U vs. Y '12

[Coach McGuirk]

Tom Cella™ (@TomCella)
9/16/12 12:32 AM
After witnessing the treatment of BYU players by Utah fans up close on the field after game I was embarrassed.


Anyone know what happened here?

[il Padrino Ute]

This is the only thing I'm going to say about the game:

I'd better not ever hear another Ute fan complain about cheap shots by BYU players.

[The_Douger]

Bright spots from the game:

1. BYU defense.

2. Jamal Williams will be very good for BYU at running back.

3. I get the sense from the game, even with the penalties, that the rivalry passion is starting to get a little more measured. Didn't see as much jawing and dirty play as in years past. Maybe I am just oblivious.

At this point I'd be all for giving Williams the lion's share of the carries. Alisa is an ok back, but Williams looks like he could be special.

[creekster]

the utes fans reaction to Alisa surprises me. I felt he was adequate at most but several of you have said he was killing the utes. How so?

[Solon]

the utes fans reaction to Alisa surprises me. I felt he was adequate at most but several of you have said he was killing the utes. How so?

I'm not sure what his stats ended up, but he seemed to run big. He could make it to the edge in the 4th quarter, and he also seemed to shake any hit in the backfield. Maybe it's just my perception, but it felt to me like he was a man among boys during stretches of that 4th Q.

[il Padrino Ute]

the utes fans reaction to Alisa surprises me. I felt he was adequate at most but several of you have said he was killing the utes. How so?

It just seemed like each time he carried the ball it was a positive for BYU. And by positive, I mean he escaped a sure loss of yardage and got a frickin' first down.

[MarkGrace]

Another thought on recruiting since 'Napper got me going about it. Missing on Te'o and Star was an epic fail. We're talking about a team that hasn't had a NFL player drafted in a hundred years whiffing on two first round talents, one of which actually committed to BYU and another that apparently was basically on his way to a commitment. I know that Manti had the audacity to think he could play as a freshman and drank a beer on his recruiting trip, and Star had some academic concerns, but when we're talking about that kind of talent, sell out, Bronco. Sale the fuck out.

[TripletDaddy]

That was a nut punch but another great rivalry game with a memorable ending.

I wish I had horrible urban legends to share about the experience, but everyone around us was really nice. We were treated really well. We were joking with fans and they were being good sports, even after so many bizarre penalties.

Rather than focus on Riley (im sure everyone has already pointed put his failures), I wanted to share a few thoughts about what I really think the Utes do well:

1. They are loud. They have a better game atmosphere. BYU brings more fans but they are quiet and often boring. RES is loud. Many people stand throughout the entire game. Old people scream really loudly.
2. They do a great job of wearing red. Or black. Or whatever they are told to wear. It looks great on camera and it looks great in person. I don't recall seeing a single Utah fan that wasn't wearing a non school color, and most were wearing red. There were very few BYU fans tonight, it seemed. At least they weren't wearing blue. There was a contingent in the visiting section, but almost no noticeable blue throughout RES. in all seriousness, are people scared to go? It is the easiest road trip to attend and very few go. What gives?
3. The MUSS is great because the school has made a concerted effort to make them great. The school gives them great seating and keeps them together. It is the same sections every season. I'm not talking about the rushing the field stuff, but the general vibe they create at RES. BYU needs to replicate that. It isn't really a Utah thing, I suppose, as many school have a dedicated student section. BYU can't seem to figure the one out.
4. The 4th quarter drum thing is dumb and boring, but at least Utah is trying to get something going. Whether it is a pirate ship or an inflatable car wash or stolen bongos from the Polynesian Cultural Center, the Utes are really trying to create an atmosphere. And it is working. It is a fun experience from start to finish. In all honesty, the vas majority of what the Utes do is lifted from other schools, but so what? It works for the Utes and makes things more fun for their fans. The atmosphere is wild and there is some irreverence mixed in that I think is healthy and fun at a college football game.
5. The flags. Love them. BYU needs to get over their Billy Priddis hangover and allow flags again. It looks really cool to see all those flags waving all over the stadium. Even BYU fans brought theirs. They looked great, too.
6. SLC supports the Utes. Everywhere you go downtown and along 4 south, you see Utah banners....the gateway mall, on light posts, etc. I was in Provo earlier this week.....nothing close to what is happening in SLC. BYU should be giving flags to all local businesses and subsidizing them for the city to hang on lightposts everywhere.

