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Thread: 2008 National Champions!

  1. #1
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    2008 National Champions!

    Deserving of its own thread. Shoot, there might be an older one with this very same/similar subject header buried dozens of pages back, for all I know.

    I've been a proponent of claiming the 2008 title ever since the clock hit 0:00 in the Superdome. Somewhere in my closet, I've got a "2008 Utah NCAA Football National Champions" T-shirt that a friend crafted for me. Plenty of people in the national sporting press made the claim for us. It wouldn't be unprecedented (SEC schools have made it a cottage industry; Alabama has 11 AP titles but claims 17, for example). Quite frankly, there was no reason not to carry on that offseason like UCF did this past offseason, but cuz we're Utah and made of largely humble Mormon stock, such an uprising would be very unbecoming of us.

    Or, we were too worried about what BYU would say in reaction. I think this mindset carries less effect today, but WWBYUT Syndrome (What Would BYU Think?) more strongly permeated our collective mindset back then, from the fan base all the way to the athletic department. Claiming 2008 in the moment would've been the rip-the-band-aid-off moment we've needed to show BYU we really don't care about them as much as they insist we do. Maybe, it would've greased the skids a little to make the Rivalry Hiatus a little more palatable.

    Anyway, years ago, I noticed the NCAA record book allowed teams other than the AP, BCS and coaches poll champions to be listed as national champs so long as they had "Major Selectors" tabbing them No. 1, I knew this was our chance. I sent at least three emails between 2010 and 2016 pointing this out to them, but was ignored. Obviously, UCF did something to get the attention of the NCAA record book editor, because UCF was immediately recognized in this year's edition, as well as Utah. That we were more justified 10 years ago than UCF was this past year in making the same claim, yet didn't, is bothersome, but the end result is the same and that's what matters.

    It's too late in the game to recognize 2008 properly this year, IMO. Too bad, because 10 years is a nice milestone number. Starting next year, I give the feat no less than one full page in the media guide and I make a display wherever we can within our facilities where fans and recruits can see it prominently. Have a huge blowout blast in 2028, so Kyle can properly enjoy it with his players (all will be done with their playing careers, and I doubt Kyle will be HC then).

    I've moved away from hanging a banner right now. College football is still imperfect in how it distributes titles, and there are titles won on the field and titles won in the polls, rankings and record books. As much as we know better, Utah belongs in the latter category. Issue championship rings, tout it in the media guide and in appropriate spots on campus. Maybe ... maybe, you can unfurl a banner claiming such down the road.

  2. #2
    Quote Originally Posted by SoCalPat View Post
    Deserving of its own thread. Shoot, there might be an older one with this very same/similar subject header buried dozens of pages back, for all I know.

    I've been a proponent of claiming the 2008 title ever since the clock hit 0:00 in the Superdome. Somewhere in my closet, I've got a "2008 Utah NCAA Football National Champions" T-shirt that a friend crafted for me. Plenty of people in the national sporting press made the claim for us. It wouldn't be unprecedented (SEC schools have made it a cottage industry; Alabama has 11 AP titles but claims 17, for example). Quite frankly, there was no reason not to carry on that offseason like UCF did this past offseason, but cuz we're Utah and made of largely humble Mormon stock, such an uprising would be very unbecoming of us.

    Or, we were too worried about what BYU would say in reaction. I think this mindset carries less effect today, but WWBYUT Syndrome (What Would BYU Think?) more strongly permeated our collective mindset back then, from the fan base all the way to the athletic department. Claiming 2008 in the moment would've been the rip-the-band-aid-off moment we've needed to show BYU we really don't care about them as much as they insist we do. Maybe, it would've greased the skids a little to make the Rivalry Hiatus a little more palatable.

    Anyway, years ago, I noticed the NCAA record book allowed teams other than the AP, BCS and coaches poll champions to be listed as national champs so long as they had "Major Selectors" tabbing them No. 1, I knew this was our chance. I sent at least three emails between 2010 and 2016 pointing this out to them, but was ignored. Obviously, UCF did something to get the attention of the NCAA record book editor, because UCF was immediately recognized in this year's edition, as well as Utah. That we were more justified 10 years ago than UCF was this past year in making the same claim, yet didn't, is bothersome, but the end result is the same and that's what matters.

    It's too late in the game to recognize 2008 properly this year, IMO. Too bad, because 10 years is a nice milestone number. Starting next year, I give the feat no less than one full page in the media guide and I make a display wherever we can within our facilities where fans and recruits can see it prominently. Have a huge blowout blast in 2028, so Kyle can properly enjoy it with his players (all will be done with their playing careers, and I doubt Kyle will be HC then).

    I've moved away from hanging a banner right now. College football is still imperfect in how it distributes titles, and there are titles won on the field and titles won in the polls, rankings and record books. As much as we know better, Utah belongs in the latter category. Issue championship rings, tout it in the media guide and in appropriate spots on campus. Maybe ... maybe, you can unfurl a banner claiming such down the road.
    I would like one of those shirts. It will look good with my "Got Her Done" shirt that Rocker hooked me up with when the Runnin' Utes slipped past the Geoducks.

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by SoCalPat View Post
    Deserving of its own thread. Shoot, there might be an older one with this very same/similar subject header buried dozens of pages back, for all I know.

