At least the Utah fans still have Idol to cheer

SALT LAKE CITY -- You can just imagine the excitement here in the Beehive State, named for a woman's hairstyle by the way, and very popular by the look of the locals.

Of course there's always excitement in the air here, which explains why Utah has the highest birth rate in the country.

But now everybody is really pumped with the chances of winning it all, the parade looking like a reality.

Just one more great effort from their star performer, and then Utah's very own David Archuleta will become the country's newest American Idol.

As for its basketball team, there's a reason why Utah is first in the country in filling anti-depressant prescriptions.

Utahans love their basketball team because they've got nothing else going for them, and did I mention Utah has the highest birth rate in the country?

But as much as they love their basketball team -- "get loud and be proud," as the scoreboard reads -- it has to be hard doing that given Utah's boring, sluggish brand of play.

These guys also have a problem when it comes to delivering championships.

And a championship was apparently the furthest thing from the mind of Andrei Kirilenko, who opted to miss practice before Friday's must-win to get visas for the family vacation -- which might very well start today.

Makes you wonder about the banner hanging over the EnergySolutions court: "One team, one dream."

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TAKE AWAY the Wasatch Mountains and this is Nebraska, all these people crazy loud for their team in the hopes it does something special and reminds the rest of the country that this place exists.

Hey, when your state legislature actually passes a resolution naming Jell-O as the official snack food of the state, you're really looking for an excuse to be known for something.

Archuleta's rise to prominence helps, though, and although he was born in Florida and only moved here about four years ago, I would imagine his second choice was Lincoln.

So far, the 17-year-old Archuleta has been on his game, which is more than any one around here can say about Carlos Boozer.

The media critics here, though, are about as tough as Paula Abdul, so Boozer has been getting a free ride. But Utah goes as he goes, which explains why the Jazz appears doomed.

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