Utah Wins...Just Like Old Times

 I don't attend the games anymore. I could, but the cost and moving an extra sixty miles away makes it that much more difficult. But, there was a time when I attended almost every University of Utah men's home basketball game. As a student, we got free tickets (free...). One season my friend and I were on Row 2 on the aisle. Those were great seats. The place was sold out every home game and the Utah Utes almost always won.

My, how things have changed.

I did a screen shot of tonight's U of U vs BYU game from the Utah Athletic's X account. The clip shows the final seconds of the game. The Utah player drained a free throw putting the game out of reach. Those lucky enough to have attended were given a treat, a game of rivals as passionate as any in the country. It's a feeling desperately lacking in that building, a feeling that was once a given...not anymore. Some can say things are returning to normal, but it's going to take a lot more of what happened tonight to reach "normal." 

Normal is the Utah program being one of the best men's basketball programs in the country, always making the tournament and even coming close to winning ANOTHER national championship. Normal is where teams come into Salt Lake hoping for a win, but expecting to lose. Normal is getting top international talent choosing Utah over other blue chip programs. 

Normal is a long way away.

Normal is what I saw as a twenty-something student with Rick Majerus coaching future NBA stars, NBA champions. We had it so good, so good in fact, we thought the successful Utah Ute brand would shine forever. That's not how things have gone. Many people have worked very hard since those days to return the program to its former glory, but it's difficult. It's so much easier to descend from on high than to go the other direction.

I didn't watch tonight's game. We were on the road, and because we cut cable last month so I wouldn't have been able to watch it even if we were home. I did not listen to the broadcast, either, so I didn't know the score. We did drive through SLC after the game was over and I looked at the mountain to see if the "U" was flashing, or only lit up. 

I saw neither.

I figured, no flashing U meant a loss. It wasn't until I got home that I checked the final score. Watching that clip, seeing a Utah W and a full Huntsman Center, it took me back to when that was normal...

Just like old times.

Experiencing Utah's Moment Of Loudness...First Hand

It's something I wanted to experience, even though I'm sure everyone in attendance would rather not do it. Because the tradition only exists because two athletes are no longer with us, their passing occurred a year apart, devastating to fans, coaches, players, player's families.

The pain remains.

The Moment of Loudness helps ease that pain.

I'd heard about it, of course, and networks would comment on it, but no one ever showed the entire event. On Saturday, I attended my first home game in years, and as the third quarter of the football game transitioned to the fourth, everyone stood and took out their cellphones. 

They all knew.

Soon, so did I.

During the last quarter change, everyone stands and turns their attention to the Jumbotron. A short video plays with scenes of the team and fans. It also shows the two players, their infectious smiles...we are reminded of their talents and personalities. I get the feeling they were better people than athletes.

Then, on cue, the sound begins, building from a few, then everyone in the stadium adds their voice, their tribute as cellphone lights replace faces in the stands. Finally, the sounds of thousands of people drown out the narrator.

"It's amazing," I tell my friend who invited me.

"It's even better at night," he responds, and I can picture it in my mind. I'm sure it is.

I know of no other tradition like it anywhere in the country. Perhaps there is, and if so, it doesn't really matter. It happens on the University of Utah campus during home football games, and it's truly special.

Family on three.

Well Done, Mr. Weddle...Well Done

 Not being a world-class athlete, I have no way to relate to what world-class athletes go through as they train, prepare, and participate in the big game. It's hard to imagine working most of your life towards a singular goal--to win a championship...to walk off the field knowing that for a brief moment in time, no other team is better than you at your sport.

The feeling must be amazing.

The Super Bowl was played last night. For the second year, I did not watch. This doesn't mean I wasn't interested in the outcome. Since I like underdogs, I would not have minded if the Cincinnati Bengals had won. I love it when team that have never won before finally get their ring. But, I wanted the Los Angeles Rams to win, and not because they have three former University of Utah football players on the their roster,

It's because they had one former Ute on their team...

Eric Weddle.

If you know his story, you're as amazed at how his a career ended (for the second time...) as me. If you're not familiar with him, do an internet search and you'll be impressed, too. But what makes the man one of my favorite players in a game I no longer follow is the fact that he is universally loved. Those who know him personally cannot say enough about his character, the type of man he is, the example he is for boys and fathers everywhere.

Add to the fact that his football playing career had a fairytale ending only makes his story more incredible.

I have a friend who had the opportunity to meet him on several occasions. My friend lives near San Diego and when Weddle played for the Chargers, he would speak to youth members of his church. My friend--an avid BYU fan--told me Eric Weddle is the only good thing to come out of the University of Utah. It was a tongue-in-cheek comment, but his opinion of Mr. Weddle eclipsed those negative feelings he had for his rival school.

So many players retire without ever winning a championship...many players never come close. It's good to see a great athlete and from what many say, a better man, walk away from the game a champion. The post-game ice cream is well-deserved.