I did not enjoy the result of the game, but I had a great time and was really glad I went. The Utes put on a good show at RES. I read about the garments sign in the Muss. Meh, classless but every stadium has that element. What can you do about that? For the most part, I think people that have crappy experiences in opposing venues are likely behaving poorly or at leas boorishly. If you make an effort to befriend people, they almost always reciprocate. Everyone i encountered tonight was great, with the exception of Hot Lunch, who was taunting me on the concourse before the game. If I didn't have a pulled pork sandwich in my hands, I would have punched him out. Next time, Hot Lunch. next time!

[BoylenOver]

That was a nut punch but another great rivalry game with a memorable ending.

I wish I had horrible urban legends to share about the experience, but everyone around us was really nice. We were treated really well. We were joking with fans and they were being good sports, even after so many bizarre penalties.

Rather than focus on Riley (im sure everyone has already pointed put his failures), I wanted to share a few thoughts about what I really think the Utes do well:

1. They are loud. They have a better game atmosphere. BYU brings more fans but they are quiet and often boring. RES is loud. Many people stand throughout the entire game. Old people scream really loudly.
2. They do a great job of wearing red. Or black. Or whatever they are told to wear. It looks great on camera and it looks great in person. I don't recall seeing a single Utah fan that wasn't wearing a non school color, and most were wearing red. There were very few BYU fans tonight, it seemed. At least they weren't wearing blue. There was a contingent in the visiting section, but almost no noticeable blue throughout RES. in all seriousness, are people scared to go? It is the easiest road trip to attend and very few go. What gives?
3. The MUSS is great because the school has made a concerted effort to make them great. The school gives them great seating and keeps them together. It is the same sections every season. I'm not talking about the rushing the field stuff, but the general vibe they create at RES. BYU needs to replicate that. It isn't really a Utah thing, I suppose, as many school have a dedicated student section. BYU can't seem to figure the one out.
4. The 4th quarter drum thing is dumb and boring, but at least Utah is trying to get something going. Whether it is a pirate ship or an inflatable car wash or stolen bongos from the Polynesian Cultural Center, the Utes are really trying to create an atmosphere. And it is working. It is a fun experience from start to finish. In all honesty, the vas majority of what the Utes do is lifted from other schools, but so what? It works for the Utes and makes things more fun for their fans. The atmosphere is wild and there is some irreverence mixed in that I think is healthy and fun at a college football game.
5. The flags. Love them. BYU needs to get over their Billy Priddis hangover and allow flags again. It looks really cool to see all those flags waving all over the stadium. Even BYU fans brought theirs. They looked great, too.
6. SLC supports the Utes. Everywhere you go downtown and along 4 south, you see Utah banners....the gateway mall, on light posts, etc. I was in Provo earlier this week.....nothing close to what is happening in SLC. BYU should be giving flags to all local businesses and subsidizing them for the city to hang on lightposts everywhere.

I did not enjoy the result of the game, but I had a great time and was really glad I went. The Utes put on a good show at RES. I read about the garments sign in the Muss. Meh, classless but every stadium has that element. What can you do about that? For the most part, I think people that have crappy experiences in opposing venues are likely behaving poorly or at leas boorishly. If you make an effort to befriend people, they almost always reciprocate. Everyone i encountered tonight was great, with the exception of Hot Lunch, who was taunting me on the concourse before the game. If I didn't have a pulled pork sandwich in my hands, I would have punched him out. Next time, Hot Lunch. next time!

DDD, you've experienced a lot of different atmospheres, so I have high regard for your thoughts regarding the RES experience.

