spreads.
The National Interagency Fire Center in Idaho said Thursday that even with fewer acres having burned so far this year than average, many parts of the country remain vulnerable to new starts and fast-moving flames.
Bryan reported from Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Originally Published:
Source: Utah News
Former BYU golfer Cole Ponich enjoys Ogden Golf & Country Club, and not just because he grew up in the area.
Ponich, a newly minted pro and the winner of last month’s Provo Open in his professional debut, won the 2024 State Amateur at the club in Ogden and is already flourishing at the same course this year in the Korn Ferry Tour’s Utah Championship.
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Ponich shot a 4-under par 66 on Thursday in the tournament’s first round (Ogden G&CC is playing as a par-70 this week) and is in excellent shape to make the cut at the layout on Washington Boulevard, which is hosting the event for the first time ever.
Ponich is currently tied for 10th.
Ponich wasn’t the only local who found the course to his liking, again. Former Georgia Tech golfer Connor Howe, who grew up 15 minutes away in North Ogden and graduated from Weber High, shot a 5-under 65 and is tied for sixth place heading into Friday’s second round.
Former West Virginia golfer Etienne Papineau, who is from Canada, sits atop the leaderboard after shooting a career-low round of 9-under 61 in the first round. Papineau made two eagles and had only one 5 on his entire scorecard.
Future BYU golfer Kihei Akina competes in the Korn Ferry Tour Utah Championship at the Ogden Golf and Country Club in Ogden on Thursday, July 31, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Signage is posted at the Korn Ferry Tour Utah Championship at the Ogden Golf and Country Club in Ogden on Thursday, July 31, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Former Weber State golfer Hayden Banz competes in the Korn Ferry Tour Utah Championship at the Ogden Golf and Country Club in Ogden on Thursday, July 31, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Cole Howard and Kihei Akina watch Akina’s shot during the Korn Ferry Tour Utah Championship at the Ogden Golf and Country Club in Ogden on Thursday, July 31, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Former Weber State golfer Hayden Banz competes in the Korn Ferry Tour Utah Championship at the Ogden Golf and Country Club in Ogden on Thursday, July 31, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Future BYU golfer Kihei Akina competes in the Korn Ferry Tour Utah Championship at the Ogden Golf and Country Club in Ogden on Thursday, July 31, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Future BYU golfer Kihei Akina competes in the Korn Ferry Tour Utah Championship at the Ogden Golf and Country Club in Ogden on Thursday, July 31, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Former Weber State golfer Hayden Banz competes in the Korn Ferry Tour Utah Championship at the Ogden Golf and Country Club in Ogden on Thursday, July 31, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
A Utah Sports Commission sign is pictured at the Korn Ferry Tour Utah Championship at the Ogden Golf and Country Club in Ogden on Thursday, July 31, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Future BYU golfer Kihei Akina competes in the Korn Ferry Tour Utah Championship at the Ogden Golf and Country Club in Ogden on Thursday, July 31, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Future BYU golfer Kihei Akina competes in the Korn Ferry Tour Utah Championship at the Ogden Golf and Country Club in Ogden on Thursday, July 31, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Former University of Utah golfer Mitchell Schow competes in the Korn Ferry Tour Utah Championship at the Ogden Golf and Country Club in Ogden on Thursday, July 31, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Former University of Utah golfer Mitchell Schow competes in the Korn Ferry Tour Utah Championship at the Ogden Golf and Country Club in Ogden on Thursday, July 31, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Ogden native Connor Howe competes in the Korn Ferry Tour Utah Championship at the Ogden Golf and Country Club in Ogden on Thursday, July 31, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Signage is posted at the Korn Ferry Tour Utah Championship at the Ogden Golf and Country Club in Ogden on Thursday, July 31, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Signage is posted at the Korn Ferry Tour Utah Championship at the Ogden Golf and Country Club in Ogden on Thursday, July 31, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Ponich made five birdies and a bogey. The highlight was a birdie 2 on the difficult par-3 9th hole (Ogden’s nines have been flipped for the tournament). He also made a birdie 2 on the par-3 16th hole.