Just A Few Of My Hats...

 Here are only a few of the hats I own. In fact, it's only a few of the hats with the University of Utah logo on them that I own. Other U of U hats are in a box somewhere...I haven't gotten them unpacked from the move. And because they're still packed away, I ought to get rid of them. Most of my hats come from thrift stores (except the Rose Bowl U hat my good friend, Bob picked up for me last month...). 

Personally, I don't believe I have a problem.

Others may disagree.

Of course, some may think I have an obvious problem, not because I'm collecting hats, but because of the type of hats I collect. Many of my friends would never wear a read hat with at big U (or a couple of U's...) on them. No, they wear hats with different colors and different big letters on them. To be fair, I would probably never wear the hats they wear so I understand where they're coming from.

I wear hats almost every time I go out, mostly for logical reasons--I don't want a sunburn or I don't want my head to freeze. If I were driving and my car broke down and I had to walk for any length of time, I'd be in trouble without a hat, be it in the summer, winter, spring, or fall. So, having a hat on hand (or head...) is a good thing. I just happen to like hats that advertise my favorite sports team.

My mother told me many times that one of my father's favorite sayings was this:

"If one is good, then two is better."

My father (and mother...) grew up during The Great Depression so that saying has a deeper meaning. Is one hat good? Yes. Is two hats better? Definitely. Do I have enough hats? Of course. Will I buy another U of U hat if I happen to see one in a thrift store?

Probably.

Welcome Back...My Good Friend

 It's back...

Whether I'm ready for it or not.

Can't stop it, even though a worldwide pandemic tried.

The 2021/2022 College Football Season has begun.

Oh...now the ecstasy/agony begins.

I go through the same thing year after year. I wait and wait--in many ways August is the LONGEST month of the year for me...as a kid it was December, but as an adult, it's August. 

One thing I try to not do every year and I end up doing every year is believe the hype. It generates clicks and I suppose sells newspapers (or used to...). Fans love to read about/hear about/talk about pre-season college football and I guess I'm one of them. It was worse for me, though. I used to listen to sports radio hours upon hours on end. I've stopped doing that. I found that most of the time, they talk on and on and on and on about stuff that they either get completely wrong or they're just trying to stir a hornet's nest.

Right now, Southern Utah is getting run off the field by San Jose State but I don't care. It's college football and it's here. Next week, more local Utah teams play. Let's hope they do better than the southern-most team in the state in their openers.

It's back...

Whether I'm ready for it or not.

Yeah...I'm One Of Them

 It's been a most unusual year.

I don't know anyone who's life has not been affected by covid, some more than others. I've admitted before that for our family, sure we've had issues, but we've come through this mostly unscathed (knocking on wood...). One of the adjustments for me is sports.

Or, the lack thereof.

For the first time since my mission in the mid-1980s, I did not watch one NFL game, play-off game, or the big daddy, last Sunday's Super Bowl. I've been wanting to spend less time watching games for years, and it seemed like a good place to start. Maybe it's because most of my college football favorite team's games were canceled in 2020 that turned me off to football. Maybe it was something else.

It's weird giving something up.

For the most part, it wasn't a big deal. I've sort of lost interest in many of the teams...not knowing a lot of the good players nowadays. Still, I would have liked to seen Zach Moss, and many of my Utah Ute alumni play in the pros. And I would have been able to see numerous alums play--Utah put so many players in NFL. Good news is that if the Utes continue to excel at the college level, there'll be more to watch later.

Now that the season's over, I don't know if I'm going to watch any pro games next year. I might...we'll see. So, I didn't watch the Super Bowl...apparently, I wasn't the only one.

The Highs...And The Lows

 A few weeks ago, I posted a picture showing the final score of the University of Utah vs. the University of Washington football game.

It was not a pretty sight...

Unless you're a Husky's fan.

No, the game was a tough pill to swallow, especially after Utah lead 21-0 and watched the other team score 24 straight points and win in the final minutes. It was, in a word, brutal. The next week I snapped another picture, only this wasn't from the Utah game, but from the Brigham Young University vs. Coastal Carolina University game played in South Carolina. That was an amazing game...

Unless you're a Cougar fan.

Both games, the UofU and BYU games were heartbreaking, both local teams played good enough to win, but didn't. Both fan bases were devastated (unless, you're an anti-fan of either team and then, you may have liked the outcomes...). 

Following the Washington loss, the Utes played two games and won them both, most recently, the Utes beat the Buffalos of Colorado--that was a fun one to watch.

Both teams have at least one more game to play this season. BYU is headed to Florida for a bowl game. Utah plays the other Washington team this weekend and, from what I've been told, if the Utes win they could play a bowl game themselves. With so few games to watch, the wins have been better and the losses tougher. All I know is, I'm glad to experience both the highs, and the lows.

