In 2008, when I had recently returned from the mission field just in time to jump into college football season full swing, I began to realize something that I hadn't really noticed before. The rivalry between BYU and Utah was becoming pretty heated. I didn't think (and still don't) that it was anywhere near the Duke/UNC basketball rivalries, or some of the more traditional football rivalries like Notre Dame/Michigan, but it was a lot more heated than I remembered it being after a two year hiatus where I rarely heard a sentence spoken about "American Football."
I got some first hand experience during and after the game that year. My wife worked at America First Credit Union, and they put on a party at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake for all of their employees, even handing out team shirts with a "Y" or a "U" on them. It was great fun as there were games and drawings each time one of the teams scored, and we were able to see a great game as well (many forget that it was a 3 point game going into the final quarter until Max Hall went colorblind and Utah ran away with the game).
It was on the way home that things became quite uncomfortable. Not wanting to fight the downtown traffic, my wife and I had taken Trax to the Salt Palace, and hopped back on to head home. A couple of stops later, and a throng of happy (deservedly so) Utah fans jumped on to begin their journeys home as well. So here we are, a young couple in free BYU shirts surrounded by a throng of face-painted, chest-bumping, yelling, celebrating Ute fans. It was fun to see, even though I was on the other side of the rivalry. Until people really began to harass us and mock us as if we were the ones on the field that had thrown an ill-timed interception. It got pretty close to the point that I felt afraid for my safety, and in my opinion, that's the point when a rivalry has gone too far.
Don't get me wrong. I think that friendly banter and rib-poking between fans is great! I think rivalries is what makes sports relevant and fun. We need sports to help us take a break from real life! I know this better than most, as I work full-time, have an internship on top of that, take a full load at school, and make time for my wife and new baby. When I can wake up on Saturday to a full slate of great college football games from rivalries around the country, there is nothing better. It allows me to breathe a little bit, yell at my TV a little bit, get angry a little bit, and celebrate a little bit (hopefully).
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| Some friendly Jensen Family back and forth. |
When we see horrific events like those that have taken place this year in California, with a Giants fan beat into a coma, and several shootings at a 49ers/Raiders game, I think that it's time to re-evaluate how much we allows sports and rivalries to control our lives. I thought Spencer Checketts summed it up nicely in a blog post on ESPN 700's web page. (Follow him on Twitter @ESPN700spence-Great follow!) He's a Ute, and always has been. He threw out in that post the question,"If I were to start a support group entitled #uteswholovethejimmer, would you join, or would you hate?" He shared some responses as well, mostly hateful ones, even suggesting that if he was going to do that, he might as well start up an Al Qaeda chapter in Salt Lake. If people are taking these rivalries seriously enough that these are the responses that come when someone asks a question like that, we need to re-evaluate it.
I think that the best rivalries in any sport are built on respect. Teams don't have to like each other, but they should respect each other. During the past few years, this has been lacking in the Utah/BYU rivalry, and I think that going back to respecting the opponent is what this rivalry really needs to become one of the premier college football rivalries in the country. Utah fans will quickly point out the misjudgment of Max Hall and comments that he has made. BYU fans will just as fast point out how any miscue from Utah players, fans or coaches, the most cliche being that, "[blank] must have poured beer on [blank]." I want to ask this: If you don't respect your opponent, does beating them really mean anything? If you think your rival school is just a piece of trash, what did you accomplish by beating them? You are better than trash?
The University of Utah has had a great 15 years of sports, and the last 8 years of football have exceeded everyone's expectations. BYU brings a long standing tradition of great football teams, and is known throughout the country for churning out quarterbacks at a faster rate than almost any other school in the country. Both sides of this rivalry have things that they should be proud of, and it should also command the respect of their opponents. If this rivalry is going to take the step to the next level, and truly become one of the nationally known matchups each year, it needs help from both sides. There are ridiculous over-the-top fanatics on both sides, but I have been able to have great conversation and back and forth debates with other on Twitter and in social situations that have made this rivalry enjoyable.
This year, the rivalry feels like it's in jeopardy. It's already here. This Saturday. It doesn't seem quite right. There are big things in store for both schools, and the rivalry may have been pushed to the back burner. Utah is discovering what life is like in the Pac-12, and BYU is testing independence and exploring other options as far as putting the athletic programs in the best situation long term. I think it would be more intense with two teams with 2-0 records than two 1-1 teams. Based on recent years, we're likely to see an excellent, close, competitive game. I think that going forward, all parties involved will realize that no matter where BYU and Utah go in the future, they are still going to be 50 miles apart, and always be in the same boat. When that realization comes about, I think, and hope, that more weight is placed back into the rivalry, and that it can return as one of the premier rivalries in the country, built on respect.
The University of Utah has had a great 15 years of sports, and the last 8 years of football have exceeded everyone's expectations. BYU brings a long standing tradition of great football teams, and is known throughout the country for churning out quarterbacks at a faster rate than almost any other school in the country. Both sides of this rivalry have things that they should be proud of, and it should also command the respect of their opponents. If this rivalry is going to take the step to the next level, and truly become one of the nationally known matchups each year, it needs help from both sides. There are ridiculous over-the-top fanatics on both sides, but I have been able to have great conversation and back and forth debates with other on Twitter and in social situations that have made this rivalry enjoyable.
This year, the rivalry feels like it's in jeopardy. It's already here. This Saturday. It doesn't seem quite right. There are big things in store for both schools, and the rivalry may have been pushed to the back burner. Utah is discovering what life is like in the Pac-12, and BYU is testing independence and exploring other options as far as putting the athletic programs in the best situation long term. I think it would be more intense with two teams with 2-0 records than two 1-1 teams. Based on recent years, we're likely to see an excellent, close, competitive game. I think that going forward, all parties involved will realize that no matter where BYU and Utah go in the future, they are still going to be 50 miles apart, and always be in the same boat. When that realization comes about, I think, and hope, that more weight is placed back into the rivalry, and that it can return as one of the premier rivalries in the country, built on respect.
