I don't know how any BYU fan alive can positively spin Utah going to the Pac-10 while we stay back and find ourselves stuck in the Mountain West. From all the smack I've heard from U-fans in the past few days, all I have been able to do is hang my head and say, "Congratulations". What can we do? BYU got owned and I feel like there is nothing we can do about it. I'm not wallowing in the depths of despair like the football is cut from the school or something, but I do know in every discussion about BYU v. Utah we will now forever come up on the short end (unless some type of miracle occurs that takes us into the Big-12 at some point).
Why will we always come up short? It has been nationally announced that we are not "big-time" caliber. Yes, it has nothing to do with the quality of our football team, fan base, and "other sports" (seriously, we all know football is king). It has to do with political/religious factors that nobody can control. It still sucks. I think the rivalry takes a big step down due to this move. We could win the rivalry game every year and U fans can always play the Pac-10 card. "We are big-time, you are not", and there really isn't a comeback. It makes me not care about the rivalry as much as I always have when something more than "bragging rights" is usually on the line. I'm sure I'll still get pumped up every year when the game comes around, but even a win won't be as sweet. I'm even more happy looking back to know that I was at the final rivaly game in Provo where the U was still a part of the same conference as us.
While I'm certainly down and know the inevitable comments will come to switch allegiances, that is not going to happen! But I'm not an blue-goggled idiot, either. The switch is obviously huge for Utah and for the state, and if BYU was in that position we wouldn't think twice to make the move as well (I would also be just as bad throwing smack around if it was my team heading out).
I've taken the high-road so far and I know all I can say is congratulations to Utes who rub this in my face, but I do know this: for every person I see around town still wearing the "Max Hall Hates Me" t-shirts I will still be sure to let them know "I do too!".
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I think if I were to compare my love of sports to yours, it would be comparing a scooter to an Audi S4.....(you are the sporty S4). You know more than I do but here is my little opinion.
I think this is great for BYU. When BYU has a win against the U....they beat a BCS team.
Utah is going to have their tail handed to them. They are all big and haughty now but when the big boys come to play (USC, UCLA, AZ, Oregon, Oregon State....) they are going to get a nice piece of humble pie. They will find out really quick that they were a big fish in a small pond and it was a good life here. They are going to go play in the ocean now and there are some huge fish that will eat them and poop out the bones.
This is the BCS's attempt to shut Utah up (as a state) and inviting the Team they think will bring more to the conference. They chose incorrectly because BYU has a national following unlike Utah which a lot of Utah fans are really just BYU haters.
This is good for several reasons:
#1 - The afore mentioned win over a BCS team for BYU ‘if’ and ‘when’ they win.
#2 – The move brings national attention to the sports programs in Utah. (This benefits ALL Utah schools, not just Utah or BYU)
#3 - It will make one of the other BCS conferences take notice and increase their desire to pick up BYU because of what they have to bring.
#4 - Left a space for Boise State to come in and add more validity to their outstanding program. (They too are a really big fish in a small pond and are going to have a wake up call against BYU and TCU. I like Boise State…they are the next door neighbor’s little brother that you just can’t help but to love and let him come play ball.)
#5 - The Pac-10 (Probably soon to be the PAC West) didn't want a religious private school on their playground, but the BIG-12 (Texas folks) love Private Christian schools, are a huge BCS conference and would be thrilled to bring a fan base like BYU in. I think this will make them savor the option. If this happens, then it will be a BCS bowl game every time Utah and BYU meet…..stir things up a bit.
Again, I really don't know what I am talking about where sports are concerned, however, from my uneducated opinion, this is a good move for Utah (the school) and a great move for Utah (the state). It adds validity to our sports programs and brings more money to Utah and to our schools.
…..and those Utah fans that are rubbing it in your face?.....be patient my son. The face rubbing will change hands once those 'big in their britches' Utah fans watch what BCS teams do to their own.
