It would still be nice for the YouTube app to register an intent to open via a youtube link. It should be as simple as a new function that opens the app with a reference to the link, but then again I have not done much android programming.

TubeDroid was the app I've been using for youtube the last few months and when I click on an embedded youtube video or a link it gives me the option to download the video or the sound. Once the download was finished I could open the app or launch the video from the notification bar.