As a Ute fan, I like the 4th quarter drum experimentation. As more and more fans see it and become familiar with it, they'll know how to feel incorporated. It's nothing compared to what USC, Wisconsin, et al do, but those programs have more tradition than Utah.

But I noticed the same thing about the lack of BYU fans. There were a fair amount scattered around the NEZ, but for as long as I can remember, the upper corners in the north end are usually filled with BYU fans, with pockets all over the stadium. Tonight, it was the visitor section and 3 or 4 every so often. I'm also sensitive to the way BYU fans get treated at RES, largely because I've always been treated well at LES, and I hope we can approach how Notre Dame, USC, Alabama, etc. treat their visitors.

[il Padrino Ute]

That was a nut punch but another great rivalry game with a memorable ending.

I wish I had horrible urban legends to share about the experience, but everyone around us was really nice. We were treated really well. We were joking with fans and they were being good sports, even after so many bizarre penalties.

Rather than focus on Riley (im sure everyone has already pointed put his failures), I wanted to share a few thoughts about what I really think the Utes do well:

1. They are loud. They have a better game atmosphere. BYU brings more fans but they are quiet and often boring. RES is loud. Many people stand throughout the entire game. Old people scream really loudly.
2. They do a great job of wearing red. Or black. Or whatever they are told to wear. It looks great on camera and it looks great in person. I don't recall seeing a single Utah fan that wasn't wearing a non school color, and most were wearing red. There were very few BYU fans tonight, it seemed. At least they weren't wearing blue. There was a contingent in the visiting section, but almost no noticeable blue throughout RES. in all seriousness, are people scared to go? It is the easiest road trip to attend and very few go. What gives?
3. The MUSS is great because the school has made a concerted effort to make them great. The school gives them great seating and keeps them together. It is the same sections every season. I'm not talking about the rushing the field stuff, but the general vibe they create at RES. BYU needs to replicate that. It isn't really a Utah thing, I suppose, as many school have a dedicated student section. BYU can't seem to figure the one out.
4. The 4th quarter drum thing is dumb and boring, but at least Utah is trying to get something going. Whether it is a pirate ship or an inflatable car wash or stolen bongos from the Polynesian Cultural Center, the Utes are really trying to create an atmosphere. And it is working. It is a fun experience from start to finish. In all honesty, the vas majority of what the Utes do is lifted from other schools, but so what? It works for the Utes and makes things more fun for their fans. The atmosphere is wild and there is some irreverence mixed in that I think is healthy and fun at a college football game.5. The flags. Love them. BYU needs to get over their Billy Priddis hangover and allow flags again. It looks really cool to see all those flags waving all over the stadium. Even BYU fans brought theirs. They looked great, too.
6. SLC supports the Utes. Everywhere you go downtown and along 4 south, you see Utah banners....the gateway mall, on light posts, etc. I was in Provo earlier this week.....nothing close to what is happening in SLC. BYU should be giving flags to all local businesses and subsidizing them for the city to hang on lightposts everywhere.

I did not enjoy the result of the game, but I had a great time and was really glad I went. The Utes put on a good show at RES. I read about the garments sign in the Muss. Meh, classless but every stadium has that element. What can you do about that? For the most part, I think people that have crappy experiences in opposing venues are likely behaving poorly or at leas boorishly. If you make an effort to befriend people, they almost always reciprocate. Everyone i encountered tonight was great, with the exception of Hot Lunch, who was taunting me on the concourse before the game. If I didn't have a pulled pork sandwich in my hands, I would have punched him out. Next time, Hot Lunch. next time!

When I looked around the stadium at all the red and all the flags, the first thought that came into my head was "I bet DDD is loving this." I remember you making the same comments a few years back when you were my guest at the game.

As for the game, well, a win is a win.

[TripletDaddy]

DDD, you've experienced a lot of different atmospheres, so I have high regard for your thoughts regarding the RES experience.

As a Ute fan, I like the 4th quarter drum experimentation. As more and more fans see it and become familiar with it, they'll know how to feel incorporated. It's nothing compared to what USC, Wisconsin, et al do, but those programs have more tradition than Utah.