Are "U" Ready For Some Football? Um...Yeah

 Back in March of this year, I don't think any of us understood how much things were going to change in 2020. They said "Two weeks to flatten the curve." That turned into nine months with really no end in sight.

As far as sports, covid changed everything. Immediately, they canceled the NCAA tournament and postponed both the NBA and NHL seasons. Surely though, it wouldn't affect college football, right.

Wrong.

But wait! They bring back NHL and NBA games. They play baseball and soccer. Surely, they can make sure college football won't get canceled, right?

Wrong...

Well, kind of wrong. Depends who you are and where you are.

For a University of Utah football fan, this fall has been brutal. One by one, conferences canceled seasons. I chalked up the non-season as another crappy part of the year. Then, a ray of hope pierced the clouds--conferences were changing their minds. They would play! Games would happen! Football was not dead! Right?

Wrong...

Well, kind of wrong. Depends on who you are and where you are.

Conferences begin scheduling games, hype builds. Other schools begin playing. It's tough, but okay, because eventually my Utah Utes will take the field to the delight of me and many others. Weeks go by, other teams play...Game Day draws near. But, then I hear of scheduled games that don't happen, games canceled due to positive covid tests. Oh no, I think. That won't/can't happen to the Utes, right?

Wrong.

Okay, game one canceled--that sucks, but it won't/can't happened twice in a row, right?

Wrong again.

At this point, I'm about to hang up my Utah hat for the rest of the year. Now Game Day is scheduled for this weekend, Utah vs. USC. Will it happen? No clue. I'm almost afraid to get my hopes up. Salt was poured into my wounds when I found out two California schools decided--on the fly--to play each other last Sunday because both of their opponents had their games canceled, one of those teams was Utah.

In no way am I implying these decisions to play/cancel are not important. My wish to watch is less important than the health and safety of the players, coaches, and personnel involved in these games. It's just been a pain as a fan to ride this roller coaster.

When we look back on this year, for me not watching a couple of games shouldn't be that biggest issue we remember. I'm hopeful they'll play this weekend. I'd love it f they could get a win. And if they do--and especially win--well...that'll be one of those good days.

This Year's Utah Utes Football Team...Watching Them In Person Is Something Else!

If you're living in the western United States and you follow college football, there are several good teams, and there are a couple of great teams. This year's University of Utah football team is in the latter category.

They're amazing, flat out, amazing.

I've watched all but one game all the way through. Last Saturday night, thanks to my good friend Bob, I was able to watch the team in person.

The experience is even better watching it live.

I'm not the greatest football mind out there--far from it. But those who do know that game seem to say things that confirm what I'm thinking. National attention is being given to the Utah defense, and to a pair of offensive Utah players, their quarterback Tyler Huntley, and running back Zack Moss. Of the two, one is extremely efficient--Huntley, and the other is dynamic--Moss, though truth be told, Huntley was much more dynamic and flashy until he was injured earlier in the year. He's making his way back, though.

Utah played UCLA and it was a good ol' fashioned beat-down. The final score was 49 - 3. Even though the Utes dominated, I've rarely seen a team make so many mistakes and have such bad luck. It's as if the Bruins were cursed--any mistake that could happen to a team did happen to them. At one point Utah led 35 - 3. If UCLA had scored touchdowns each time they were in the red zone, the score would have been 28 - 24 Utah. They'd be behind, but they'd at least UCLA would be in the game.

Last year I was fortunate enough to watch one game in person, the fantastic comeback win over BYU, 35 - 27. That game was incredible because of how it ended. This year's game I attended was different. I watched a focused team completely take apart its opponent.

It was a thing of beauty.

And it was better to watch it in person

Man...I Miss Football

I miss football.

Pure and simple.

I miss it.

It's like when you drive passed a high school or jr. high school around lunchtime in April. Kids are outside enjoying the warmer temperatures and you know they're so close to having their school year be over, they can almost taste it. It's killing them, because they still have a couple of months to go until school's out.

Yeah, it's kind of like that.

Oh, sure--there's other sports on TV right now. There are two national team soccer tournaments going on right now. For the men, the Gold Cup, and the women, the granddaddy of them all, the women's World Cup. Yes, they're entertaining and I am following the tournaments, but it's not the same as football.

And since basketball and hockey seasons are over, there's always the boys of summer playing more games than I could ever take in, but I usually only take interest in baseball during a pennant race and the playoffs. Then there's golf and tennis and racing.

But they're not football, good ol' American football.

Because we no longer have professional football in our area, I root for the University of Utah Utes. I also follow and watch Utah State University's and Weber State University's football programs (because I attended those schools...), as well as BYU's. There's something about the intensity of the college game that is hard to beat.

The Utah season opens up against BYU two months and six days from today. Just like the kids catching rays outside the jr. high on a sunny afternoon in April, it's so close you can almost taste it, yet, so far away.

I miss football.

Pure and simple.