Well, Max Hall knew in the end he wasn't going to be elevated to "Detmer" type status in the annals of BYU QB history by his work on the field because his team didn't win the conference his final two years (I think fans can forgive the BCS to an extent but you do have to win the conference to get elevated to "elite" status). So instead he did what he had to do to elevate himself into some type of pantheon; the pantheon of great quotes to follow the rivalry game. "I don't like Utah. In fact, I hate them. I hate everything about them. I hate their program, I hate their fans, I hate everything" and on and on.
I head this interview live on KSL as we were driving home from the game. The first thing out of my mouth as he said it? "YES! I now LOVE Max Hall! Way to bring it strong!" Hall absolutely raised his stock in my personal rankings of BYU QB's with that quote alone. If for nothing else he didn't serve up the traditional soft-serve answer complimenting the Utes team or some garbage like that. I'm so sick and tired of hearing players give the politically correct answer every time (and especially Bronco-coached BYU players) that it was absolutely refreshing and exciting to hear a player speak his mind for once. Yes, you could hear the excitement in the reporter's voices too as they knew Hall just launched a good two weeks worth of talk radio discussion for them. Patrick Kinahan basically shouted "Hooray!" when Hall said it because he knew his ratings for Monday's show will be through the roof.
Every paper and media outlet this morning is calling his remarks "classless". That is total garbage especially considering how much they love to latch on to it. It is headline city! Why would you hate those remarks? If it was coming from Stevenson Sylvester after a Utah win would you think he was classless? No! He probably hates the Cougs as much as Hall hates the Utes. Hall is no idiot and had to know as the words passed out of his mouth that he was launching a firestorm, and he didn't care and said it anyways. My reaction to that? Awesome.
Oh yeah, and I hate the dirty Utes too. :)
So as for the game. This was my first-ever live BYU-Utah game. Thanks to my buddy Jared Selman who called me Friday with tickets for Rachel and me. I had been told before that this game is more intense than any other and especially more intense live than TV can show. All I can say is that is absolutely TRUE! You could cut the intensity with a knife even before the game started and all the way through. We had Utes sitting next to us (who were cool by the way, but nevertheless I was extremely disappointed in how many Ute fans were in the stands which is purely a reflection of crappy cougar fans who sold out their tickets) and even though they were nice I just wanted to SCREAM at them after every single play. We stood the entire game and I've never cheered like that before for any game. We were in the North endzone right where Andrew George had the game winning TD catch and the feeling was as euphoric as I've ever felt. I will say I was IRATE at the coaching staff for the poor game management especially even settling for overtime when they could have had the ball back with over a minute to play and 2 timeouts if they would've played the game right, but I digress. All's well that end's well right? And on this night, and for the next year, the Cougs are on top! BOOM!
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4 comments:
I am sure Brad will leave a comment but I think your brother Casey said it best on facebook..."Yeah I know. There are a fair share of bad Utah fans ( or any school for that matter). But he's in a position where what he says reflects the entire school. BYU isn't a bad school and is widely made up of decent people (as are U of U and USU, etc). Leaders can't say things like that. Even if it is what they truly feel because leaders represent people as a whole. As quarter back he has a lot of power to affect the outlook of the school."
Casey is right and he represents not any school but BYU..that represents the Church as well! I just think it is lame to say it!
Oh my crazy cousin...
First off... you're right... the intensity is great. I don't miss the BYU-Utah game... I make sure to attend in person every year because there just isn't anything else like it in the state. For sports in the state of Utah... nothing tops it! Yesterday was especially fun because I was sitting very close to the same spot where my Dad and grandpa had season tickets back in the 80's (North end-zone). Only difference is that I was surrounded by Utah fans... and that was pretty cool. I forget how beautiful the scenery is at LES... although Rice-Eccles is a better, more comfortable place to watch a football game.
Now onto the game... BYU deserved to win... they outplayed Utah for most of the game and Utah shot themselves in the foot. Player of the game for BYU is whoever put the big hit on Jordan Wynn. He was ripping up the BYU secondary early on, after that hit... he was off for the rest of the day.
MAX HALL. What an idiot... what a classless display of unsportsmanship. I just couldn't help but compare his comments to those of Eric Weddle three years ago when, in painful defeat, he gave all the credit and praise in the world to John Beck. Max Hall is a bum... and he disappointed a whole lot of people.
You were proud he spoke his mind... I say... if he's going to speak his mind... why not do it during the week leading up to the game? He was politically correct all week, then he spouts off post game? Not to mention that he LIED in his most recent statement tonight... those comments weren't made in the HEAT OF THE MOMENT but were an hour after the game in a press conference.
You mentioned Stevenson Sylvester. First off.. Sylvester's coach would never let him go off like that... that's why you didn't hear anything out of Sly's mouth last year after the Utes destroyed BYU. Secondly... Bronco wants the BYU program held to a higher standard... he is very forthright about bringing religion into the equation... even stating how their religious commitments are a higher priority than football.... so shouldn't Max Hall be held to a higher standard? How embarrassing for BYU... to be dressed up in those royal blue uniforms... honoring the BYU greats of the past, playing in a stadium where you have banners touting HONOR, TRADITION, RESPECT... and he goes off the way he did.
I guess the most disappointing thing is that it reflects TERRIBLY on the church. With all due respect... you might not understand this because you haven't lived outside of Utah yet (I'm not counting your mission in South America). Outside of the Utah bubble... BYU and the church are synonymous... they are essentially one and the same. When I lived Las Vegas... and when I lived in Washington DC... people were astounded that I was a Mormon... and not a BYU fan. Outside of Utah... they don't make the same disconnects that we do here in "Zion". What I'm trying say is THE BYU STARTING QUARTERBACK IS ONE OF THE MOST VISIBLE STANDARD BEARERS FOR THE CHURCH IN THE NATION. If anybody should have some constraint... and be politically correct... it should be him!!!
Max Hall mentioned how vile and rude the Utah fans were last year to him... and I believe that. However, I can attest that Utah fans aren't the only ones making derogatory and inappropriate comments... I got plenty of that as I was walking back to the car last night.
At the end of the day... the rivalry continues... over the past 20 years... BYU has won 10... and Utah has won 10. Truth is... this rivalry isn't going to change any time soon... it's going to stay close for years to come. Quite frankly... if the Utes are only going to win 50% of the time... I'd rather them win when there is something important on the line... like a conference championship or BCS bowl.
So... now comes bowl season... and I'll route for the Cougars wherever they end up. I will say however... that those heckling fans didn't have much more to say after I simply shout out the words... VIVA LAS VEGAS.
I don't think either team played their best for the game, and a few of the ref calls (for both teams) were interesting to say the least. I mean seriously, conferring for like five minutes and then you can't even remember which team did what and who did it? But I give it to Max Hall to say what he felt. I don't care if he hates me, I hate him too.
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