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His lone bogey came on No. 17, which plays as No. 8 for the members.
Ponich got the exemption that would have gone to former BYU golfer Peter Kuest, who ended up qualifying on his own merit (KFT’s points list) after originally receiving the exemption that went to Ponich.
Howe posted the best round among the eight golfers with Utah ties in the tournament on Thursday. In his third start of the 2025 Korn Ferry Tour season, he posted his lowest round on the tour since a final-round 64 at the 2024 Utah Championship, held down the road at Oakridge Country Club in Farmington.
Kuest, who is No. 150 on the KFT points list, opened his round with back-to-back bogeys, but recovered nicely and ended the day at even-par 70.
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Former Weber State golfer Hayden Banz, from Salt Lake City, is in decent shape to make the cut as a Monday qualifier after firing a 68 on Thursday. Banz made three consecutive birdies on holes 13-15 to get back into contention to make the cut and is currently tied for 31st.
Recent Lone Peak High graduate Kihei Akina, who will be a freshman at BYU this fall, is playing in his second straight Utah Championship, having made the cut last year at Oakridge Country Club. Akina shot 71 on Thursday with three birdies and four bogeys and has some work to do to make the cut, currently sitting in a tie for 104th place. Also tied for 104th is former University of Utah golfer Mitchell Schow, a Monday qualifier.
Former BYU star Daniel Summerhays shot a 69 and is tied for 49th in a group that includes his nephew, former ASU golfer Preston Summerhays.
Source: Utah News
The Utah Utes began final prep work for the upcoming college football season with the start of fall camp on Wednesday.
Coming off a season in which his unit ranked top 10 in opposing quarterback completion percentage and rating, Utah defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley aspires for the Utes to be just as efficient against the pass as they were in 2024. That’ll require some new faces along the defensive line and in the secondary to step up and make plays, especially with several key contributors from last season’s squad gone either via the portal or the NFL.
Here’s what Scalley had to say about the Utes defense after the team’s first fall camp practice.
“It’s a physical sport. You got to be able to practice tackling. I think a few years ago when we played Florida, we tried to try to dial it down physically [in fall camp] and we missed a ton of tackles in that game, and it exposed us a little bit. So yes, we want to get to the first game healthy, and we’re spacing out the practices and the periods in a way that we feel like we’re being smart with their health; at the same time, as a physical sport, you got to practice physicality. You got to be able to tackle and do the things that football players do.”
“Dilan Battle, transferring from LSU; Pupu Sepulona, Semi Taulanga — those bodies will help out a lot in the depth category. Now it’s just a matter of developing them and seeing who can play right away. The good thing is we’re not having to do much physically with them. Their weight’s where it needs to be. It’s just learning the defense.”
“I would say getting stronger, definitely. You’re always looking for speed off the edge. This is again, a point I’ve talked about before: I’m much more focused on a productive, efficient pass rush than sacks. If I’m hitting a quarterback, if I’m being disruptive, then you’re forcing him to get rid of the ball quicker than he wants to. So I felt like we did a pretty good job of that last year. Obviously, the sack count wasn’t what it was in previous seasons, but I felt like we were effective at getting to the quarterback. I like the depth that we have there. I think that we’ve gotten better. [Defensive ends coach Lewis] Powell has done a great job of developing that group, and it’s going to be a competitive fall camp for those guys.”
“Athletic quarterbacks just cause issues, particularly when you’re going to use them in a dedicated quarterback run game. It’s one thing for him to just pull it on his own, escape the pocket, things break down and he’s able to make plays just with his legs on his own. But when there’s a dedicated run package that you, as a defensive coordinator, really have to focus on — OK, how are we going to add a guy in the box? How are we going to take care of the quarterback in the run game? It really forces you to practice that. So he provides both … if you’re going to four-man rush the kid, he does a great job of understanding when things break down, when to take off. But they also have a very good, dedicated QB run game.”
