Mr. Hill, break down this wall

Ever since the summer of 2010, a wall has slowly been growing between Salt Lake City and Provo.

When the University of Utah left for the Pac-12 and BYU set its own independent course, it was only a matter of time before the Beehive State's biggest football rivalry ended. But now a slim chance has opened up for that wall between red Salt Lake County and blue Utah County to fall, even with Utah's shiny brand-new home-and-home series with Michigan firmly intact.

Reports from media sources said the Pac-12 Conference would discuss reducing its football conference schedule by one game, potentially opening up a fourth non-conference game for Pac-12 teams.

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If Pac-12 network executives have their way, this will die quickly. The opportunity to broadcast an additional six college games in major media markets on a network the conference owns is undeniably attractive. A ninth conference week is so potentially lucrative that even the take-a-century-to-change-anything SEC is considering altering its conference schedule and adding a ninth conference game to their already loaded teams' slates.

Pac-12 coaches, without a doubt, want to take another game to schedule a college football cream puff instead of an NFL farm team. Eight Pac-12 games is difficult enough, goes the dominant train of thought, so why make life harder on yourself? Why risk serious injury, or worse, a loss, when you can make things easier and put yourself that much closer to a bowl game?

Schedule reduction is not likely, but if it happens, it puts Utah in an interesting position. With three non-conference games locked up for the next three years, if a fourth were to open up, say, in 2014 or 2015, where would Utah turn to fill that hole? The Big XII? The Mountain West? The conference formerly known as the Big East?

Or will Chris Hill simply look 40 miles down I-15?

Utah baseball makes a real difference

It's a story that every parent with a seriously ill or disabled child would love to be a part of.

When young Jonah Bradshaw, a 7-year-old Utah baseball fan and arthrogryposis patient, pulled up to Spring Mobile ballpark last Saturday for a baseball game between Utah and Arizona State, he knew he'd be throwing out the first pitch. What he didn't know is that he'd get all access to the University of Utah clubhouse, a VIP tour of the stadium, and autographed gear for him and his whole family.

Throughout the night as Jonah watched the game from the Utah dugout, he conversed with the players, telling them of his wishes, his cares, his dreams and his trials.

“I think it's pretty awesome to see a kid with that many challenges is still able to do the things that he loves,” Utah baseball student assistant coach Derek Amicone told the Deseret News. “It's pretty special — there's a lot of people out there that would probably just give up and not want to do those things because of their physical limitations.”

Jonah left his mark on the U's baseball squad, and the Utes would also like to think they left their mark on him.

"I'm never wearing blue again," Jonah said.

Star power comes from the family

Star Lotulelei lifted furniture for a year before he decided to go all in on football. He earned his way into Division I NCAA football via Snow College, took the time necessary to focus on academics, and graduated with a degree in sociology. It all culminated in the NFL Draft last week as the Carolina Panthers selected Lotulelei.

Who was among the first people Star thanked? His wife and daughter, both of who came into his life during his two years in Ephraim, Utah.

"Getting married and having my first child was something that helped me become grounded," Lotulelei said. "I think having a family of my own, wife and kids, it helps out in that area of being a little more mature than some other guys."

Scouts and writers called Lotulelei's decision to stay for his senior season a gamble. Gamble or not, there was no doubt in the mind of Panthers brass when pick No. 14 came around.

"I mean, you just know," Panthers GM Dave Gettleman said the draft choice. "It's like when you guys met your wives, you knew, you knew."

Landon Hemsley is the sports content manager for DeseretNews.com and a contributor to ksl.com. Email: lhemsley@deseretnews.com. Twitter: @EarlOfHemsley

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