Does the ugliness, the hatred, the vitriol really make it a better rivalry? Or more fun?
Over the years, I've lost passion for pro sports, then college basketball....I wonder if my obsession/passion for college football is next.
I remember going to the Utah football games in the early 80's. I remember the Utes sucking. I remember asking my dad why we came to the games if we knew the Utes would lose.
His answer was pretty simple. "Because they are our team and what better way to spend a fall afternoon than outside, eating a grilled hot dog with your dad?"
It was hard to argue. There was something very innocent about it. The only emotion really tied to it was being happy to be there with my dad. The wins were great because they were a surprise. We usually had a lot of leg room. Some guy down a few rows smoked a pipe or a cigar. I remember thinking that I wish he'd always smoke the pipe and ditch the cigars. I remember the wood floor boards in that old stadium. I remember the wood benches in the G. A. areas. I remember walking up those benches on occasion and seeing mini bottles and not thinking anything of it. They weren't bad people, they just led a different life than my family. I remember back when the vendors used to walk up and down the stairs and actually sell stuff in the stands. The drinks were wrapped with saran wrap and a rubber band and the hot dogs were usually only luke warm.
The only thing I was really aware of in the football rivalry in my early youth was that BYU nearly always won. My dad told me that Utah beat BYU once when I was little. When I was 13, they did it again. I remember my grandma even went to that game. I remember Sammy Tausinga snatching a ball out of the air and running it back for a TD. I remember Eddie Johnson having a great game. I remember Eddie being carried off the field. I remember cutting out the headlines and making my mom frame the front page because I knew this was special. I remember thinking and feeling it might never happen again. And I remember thinking, that's okay. Because it happened and I saw it.
I remember listening to the Utes play their away games on the A.M radio on our old blue ford pickup truck as we'd do our yardwork and then drive down Fairield road to the Davis County Landfill. Then getting a soda on the way home and listening to Bill Marcroft before he was crazy.
I remember years later making the journey to Cougar Stadium to watch the last game I would see before going on a mission. The guy behind us was wearing a dated satin BYU jacket and was drunk and foul. I remember thinking, "Maybe we're not all so different after all." To their credit, the people around us all took care of us. They were good people. BYU fans, no less. Utah had no chance of winning, it was Cougar Stadium after all. And the kicker sucked. Well, it came down to a field goal and the kicker didn't suck and Utah won.
I took note, because I figured I'd never see that again. And I remember thinking, that's okay. Because it happened and I saw it.
Years later, I sat and watched the time melt off the clock as everyone around us was wearing Sombreros. 11-0. Wow. And a BCS bowl? Wow.
Take note. This will never happen again. I turned to my dad and said, "Well...it will never get any better than this. This is one of those once in a lifetime moments." And I remember thinking, that's okay. Because it happened and I saw it.
This past January, I sat in a dome in New Orleans with my mom, dad and my 6 year old son and watched as the Utes dismantled a team which everyone had believed was unbeatable in a bowl game in which nobody though Utah would play. We were stunned and we were ecstatic. It was another once in a lifetime moment. And I remember thinking, that's okay. Because it happened and I saw it.
For me, it's really not about BYU. It never has been. I am a Utah fan because that is who I am. That is what "we" do. They are "our team." I'm sure a large number of BYU fans feel the same way about their Cougars and the rivalry.
I miss the innocence. I miss the naivete. I long for civility.
Rest assured, that I would certainly not put up with disgusting language or behavior or religious slurs around me. In fact, I've always spoken out when I've had the opportunity.
Over the years, I've lost passion for pro sports, then college basketball....I wonder if my obsession/passion for college football is next.
I remember going to the Utah football games in the early 80's. I remember the Utes sucking. I remember asking my dad why we came to the games if we knew the Utes would lose.
His answer was pretty simple. "Because they are our team and what better way to spend a fall afternoon than outside, eating a grilled hot dog with your dad?"
It was hard to argue. There was something very innocent about it. The only emotion really tied to it was being happy to be there with my dad. The wins were great because they were a surprise. We usually had a lot of leg room. Some guy down a few rows smoked a pipe or a cigar. I remember thinking that I wish he'd always smoke the pipe and ditch the cigars. I remember the wood floor boards in that old stadium. I remember the wood benches in the G. A. areas. I remember walking up those benches on occasion and seeing mini bottles and not thinking anything of it. They weren't bad people, they just led a different life than my family. I remember back when the vendors used to walk up and down the stairs and actually sell stuff in the stands. The drinks were wrapped with saran wrap and a rubber band and the hot dogs were usually only luke warm.
The only thing I was really aware of in the football rivalry in my early youth was that BYU nearly always won. My dad told me that Utah beat BYU once when I was little. When I was 13, they did it again. I remember my grandma even went to that game. I remember Sammy Tausinga snatching a ball out of the air and running it back for a TD. I remember Eddie Johnson having a great game. I remember Eddie being carried off the field. I remember cutting out the headlines and making my mom frame the front page because I knew this was special. I remember thinking and feeling it might never happen again. And I remember thinking, that's okay. Because it happened and I saw it.
I remember listening to the Utes play their away games on the A.M radio on our old blue ford pickup truck as we'd do our yardwork and then drive down Fairield road to the Davis County Landfill. Then getting a soda on the way home and listening to Bill Marcroft before he was crazy.
I remember years later making the journey to Cougar Stadium to watch the last game I would see before going on a mission. The guy behind us was wearing a dated satin BYU jacket and was drunk and foul. I remember thinking, "Maybe we're not all so different after all." To their credit, the people around us all took care of us. They were good people. BYU fans, no less. Utah had no chance of winning, it was Cougar Stadium after all. And the kicker sucked. Well, it came down to a field goal and the kicker didn't suck and Utah won.
I took note, because I figured I'd never see that again. And I remember thinking, that's okay. Because it happened and I saw it.
Years later, I sat and watched the time melt off the clock as everyone around us was wearing Sombreros. 11-0. Wow. And a BCS bowl? Wow.
Take note. This will never happen again. I turned to my dad and said, "Well...it will never get any better than this. This is one of those once in a lifetime moments." And I remember thinking, that's okay. Because it happened and I saw it.
This past January, I sat in a dome in New Orleans with my mom, dad and my 6 year old son and watched as the Utes dismantled a team which everyone had believed was unbeatable in a bowl game in which nobody though Utah would play. We were stunned and we were ecstatic. It was another once in a lifetime moment. And I remember thinking, that's okay. Because it happened and I saw it.
For me, it's really not about BYU. It never has been. I am a Utah fan because that is who I am. That is what "we" do. They are "our team." I'm sure a large number of BYU fans feel the same way about their Cougars and the rivalry.
I miss the innocence. I miss the naivete. I long for civility.
Rest assured, that I would certainly not put up with disgusting language or behavior or religious slurs around me. In fact, I've always spoken out when I've had the opportunity.
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