My game day thoughts.......

[RockyBalboa]

Sorry if I ticked you off Rock, it was partly in jest. They know how to enjoy a game and it's a great atmosphere. But a little kid kicking you in the head? Ok, I guess anything is possible.

But, really, what did you expect with what ding dong farted out of his mouth last year? And Bronco's idiotic public marketing campaign? Everyone knew it would be a wild ride.

That said, my little brother has plenty of stories from the zoo. I have never been in LES, but he has been to several. He he even knew about the opening prayer and never told me about it. At the Staley/Doman debacle, as he was leaving, he was heckled, yelled at had stuff thrown at him and several people got out into the aisle to block his way, while yelling stuff at his face. He did say it was the most miserable thing he'd ever experienced, so, well done cougs. And he expected such, it was all part of the adventure.

Like everyone has said, plenty of ass hats to go around. However, hangovers go away in a day. Self-righteousness is a little harder.

Self righteousness is at the crux of the matter, whether you believe it or not. If you don't acknowledge the suffocating mormon culture in utah and the self righteousness of some (not all, but enough that everyone knows a few) you aren't paying attention.

You didn't tick me off.

It's nice to see you justify the behavior though.

You could've saved yourself about 5 paragraphs, but thanks anyway.

[il Padrino Ute]

You lost me. What do you mean?

Is this a subtle response for the innuendo fastball that SU just threw right over the middle of the plate?

[cougjunkie]

You lost me. What do you mean?

Exactly coveted for who? Is SU an Ohio State fan now?

[TripletDaddy]

I'm posting it now because otherwise I may never get to. I'm actually rooting for Oregon, I think, because the Beavers could absorb a coveted BCS bowl spot.

You lost me. What do you mean?

[SeattleUte]

That is what I was trying to tell him, maybe he will listen to you. Could you also post that Oregon State has not beat Oregon yet, so he may want to adjust his signature for a week.

I'm posting it now because otherwise I may never get to. I'm actually rooting for Oregon, I think, because the Beavers could absorb a coveted BCS bowl spot.

[cougjunkie]

They sell Alcohol at The Thomas and Mack Center and at Sam Boyd Stadium in Vegas. And I'm not just talking about beer. I'm talking about the hard liquor.

That is what I was trying to tell him, maybe he will listen to you. Could you also post that Oregon State has not beat Oregon yet, so he may want to adjust his signature for a week.

[RockyBalboa]

I think you are correct about that. But I don't know how a university can sell alcohol at games. Most the student body isn't of age. They don't do it anywhere here.

They sell Alcohol at The Thomas and Mack Center and at Sam Boyd Stadium in Vegas. And I'm not just talking about beer. I'm talking about the hard liquor.

[il Padrino Ute]

Are there any Utah fans out there who will even try to convince us that a small part of their joy was sticking it to the zoobs?

Had the Utes won the game in the same way that the Cougars have won the last two, I would have really rubbed it in. But because it wasn't a close game, there is no reason to gloat, IMO. The final score says more than I ever could.

[Brian]

Sorry if I ticked you off Rock, it was partly in jest. They know how to enjoy a game and it's a great atmosphere. But a little kid kicking you in the head? Ok, I guess anything is possible.

But, really, what did you expect with what ding dong farted out of his mouth last year? And Bronco's idiotic public marketing campaign? Everyone knew it would be a wild ride.

That said, my little brother has plenty of stories from the zoo. I have never been in LES, but he has been to several. He he even knew about the opening prayer and never told me about it. At the Staley/Doman debacle, as he was leaving, he was heckled, yelled at had stuff thrown at him and several people got out into the aisle to block his way, while yelling stuff at his face. He did say it was the most miserable thing he'd ever experienced, so, well done cougs. And he expected such, it was all part of the adventure.

Like everyone has said, plenty of ass hats to go around. However, hangovers go away in a day. Self-righteousness is a little harder.

Self righteousness is at the crux of the matter, whether you believe it or not. If you don't acknowledge the suffocating mormon culture in utah and the self righteousness of some (not all, but enough that everyone knows a few) you aren't paying attention.

[Jeff Lebowski]

I sat with EPU during the game. He was gracious enough to sell me a ticket for $450, but since he was so blitzed, he didn't notice that I handed him a $10 bill and a bunch of Subway coupons. We had a great time.

Be careful with IPU. He will break your heart in the end.

[UtahDan]

Are there any Utah fans out there who will even try to convince us that a small part of their joy was sticking it to the zoobs? We certainly took great pleasure in ripping out Utah's hearts two years in a row, knowing the loser fans were finally getting their comeuppance.

Not me. I know there are those who will say "we just care about winning the conference, its just another game to us, its your bowl game, etc, etc, etc" as though there is something small about getting fired up to beat your rival. I think that is an enormous pile of bull shit.

Rivalries are one of the principle things that make college football fun. I don't care what the records are, I am fired up for the rivalry game every year like no other game. I don't care if we are in a BCS game later or playing the number 1 team early on. I am fired up about those too just in a different way. But every year the rivalry game has a story line whether it is for the conference championship or one team or the other is playing a spoiler. There is something a stake there completely apart from other accomplishments.