“The studies have shown us that [the] No. 1 takeaway in the Big 12 last year was an interception in zone coverage. It’s quarterbacks forcing things into windows. The second was interceptions in man coverage. Usually that’s more of an incompletion coverage. The majority of interceptions you see, they’re tipped passes, free safety coming over the top.”
“The next thing that you’re looking at is forced fumbles from the second guy in — not the first guy in, second guy in. So there are certain aspects of takeaways, that you can practice — zone drops catching a football, including footballs in your drill work. And then a focus on second guy in; how to strip the ball, how to take care of the ball, how to go down, how to recover a ball in traffic versus how to recover a ball in space. And so those are the things that we have to do a really good job of.”
Source: Utah News
They’re off and running.
The University of Utah began its fall camp Wednesday in preparation for its Aug. 30 opener in Los Angeles against UCLA, but thanks to an NCAA rule change a year ago, it was more of a continuation of player-led practices held this summer.
“In that regard, you expect to be further ahead and it’s a good thing they changed those rules because with the influx of new players that everybody has, it helps those guys make that transition. So I thought today was a really good start,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said.
On the first day of fall camp, the change most evident from the spring to fall for Whittingham was how clean the offense operated, thanks mostly in part to those player-ran summer sessions.
“As far as just subbing the groups in and out, getting plays underway, just the operation itself was much cleaner. Very evident, very obvious that these guys have worked a lot on their own this summer,” Whittingham said.
Utah’s head man, who opened his 21st fall camp Wednesday, was impressed with the lack of substitution penalties, false starts and delays of games on the first day of practices.
While new offensive coordinator Jason Beck’s offense has been digested by players in spring practices, for the approximately 30 players that were not in Salt Lake City in the spring, it was their first chance to run it.
Beck is bringing his offense, which ranked No. 4 nationally at New Mexico with 484.2 yards per game, to Salt Lake City — and a fanbase that is starved for production on that side of the ball.
Expect to see Beck’s offense be a spread scheme that utilizes the run-pass option and quarterback run often and creatively uses its personnel.
Whittingham noted on Wednesday that the Utes won’t huddle, and that the offense will be a little bit more uptempo from last season, but “not ridiculously fast.”
What’s Whittingham most excited about from Beck’s offense?
“Probably the big-play capability at quarterback. Devon Dampier is a big-play guy and this offense suits him to a T. He’s a true dual threat, and this offense features a lot of QB run game and RPO and really is going to take advantage of his skill set,” Whittingham said.
As has been the case all offseason, Whittingham raved about his new QB1, calling his leadership “as good as any we’ve had.”
“He’s a terrific leader. He’s made a great bond with the entire football team, not just the offense. He’s one of those guys that’s got that ‘it’ factor, the charisma that you look for in a quarterback,” Whittingham said.
Last year, Dampier threw for 2,768 yards and 12 touchdowns (with 12 interceptions) and rushed for 1,166 yards and 19 scores.
“I keep going back to last year, but those numbers that he put up last year were pretty impressive and if he can duplicate that this year, then we’re going to be in good shape,” Whittingham said.
Battling for the spot behind Dampier are freshman Byrd Ficklin and sophomore Isaac Wilson. Beck said he’d like to have that spot settled by the end of the second scrimmage.
“Just as a complete quarterback, judging it on every single thing they do and accuracy, taking care of the football, command of the offense, just everything execution-wise and cadence, it all is factored in,” Whittingham said. “Whichever guy is doing to do the best job of getting in the end zone and keeping the defense out of bad situations is the guy.”
While it’s just the first day of camp, and the players are not in pads as of now — the real evaluations will happen once the pads go on — Dampier said new transfer Tobias Merriweather stood out on Wednesday.
Merriweather (6-foot-5, 195 pounds) transferred in from Cal after spring practices, and has unique size in the receiver room. Last year he caught 11 passes for 125 yards while only playing in five games due to injury, and previously played at Notre Dame before his time in Berkeley.
