I Wish I Knew How to Quit You - The BYU Sports Thread

[NorthwestUteFan]

Neither are we. Boise just won their third Fiesta Bowl. They really deserve their own classification. There should be P5, Boise, and G5.

Boise State's problem is that the very good football program is housed in a community college that happens to have a decent Computer Science and an excellent Trucking program, with little else to offer. They are easily a P5-worthy football program*, but the academics of the university guarantee they will never get invited to a P5 conference. But I will admit the way they donkey punched Arizona in the bowl game was impressive, especially after watching our team quit during the AZ game.

We need to cut some of the dead wood out of the schedule. I would be pissed to pay full price to watch the team play several of the teams on the schedule. I don't have a problem with playing byu, but it needs to be somewhat rare. More than 4 times per decade is far too often.

*if they had to play a tougher schedule they would likely lose at least 4-6 games every year, with a 10+ win season once a decade.

[utefan]

Neither are we. Boise just won their third Fiesta Bowl. They really deserve their own classification. There should be P5, Boise, and G5.

I don't know about that. I'm pretty sure if Utah had been in the MWC last year we'd have went undefeated and smashed some team in a New Years Six game. Especially if we were fully healthy, with several weeks to prepare for a banged up Arizona team that had just been blown out in the conference championship game.

Boise is the best of the G5, but they're still G5.

[Utah]

This is a fun debate, but the reality is, our OOC scheduling only matters if we are 13-0 or 12-1. And odds are, if we are 13-0 or 12-1, our OOC won't matter at all.

What kept the Big 12 out was Ohio St. and no conf champ game.

[Scratch]

This is a fun debate, but the reality is, our OOC scheduling only matters if we are 13-0 or 12-1. And odds are, if we are 13-0 or 12-1, our OOC won't matter at all.

What kept the Big 12 out was Ohio St. and no conf champ game.

This isn't entirely true; our OCC scheduling makes a huge difference if it is the difference between 5-7 or 6-6.

[NorthwestUteFan]

I don't know about that. I'm pretty sure if Utah had been in the MWC last year we'd have went undefeated and smashed some team in a New Years Six game. Especially if we were fully healthy, with several weeks to prepare for a banged up Arizona team that had just been blown out in the conference championship game.

Boise is the best of the G5, but they're still G5.

Our one possible loss would have been Boise. And Whitt can't seem to stop a fast spread offense (see Arizona, Oregon), so I am not confident that we could have beat AZ in the Fiesta Bowl as Blasé State did.

[utefan]

Our one possible loss would have been Boise. And Whitt can't seem to stop a fast spread offense (see Arizona, Oregon), so I am not confident that we could have beat AZ in the Fiesta Bowl as Blasé State did.

Well if we had footage of their blowout loss exposing their weaknesses, over a month to prepare for them, a fully healthy team while they were banged up, we probably could have beaten Arizona as well.

Air Force beat Boise last year.

[NorthwestUteFan]

True. But it is far more interesting to play them with one week of preparation in the course of an eternal Home and Home schedule.

There is no way I would ever consider going back to the MWC, even if it guaranteed 10+ win seasons and an NY6 game every other year.

[Utah]

This isn't entirely true; our OCC scheduling makes a huge difference if it is the difference between 5-7 or 6-6.

Exactly. Or a huge difference between a five win season with six home games and an eight win season with 7 home games. Smart teams schedule themselves into success. A tough OOC schedule is career suicide.

Be smart with your schedule. There is a reason why the SEC is perceived to be the best conference in football. 7+ home games, weak OOC, late season FCS teams to stay healthy, 8 conference games.

Be smart. Schedule yourself for success.

[U-Ute]

There is no way I would ever consider going back to the MWC, even if it guaranteed 10+ win seasons and an NY6 game every other year.

If there's one thing last night's game against Arizona crystallized for me, it is the belief that we're going to have these types of games, in both football and basketball, on a regular basis. With schools like Oregon and USC in football and UCLA and Arizona in basketball, there's always a potential for a big time match up.

