This post has been many years in the making. It is time to share something that is very important to me…something that is very special and significant in my life…something that will affect my family forever. This is my conversion story…from BYU fan to Utah fan.
I compare this conversion to those who may have left the South to join the North in the Civil War. This is a story about not relying on the traditions of your forefathers, seeking the truth, and having the courage to admit you are wrong and that it’s never to late to make things right. And if this testimony helps some poor confused soul find his way in this crazy mixed up world so be it.
Let us start in the beginning…August of 1998. It was during this time that I returned home from my mission. Terah had just got a job at Hunter High coaching the drill team. For years the drill team worked concessions at the U football games and because of this we often went along to help, as well as to watch some football. I have always been the person that will watch any football game, any time, anywhere. During the next 3-4 years many seeds were planted. I began to compare my experiences attending Utah games to those in Provo. I noticed while at Utah games they didn’t play “popcorn popping” or “if your happy and you know it” over the PA system. I noticed there was not the constant barrage of advertisements coming from the announcer every time there was a time out. I noticed there wasn’t the annoyance of the “cougar roar” every 2 minutes and at random, inappropriate times. I noticed that the students around me were watching the game unlike the plethora of “sweet spirits” sitting next to me at BYU games, going on and on about what they were going to do for family home evening the next Monday and whether the Bishop would be attending their activity (true!). I noticed that the Ute crowd didn’t yell and scream for a penalty on every frickin play like crazy Cougar fan!!!
One of the biggest things that I began to notice is that I could get to a Utah game and back home in a reasonable amount of time. The stadiums location was convenient, the traffic minimal. I compared that with having to leave 3-4 hours before game time just to get down to Lavell Edwards Stadium (LES) before kick off, while taking double that time to get home after a game. I can hear BYU fan saying “that’s because we have so many more fans than Utah, our stadium is so much bigger and it’s always sold out” No that’s not the reason it takes so long to get in and out of there compared to Utah. The reason is because your damn stadium is built like Helms Deep from Lord of the Rings. It’s carved into the corner of a mountain leaving only one way in and one way out. The last time I was in the stadium I kept thinking that after the game I might have to ride out of the stadium on horse back through thousands of spear throwing Orcs and that hopefully Gandalf would arise out of the East to lead the way back home. It is insane.
Now let’s talk about some of the people involved. Let me set the record straight right now. It was not any one of my friends or family that talked me into switching my allegiances. It has less to do with the Bawden’s and Monsen’s and more to do with people like Gary Crowton, Bronco Mendanhall, Curtis Brown, Brian Kehl, Max Hall, Austin Collie and of course Cougar fan. There has been way to much crazy talk over the last 5 or 6 years from coaches, players and fans to name all the annoying comments so let me just say all the talk about living right, magic happening, correct principles, executing at higher levels, and smack talk from retarded Cougar players/coaches and delusional cougar fans has been more than enough to push me away. Mobility elements? Position mastery? Are you serious Bronco?
This post could have easily been much longer (I didn’t even talk about the A+ signs they put up at LES for a couple of years ago-how embarrassing!) but game time is approaching. Let me end by making a plea. If you are currently a cougar fan…it’s not too late. Don’t be afraid. Come into the light. Leave the rednecks of the South and join with the noble cause of the North.!!!
As for me, I am a changed man and I couldn’t be happier. With a BCS bowl in 2004 and one on the line today (We all know what happened at the Sugar Bowl since this post!), it doesn’t get any better than this! L.E.T.S G.O. U.T.A.H
