Revisiting An Old Rivalry Game...Y Vs U--2012 Edition

There's no sports on TV, and who knows when it will return? And, NO, I don't count Dodge Juggle 3 as a sport. I used to check the Sports listings first when I fired up the old TV--it was habit. Not anymore. I mean, why bother?

I did, however, check the sports listings the other day and I came upon a game from 2012. BYU traveled north to take on their rivals, the Utes of Utah. Now, any time these teams get together, you're in for a battle. This game did not disappoint, unless you root for the team that lost.

Watching it again--the first time since 2012--there was a lot I had forgotten about the game. I forgot BYU was ranked #25 in the nation when they played. I also forgot how good that BYU team was. That was a talented team and they had some beasts playing for them. Their quarterback, Riley Nelson, and junior JD Falslev were men on the field--they never quit. And linebacker Kyle Van Noy was one of the best players to play in the state.

BYU was good, worthy of their ranking, and if they were a Big 10, or SEC team, they'd definitely have been ranked higher.

When I watched the game originally, I was too nervous to watch the individual plays, the small victories and defeats from each team as the game progressed. Watching it again, I could see how great a game it was. There was one pivotal moment that turned the game, and had BYU not botched a snap that led to a Utah turnover and touchdown, I see BYU winning that game. But that's how football works, the strange-shaped ball guarantees that there's no guarantees.

But, no matter how great the game was, it will always be remembered for the way it ended. An incredible Nelson throw with only seconds to go put the Cougars within scoring position. The Cougars could either win it with a touchdown or tie with a field goal. 

Last play--the Cougars failed to score. Time runs out and Utah fans rush the field. There's one problem for all those red-clad Utah fans--one second left on the clock. BYU attempts a field goal. A block sends the Utah fans back on the field. A penalty sends them off the field and gives BYU one more chance, one more shot.

Then, the cruelest of things happens. The last snap, the last play...the ball sailed through the sky toward the goalposts. There's even a BYU player celebrating a game-tying field goal. Then...clunk--the football hits the right post and goes wide. Utah wins 24 - 21.

Watching the end of the game I see athletes putting it all on the line, giving everything they had. One team won, the other lost. It's the contract you sign when you participate in sports, either as a fan or a player or a coach. I found a new respect for that BYU team and their coaches. Just a tough way for it to end.

Rivalry Week...For Me, A Paradox

In many ways, I really hate Rivalry Week.

Many University of Utah football fans and Brigham Young University football fans LOVE this week. It's something that, up until a few years ago, was as annual an event as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Day. And the die-hard fans of each institution reveled in its glory.

So, what's to hate?

Lots, actually.

Of course we don't always remember how things "used to be," but the general consensus is that over the past few years, the rivalry's gotten mean and nasty. There's as many opinions about why the rivalry has gotten so bad as there are armchair commentators to let you know. I have my own opinions. I believe there are many reasons the Holy War has gotten so intense, but personally, I'd say the main reason is based on one big fact:

The Utah Utes got good.

They got so good, they've dominated the series as of late. I know some BYU fans might not agree, because many of the contests have been very close with several overtime games. But if we talk wins vs losses, it's not been close. Since 2002 Utah has beat BYU ten times and lost three. The last time BYU beat Utah was 2009. In fact, for seven decades Utah owned BYU, and by "owned" I mean from 1896 to 1971, BYU beat the Utes a total of eight times. As of now, Utah leads the all-time series 58-34-4 (all stats courtesy of Wikipedia--though not "official," they're probably pretty close...).

But then BYU hired Coach LaVell Edwards and that changed everything. For anyone born between, say, 1960 and 1985, you almost never saw the BYU Cougars lose to Utah, and not lose much to anyone else. They had some of the best teams in the country and they even won the big enchilada--the National Championship in 1984.

So, as long as Utah wasn't good, the Holy War was pretty much another excuse for BYU fans to enjoy another dominating win. And all was well in Happy Valley.

But, as I said before, Utah decided not to remain a Cougar doormat. Over time the names of McBride, Meyer, and Whittingham slowly built a team, a team that hasn't done to the Cougars what they did to Utah (go 19-2 from 1971 to 1992...), but has made their mark. And as far as going undefeated, Utah did what BYU did in 1984 twice in four years. They were the first BCS buster (BYU never made it to a BCS bowl--Utah went twice...). Utah moved from the Mountain West Conference to a Big 5 conference, and have gotten the kind of national attention BYU used to get all the time.

So, why is Rivalry Week a paradox for me. It's simple, actually. I was one of those born between 1960 and 1985, and I went to the U of U. I watched time after time the boys in blue totally pound my Utes. It was not pretty. It did not feel good. But as I became a bigger Ute fan, losing to the Y hurt more and more--brought back the memories, I suppose.

I know Rivalry Week is supposed to be fun, a time to celebrate two good teams as they show what they can do on the field. It's supposed to be a time for their fans to enjoy one-upping each other and making silly bets. I should be excited for the week and having a good time this week. So--for me--in order to do this, I actually have to care less about the game, dismiss those deep-seated issues that swim in my subconscious. If I care less, I'll enjoy it more.

Next Sunday I'll go to church. If Utah wins I'll think about wearing my U of U football tie, but I'll probably not because I have so many friends who will be hurting. Some Utah fans will wear theirs, though. And if BYU wins many will be wearing something blue and smiling more than normal. They'll get to feel something they haven't felt since 2009.

I have no idea how it will end up, who will win and who will not. Of course, it's only a few months until college basketball season and we'll be doing the whole thing all over again.

The Tie I Didn't Wear To Church Today...

Back on October 4, 2014, I wrote a blog post in which I expressed some thoughts concerning a local sports team. It was after a tough, tough home loss where they lost more than the game, they lost several key players. The link to that post can be found: HERE. That post generated a comment from a friend and fan of the team. I'm glad he wrote it. 

Turns out, it was just the beginning of a nightmare four-game losing streak. If you live in the local area and follow sports, you've heard all about it. When I wrote my post three weeks ago I had no idea things would turn so poorly for them. But, sports can be a fickle mistress. 

In other local sports news, another local team has fared much better in the month of October, which, for die-hard fans of BYU and who dislike the Utes, only adds to the agony--salt in the already painful wound. Last night around 11:50pm mountain daylight time, many happy fans stormed the home field as the boys from Utah defeated their counterparts from the University of Southern California. I was too worked up to go to sleep right after the game, but this morning as I dressed for church, I wondered if I should wear "the tie."

I was given my University of Utah football tie several years ago. Since then the team I follow and root for has been at times one of the best football teams in the country and one of the worst teams in their own conference. I've experienced the ups and downs that many of my friends who rise and shout are feeling now. Sometimes after a big Utah Utes win on a Saturday, I'll don my tie and wear it with pride while sitting among my neighbors.

Today, though, it just didn't seem like the thing to do. During the dark days of Utah football, it's not fun to be reminded of mediocrity. No, I'll wait for another day. The next several weeks are going to be brutal for my crimson soldiers. They might not win another game and I may have missed my chance to wear the victory tie, but that's okay. There's always next season. Yeah, we'll get 'em next year for sure!