[mUUser]

If there's one thing last night's game against Arizona crystallized for me, it is the belief that we're going to have these types of games, in both football and basketball, on a regular basis. With schools like Oregon and USC in football and UCLA and Arizona in basketball, there's always a potential for a big time match up.

That's exactly right. We're livin' the dream, right now. Big time games against top shelf competition -- week in and week out. Hard not to be happy with the state of the Utah athletics program.

[utefan]

That's exactly right. We're livin' the dream, right now. Big time games against top shelf competition -- week in and week out. Hard not to be happy with the state of the Utah athletics program.

Not only big time games, but we're holding our own in them. Utah athletics is in a place I never thought I'd see it. It's much better than a dream. It's a fulfilled fantasy.

[wally]

That's exactly right. We're livin' the dream, right now. Big time games against top shelf competition -- week in and week out. Hard not to be happy with the state of the Utah athletics program.

Not only big time games, but we're holding our own in them. Utah athletics is in a place I never thought I'd see it. It's much better than a dream. It's a fulfilled fantasy.

mUUser makes a great point. Unfortunately however, utefan was too busy in a thread dedicated to BYU to break away and comment on the Utah vs. Zona game on Saturday. But don't get him wrong, he is sooooo over BYU. Like, way over them. Like, doesn't even care if they have called or not........

.......err...they haven't called have they? If they have tell them that we are "so over them" then come tell us how they reacted.

[LA Ute]

Unfortunately however, utefan was too busy in a thread dedicated to BYU to break away and comment on the Utah vs. Zona game on Saturday. But don't get him wrong, he is sooooo over BYU. Like, way over them. Like, doesn't even care if they have called or not........

I think getting "over" BYU is a longer-term process for most, kind of like quitting smoking. My friends who are former smokers tell me that even years later the scent of burning tobacco stirs within them a yearning for the filthy weed. For Utes fans the time required to get over BYU-Provo is directly proportional to one's length of time as a Utah fan. But it is steadily happening. At least it is with me.

[utefan]

mUUser makes a great point. Unfortunately however, utefan was too busy in a thread dedicated to BYU to break away and comment on the Utah vs. Zona game on Saturday. But don't get him wrong, he is sooooo over BYU. Like, way over them. Like, doesn't even care if they have called or not........

.......err...they haven't called have they? If they have tell them that we are "so over them" then come tell us how they reacted.

I'm not in this thread talking about BYU. The only thing I've said about BYU in this thread is that we should never play them again. I keep coming back to it because people keep posting in it.

Don't kid yourself, the majority of this thread is about the Utes, regardless of what the title says.

[U-Ute]

I believe this thread has been, and will continue to be, a catharsis point for Ute fans.

[NorthwestUteFan]

I believe this thread has been, and will continue to be, a catharsis point for Ute fans.

We are all better for progressing away from the Filthy Weed.

[USS Utah]

I think getting "over" BYU is a longer-term process for most, kind of like quitting smoking. My friends who are former smokers tell me that even years later the scent of burning tobacco stirs within them a yearning for the filthy weed. For Utes fans the time required to get over BYU-Provo is directly proportional to one's length of time as a Utah fan. But it is steadily happening. At least it is with me.

Old habits die hard.

It can be easy to forget that BYU plays basketball in January and February, in part because college basketball gets minimal coverage in this market -- so it's also a matter of where you live. It's a lot harder to be unaware of BYU football because the local media has an interest in making sure you don't forget.

But Saturday, as I was watching the game, I noticed the Gonzaga score at the bottom of the screen and expressed some surprise that BYU was leading in the first half, but then thought order was restored when it was tied at the half. I flipped over to the Gonzaga game after the end of the Utah game only to be shocked that the Zags were down ten. My natural reaction was to criticize Gonzaga for an epic choke job. I tried to counter that by giving props to BYU, regardless of Gonzaga choking, its still a big win for the team down south.

[LA Ute]

Old habits die hard.

It can be easy to forget that BYU plays basketball in January and February, in part because college basketball gets minimal coverage in this market -- so it's also a matter of where you live. It's a lot harder to be unaware of BYU football because the local media has an interest in making sure you don't forget.

