I am looking forward to Sunday

[Kirk Herbstreet]

This game is no longer fun for me. I am not even looking forward to it and my excite for the season as a whole has taken a huge dip thanks in large part to this one week. It has nothing to do with my confidence or that I am scared to play BYU. It is all of the baggage that comes along with this game. It started to feel this way right around 2013, was nearly unbearable during bowl prep last year, and has now sucked the fun out of the season for me.

[Anonymous]

I ignore all social media, I don’t listen to Sport Radio and I barely watch tv espceially the news.  It isn’t that bad as long as you make the best of it.

[CincyUte]

It would be great if the local media treated Utah’s Pac-12 games with the same level of excitement as they treat a BYU-Utah game. But they obviously don’t–even though the Pac-12 is top-level high-stakes national-interest football. The local media simply sucks.

There’s no question BYU wants to win this one more than we do. Nothing would validate independence–and simultaneously diminish our P5 status–like a BYU win on Saturday. Forget the fact we beat them 5 times in a row. When the time comes we lose to BYU–and it’s only a matter of time (let’s pray it’s not this weekend)–it will be absolute hell around here. They will lord it over us for years and years and years.

Meanwhile if we win on Saturday, the only positive will be to keep this thing running.

[Puget Ute]

The vitriol around the game is difficult to handle. I am lucky I don’t live in Utah. The game where Coach Whitt’s wife got punched while protecting her teenaged daughter from being shamed was the final straw for me. I would love to eventually get them on an every-other year schedule at the most, and just move on with our own respective seasons.

[CincyUte]

I completely agree with what you said.

[KiYi-Ute]

Agreed. While I am guilty of some pre-game smack talking, I like to think that what I say is all in good fun. I don’t wish ill on anyone, and I certainly don’t hope that a BYU-P player gets injured. I’ve never gotten in another fan’s face at the game or even insulted a TDS fan when we play at RES. But that kind of crap happens all the time, from both fanbases.

Don’t get me wrong, I dislike them more than any other sports entity on the planet. And I sure as hell hope we win on Saturday and that victory is never in question.

Honestly, the only good thing about them potentially getting into the Big12 is that hopefully they’d want to big league us and not want to play us anymore.

I’d love to replace the TDS game with a marquee OOC game every year, like our home-and-home with Michigan.

[UtahUteGuy]

It’s so unfun for me that I gave my tickets to my aunt so that she could bring more of her kids.  I’m staying home in protest that we still have to play the game, forced by the Utah legislative byu-p toadies.  You guys have fun.

[Onlyu]

It is a stressful week for sure but mostly because of the delusional thoughts of the TDS fans IMO.  We’ve won 10 out of the last 13 and there is clearly a talent gap that leans to Utah especially in the two deep for some time now.  Similar to that which they had gong for them in the 70’s and 80’s.

They have some top quality players now but can’t match the overall depth we roll out…neither could we 4 or 5 years ago by the way, while in the MW.  We could put a group of 1’s out there, stay healthy and challenge most anyone back then, similar to what they can do now but not much behind that group and that’s just the way it is on that side looking in.

My biggest issue with them (among many) is that we’ve won 5 in a row and I don’t believe they’ve led in a game against us since 2011 but yet “we got the breaks, the better team didn’t win, the officials cost them the game, etc.”  There is always an excuse to mak them feel better.  Excuses never got me a damn thing…shut your mouth, put your head down and do the work…if it’s not good enough, work harder and figure it out.

[GreatNorthernUte]

As we’ve gotten more and more competitive in the PAC 12, there are more and more fans that realize there is a better way than obsessing over a single game. We have more to play for. They don’t. It’s an unhealthy dynamic.

I have a simple policy with BYU. If we play them, I’ll keep tabs on them until we play. After that game, they’re irrelevant. Because it’s the truth.

