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I go to Utefans and see Ute fans who were talking about Whit getting fired mid-season last year, etc., and their current swaggar, and I get slightly nauseated. Whit's success is one of the happiest, most heart warming stories I've seen in sports. He's of the Lavelle tree. His alma mater wanted him back, the two rivals got into an epic bidding war, and he followed his heart. He went with the Utes. What person who truly loves the University of Utah wouldn't want the guy to succeed spectacularly? He put on the line his whole career and reputation, even his whole well being in the state of his fathers, birth and upbringing.
Now, it's a matter of record that I always was Whit's biggest cheerleader. I did always believe in him on the merits. I have lived through the lean years of Bill Meek, the dark days of Tom Lovat, the hopeful and painfully disappointed days of Wayne Howard, the false euphoria of Jim Fassel, the long slow climb and ultimate expiration of Ron McBride. To my untrained and inexperienced eye, Whit and his inexperienced staff and quarterback were showing great promise. There were some impressive highs each year, along with a near 70% winning percentage. Never had a U of U coach started out so strong, except for Urban Meyer.
I also believe it takes years to build what Whit has built, after suffering the wholesale losses he experienced after 2004, not to mention the injuries. A lot of football coaches have built great programs and traditions after slower starts than Whit had. Pete Carroll didn't set the world on fire from the start (lost to Utah in his first bowl game at USC). Tom McCartney at Colorado was 1-10 early on. There are many examples.
But what good hearted and rational Ute fan wouldn't have resolved all doubts in favor of Whit, wouldn't have wanted him to succeed and given him every possible chance to do so? A man who snubbed BYU and in doing so put it all on the line.
Right now I'm thinking that I wouldn't want any of those people who turned on Whit so quickly as neighbors, work colleagues, or in-laws. Okay, I give JazzyUte a break because he's super young and no one spills more ink and blood for the Utes than he does. Anyone in a similar category I forgive. But there are some who weren't. Like someone who sent me a PM after the Vegas game who's about my age and claimed to know what Chris Hill was thinking. Those people should be ashamed of themselves.
Now, it's a matter of record that I always was Whit's biggest cheerleader. I did always believe in him on the merits. I have lived through the lean years of Bill Meek, the dark days of Tom Lovat, the hopeful and painfully disappointed days of Wayne Howard, the false euphoria of Jim Fassel, the long slow climb and ultimate expiration of Ron McBride. To my untrained and inexperienced eye, Whit and his inexperienced staff and quarterback were showing great promise. There were some impressive highs each year, along with a near 70% winning percentage. Never had a U of U coach started out so strong, except for Urban Meyer.
I also believe it takes years to build what Whit has built, after suffering the wholesale losses he experienced after 2004, not to mention the injuries. A lot of football coaches have built great programs and traditions after slower starts than Whit had. Pete Carroll didn't set the world on fire from the start (lost to Utah in his first bowl game at USC). Tom McCartney at Colorado was 1-10 early on. There are many examples.
But what good hearted and rational Ute fan wouldn't have resolved all doubts in favor of Whit, wouldn't have wanted him to succeed and given him every possible chance to do so? A man who snubbed BYU and in doing so put it all on the line.
Right now I'm thinking that I wouldn't want any of those people who turned on Whit so quickly as neighbors, work colleagues, or in-laws. Okay, I give JazzyUte a break because he's super young and no one spills more ink and blood for the Utes than he does. Anyone in a similar category I forgive. But there are some who weren't. Like someone who sent me a PM after the Vegas game who's about my age and claimed to know what Chris Hill was thinking. Those people should be ashamed of themselves.
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