I say there is nothing wrong with admitting that sticking it to your rival is really fun. Everyone knows this. I think people kid themselves who say otherwise or just say it to try to claim some silly moral high ground.

[il Padrino Ute]

My thoughts on my visit into the Lion's Den....

I was with cougjunkie pre and post game and did observe the hijinks which he describes. I do attribute most of it to sauced-up fans, which is going to be unavoidable at most colleges. We bumped into some fun trash talkers on our way to the stadium, but that one guy junkie described was pretty random. I honestly just don't know if I've seen much of that stuff at other stadiums.

I sat with EPU during the game. He was gracious enough to sell me a ticket for $450, but since he was so blitzed, he didn't notice that I handed him a $10 bill and a bunch of Subway coupons. We had a great time. I was surrounded by Ute fans of all ages, shapes, sizes, and blood alcohol levels. However, I wasn't treated poorly by any of them. The guy next to me was a complete a-hole (ironically, not EPU but the guy on the other side of me), but he was just yelling stuff down onto the field...stuff that made no sense, by the way. If you are going to run smack, make it good. But again, you are going to find this type of guy at every stadium. He was annoying, but them's the breaks. I have sat by plenty of annoying BYU fans, including one undergrad that yelled at me to be Christlike and consider the handicapped several rows behind me as I stood for the 4th and 18 game. She deserved a loving f-you just as much as the idiot fan next to me Saturday.

One thing EPU and I discussed, and it was already mentioned here, is the religion aspect of this rivalry. Frankly, I don't care for it. I wish it were not an element. I do understand that the LDS culture is smothering in Utah and many Ute fans get sick of it. Hey, I got sick of it, which is why I moved back home after school. Not sure I agree that such frustration justifies calling people faggots and Mormon queers at the game, but that being said, I know that it happens at both stadiums. For every "magic underwear" blast at RES, you get a self-righteous "Ute apostate" comment at LES. I know the local fans think that they are being part of something cool....a heated rivalry between two in-state teams...and that by participating in these types of comments, they are just taking part in rivalry week. But in truth, these knuckelheads are an embarassment to everything that is great about college football and certainly do an injustice to 2 otherwise solid academic institutions. Rivalries are fantastic, but this petty personal crap is an abomination. I wish it would go away. Ironically, many of the fans probably think that these intense personal attacks legitimize the rivalry, but in reality I think it exposes both schools for being insular and small time. As someone said here, these idiots are likely an embarassment to Crimson Club members and to real Ute fans. I know I have been embarassed by stupid BYU fans, as well, to be sure.

On a general game day note, I love to check out what other schools do at their games:

1. Ute fans know how to rock their school colors. That place is a sea of red and it looks impressive. BYU fans are clueless when it comes to wearing the right color. I just don't get why it is so hard to wear the right color.
2. I liked how many Ute fans brought Ute flags. It seemed like I counted 20 or more people toting Ute flags on those long poles. I also heard horns, cowbells, etc. Stuff like that really helps make the atmosphere fun.
3. The Ute band is....er......small. I think BYU brought more band geeks than Utah. Both bands seemed to have several players with big butts, which is always the sign of a solid marching band. However, because the band is so small, you lose a lot of the in-game atmosphere. The school should seriously consider making the band bigger.
4. Whoever coordinated the audio/video for the Senior Day player announcements needs to be shot. It was a mess.
5. Time the flyover to coincide with something....the end of the National Anthem, for example. The flyover was just at some random moment before the game.
6. The stadium is a nice venue to watch football. No bad seats in the house and the fans are relatively close to the sidelines. The crowds moved into the gates quickly...always a big plus.

I didnt get there early enough to see the Ute Walk (is that what it is called? apologies if I butchered it), but would have liked to see that.

All in all, an enjoyable trip. Can't win 'em every year, but we will get at it next year. The see-saw nature of this rivalry over the past 10-15 years has made it very fun.

I had fun at the game with you. And I appreciate the Subway coupons, as I don't have to worry about shopping for Christmas gifts. BTW, were you aware that the $10 bill is counterfeit? It didn't pass counterfeit pen test. And Karl Malden's face isn't on the bill either.

I get to sit next to that guy every game. Lucky me, eh?

The Ute walk is 2 1/2 hours before the game and I missed it too. Stupid family stuff ruins everything.

We did have a laugh about the audio/video coordination, didn't we? As I pointed out, this is what happens when you let A/V geeks be in charge. I mean, they know how to do each part of it individually, but putting it together is an entirely different thing.

Perhaps we can do it again in two years. But I'll be sure to know what you're trying to use as legal tender next time.

[Jeff Lebowski]

You seem to have struck up a real friendship with Junkie. I'm happy for both of you since you both seem to be humorous, interesting fellows. However, unlike many others who come to Seattle, and like Lebowski, you eschewed SU when you were in Seattle. Maybe we can link up at the BCS bowl game if Utah and USC play.