Once we win a PAC 12 South title, I think you will see progressively more momentum to cancel the series. More people will realize just how little relevance the game has to our success.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[GreatNorthernUte]

It would be great if the local media treated Utah’s Pac-12 games with the same level of excitement as they treat a BYU-Utah game. But they obviously don’t–even though the Pac-12 is top-level high-stakes national-interest football. The local media simply sucks.

There’s no question BYU wants to win this one more than we do. Nothing would validate independence–and simultaneously diminish our P5 status–like a BYU win on Saturday. Forget the fact we beat them 5 times in a row. When the time comes we lose to BYU–and it’s only a matter of time (let’s pray it’s not this weekend)–it will be absolute hell around here. They will lord it over us for years and years and years.

Meanwhile if we win on Saturday, the only positive will be to keep this thing running.

Yes.

The Holy War is now an unusual rivalry. It is the only college rivalry I can think of right now that has both a high intensity level and the P5 vs G5 issue. Throw in the religious factor and the local media’s money interest in keeping it as hot as possible, and it’s a powder keg for all kinds of s**t behaviour.

This is all really poorly understood by anyone who hasn’t lived in Utah.

It’s going to take someone with a LOT of leadership to put an end to the nonsense. There are a lot of vested interests who don’t care about the s**t behaviour and only see the dollar signs in continuing the rivalry in current form.

And it is a matter of time before they win one. It’s just how it goes. When that happens, I totally expect a wave of pent up frustration to hit this rivalry. It’s going to suck.

[Puget Ute]

The school, the coaches, and the players are topically respectable and decent. Some of the fans seem incapable of following their lead.

Unfortunately the cultural change may take decades to come about.

[Anonymous]

I have never been to a TDS @ Utah game, but I will be there this weekend. I arrive about 1:00 PM. Hit the bookstore for some gear and then cruise until we go to our 2%er Crimson Club Talegater (I’m just a guest).

So do the Zoobs Talegate? Do they feast on chips, ice cream and wash it down with blue KoolAid?

[Tony (admin)]

Warning: Long post with some religious tones. Proceed with caution.

To me this game is essentially a symbolization of the struggle between mormons and non mormons. Yes I realize mormons go to the U and non mormons to the zoo and so-on. I grew up a non-mormon in Salt Lake and was the outcast kid in the neighborhood (Greek). I had friends who would tell me they couldn’t play with me because I was not mormon. I didn’t even know what that meant as a little kid 5 years old. All I could think of was what kind of dumb thing would keep me from being someone’s friend? In high school the first real girlfriend I had who I loved very much, dumped me because I wasn’t mormon. See a pattern here?

For the 70’s and 80’s (I still go today) I went to the football games and watched byu kick our ass. I watched them run up the score and pound their chests and listened to their arrogant fans declare their superiority. I’d never seen anything like it.

So after years of that (and Utah’s insanely stupid liquor laws) you can say I have some baggage. To me the Utes represent me as that little kid, the outcast up against an unkind and evil foe who represents itself as righteous but in actuality is hypocritical.

My wife is from New York. She moved here a few years ago. She doesn’t quite understand. The first time we were together for a Utah/byu game she said she’d never seen me act like I did. And when we lost at the last second of the game, she’d never seen me so down. She prefers we don’t play byu anymore and I feel the same. We have nothing more to prove. We will beat them more times than not from this point on as our talent level and resources continue to separate us from them. Sure they might pick one off now and then, but I don’t see it happening all that often.

I have good friends who are LDS and all that, and I realize they’re not all cut from the same (green jello) mold. Like every religion there are good and bad people within. I admit I have a grudge due to my history and experiences growing up in Salt Lake. I love it when the Utes beat byu. It’s that little outcast kid overcoming adversity, giving the bad guy the finger. It’s a little taste of revenge.

[UtahSig]

This post bums me out not because I think you are wrong, but because I think you are right. I am a practicing Mormon and the type of exclusion you experienced as a kid literally turns my stomach. What could me more hypocritically anti-Christian than ostracizing a little kid because he doesn’t go to church with you?

