At this point it’s probably not much of a surprise, but former BYU quarterback Jim McMahon didn’t speak highly of his college years in Provo.
McMahon, a Super Bowl-winning quarterback with the Chicago Bears, will be featured on Comcast SportsNet Chicago's “Inside Look” on July 17. As part of the show's promotion, CSN Chicago released some quotes from McMahon. One of which, he discusses his time spent at BYU.
“It just wasn’t what college life was supposed to be like,” McMahon said. "I talk to all these other guys, they talk about their schools all the time, how much fun they had, but the only fun we had pretty much was on Saturdays or Friday nights. That was game day. Other than that, it was a tough place to go to school.”
Former Utah linebacker Paul Kruger talks missions
Cleveland Browns linebacker, and former Ute, Paul Kruger discussed serving an LDS mission in a Q&A on the team’s website.
Kruger admitted that he didn’t know if he was going to serve until just a couple days before he left.
“It was 2005 and I was 19 and pretty set on staying in school at Utah and playing out my football career,” Kruger said. “But at the last minute when the deadline was due, I really felt strongly about this being the right thing for my life. It happened so fast and 10 days later I was on my way.”
Kruger said that he was scared that a mission might push him off the NFL radar and hurt his chances of being drafted. Those fears proved to be unfounded. Upon returning, Kruger played two seasons at Utah (he redshirted the season before his mission) before foregoing his last two years of eligibility and entering the NFL draft. He was drafted in the second round by the Baltimore Ravens.
“Really for me it was about developing skills to serve other people,” Kruger said about the mission. “Normally you don't ever take time in life to dedicate to other people. When you do that not only help a lot of other people, your learn a lot about yourself and experience personal growth. Helping people makes me happy. When you decide to be unselfish and put your own goals aside for what you feel is right — that alone will bring you enough satisfaction.”
D-Will to Dallas?
ESPN is reporting that Deron Williams is in talks with the Brooklyn Nets to secure his potential release and clear a way for the Texas-native to join his hometown Dallas Mavericks.
Williams has two years and $43.5 million remaining on his contract with the Nets.
The former Jazz guard opted to stay with the Nets over joining the Mavericks in free agency, two seasons ago. With Dallas needing to fill a hole at point guard and Williams looking to be move on from Brooklyn, ESPN’s Marc Stein reports that “there is strong mutual interest” between the two parties.
“Although there have been steady rumblings in league circles in recent weeks that a return to the Utah Jazz is also a possibility for Williams, sources say Dallas has emerged as his preferred destination, in part because he could reunite with new Mavs guard Wesley Matthews, his former Jazz teammate,” Stein reports.
Other links:
— How will Thunder respond to Enes Kanter offer? (USA Today)
— Hot Reads: Five most overachieving college football programs (Hail Varsity)
— The Great Escape: How the NBA offseason turned Into a summer action thriller (Grantland)