I have made a decision in my life that very well could affect my personal salvation and that of my entire family. It is a decision that never in a million years did I ever think that I would make. It's a decision that goes against one of my innermost core beliefs. Though it is racking my entire body with feelings of guilt and shame, because of circumstances out of my control I feel like I have no other choice.
As a kid growing up it was always black and white.(blue and white would be better said) There was no middle ground. We were and continue to be Cougar fans.
Along with my love for the Cougars came a disliking for the team in red. The Utes were the enemy. On any given weekend in the fall I would cheer for the Cougars and any team that played the Utes. That's just how it was.
In 1998, when the Utes played for the NCAA basketball championship, I cheered for Kentucky. In 2004, though it was a long shot, I hoped that Pitt could put a complete game together and knock off Urban and his crew. It didn't matter how much exposure the conference would get, if it was the Utes doing the playing I wanted them to lose.
At times my feelings were rewarded. In 2001, I laughed as Lance Rice mismanaged the clock and the Utes ran out of time on the 4 yard line down only by one point. In 2005, I was amused when the Utes failed 3 times to punch it in the endzone from the 1 inch line and lost to CSU. When Frank "the tank" Summers ran roughshod over the Utes defense and shut the men in red out 27-0, I was giddy.
What do I do now though?
BYU is now in the discussions of not only breaking into the BCS, but they are also being mentioned by the national media as possibly landing in the championship game.
A lot of things would have to occur for that to even be a possibility, but the talk is being generated none the less. Is it possible? I guess. Likely? No. But it's still fun to speculate.
The biggest source of criticism against the Cougars is their strength of schedule. It's no secret that they haven't played nor will play anybody good until possibly the last game of the season. This unfortunately is where the Y will have to rely on the Utes.
If things were to turn out in college football the same way they did last year with all the BCS conference champions having 2 or more losses, a 2 loss team could still leap frog BYU in the BCS polls based on their SOS. That is unless they can play a top ten opponent and beat them on their own field.
The perfect storm is building. If BYU and Utah were to match up at the end of the year both undefeated, you can bet both would be ranked in the top ten. It would be the battle of the century. The stakes would be huge. The teams would not only be playing for bragging rights but also for a conference championship, BCS bowl birth and, though it would be a long shot, they could possibly be playing for an appearance in the BCS championship game. Both teams need to be ranked though to be even considered for the big daddy of the bowls.
My dilemma is, can I really bring myself to cheer for the Utes and hope that they win every game so as to remain undefeated?
I am sickened to admit that with the circumstances being what they are, tomorrow night when the Utes and OSU kickoff, for the first time in my life I will sit in front of my TV and will say, "a Utah man am I." I will watch the Utes and will fight off the feelings to root against them, feelings that come to me just as naturally as breathing. I will be cheering that the team in that awful color of red can pull off the win and continue to move up in the polls.
There is a lot of risk with hoping for an undefeated Ute season. If Utah were to win that final game they would steal everything right out from under the Cougars and they would be the ones to enjoy the BCS party. It would open us up to smack talk like none that Cougar fans have ever experienced. I'm willing to risk it though. With great risk, comes even greater reward.
The stars are aligning. There is still along ways to go and a lot of football to be played. BYU has to remain undefeated and that will not be an easy task. In the end though, if they can pull it off, this year has the potential to be the best in BYU history. The reward could be great.
For that I reason I have made the decision that I have. I have turned a blind eye on all that I was taught as a kid with regards to this rivalry.
May God have mercy on my soul!
15 comments:
Thanks for consulting me on the matter. :-)
I can't believe what I just read.
Probably a good idea not to let Doc E catch wind of this.
Talk about waxing poetic. Man that was some serious literary work. I am a little different than you in that I have always been a BYU fan, but I have also rooted for the Utes in games against other teams. Many would argue that makes me NOT a BYU fan, but to those that say that, I say SCREW YOU!... I like to see the local teams do well, and I guess my undergrad is red as well.
I do have to say that this is very surprising coming from you Edwards, I remember the grief I heard from you during the Urban years.
I am a little worried about the Aggies for some reason. I just have this feeling in my gut that the Cougs are over-looking the pitiful team from Cache County. The Ags are about as bad as can be, but still a D 1 school. I think it may be from last weeks upsets.
