Do Cougar fans dislike the rivalry? - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

DrumNFeather · 11-21-2006, 02:40 PM

As I've been reading posts on the other less reasonable boards that many of us frequent, I've seen kind of a common theme among some of the small sampling of posts I've read and that is that Cougar fans simply have no interest in rivalry games.

It isn't just a situation where they want to dominate their rival, they appear to not want to have a rival at all. Which is a little surprising to me because one of the things that Bronco has tried to bring back is the idea that BYU has a great tradition. However, Cougar coaches, players, and fans alike seem to want this rivalry to just go away.

One of the great things about college football is the rivalries. Last week, radio shows nationwide were taking calls from Ohio St. and Michigan fans who noted that beating your rival is more important than anything else. It seems that this should be the overall tenor of fans on either side of the rivalry, yet it is Ute fans alone who are accused of having the rivalry game be a big deal to them.

As I've read some of the players comments such as Beck, Brown etc...they seem to think this game is important, and it seems to be more than just finishing unbeaten in conference play.

Taking out ridiculous idiots on message boards like Crimson and Rocky (Just kidding rocky...only half way), do BYU fans in general like this rivalry? Why is it so important to create the appearance that you don't care about beating Utah and that this is truly another game. That, according to some guy named ZZCoug, emotion doesn't matter in football.

Any thoughts?

MikeWaters · 11-21-2006, 02:45 PM

the game is bigger to the Utes.

1. Most U of U students are from Utah. A huge percentage of BYU students are not from Utah and don't understand the enmity for BYU held by many Utahns. They didn't grow up with the rivalry, hence don't appreciate it.

2. Utah has been the historical underdog for the past 30 years. Hence the game means more to them. It's sort of like UT vs. A&M. To A&M, the biggest game of the year is against UT. To many UT fans, the A&M game is second in importance to the Oklahoma game. It sucks when the team you hate doesn't hate you as much as you hate them. and that's what the Ute fans experience. We just care less about the rivalry.

Jeff Lebowski · 11-21-2006, 02:49 PM

Not me, buddy. This is always the game of the year for me.

But I understand what you are talking about. Any BYU fan who thinks this game is no big deal is a stupid zoobie.

DrumNFeather · 11-21-2006, 02:50 PM

Then is it a rivalry?

If one fan base cares and the other doesn't, why have a trophy? Why not have it be the season opener or put it in the middle of the year? Why try to discredit the other teams fans, coaches, administration, players etc...?

Va. Tech/UVA is an interesting rivalry around these parts, because Tech clearly has the superior football program, yet every year, the players and coaches get fired up to play the rivalry game against UVA and want to win that game more than any other.

MikeWaters · 11-21-2006, 02:51 PM

when I was at BYU, to that point in my life, I did not know a single graduate of U of U.

I would have no more applied to the Univ. of Utah than I would Morehouse.

The commuter school up the freeway was just not on the radar.

MikeWaters · 11-21-2006, 02:53 PM

I think the BYU fan base cares, but just not as much as the Utah fan base.

I would not consider it among the most important or fierce rivalries in the country.

Mormon Red Death · 11-21-2006, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

when I was at BYU, to that point in my life, I did not know a single graduate of U of U.

I would have no more applied to the Univ. of Utah than I would Morehouse.

The commuter school up the freeway was just not on the radar.

Its probably because you couldn't get in

The Colt · 11-21-2006, 09:14 PM

As has been pointed out one of the major issues in the rivalry is that Utah students grow up in Utah and today the majority of BYU students come from out of state. This will also lead to some long term problems for BYU in attendance. BYU is very difficult to gain admission to these days and as result a lot of kids from Utah that used to attend BYU are now having to settle for Utah. There is a small resentment factor and that only intensifies their feelings about the rivalry. The attendance problems lies in the fact that your local fan base is mostly born of alums and if fewer and fewer are from Utah it only stands to reason that tickets may be easier to obtain in the out years.

Some have also hinted that with the increased academic rigor of gaining admission to BYU we are not getting a lot of students that are just not interested in sports.

jay santos · 11-21-2006, 09:54 PM

It's definitely a rivalry. And BYU fans definitely care. But like Mike says it's not the same for each side.

BYU fans outnumber Utah fans 2:1, and that's just in Utah. When you have that situation and you have the dominance that BYU has had over the past 30 years--ignoring the previous four--it's obvious why it means more to Utah than BYU. The past four years has changed things to some degree.

Now for your question about whether or not we WANT a rivalry. I'd rather Utah was not a strong rival. If Utah was a crappy football team, BYU would have easier go in recruiting. Rivalries make college football great, but if I had my choice between the five best recruits Utah gets every year and a fun rivalry game, I'd take the recruits.

ute4ever · 11-22-2006, 12:20 AM

Slight thread hijack:

Do sports fans outside of Utah in general give a crap about the rivalry?

For those who have never been to Utah during rivalry week, you should try it sometime. You will hear all kinds of cute proclamations about how ESPN has labeled it one of the top five rivalries in the nation, or how there will be as much media present as you find in a bowl game.

But in reality, if you travel outside of the state, you will find, to plagarize Danaconda, it is hardly a blip on the radar.

