Truly March Madness!

Posted by Alex Jeppson on February 27, 2009

In Shakespeare’s tragedy, Julius Caesar, an old man approaches and offers him this warning as he passes  with his entourage: “Beware the ides of March.”  Passing this off as the ruminations of a crazed soothsayer, Caesar ignores this warning and continues on.  Soon thereafter, he would find himself dead, murdered by conspirators hoping to curb his power.

Although I could be classified as a somewhat crazed Jazz fanatic, I hope my warning is heeded: “Beware the Ides of March!” In fact, let me extend that warning from March 15th which the ‘Ides’ directly refers to, to the entire month.  This approaching month will make or break the Jazz’s season, possibly allowing them to leap frog division rivals or fall back under the pressure, joining the bottom-dwelling rabble of the Western Conference.

One of the biggest challenges of this young Jazz team is playing every game with the same level of intensity and treating each opponent as a worthy one. (Despite all the subsequent, listerine like wins against the likes of the Celtics and the Lakers, I have yet to fully wash the bad taste out produced by the loss to the hapless Thunder) However, part of the warning to be wary also calls for the team to embrace the opportunity before them.  After all the injuries that this team and its fans have had to endure, who would’ve thought we would be within five games of a potential two seed.  With the return of Carlos Boozer and (knock on wood) an entirely healthy Jazz team, expectations had at the beginning of the season for this talented squad still have the potential to be met and even surpassed.

In this upcoming month, the Jazz will face two ends of the basketball spectrum.  They will be facing important conference and division foes that could determine their place in the playoffs, including Denver, Portland, Houston, and Phoenix.  However, interspersed between these important matchups are contests against some lackluster teams the Jazz seem to have trouble with, including a five game eastern conference road trip.

This is a month of predictions, as many college basketball fans will have their bracketology efforts busted or rewarded based on hunches.  After offering my warning as a blogging prognosticator, let me offer an optimistic prediction. Riding a six game winning streak and the momentum fueled by the return of Boozer and Kirilenko, I believe this team will continue this run to the top of the Northwest Division.  By the end of March, the Jazz will have secured the division lead and a fourth seed in the approaching playoffs, if they but heed the warning that could’ve saved Caesar and “beware the Ides of March.”

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5 Comments

J R Stewart on February 27, 2009 said:

Et tu Brutus?

After a hopefully easy Kings game, the Jazz embark on the road, back-to-backs and playoff teams.

Gone is the catching other teams injured, undermanned, on a back-to-back, at home as in Feb.

This will be the real test!

They will probably have to win 60% in order to leapfrog the pack, where they have historically floundered at 40%.

Last year they sucked it up and played better down the stretch, let’s hope they do even better this year!

Jazzaholic

Trent on February 27, 2009 said:

Time to show what the Jazz are made of. I can see the Jazz hitting the playoffs as low as the sixth seed or as high as the third seed. Let’s hope for the latter!

D-ler on February 27, 2009 said:

The Jazz have it in a bag. I predict for them to continue their streak and win 14 of 15 in the month of March. I think I have the madness!

Boondock Saint on February 27, 2009 said:

I hope that by mentioning Shakespeare we haven’t condemned the Jazz as tragic heroes. They are fighting an uphill, but definately winnable, battle. Deron is playing at a remarkably high level, Boozer is back (we’ll see how that pans out) and AK is shooting much better and moving more than he did before the surgery. His energy is vital. I think the Jazz are going to suprise all the haters.

Mikey on February 27, 2009 said:

Good article. Well written. I had flashbacks to my my high school English class with Mr. Thompson. Here is the cast: Julius Caesar=Steve Nash (Suns – the first to die), Brutus=Tim Duncan (Spurs = well meaning but kind of old and stupid, dies in the end – playoffs), Cassius=Kobe Bryant (Lakers = devious, devoid of any redeeming features, dies an ignominius death – playoffs), Antony=Chris Paul (Hornets = good at everything, eventually killed off by his former friend and ally, Octavius – playoffs), Octavius=Deron Williams (Jazz = played it smart and ended up winning in the end, becoming the Emperor of all).

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