Receivers coach Micah Simon noted that Merriweather and Larry Simmons (Southern Miss transfer) were both working on the field at 8:30 p.m. when Simon dropped some stuff off to his office on Sunday night.
That summer work with Dampier did a lot to get Merriweather and Simmons up to speed with Beck’s offense, and it showed on Wednesday.
“Tobias is the guy. He came out here and obviously he stood out today, so huge kudos to him, but he’s going to be ready at UCLA for sure,” Dampier said.
As fall camp rolls along, there’s going to be plenty of decisions to make in terms of the offensive and defensive depth chart — especially at wide receiver, defensive tackle and cornerback — but on Wednesday, the energy and excitement from the whole team was high.
Football is finally back.
“It was fun. Glad to be with the boys. I mean, this is what you dream for. So getting closer to the season, we got high expectations during these practices and I think we made a good impression first day,” Dampier said.
Source: Utah News
Calvin Barrett is a writer, editor, and prolific Mario Kart racer located in Tokyo, Japan. Currently writing for SB Nation and FanSided, he has covered the Utah Jazz and BYU athletics since 2024 and graduated from Utah Valley University.
A BLINDING BEAM from the spiteful scorching entity in the sky remains laser-focused on your face. A death ray from outer space that is simultaneously compassionate and relentless, providing you with the life-giving warmth to carry on while slowly draining you of all moisture and sizzling your now flamingo-fied flesh. Like bacon, you crisp beneath the summer heat. You glance to the right and see that some other muddy-faced anklebiter has successfully cooked an omelette on the sidewalk. Yikes. Sweat floods past your brow and into your vulnerable eyes.
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They say the human body is comprised of 70% water, but the other 30% must be the sand and woodchips you’ve stuffed your mouth with as Mom’s naptime overlapped with your adolescent culinary awakening. The rubber truly complements the splintering woodchips in a manner one would never expect, but has no choice but to welcome wholeheartedly. A masterstroke in resourcefulness, and a triumph from the kitchen of a child.
From one platform to the next, you leap, climb, and swing higher and higher. The screeching yelp from your fraying, overworn Chuck Taylors alerts the neighborhood of each maneuver (Mom remains unconscious), transmitting a frequency high enough to beckon “Killer”, the McLanahans’ bloodthirsty rotweiler, who now crouches directly beneath your platform. Poised to pounce. Hungry for action; you are action. Rumbling through the clenched cage of drill bits, he calls a mouth, his bloodshot eyes absorb your fear and await any misstep. The slightest slip, the most benign blunder, could be your very last. You decide to proceed up the playground with a bit more care this time around. Dusting wood shaving off your Return of the Jedi tee, you chart a course for the slides at the summit.
Don’t look down. Yeah, just don’t look down.
For its intended audience, a playground is a haven of bliss and adventure. A glorious summit where the brightest minds in imagination collaborate in a viscous mixing pot of ideas. Some fantastic, others borderline unthinkable. It’s magnificent. It’s disgusting. It’s the playground.
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The Utah Jazz are basketball’s playground. For obvious, surface-level reasons, they’re exciting, energetic and, well, stuffed full of youths. For less obvious reasons, the Jazz are a basketball addict’s Cloud Coo-coo Land. Cotton candy. Sour Skittles. The world’s largest speaker system constantly blasting a 1,000-hour loop of “It’s Raining Tacos”. Unicorns (Porzingis, Durant, Wembanyama, etc) dance on rainbows. Basketballs are bubblegum and the citizens sleep on a bed of marshmellows after flossing with sour punch straws and washing it down with Sprite.
Dentists do quite well there, I hear.
If you find yourself giddy and anxious for the upcoming season of Jazz basketball, there is no way around this simple fact: you are neck-deep in basketball fanatacism and sinking. Don’t struggle — this pit of quicksand is unrelenting and ever-widening.
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I don’t want to hear excuses or denial. Take a look at the roster — top to bottom — and you tell me that your fascination with the team doesn’t stretch beyond reasonable explanation.