11-21-2006, 02:40 PM	#1
DrumNFeather Active LDS Ute Fan Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Nantucket : ) Posts: 2,566	Do Cougar fans dislike the rivalry? As I've been reading posts on the other less reasonable boards that many of us frequent, I've seen kind of a common theme among some of the small sampling of posts I've read and that is that Cougar fans simply have no interest in rivalry games. It isn't just a situation where they want to dominate their rival, they appear to not want to have a rival at all. Which is a little surprising to me because one of the things that Bronco has tried to bring back is the idea that BYU has a great tradition. However, Cougar coaches, players, and fans alike seem to want this rivalry to just go away. One of the great things about college football is the rivalries. Last week, radio shows nationwide were taking calls from Ohio St. and Michigan fans who noted that beating your rival is more important than anything else. It seems that this should be the overall tenor of fans on either side of the rivalry, yet it is Ute fans alone who are accused of having the rivalry game be a big deal to them. As I've read some of the players comments such as Beck, Brown etc...they seem to think this game is important, and it seems to be more than just finishing unbeaten in conference play. Taking out ridiculous idiots on message boards like Crimson and Rocky (Just kidding rocky...only half way), do BYU fans in general like this rivalry? Why is it so important to create the appearance that you don't care about beating Utah and that this is truly another game. That, according to some guy named ZZCoug, emotion doesn't matter in football. Any thoughts? __________________ "It's not like we played the school of the blind out there." - Brian Johnson.

11-21-2006, 02:49 PM	#3
Jeff Lebowski Charon Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: In the heart of darkness (Provo) Posts: 9,564	Not me, buddy. This is always the game of the year for me. But I understand what you are talking about. Any BYU fan who thinks this game is no big deal is a stupid zoobie. __________________ "... the arc of the universe is long but it bends toward justice." Martin Luther King, Jr.

11-21-2006, 02:50 PM	#4
DrumNFeather Active LDS Ute Fan Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Nantucket : ) Posts: 2,566	Then is it a rivalry? If one fan base cares and the other doesn't, why have a trophy? Why not have it be the season opener or put it in the middle of the year? Why try to discredit the other teams fans, coaches, administration, players etc...? Va. Tech/UVA is an interesting rivalry around these parts, because Tech clearly has the superior football program, yet every year, the players and coaches get fired up to play the rivalry game against UVA and want to win that game more than any other. __________________ "It's not like we played the school of the blind out there." - Brian Johnson.

11-21-2006, 09:14 PM	#8
The Colt Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 3	The Rivalry will always be more important at the U As has been pointed out one of the major issues in the rivalry is that Utah students grow up in Utah and today the majority of BYU students come from out of state. This will also lead to some long term problems for BYU in attendance. BYU is very difficult to gain admission to these days and as result a lot of kids from Utah that used to attend BYU are now having to settle for Utah. There is a small resentment factor and that only intensifies their feelings about the rivalry. The attendance problems lies in the fact that your local fan base is mostly born of alums and if fewer and fewer are from Utah it only stands to reason that tickets may be easier to obtain in the out years. Some have also hinted that with the increased academic rigor of gaining admission to BYU we are not getting a lot of students that are just not interested in sports.

11-21-2006, 02:45 PM	#2
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	the game is bigger to the Utes. 1. Most U of U students are from Utah. A huge percentage of BYU students are not from Utah and don't understand the enmity for BYU held by many Utahns. They didn't grow up with the rivalry, hence don't appreciate it. 2. Utah has been the historical underdog for the past 30 years. Hence the game means more to them. It's sort of like UT vs. A&M. To A&M, the biggest game of the year is against UT. To many UT fans, the A&M game is second in importance to the Oklahoma game. It sucks when the team you hate doesn't hate you as much as you hate them. and that's what the Ute fans experience. We just care less about the rivalry.

11-21-2006, 02:51 PM	#5
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	when I was at BYU, to that point in my life, I did not know a single graduate of U of U. I would have no more applied to the Univ. of Utah than I would Morehouse. The commuter school up the freeway was just not on the radar.

11-21-2006, 02:53 PM	#6
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	I think the BYU fan base cares, but just not as much as the Utah fan base. I would not consider it among the most important or fierce rivalries in the country.

11-21-2006, 09:54 PM	#9
jay santos Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 6,177	It's definitely a rivalry. And BYU fans definitely care. But like Mike says it's not the same for each side. BYU fans outnumber Utah fans 2:1, and that's just in Utah. When you have that situation and you have the dominance that BYU has had over the past 30 years--ignoring the previous four--it's obvious why it means more to Utah than BYU. The past four years has changed things to some degree. Now for your question about whether or not we WANT a rivalry. I'd rather Utah was not a strong rival. If Utah was a crappy football team, BYU would have easier go in recruiting. Rivalries make college football great, but if I had my choice between the five best recruits Utah gets every year and a fun rivalry game, I'd take the recruits.

11-22-2006, 12:20 AM	#10
ute4ever I must not tell lies Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 5,103	Slight thread hijack: Do sports fans outside of Utah in general give a crap about the rivalry? For those who have never been to Utah during rivalry week, you should try it sometime. You will hear all kinds of cute proclamations about how ESPN has labeled it one of the top five rivalries in the nation, or how there will be as much media present as you find in a bowl game. But in reality, if you travel outside of the state, you will find, to plagarize Danaconda, it is hardly a blip on the radar.