The Beginning of the end

It’s time for Provo to understand this message, and the only way to get the point across is preparing this post like a talk read over the pulpit at their local ward house.  This “talk” will being and end just like any other “talk” you hear at your local 165^th singles ward. The intent for this being written is that you UNDERSTAND why the University of Utah and Brigham Young University need to take a break and eventually end the series. I will begin.

         Good morning brothers and sisters, my name is Chris Bryant, I just moved into the ward two weeks ago, and we all know the drill.. The new guy has to get up here and tell everything about him and his family. I have been given the topic of JEALOUSY. Well when I was assigned this topic I went over to my trusty laptop and typed this word into Google and ended up on dictionary.com.  “Jeal-ous-y: Resentment against a rival, a person enjoying success or advantage, or against an others success or advantage, mental uneasiness from suspicion or fear of a rival, vigilance in maintaining or guarding something.” Fortunate for us we have a modern day example of jealousy and that is the athletic department at BYU. This time last year the University of Utah was invited to join the Pacific 12 Conference in all sports. It was like Christmas day for Utah fans. This new affiliation with the PAC 12 was more than icing on the cake. This of course was an epic change for the Ute’s athletic program. Utah would be playing teams of greater talent such as, Washington, Cal, USC, Oregon, and Stanford. The change in competition speaks for itself. After the news had arrived there was a fellow conference member who became very jealous.  For years BYU and their fans had thought, ”Are we not the big brother?” (In all reality they never were) This brothers and sisters, was the beginning of the end and eventually lead to the biggest display of jealousy in history.

 Just days after Utah enjoyed the feeling of future success BYU was in hot pursuit to show how GREAT they really were, in an act of jealousy towards the University of Utah, BYU announced they would for go any conference affiliation and become independent, boasting them selves as a national power house and had they felt that they deserved better recognition. This story reminds me of the begging of a break up with an ex girlfriend or boyfriend, and I am sure others can relate. Ex’s are always lurking and trying to find ways to make them selves look better and try to show how happy they are when in all reality they are miserable and envious of your successes. Instead of trying to help them selves, they try to beat you down and this leads to doing things behind your back, like spreading nasty rumors. They will even convince some of your friends and maybe even co-workers how “bad” of a person you are.  Utah and BYU were in a long relationship. It started on April 6, 1896 with Utah beating BYU 14-4. Not a good start to the relationship right? But things really never changed Utah just beat down BYU for decades, it was a joke really. BYU stopped playing football for 23 years, upon their return in the 1922 season Utah beat down BYU 49-0. BYU would not win a game for 22 years.  Did it still change? No, no it didn’t up until the 1972 season Utah lead the series 41-8-4! Does this sound like a rivalry game to you? In the late 60’s there was talk that the game would not be played because of how lopsided the series was. This of course changed when BYU brought in Lavelle Edwards. BYU went 19-2 against Utah from 1972-1992. During these years Utah had an AD who could careless about Utah football, and it showed. This man was Arnie Ferrin. To leave it as simple as possible, Arnie didn’t do a good job. Utah brought in Chris Hill as their new AD and things began to turn around.

Hill’s notable hires were, Ron Mcbride, Rick Majerus, Urban Meyer, and Kyle Whittingham. During the years of the above-mentioned coaches, the ship was being turned around and competition heated up, close games and last second miracles. I guess you could say a rival was born. During BYU’s football dominance Ute fans heard for 19 years how BYU was going to head to the PAC 10 and leave “little brother Utah” in the dust, and how BYU was on to bigger and better things and Utah wouldn’t be a part of it. For 20 years BYU enjoyed success, in my opinion they sat down to long at the buffet line. They began to gloat about how powerful they had become in just a short amount of time. But all good things come to an end, and they came crashing down for cougar town.  What did it feel like to see your “little brother” beat you down to earn a BCS birth in 2004? What did it feel like in 2008 when Utah beat you down again to earn the right to play Alabama in the 75^th Sugar Bowl?  And finally what did it feel like to have your “little brother” now a member of an elite conference you claimed you would join by a score of 54-10? Does this story sound familiar brothers and sisters? A group of people who came from nothing, enjoying two decades of great success and seeing it slip away.