Backcourt: RJ Luis, Keyonte George, Isaiah Collier, Walter Clayton, Elijah Harkless, Svi Mykhailiuk
Wings: Cody Williams, Taylor Hendricks, John Tonje, Ace Bailey, Brice Sensabaugh, KJ Martin
Frontcourt: Kyle Anderson, Kyle Filipowski, Lauri Markkanen, Walker Kessler, Jusuf Nurkic, Oscar Tshiebwe, Kevin Love
If you don’t mind, I’d like to take a moment and ask you a few reactionary questions to gauge your current state. This will only take a few moments, and it really helps with our research.
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Thank you for your cooperation. We’ll start with some easy ones to get the ball rolling, and gradually ramp up the intensity. Please do your best to answer honestly. Let’s begin.
Okay. Next one.
Very good. Here’s another one.
Alright. One final question.
Do you feel that? The scorching burn on the back of your calves from hitting lightspeed on the metal slide? You’re in the playground now.
The very fact that you participated in this poll at all is evidence of your basketball obsession (if you decided not to participate, there may yet be hope for you). The game has its claws in you to such a degree that you are actively following storylines of two-way college stars, ancient relics obtained from the Miami Heat, and the potential of the 9th overall pick after an early season-ending injury as a sophomore. You are closely attentive toward the worst basketball team in the NBA last season.
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These are not indictments, this is applause.
To the unsung heroes. To the late bloomers. To the underrated all-stars and the collegiate superstars. Here’s to the Utah Jazz, and those who follow them. For those who feel a kinship to this team, rest assured the rise is soon to come. No basketball success story follows a perfectly linear path. Supporting this team in its worst moment may pay off with a championship. It may not. But your basketball hyperfixation has not gone unnoticed.
Give the old tire swing a go, my friend.
More from slcdunk.com:
Source: Utah News
Source: Utah News
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) – A group of inmates inside the Utah State Prison are using their skills to share their story. The goal is to take responsibility, bring peace and prepare for a future back in the community. Not only are they making it happen, but this Media Team was also awarded for the work they have done so far.
The Media Team inside the Utah State Prison won three silver awards at the 46th annual Telly Awards. They wrote, shot and edited the entire piece. Their short is just the beginning of a bigger documentary.
One member of the Media Team explained the happiness of getting the recognition, “We never thought that a bunch of guys in white would do anything that would be recognized.”
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SOLID program requires commitment, but provides change inside the Utah State Prison
But it was. This short video is one step for the initiative and bigger goal: share the positive changes happening within correctional facilities.
Another member of the Media Team said, “At the end of the day poor decisions are made, so what is our step and our responsibility to try and resolve some of the hurt and turn that into healing. That is the responsibility and that is why it is so important our voice is the voice telling this story.”
They call their work and the upcoming documentary the Bridge to Freedom.
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One member of the team explained, “We created the bridge, and the bridge has two pillars. One is education and the other is employment. Out of that employment pillar came the idea of social enterprise. We would come up with joint ventures with the people in here and the people outside.”
They members of this Media Team all reside in the SOLID program. SOLID stands for Successful Offenders Learning Individual Development. This is a housing unit of men in the prison, who have chosen to live to a higher standard which will aide in their change and growth.
Humane Society of Utah volunteers help dogs, cats and more find ‘fur-ever’ homes
A Media Team Member said, “The general impression we get is people in here should just be locked up and throw away the key, forget about it. But what the normal person on the street doesn’t realize is that 90% of everyone in here is going to be their neighbor at some point.”
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This is why the Media Team feels they are important and needed; they are using their skills to shine a light on the potential of restorative programming within the justice system. A story only they can really tell.
Another Media Team Member explained, “It is very hard for the average person to know what people are going through in a situation like this. The ability to tell that story from the perspective of living it is something really powerful.”
The opportunity to do this work and tell this story comes from permission and cooperation from the Prison Executive Team and the Semnani Family Foundation. The foundation provided all of the equipment.
The plan is to have the documentary showing the “Bridge to Freedom” completely this fall. To watch the award winning short, click HERE.
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Source: Utah News