    I've been a proponent of claiming the 2008 title ever since the clock hit 0:00 in the Superdome. Somewhere in my closet, I've got a "2008 Utah NCAA Football National Champions" T-shirt that a friend crafted for me. Plenty of people in the national sporting press made the claim for us. It wouldn't be unprecedented (SEC schools have made it a cottage industry; Alabama has 11 AP titles but claims 17, for example). Quite frankly, there was no reason not to carry on that offseason like UCF did this past offseason, but cuz we're Utah and made of largely humble Mormon stock, such an uprising would be very unbecoming of us.

    Or, we were too worried about what BYU would say in reaction. I think this mindset carries less effect today, but WWBYUT Syndrome (What Would BYU Think?) more strongly permeated our collective mindset back then, from the fan base all the way to the athletic department. Claiming 2008 in the moment would've been the rip-the-band-aid-off moment we've needed to show BYU we really don't care about them as much as they insist we do. Maybe, it would've greased the skids a little to make the Rivalry Hiatus a little more palatable.

    Anyway, years ago, I noticed the NCAA record book allowed teams other than the AP, BCS and coaches poll champions to be listed as national champs so long as they had "Major Selectors" tabbing them No. 1, I knew this was our chance. I sent at least three emails between 2010 and 2016 pointing this out to them, but was ignored. Obviously, UCF did something to get the attention of the NCAA record book editor, because UCF was immediately recognized in this year's edition, as well as Utah. That we were more justified 10 years ago than UCF was this past year in making the same claim, yet didn't, is bothersome, but the end result is the same and that's what matters.

    It's too late in the game to recognize 2008 properly this year, IMO. Too bad, because 10 years is a nice milestone number. Starting next year, I give the feat no less than one full page in the media guide and I make a display wherever we can within our facilities where fans and recruits can see it prominently. Have a huge blowout blast in 2028, so Kyle can properly enjoy it with his players (all will be done with their playing careers, and I doubt Kyle will be HC then).

    I've moved away from hanging a banner right now. College football is still imperfect in how it distributes titles, and there are titles won on the field and titles won in the polls, rankings and record books. As much as we know better, Utah belongs in the latter category. Issue championship rings, tout it in the media guide and in appropriate spots on campus. Maybe ... maybe, you can unfurl a banner claiming such down the road.
    Afreakingmen

  4. #4
    I saved this comment from an Oklahoma fan back in 2009:

    Everything That's Wrong With College Footballon Display at the Sugar Bowl

    ----------------------------------------- -------------------

    A simple question: why do teams like Utah even bother fielding a team? You goundefeated in 2004 and win your bowl. No small feat! So you do it again fiveyears later, and does it make a bit of difference? No.

    That's everything wrong with college football in a nutshell. What is the pointof competing if you don't have the opportunity to pursue the ultimate prize?Nobody wants to go to Salt Lake City to play the Utes. How are they supposed toput together a schedule that will allow the computers to smile upon them? Howare they going to play marquee opponents so they can impress the already biasedpollsters?

    We're very fortunate at Oklahoma because we're part of the "in"crowd. We all know who's in the club, but I'm beginning to think thatmembership, if not already earned by now, is unattainable. Boise State goesundefeated in 2006 and posts another unblemished regular season in 2008 andthey're ranking is no higher. That's wrong. Utah has produced two undefeatedteams in the last five seasons, yet they're still labeled a BCS buster insteadof national championship contender. That's wrong.

    What makes me the angriest is this simple, unavoidable fact. If Utah played theexact same schedule, and won by the exact same scores, but played their gamesas the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, they would be the #1 team in the country by aUNANIMOUS vote by the pollsters.

    Now more than ever, we need a playoff. Don't tell me a playoff would dilute theregular season. What the hell does the regular season prove? Utah defeatedevery one that came to play them, and they have nothing in the grand scheme toshow for it.

    Give me college basketball. It's more democratic.

    reasons why Utah should be #1...

    1) 13-0
    2) they went undefeated in arguably the 4th best conference in collegefootball...
    3) they beat a top 10 TCU team (best team OU has beaten)
    4) they beat a top 10 Alabama team (best team that Florida has beaten)
    5) they beat a top 25 Oregon State team (only team to beat USC)
    6) they beat another top 25 team in BYU
    7) the MWC featured 4 other bowl teams and the conference was 9-4 against otherBCS conference teams, bowl games not included...


    “To me there is no dishonor in being wrong and learning. There is dishonor in willful ignorance and there is dishonor in disrespect.” James Hatch, former Navy Seal and current Yale student.

  5. #5
    Rick Reilly's article from that time (introduced Seal Clubbed to the Utah lexicon):
    http://www.espn.com/espnmag/story?id=3815656
    “To me there is no dishonor in being wrong and learning. There is dishonor in willful ignorance and there is dishonor in disrespect.” James Hatch, former Navy Seal and current Yale student.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by chrisrenrut View Post
    Rick Reilly's article from that time (introduced Seal Clubbed to the Utah lexicon):
    http://www.espn.com/espnmag/story?id=3815656
    The week-long or so afterglow from that game was incredible. I literally couldn't speak after the game (and it took about 3 days for my voice to come back to sounding respectable), so all I did was walk around Bourbon Street with one hand in the air, extended index finger. I ran into one fan who disagreed, everyone else just begrudgingly nodded yes. Maybe they were just being polite.

    The following morning, I filled up my rental car in Biloxi before flying home. I pulled up behind a car with Auburn license plate frames. Out stepped a female fan well into her senior years who saw my Utah jacket and immediately started in on Utah's win with the most syrupy sweet Southern voice I've ever heard. I tried responding to her, but once she realized I had no voice, she came over and gave me a hug.

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