If things go as planned, I will be attending the state's biggest football game tonight. I'm writing this before I go because, due to the game's late starting time, it's going to be well past midnight when I get home and I make sure to always post my daily blog before midnight (hence, a daily blog...).
So, right now, I have no idea what's going to happen or who's going to win.
The oddsmakers, Vegas, your average fan--they all agree Utah has the edge over BYU this year. My head agrees with this assessment, but my guts, they're annoyingly interrupting my train of thought. There's something about tonight's game that is not necessarily making me nervous, but causing me to think this one's no a sure thing.
This year, as with every year, there are subplots and side stories to add color to an already colorful game. There seems to always be players who grew up rooting for one team then found themselves wearing the opposing team's uniforms when it came time to play. This year, those players happen to be the highest profile players in the game. It all adds to the tension, the drama.
I'm still a Utah Man at heart. I suppose I always will be. Having gone there, graduating from there, it's a part of me. For years I was not a BYU fan. Many times I even rooted for whatever team was playing the Y to come out ahead.
Time have changed.
I think/hope it's because I'm older or more mature--whatever the reason, I have had a change of heart, especially after the school in Provo showed such support for the University of Utah student athlete Lauren McCluskey, who was killed earlier this year. BYU and other schools showed their support by wearing red and U of U gear. They didn't have to--no one made them do it, and I know many of those athletes dislike the U with a very real hatred. Yet, they put that aside because the life of a student should be more important than a rivalry.
I hope I've come to the point where if BYU wins tonight's game, sure I'll be disappointed, but I hope I can be happy for their program and their fans. They're a good school. They have players/coaches who are good people, and after seven straight losses, a win would be that much sweeter.
But I still hope Utah wins. Here's to a good game where everyone plays hard, the refs are as fair as they can be, and no one gets hurt. For a Utah Man am I--Go Utes!!
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