Deseret News | Mission experience pays off for RMs in college basketball

Reader comments
Mission experience pays off for RMs in college basketball

more to it | 6:57 a.m. March 19, 2009

mission experience surely helps with maturitym, but begin 2 or 3 years older, physically and mentally doesn't hurt either.

Having 25 year olds on your team is sort of like having a semi pro team on the court.

BYU | 8:52 a.m. March 19, 2009

BYU is the true missionary school. USU is just a poser school.

@BYU | 9:05 a.m. March 19, 2009

Is that why BYU has fewer RM's on their roster than USU?

Comments continue below

Mike P. | 9:15 a.m. March 19, 2009

It has nothing to do with it. Get real!

Ag Fan | 9:19 a.m. March 19, 2009

Just for saying that BYU is the true missionary school makes you sound so arrogant. Utah State has just as many faithful LDS members as BYU does. You make it sound like we are trying to be just like BYU, but we're aiming a little higher. Go Aggies!

To :BYU" | 9:28 a.m. March 19, 2009

As a BYU fan, your comment about BYU being the true school is offensive. Grow up and repent of your stupid false pride.....

Amen | 10:48 a.m. March 19, 2009

Some BYU fans are really idiotic!!

Agree with 9:28 Grow up and REPENT of your stupid
false pride.....

Lot's of people would like to go to BYU, but there are only so many openings (a limited number).
Are those who don't get into that limited number
just not to go to school and play in competitive sports???

God made the Whole World, not just a portion thereof.

BYU = false pride | 11:44 a.m. March 19, 2009

I am proud of all the Aggie players who are a returned missionary.Go Aggies!
I think the reason that BYU has no respect from other universities in the state is because of "prideful" fans like one who made the BYU comment.
Many college students who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints choose not to go to BYU because of fans like you, fans who have false pride. The linebacker, Manti Teo (spelling?), from Hawaii for one, and I am sure there are many others.

Disadvantage | 12:11 p.m. March 19, 2009

I know many BYU fans think everything BYU is superior. But the reality is that BYU is actually at a HUGE disadvantage when it comes to recruiting. BYU's recruiting pool really is limited to only die-hard LDS kids who also love BYU. We have lost many of the very top LDS athletes for a while now to BCS schools and many of the solid LDS athletes choose to go the U or Utah State. We are literally out of the running for quality non-LDS kids who realize that the honor code is ridiculously strict and suffocating even for LDS students. And if you happen to be watching the BYU basketball game now or know anything about BYU football and basketball top-25 amd postseason results, you know just how this very limited recruiting pool effects us against the big boys.

Pays off? How? | 12:53 p.m. March 19, 2009

They haven't won an NCAA game in 16 years!
They are an automatic second round pass for their first opponent.
They belong in Div II.
Mike in WVC

Tai & USU | 2:09 p.m. March 19, 2009

don't follow the Y's model on recruiting. Didn't you watch the game today? Out of my whole mission there was only one Elder who was able to stay in shape and his name was Brian Kehl, other than that they are far and few. RM's come home slow and normally have lost their killer instinct.

Re: Amen | 2:27 p.m. March 19, 2009

"Lot's of people would like to go to BYU, but there are only so many openings (a limited number)."

Second: Not everyone wants to go to BYU. Every school in Utah dislikes BYU for their arrogant assumption that their school would be the logical best choice for a University to attend. Utah State's Huntsman Scholars Program is premier and we have students from BYU and U of U trying to transfer to USU. USU also has the top elementary ed. program. Weber State has the top nursing program in the state. U of U and USU conduct incredible research in different areas.

Top students from any school in Utah can compete with students from other programs across the state and country.

I have had the ability, along with many other students in the state to attend any Utah school of choice including BYwho. I chose to go to USU because I enjoyed the focus on undergraduate research, international study opportunities, location, and the beautiful campus. My wife transferred from BYU to USU and shares similar feelings about Utah State.

annonamous | 3:45 p.m. March 19, 2009

Hey BYU alumn, students, fans, or followers. Everybody in the state knows that you think your better than everybody. It's getting old. Use the game you played today as a sign that you need to humble yourselves. Not just in basketball, but in general. This story was about Utah State RM's. It had absolutly nothing to do with BYU.