But Saturday, as I was watching the game, I noticed the Gonzaga score at the bottom of the screen and expressed some surprise that BYU was leading in the first half, but then thought order was restored when it was tied at the half. I flipped over to the Gonzaga game after the end of the Utah game only to be shocked that the Zags were down ten. My natural reaction was to criticize Gonzaga for an epic choke job. I tried to counter that by giving props to BYU, regardless of Gonzaga choking, its still a big win for the team down south.

It's a better road win than we have this season. For many seasons, I think.

[sancho]

It's a better road win than we have this season. For many seasons, I think.

More than that pansy McConnell.

[chrisrenrut]

It's a better road win than we have this season. For many seasons, I think.

Sadly, our best road win of the year is at the Marriott center. It's our only road win againts a top 50 RPI team.

If we could have pulled out the San Diego or Kansas win, we would be in a much better seeding position. Coulda, shoulda, woulda.

[SoCalPat]

It's a better road win than we have this season. For many seasons, I think.

Yeah ... on the night we couldn't take a huge step forward to claiming a share of the league title at home, both Boise and BYU go out on the road and snap lengthy home-court winning streaks from two teams that are locks for the tournament. That hurt. Taking Boise, BYU and Arizona on a three-team money-line parlay Saturday night would've been a huge payoff.

[U-Ute]

Old habits die hard.

It can be easy to forget that BYU plays basketball in January and February, in part because college basketball gets minimal coverage in this market -- so it's also a matter of where you live. It's a lot harder to be unaware of BYU football because the local media has an interest in making sure you don't forget.

But Saturday, as I was watching the game, I noticed the Gonzaga score at the bottom of the screen and expressed some surprise that BYU was leading in the first half, but then thought order was restored when it was tied at the half. I flipped over to the Gonzaga game after the end of the Utah game only to be shocked that the Zags were down ten. My natural reaction was to criticize Gonzaga for an epic choke job. I tried to counter that by giving props to BYU, regardless of Gonzaga choking, its still a big win for the team down south.

Personally, I'm happy that BYU beat Gonzaga more than I'm upset at the lack of schadenfreude I could have experienced by their loss. It helps Utah's resume that BYU beat a top team on the road when Utah beat BYU in Provo.

[sancho]

Personally, I'm happy that BYU beat Gonzaga more than I'm upset at the lack of schadenfreude I could have experienced by their loss. It helps Utah's resume that BYU beat a top team on the road when Utah beat BYU in Provo.

Well, I wish they had lost, and I hope they lose again. I don't think it affects our seeding in a meaningful way, and I dislike them intensely.

[U-Ute]

Well, I wish they had lost, and I hope they lose again. I don't think it affects our seeding in a meaningful way, and I dislike them intensely.

A view that while I don't share, I can get completely behind.

[LA Ute]

Lol.

BYU's Mendenhall: '10-ish' players to be disciplined for Beach Bowl brawl

The story is full of gems.

[USS Utah]

Personally, I'm happy that BYU beat Gonzaga more than I'm upset at the lack of schadenfreude I could have experienced by their loss. It helps Utah's resume that BYU beat a top team on the road when Utah beat BYU in Provo.

OTOH, Arizona, which Utah lost to twice, beat Gonzaga in OT at home.

[sancho]

OTOH, Arizona, which Utah lost to twice, beat Gonzaga in OT at home.

I wish the Zags would move into the MWC. I would really like to see them play a more interesting conference schedule.

[Scorcho]

Lol.

BYU's Mendenhall: '10-ish' players to be disciplined for Beach Bowl brawl


The story is full of gems.

between the lip-syncing and the fighting it's like a really lame production of West Side Story

[sancho]

A view that while I don't share, I can get completely behind.

You should adopt this view. We still compete with BYU for local recruits. BYU missing the tournament helps Utah more than a small bump in our already high RPI can.

There are 12-5, 11-6 upsets every year in March Madness. If BYU makes the tournament, they might become that cinderella. We definitely don't want that. Any tiny boost we get from them beating Gonzaga is outweighed 100 times by the potential for them to have a memorable run in March.

It's always just better to root against them.

[LA Ute]