Bronco, Kyle take hot seat for good cause

Kyle Whittingham and Bronco Mendenhall got an early leg up on their football rivalry for 2009 when they graciously put their faces up for praise and ridicule Monday at the Salt Lake Country Club in a traditional charity event to benefit the National Kidney Foundation of Utah.

Loser gets to be mocked in front of cameras. The winner escapes with a trophy and smiles all around.

It takes guts for both guys. I remember four years ago, this duo stood up tight as a pair of steel guitars. Nah, we don't expect much from either one. Just win. Always.

Mendenhall got to be the star Monday after his four-man-scramble team fired a 10-under par 62 but was dismantled by nine strokes at the hands of Whittingham's group, who carded a 19-under 53 on the par-72 layout.

It's nice to see both of these highly competitive men — the best football coaches in the Mountain West — pitch in for kidney donation and charity. As a guy who has been the recipient of four cornea transplants, I am personally extremely grateful for organ donors.

Deen Vetterli, chief executive officer for the local foundation that has billboards of Whittingham and Mendenhall along I-15, said organizations in other states try to duplicate this deal and fail time and time again. Their coaches are chicken when it comes to a face-off with rivals on the golf course.

Mendenhall said he didn't mind taking one for the charity.

"I decided after last year, I'd do it this way," said Mendenhall.

What way? He's not calling Mike Weir.

Instead of loading up with pro players, a tradition started at the end of the LaVell Edwards-Ron McBride era, Mendenhall's team was comprised of three of his football players — a quarterback, tight end and safety.

"If I'd known what I know now, I'd have done it this way four years ago," said Mendenhall, who brought 7-handicap quarterback Max Hall and a pair of 12-handicappers in tight end Andrew George and safety Andrew Rich.

The Country Club course played very short from the front tee boxes, and the greens had just been punched and sanded.

While Mendenhall's football players were belting out drives 280 to 300 yards long on most holes, their chipping failed at intervals and, as a group, they missed a lot of putts during a dry scoring spell.

But on the group's final hole, Mendenhall challenged his players for milkshakes and hamburgers for longest drive and closest approach shot, and the three players howled and hollered on the tee box along the northern boundary of the country club when Mendenhall out-drove them all.

Rich, who has added 20 pounds, knocked it within four feet for the hamburger. Hall made the birdie putt, stepping up last after the others had missed.