Posted on 06/24/2010 4:26:58 PM PDT by Colofornian
Somebody with a bigger brain than mine once said, “Jealousy is no more than feeling alone against smiling enemies.” Well, with Utes everywhere grinning huge grins these past few days, Pac-10 grins, a lot of Cougars are feeling lonely, left out, greener than green, bluer than blue, and something even worse — jobbed.
What’s good for BYU’s rival is devastating for them.
For Utah, what’s good has never been greater. Fresh off their invitation into the Pac-10 on Thursday, including a stunning celebration/news conference at Rice-Eccles Stadium, at which a dream became a reality, the Utes blew straight past happy and barreled headlong into utter joy. When a Tournament of Roses official extended a dozen long-stemmed red blossoms to U. President Michael Young, it fully dawned on everyone that the Utes had really arrived at the home of the Rose Bowl. Football ecstasy blossomed, all around.
Except for in the hearts and minds of Cougars, where agony was carved out in their relatively unfulfilling reward: the Las Vegas Bowl.
Maybe the only thing worse than being jilted by the one you love is being jilted by the one you hate.
But there is a remedy for your pain.
BYU President Cecil Samuelson issued a sterile response to Utah’s moving on: “Since January 1909, Brigham Young University and the University of Utah have belonged to the same conference, establishing one of the great rivalries in college athletics. I wish President Young and the University of Utah well in their move to the Pac-10 Conference.”
What he said behind closed doors might have been a bit more forceful and colorful, the same as other Cougar insiders with whom I’ve spoken.
BYU fans haven’t quite been able to get their mitts around what’s happened, nor figure out how to handle the whole thing, other than to just complain about and suffer through it, and hope the Big 12 comes calling.
An e-mail I received Friday, from a Cougar named Paul, was similar to a hundred others. It read like this: “I’m ready to jump off the ledge. This hurts. The thought of Utah going to the Pac-10 and us being stuck in the Mountain West makes me sick. I’m not kidding. I want to puke. The Utes have been good for seven seasons. We’ve been good, other than the Crowton years, for 40 seasons. We’ve beaten them three out of the last four years. We draw more fans than them. We have a bigger national audience. And they go to the Pac-10? Why? Because of [our] religious affiliation? It sucks.”
At Thursday’s announcement, Pac-10 Commissioner Larry Scott and Ute athletic director Chris Hill emphasized that Utah and the Pac-10 are a “great cultural fit.”
Some Cougars see that not only as code-speak that BYU did not fit, but that there is a bias against the school for its connection with the LDS Church.
Scott wouldn’t touch that when he was asked why BYU was left out by the Pac-10. But there likely is truth to both assertions. And that truth is no knock against Utah for its being selected, instead.
The Utes are a better fit. They’re the kind of research institution that the Pac-10 prefers. Some say they are more “liberal” in their approach to academics, and that’s true, too. Their way of doing business is more in line with what Pac-10 schools do. As for athletics, football in particular, Utah’s accomplishment in winning two BCS bowls since 2005 is remarkable.
BYU, conversely, is conservative and is owned not only by a church, but a church that supported Proposition 8, that won’t allow its teams to play on Sunday, and that keeps a watchful eye on the academic pursuits of its professors. While it’s a stellar institution that’s extremely difficult for students to get into, it’s more limited in graduate-level research. It’s a terrific university, but a different one — unlike any in the Pac-10.
When I worked in Los Angeles, I talked with a number of Pac-10 athletic directors who were in favor of getting BYU into the league because whenever their teams played the Cougars, thousands of more tickets were sold. Had it been up to them, BYU would be in. The holdup was with certain school presidents, for the aforementioned reasons.
This launches Cougars halfway to the moon, especially now that Utah gets greater opportunity by way of its recent invite. They see it as religious discrimination, and whether it is or isn’t remains for them to decide.
Either way, here’s the simple remedy that can soothe BYU’s pain, even as Utah pumps its raised fists: Celebrate what you are, stand by your beliefs, and embrace the unique atmosphere at your school, keep kicking butt in football and win a BCS bowl, and work toward either courting a larger, more lucrative conference that is a better fit, or help bolster the one you’re already in.
It sure beats Cougars sitting and suffering, alone, all frowny-faced, while the Utes grin and grin and grin, again.
I'm sure many reasons exist as to why decision was made -- both good and poor ones. An example of a "poor" component would be Prop 8. An example of a "good" consideration, culture-wise, would be how Lds have treated minorities for 150 years...and even how what the name "Brigham Young" stands for as a Mormon cultural icon.
I mean, read some of what Young stated from the tabernacle pulpit...and you'll understand. BYU has never distanced themselves from its "founding father."
From the column: I talked with a number of Pac-10 athletic directors who were in favor of getting BYU into the league because whenever their teams played the Cougars, thousands of more tickets were sold. Had it been up to them, BYU would be in. The holdup was with certain school presidents, for the aforementioned reasons.
Well, Stanford, I'm sure was one of those objecting universities. Because of Stanford's liberal core, it doesn't have any moral "one-upsmanship" over BYU. However, BYU allowed for that to occur in 1969 -- when Stanford became the first university refusing to play BYU because of its then racist policy on blacks.
The Pac 10 wanted to block Baylor. They have not offered to BYU. Pretty obvious they hate religious schools.
God you need a family to concentrate on. No wonder you are so bitter and have such a negative and unproductive hobby. Just one person to love you would help you feel better about yourself, and then you will soon look around and start asking yourself how you can help others. You might even challenge yourself to add some sunshine into someone elses life so you are not so caught up in your own misery. Try some single ads or online dating services.
Baylor totally sucks at football and rode political pressure into a spot in the Big XII. Larry Scott invited Colorado first to prevent a replay of Baylor’s antics in the 90s. Baylor really belongs in Conference USA or something.
I totally agree with you, and it was a smart move to go after Colorado. Baylor is only in the Big 12 cuz good ol Richards wanted to make sure they got the football money.
But I also dont believe that the administrations at Stanford, Cal, Oregon, USC, or Arizona wanted a religios school. I think that went against BYU as well.
Remember, BYU has a national title, Utah doesnt (all though maybe they should).
Whatever bad assumptions you've just made about me obviously applies to your own lack of intimacy, faith-wise, with the God of the Bible. (Otherwise, you wouldn't be treating His Personal Body like an impersonal chair, now would you?)
What does Jesus think of the "lukewarm?" (Not my originated opinion -- but certainly His): 15I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. (Revelation 3:15-16)
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