But I noticed the same thing about the lack of BYU fans. There were a fair amount scattered around the NEZ, but for as long as I can remember, the upper corners in the north end are usually filled with BYU fans, with pockets all over the stadium. Tonight, it was the visitor section and 3 or 4 every so often. I'm also sensitive to the way BYU fans get treated at RES, largely because I've always been treated well at LES, and I hope we can approach how Notre Dame, USC, Alabama, etc. treat their visitors.

The drum thing has potential but what I didn't like was the slow start. 4th quarter is go time so whatever it is should be rocking from the start. Once they started pounding away, it was cool. They might as well light the Olympic cauldron like SC does since they are lighting fireworks anyway (iirc, the set off some bombs after the drums were done). If the fans like it then stick with it. I think it is grea that the Utes are trying, though. Some ideas work, some don't, this one may need more time and socialization. But the Utes are trying and that is how most fun traditions get started.

As for treatment, we were crammed with Utes on trax both ways and at RES. everyone was great. We even sat next to some Milfy single lady ute fans that took a cell phone pic with us again, if you show up and start acting like a jerk to fans, you are going to get far worse than you give. If you show up, sit down and say hi to people, ask them some questions about the school, pay them a compliment, you have a new friend for life. Game is more enjoyable with friends than with foes.

Speaking of trax, another thing I noticed that I really liked....after the last stop before the stadium and the train is heading up towards the hill, trax plays the Utah fight song. Our train was crammed with Utes and they were clapping along with the music, they yelled ki yi, and then they yelled Go Utes thing at the end. Very fun train ride.

BYU fans get a D minus for the no show tonight. But those that came deserve an A.

I think RES ranks up there in terms of PAC stadium in game atmosphere. quite high, in fact. it is a good road trip for visiting fans.

[bluegoose]

I had to work tonight and watched the game on DVR. I never felt comfortable either. Also, I didn't put enough extra time on the recording and missed the last 6+ minutes. I don't think reading the game update on ESPN captrues the craziness of the end of the game.

Son of a ...!!!!

Same for me. Except my excuse was a stake dance. At least you got paid to miss the game. I was babysitting the whole time.

[Shaka]

Shaka is pulling an all-nighter with the ladies followed by a 6:30 a.m. Flight from Reno. My thoughts tomorrow.

[TripletDaddy]

When I looked around the stadium at all the red and all the flags, the first thought that came into my head was "I bet DDD is loving this." I remember you making the same comments a few years back when you were my guest at the game.

As for the game, well, a win is a win.

Ha, good memory. Yes I commented tonight, too. It really was fun to see. It is funny that you can't bring umbrellas but you can bring 20 foot poles. Visually, it is a fun spectacle to see all these crazy flags flying all over the venue after a score. I imagine for ute fans, it is a great source of school pride. I saw mostly standard block U flags, but also saw a few jolly Rogers, an interlocking UU flag, and I noticed in the Muss, someone brought what appeared to be a modified US flag but replaced the stars with a block U. I thought it was great to see the Y flags, as well.

My favorite thing about road trips is soaking up the opposing teams school pride. For me, The band and the flags and the traditions are what capture the pageantry of college football the best. It never gets old for me and even in the lair of the dreaded Utes, I really appreciate the love people have for their school and the memories and familial bonds that result from the shared love of college sports. People screaming their lungs out, running onto the field, waving flags....you only live once. I'm not going to blame anyone for loving their team and having a great time. Act like you've been there? I'm not sure what that really means, truthfully, because we have all been there and that is how you act when you are really excited.

Anyhow, thanks Utes for putting on a good show. I still hate your guts, though!

[Blueintheface]

It's weird but despite being very into the game, surrounded by almost two dozen BYU fans at my brother's home all day, I can honestly say I'm about as upset as a casual fan would be. I'm up finishing off my gospel doctrine lesson and while it's obviously still fresh in my mind I'm excited about the future with Taysom and Williams. Weird.

I hate to think that turning 40 this year has...matured me?