I think BYU sports exacerbates this “us against them” mentality. And, for that reason alone I really wish the church would cancel BYU sports. It’s run it’s course, it isn’t a missionary tool, time to shut it down.

[Toopup]

I’m LDS and live in NJ.  I married an Irish Catholic girl and raised my children in the garden state.

My mother-in-law hated me till the day she died because I was Mormon…no other reason.  She considered my children to be heathens.

Growing up there were families that didn’t want their kids playing with mine because we were the “weird Mormon family”.  There was a Jewish family that refused to let their daughter date my son.

I don’t hate Catholics or the Catholic Church.  I have no resentment towards those of the Jewish religion.

My feelings are summarized perfectly in a counry song popular a few years ago…”God is great, beer is good, and people are crazy.”

[Anonymous]

My brother and sister both attended the U and that was their first real experience dealing with the “closed” Mormon community. Their experience is similar to Tony’s. I’d say my brother was traumatized. I just need to get him drunk and let him vent on his Mormon experience and Lavell Edwards era Zoob experience. It’s good therapy.

Myself, I’ve only had good experience with Mormon people I know.

[Tony (admin)]

I apologize for going religious. That’s one of the things that people seemed to like that was not prevalent here. But it is rivalry week and there are reasons for the intensity of the rivalry.

[Brettski]

It’s OK Tony, I am LDS, grew up in Utah and felt the same way about a lot of Y fans. The arrogance, excuses, mean spirited pious attitude is definitely prevalent. I don’t know what it’s like to have some of those childhood experiences but it’s interesting so many of us LDS and not who have very deep emotions about this rivalry game that should really end.

My wife’s family are all Y grads from California and don’t understand why I refuse to watch the game with anyone, including my family. They are all nice enough and aren’t zoobs. But they can’t really understand that it brings up too many scars for many of us.

Sorry for the long rant.

[Tony (admin)]

Thanks for the comments. Interesting to hear some nice, honest commentary about it. I’ve thought of leaving but the things that I love about this place keep me here, the Utes, the mountains, the incredible National Parks, cost of living, the seasons.

[GreatNorthernUte]

Tony, I had a pretty similar experience growing up in Utah. It’s only ‘religious’ in the sense that the offending group happens to be a religion. It can happen with any closed group choosing to conduct themselves the way they do.

Even funnier, my wife also says she barely recognizes me watching a Utah/BYU football game. I no longer live in Utah and she isn’t from there either. To her, it is a blast from a past she doesn’t know and knows she can’t know. However, she actually quite enjoys seeing me get so into it. Go figure.

You’re absolutely right: we have nothing more to prove. The gap will get bigger. Unfortunately, I just think that too many people in Utah have interests in keeping the game more relevant than it is. This involves stoking various fires (see the crazy response to Larry K trying to cool things off) and indulging delusions of grandeur (BYU to the CFP, Taysom for Heisman, etc.). Even more unfortunately, it makes some people lots of money. So it goes on. The day it stops is when I’ll know that things have really changed in Utah.

[FormerUteSax]

HELP ME!!!

My work is very large and I think because it is mostly engineers that graduated from the U there are in fact a lot of U fans. However, my cube is in the zoobiest part of the whole campus. I’m like a Ute donut hole in an Uber zoob donut. Their giddy optimism from beating the “Pac12 South Power” Arizona is driving me nuts. If I hear one more person talk about how Taysom and Jamal are going to run all over Utah i may throw a stapler at them.

[UTE98]

Just look out the window at the squirrels. Or have you already been moved to the basement?

[Utah man forever]

Think of it like this: you will have a hole year to rub it in their faces they only have two more days!

[Thlete]

For me, I hate BYU because of religious reasons, too – and it completely has to do with the fans. I’m active LDS and I hate that BYU represents my religion because of all the things Tony listed. The bad apples (zoobs) that give BYU that self righteous reputation and act in a way that I believe does not align with the church’s teachings. In fact, an apostle in General Conference a few years back called them out specifically pleading for better behavior.