I will end with this......I like seeing Utah (as a state) do well Nationally. BYU or Utah, I don't care really. When they play each other.....I am a BYU fan but other than that, I hope the U does well in their new home....I think it will be a learning process and they will be humbled a bit, but that is good. Eventually they could play against the big boys, and I wish them well in doing so....but this is good for Utah, AND BYU......trust me.
Oh...and Bradley (I know you are reading this) I don't know what happened to you but if there is a BYU hating Utah fan I despise most, it is turncoats like you. You grew up loving the blue, your Masters is from BYU!?!?
Just because your wife's family is red doesn't mean you had to drop your life long allegiance.
Root for who you want, but don't trash talk BYU.
(This is just friendly banter BTW....you know I really don't care)
Bradley....I make one exception...you can trash talk Max Hall. Is that fair?
Here's my take.
1- BYU should have been invited 25 years ago... but there is a subtle religious bias at play and BYU will never be in the PAC 10 for that very reason... which is sad. I don't by into the "research institution" theory either. Utah has better science, medicine, and engineering programs... but BYU is excels at business and law. At the end of the day... the Presidents of the PAC 10 schools just didn't want BYU even though BYU generally has better facilities, a larger (although not nicer) stadium, and a bigger national fan base.
2- BYU fans and journalists (Dick Harmon) cling to the tradition and history of BYU football... but a national championship nearly 30 years ago doesn't hold the same weight at two BCS bowl wins in past 6 years. This day would have never come if Utah didn't win those BCS bowl games.
3- The silver lining for BYU fans... (yes Brandon, I believe there is a silver lining)... First off... it's good for the church. People outside of the state associate anything about Utah with Mormons... so it gets the state, and likewise the church, more and better publicity. Plus... Kyle Whittingham is a pretty standup LDS guy and he'll have the spotlight on him. Secondly... BYU will get into a big conference... this makes it inevitable. BYU fans and administrators won't stand by idley now... It may be a year or a few years down the road... but it will happen (my guess is the BIG 12 will eventually come calling).
4- The bad news for BYU... they'll lose the "SWING" fans and "SWING" recruits. I think this is a big deal! In the state of Utah there are tens-of-thousands perhaps hundreds-of-thousands of people who LIKE BOTH SCHOOLS. These people have friends and/or family connections at both institutions. If we were talking about politics... these "SWING FANS" would be called MODERATES. In the 80's... BYU captured virtually all of these fans. In the 90's... Utah made slight progress... but BYU still owned the day. What I don't think many people truly realize the damage that was done to BYU's football program (and BYU's local fan base) during the years that Crownton was stinking it up... while Utah was rising to the top under Urban Meyer. I personally have many friends who switched allegiances during those years and have never gone back. For the past few years... SWING FANS have been split... but now with Utah going to the PAC 10... this heavily tips the scale in their favor. Unless BYU gets into a big conference in the next few years... Utah will surpass BYU and have the largest fanbase in the state (although they'll still trail BYU in national following). But this is significant... it means more money, more attention, etc.
Aaron... just so you know... my passion is college football... and I very much like BYU... I follow them pretty close... almost always root for them... and I even go to see BYU play once or twice a year. I know my BYU football history better than most dye-hard BYU fans. But... I'm not a dye-hard BYU fan... and haven't been since the Ty Detmer era. From 1992 - 2001 I was largely uninterested in the rivalry... and I only casually followed college football... I lived outside of Utah for many of those years and just didn't take the time. some years I rooted for BYU to win the holy war... other years I rooted for Utah. In 2001, while a student at Utah, my love for college football re-ignited... and I began closely following the Utes. That year... while watching the Utes beat USC in the Vegas bowl... I realized I had become a passionate Utah football fan. The next year (2002)... I went to some games... even though it was a disappointing season. In 2003, I took Laura on our first date to the Utah vs Cal football game at Rice-Eccles stadium (on September 11, 2003)... long before I knew anyone in her family. The rest is history.
All for fun Brad......You know I love the banter.
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