Over the years BYU fans players and coaches became drunk with stupidity and pride. They began boasting that God had his hands in the work of the BYU football program. And current coaches claiming that they received revelation for certain play calls, and players insisting that they are living a far more righteous life than those of their opponents and this results in magic happening. We are now going to fast-forward to July 10^th 2012. AD Chris Hill announced that Utah will not play BYU in football for two years and that it will be evaluated in the future to best suit the needs of their university. Chris Hill is a leader and he is doing what he thinks is best for the players and for his athletic department to be successful. It should be left at that nothing more nothing less.  Utah is headed for greater things and nothing should hold them back. Remember in the 80’s BYU was saying the same thing about their football program? Seeing a former conference member enjoying success and rival to boot is pretty upsetting right? Lets bring this into perspective again. Your boyfriend/ girlfriend is about to end a lopsided relationship filled with hatred, stupidity, fights and physical beat downs. Pretty easy decision you would think. They are making a grownup decisions and it would be best for the both of you to part ways. What would you do? I for one would move on with what I have and leave it be and be the bigger person. But in the ultimate act of jealousy you wouldn’t do that and that’s just what the Cougars did. The shoe was now on the other foot and it was time lash out against our rivals (ex’s) to prove they are making a bad mistake!

BYU media day was a great opportunity to whine and complain about this potential break up. Their focus was not on the progress of the football team but what they could say about the Utes that could make them so upset they would have to say something back? BYU gathered around as much media as they could so they could say “mean” things about Utah, BYU acted like a young kid who throws stones and runs and hides after the stone is cast. Their leader Tom continued the outcry of jealousy claiming they did all that they could to keep the rivalry going. And that it’s all Utah’s fault. This was the biggest out cry for help BYU needs Utah on their schedule to help them stay relevant compared to other programs win or a lose. But what they didn’t know is that Utah was already moving on to bigger and better things. The day after BYU media day, Utah announced a new home and home series with Michigan. This was another big blow to the eventual “ex” that the hotter guy/girl had won Utah over. BYU would now reach out as far as they could in an act of jealousy by stirring the media up in frenzy.

Patrick Kinahan and 1280 the zone would turn out to be BYU’s biggest help to get them selves on the fast track of feeling better. By stirring the pot as much as possible to get BYU and Utah fans in fights over the radio, in an effort to reach more listeners and to help BYU get over them selves. But the effort is all for nothing brothers and sisters, BYU has a problem deep with in them and we all know what this is and it’s an ego the size of Jupiter and pride as hard as a rock. Lets give BYU its dues, they did try to “see other people” but I don’t think their LDSsingles.com profile was good enough. They went out on dates but all they could do was boast about them selves and demanded only what they wanted with no compromise. They are not holding to a strong medal object in the dark brothers and sisters, they will eventually end up like their little sister Rick’s College if they don’t see the light.

BYU you have been given advice from one of your media “leader” Greg Wrubel and I beg of you head to the message. “Utah is doing what they think is best for their program.” Take a step back! Utah and BYU have simply out grown each other they are both headed in two opposite directions, and trying to re-kindle something that in all honesty has only been there for 30 years is not the way to go. BYU it’s time to tell your “cousins” and “close friends” the media to take a deep breath and realize the change that is coming. Focus on BYU’s path and Utah’s path separately, I promise it can be done if you focus and study! The PAC 12 needs to be a point of focus daily and the “ins and outs” of what is going on in the conference will only strengthen your followers and knowledge. In closing brothers and sisters I want to share with you how I truly feel. I know that taking a two-year break is the right call, and eventually ending the game forever will only make both teams stronger. Don’t do what BYU has done. Do not boast your pride. Do not pretend you are something you are not; it will only make you weaker brothers and sister. I know what I have shared with you today is a lot of information but please take it to heart. I say these things with great respect AMEN.