Growing up in the 80’s, I hated being one of the only kids in Davis County that was a dedicated Ute fan and having all friends who were BYU fans mock me. I’d try to give it back in basketball season, but they’d act like the sport didn’t exist (unless BYU won). Finally, the Utes win big in ’88 and it’s “oh, it’s about time you got lucky and stole a game”. My parents were in Provo for ’93 and my mom got booed for being in red from a lady while walking quietly out of the stadium (Princess Bride style).

I hate how the players and fans celebrate a simple tackle after a short gain like they won the Super Bowl. I hate how BYU has NEVER committed a penalty and the refs are out to get them every time. I hate their recent dirty play reputation. I hate being considered (if only jokingly) a “lesser Mormon” because I don’t cheer for BYU. I hate how the university says an opening prayer at football games and the fans be like “Amen… now rip their heads off!!” It’s just weird to mix religion and a violent sport. I was a bit shocked my first BYU game when I saw they said a prayer and found out it happened every game.

In closing: I hate BYU and dread the loss more than relish any wins.

[leftyjace]

FormerUteSax… here’s my advice.

Kill ’em with kindness.

Seriously.

I face a similar situation, though the mix here is probably 50/50. One thing I’ve noticed is that if I’m nice, and take a few minutes and compliment their team and tell them I think it’ll be a good game, it seems to disarm the animals.

Then again, the environment at my work is very white-collar, highly professional. A lot of truly nice and empathetic people, both Utah and BYU fans alike. It may be unique.

[FormerUteSax]

Thanks for the advice lefty. I’m always nice I hardly ever talk trash especially because the son of the guy next to me plays safety/special teams for tds. I just can’t handle how dumb they are. Thank you for letting me vent. I’m glad there has been lots of soccer this week to pass the time til Saturday

[Anonymous]

My younger sister was on the tennis team at the U. All WAC, singles and doubles all 4 years, still the only female tennis player to do that. She was also Female Athlete of the Year at the U, which is saying something when they’ve got that outstanding gymnastics team.

Anyway, she is Catholic and dated Scott Mitchell for about a year. She ended that when he tried to convert her. That’s just the way it is. It’s like trying to convert someone who was raised conservative and is a devout Republican, into a Democrat or a progressive. Just not going to happen….so don’t even try it 😉

I will be at the game. Will stop by to see Tony as I could use a beer. I’ll even drink some on behalf of some Zoobs.

[leftyjace]

Oh ya… dang it… Tony, I was going to try to stop by this Saturday at your tailgate, but my son is going with me to the game (ultra-conservative LDS Ute fan, go figure). So the tailgate lot makes him slightly uncomfortable. NEXT TIME THOUGH!!! USC game!!!! Unless my son goes to that one also… 🙂

[Tony (admin)]

There’s no reason to be uncomfortable in the tailgate lot. LOL. There are a lot of fun setups and people there. Not going is a true mistake.

My tailgate is a bunch old geezers. I’m the youngest one of the bunch, by a large margin.

[Utah]

Yeah, what would he be uncomfortable with?

[leftyjace]

Alcohol.
Not kidding.

[Tony (admin)]

I question ones ability to function in society if he/she can’t handle being around someone holding a drink in their hand. Sorry.

[leftyjace]

As a parent, it’s a concern. But let me make sure something is clear.
He’s able to be around someone with a drink in his hand. He’s able to socialize and function.
But I can tell it makes him uncomfortable.
And I don’t want anything about attending a football game with his dad to be uncomfortable. I get little enough time with him as it is. Without going into a long diatribe about the dynamics of my relationship with my son (and lack of one with my daughter), let me just reassure you that this is the best path for me.
But I can appreciate your perspective.
I hope you can respect mine as a parent trying to keep alive a tenuous relationship with his son.

[KiYi-Ute]

Hey man, hope you and your son have a great day at RES and get to enjoy each others’ company over (hopefully) a Utah victory. Some of the best times with my old man have been at some ball game or another.

[Author]

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