I don't think the game will even be close. Utah State is really that bad.
On paper they are technically Div 1 but they could easily be the worst team in the state behind WSU and SUU. If BYU doesn't win big I'll be surprised. I'll be even more surprised if USU actually puts some points on the board.
I guess anything is possible but I just don't see this game being any different than the last two. Bronco has done a good job of keeping his team focussed.
Payson could beat Utah State, they are that bad.
As for your opportunism in rooting for the Utes. I would compare that to a 5 year old saying they dont like vegetables without ever actually trying them. they would rather go with the other 5 year olds that supposedly hate vegetables than try them first. But as the 5 year old matures, and actually tries the vegetables, they may find out that some veggies arent that bad, and are actually good for you.
So, after you try cheering for the Utes this thursday, just think about how healthy its going to be...and im glad we utes could be of service to you cougar fans in some aspect, it is what we live for after all, to be of service to cougar fan. As for the cheering for the devil, I guess I'll let that slide as the love thy neighbor as thyself must have been a suggestion not a commandment. and I wont bring up the fact that the last two prophets were Utah graduates, who might take exception to the fact that cheering for their alma mater would jeopardize your salvation. all said, the utes could use the extra help as long as brian johnson is the quarterback. We utes welcome your fanhood, and embrace you as you seek the truth.
as for national championship contention...not going to happen. unless every sec team loses 4 times, no MWC team, no matter what, will ever play for a national championship. it just wont happen. Fiesta bowl, maybe.
SDR and any other BYU fan....hear this from an objective voice...after all, I have your best interests in mind.
You don't want to play in the BCS Championship. Trust me.
Just ask yourself which would bring more shame and humiliation to the program, a loss along the way and a day or two of media critcism, or a complete annihalation in the championship to a 2 loss team from the SEC, or Big 12? I think the former.
By the way...BYU is ranked 7, and USC is ranked 9. Does anyone really think they BYU is better than USC? (Be honest) Didn't think so.
there would only be one way to find out, and it could happen if both run the table from here on out. I guarantee that cougar fan would travel to pasadena to play an away game against USC. I dont think that it would be too close, but we'll have to see.
OSU 28, Utah 31
Wow! That was harder than I thought it would be. In fact, to be completely honest, I chuckled when OSU went up by 8 with just over 2 minutes left. I thought for sure the Utes were done for.
What an ugly game. Least the U got the win. It's hard to be too critical when they still remain undefeated. They stepped up big when they had too.
Dr. P- Brian Johnson must have drove you crazy tonight. I have wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt thus far for just having a couple bad games, but the more I watch him the more I am inclined to think he just isn't that good. Unless he pulls his head out I think he is going to cost the Utes a game or more somewhere between now and the end of the season.
To his credit, he got the job done and played flawless when they most needed him. That last drive was very nice. I'm sure that will just add to more of the frustration.
Tikes- Which option brings the most amount of money? There is only shame if you lose badly.
I would love to see a BYU vs USC matchup. That would be as good of a measuring stick as any opponent out there. The Utes got screwed in 04. If the Cougars can make it as far as they did I don't want the same thing to happen to them.
Bring on the Trojans, win or lose.
what is the running total for MWC vs PAC 10 again, i think its 6-1.
And I have been on Brian Johnson's case since last year. I am convinced he is stupid. no brains. Someone with a brain would be able to grasp the concept of tucking the ball so as not to fumble. or dont throw the ball to players that dont have the same color shirts as you.
Be it known also, that by beating #24 UCONN this week, the UNC football team has now beaten more ranked teams than both BYU and Utah combined in 2008. Just thought I'd let you know.
Don't look now, (or do), but UNC is ranked 22. Yep.
If you take the ranking of the Cougs and the Utes and put them together, it adds up to 22.
That means the MWC is twice the conference the ACC is. Yep.
Truth is in the eye of the beholder.....as it were.
I thought it was beauty that was in the eye of the holder.
The truth, if I recall, is in the numbers.
Numbers can be manipulated to make any point, therefore truth cannot be found there.
Thats rule number 1 of Statistics.
At least I think that is what my pakistani teacher told us...
Say it's so joe. The BYU boys are in the top 10 right above the Georgia bullbogs. Say it's so joe. shane we are having a boy.
Pigler
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