Whoa there, buddy. I was in Seattle on an unscheduled layover with my elderly father on a fishing trip (we missed a flight). I had to take care of him. But rest assured that my next business trip to Seattle will include time for dinner with SU.

[TripletDaddy]

You seem to have struck up a real friendship with Junkie. I'm happy for both of you since you both seem to be humorous, interesting fellows. However, unlike many others who come to Seattle, and like Lebowski, you eschewed SU when you were in Seattle. Maybe we can link up at the BCS bowl game if Utah and USC play.

Junkie has great eyes.....full eyelashes, full puppy-dog pupils....it is mesmerizing, to say the least. It is very much like Medusa....one look into Junkie's eyes and part of you definitely turns to stone...if you get my drift.

I told you, I already had a date in Seattle with MarkGrace. Otherwise I would have definitely accepted your offer.

I'd be up for a Fiesta Bowl date, but if Jaquisss doesn't heal properly this week, SC will be heading to Pasadena, not Tempe.

[SeattleUte]

My thoughts on my visit into the Lion's Den....

I was with cougjunkie pre and post game and did observe the hijinks which he describes. I do attribute most of it to sauced-up fans, which is going to be unavoidable at most colleges. We bumped into some fun trash talkers on our way to the stadium, but that one guy junkie described was pretty random. I honestly just don't know if I've seen much of that stuff at other stadiums.

I sat with EPU during the game. He was gracious enough to sell me a ticket for $450, but since he was so blitzed, he didn't notice that I handed him a $10 bill and a bunch of Subway coupons. We had a great time. I was surrounded by Ute fans of all ages, shapes, sizes, and blood alcohol levels. However, I wasn't treated poorly by any of them. The guy next to me was a complete a-hole (ironically, not EPU but the guy on the other side of me), but he was just yelling stuff down onto the field...stuff that made no sense, by the way. If you are going to run smack, make it good. But again, you are going to find this type of guy at every stadium. He was annoying, but them's the breaks. I have sat by plenty of annoying BYU fans, including one undergrad that yelled at me to be Christlike and consider the handicapped several rows behind me as I stood for the 4th and 18 game. She deserved a loving f-you just as much as the idiot fan next to me Saturday.

One thing EPU and I discussed, and it was already mentioned here, is the religion aspect of this rivalry. Frankly, I don't care for it. I wish it were not an element. I do understand that the LDS culture is smothering in Utah and many Ute fans get sick of it. Hey, I got sick of it, which is why I moved back home after school. Not sure I agree that such frustration justifies calling people faggots and Mormon queers at the game, but that being said, I know that it happens at both stadiums. For every "magic underwear" blast at RES, you get a self-righteous "Ute apostate" comment at LES. I know the local fans think that they are being part of something cool....a heated rivalry between two in-state teams...and that by participating in these types of comments, they are just taking part in rivalry week. But in truth, these knuckelheads are an embarassment to everything that is great about college football and certainly do an injustice to 2 otherwise solid academic institutions. Rivalries are fantastic, but this petty personal crap is an abomination. I wish it would go away. Ironically, many of the fans probably think that these intense personal attacks legitimize the rivalry, but in reality I think it exposes both schools for being insular and small time. As someone said here, these idiots are likely an embarassment to Crimson Club members and to real Ute fans. I know I have been embarassed by stupid BYU fans, as well, to be sure.

On a general game day note, I love to check out what other schools do at their games:

1. Ute fans know how to rock their school colors. That place is a sea of red and it looks impressive. BYU fans are clueless when it comes to wearing the right color. I just don't get why it is so hard to wear the right color.
2. I liked how many Ute fans brought Ute flags. It seemed like I counted 20 or more people toting Ute flags on those long poles. I also heard horns, cowbells, etc. Stuff like that really helps make the atmosphere fun.
3. The Ute band is....er......small. I think BYU brought more band geeks than Utah. Both bands seemed to have several players with big butts, which is always the sign of a solid marching band. However, because the band is so small, you lose a lot of the in-game atmosphere. The school should seriously consider making the band bigger.
4. Whoever coordinated the audio/video for the Senior Day player announcements needs to be shot. It was a mess.
5. Time the flyover to coincide with something....the end of the National Anthem, for example. The flyover was just at some random moment before the game.
6. The stadium is a nice venue to watch football. No bad seats in the house and the fans are relatively close to the sidelines. The crowds moved into the gates quickly...always a big plus.

I didnt get there early enough to see the Ute Walk (is that what it is called? apologies if I butchered it), but would have liked to see that.

All in all, an enjoyable trip. Can't win 'em every year, but we will get at it next year. The see-saw nature of this rivalry over the past 10-15 years has made it very fun.

You seem to have struck up a real friendship with Junkie. I'm happy for both of you since you both seem to be humorous, interesting fellows. However, unlike many others who come to Seattle, and like Lebowski, you eschewed SU when you were in Seattle. Maybe we can link up at the BCS bowl game if Utah and USC play.