Anonymous | 3:45 p.m. March 19, 2009

They don't represent the LDS Church! They represent Utah State, University of Utah, and BYU! There is NO LDS Church Basketball team! Stop trying to get publicity for the Church by lying! Only when the Church pays for their uniforms, pays the travel expenses, hotel rooms, food, equipment, etc. can you say that they represent the Church!

magnum | 4:09 p.m. March 19, 2009

Dear Anonymous,

Take a breath. Are you out to pick at every little word? I don't think anyone is lying to get church publicity.

Sit back and take it easy. Life goes on...

Anonymous | 4:26 p.m. March 19, 2009

Talk about fair weather fans! Mormons try to take credit for any kind of positive publicity, as does this article, saying "They are successful BECAUSE they are Mormons!"

But then you all distance yourselves from negative publicity - "Don't judge the entire Church by one bad person!"

Don't be stupid. You can't have it both ways. If you are going to bask in the reflected glory of your members, you have to also take responsibility for the reflected STENCH of those same members!

Frank | 4:51 p.m. March 19, 2009

Dear Anoymous,

14 going on 15 years old?

Why are we Yning? | 7:03 p.m. March 19, 2009

Who cares if some hater of his fellow Mormons in Logan gets on here and posts. Fact is I would take USU's team with heart and passion over JT and LC anyday. I admit I like Jimmer but all in all BYU is nothing more than an embarrassment because of their arrogant fans like the previous post.

The Mormon Church is very evident at USU. The only difference is kids have a choice that doesn't involve an "honor" code violation. Our honor code at USU is between us, the Lord and occassionally the Bishop, not an honor code board. Two different ways of doing things, neither is wrong.

I prefer to keep the honor code out, don't feel I need, You at BYU do, that is fine, I am good either way.

Bottom line is USU has produced several church following, temple attending, mission serving athletes, maybe not as many as BYU; but still that is no reason for BYU fan to belittle us or is it?

BYU what a poor represenation many of your "fans" or "followers" make.

state of Utah = LDS | 7:43 p.m. March 19, 2009

what was the point of this article, stating the obvious.

Anonymous | 10:14 p.m. March 19, 2009

God loves everyone no matter what school they go to

Re: Anonymous | 10:27 p.m. March 19, 2009

As an attorney, we try not to use quotation marks unless we are actually quoting something. Read the entire article again. The article does not say that they are successful BECAUSE they are Mormons, but it quotes several of them expressing that they feel their missionary experience has made them better basketball players. There is a BIG difference between those two things. In other words, the article didn't "say" that, they said it of themselves. Who are you to tell them their missionary service didn't give them maturity and strength?

By the way, with rants that off kilter, you don't really offend anyone (assuming that's what you're going for), you really just make us chuckle. So, I guess, thanks for the laugh.

Anonymous | 8:59 a.m. March 20, 2009

To 10:27,

I guess now would be a good time for a "liar" joke about ambulance chasers or what-not?

Like a good (bad?) lawyer, you make distinctions without differences. Missionary experience makes you a better basketball player is not the same as saying you are successful at basketball BECAUSE of missionary service?????

Were you OJ's "liar" or what?

olderthandirt | 5:16 p.m. March 23, 2009

AND WHO REALLY CARES IF -U have a returned missionary-this state is full of garbage when it comes to all the newspaper talk of religion and the college sports . Things must be pretty slow when we have to see more mormon perpetuity spred across the sports articles

To: BYU | 5:42 p.m. March 23, 2009

You make all BYU students look bad, thanks you moron. I only went to BYU because I have family in the faculty, so I only had to pay half tuition. Otherwise, I would have gone to Utah State with all my friends. People at BYU are weird, hence, the reason why I wore headphones and ignored everyone.

Deth | 9:26 p.m. March 23, 2009

I wish it could be more about basketball and not so religious. I am a BYU alum and I love the rivalry we have with USU in basketball. I think its great that USU has some RMs, and I wish them the best of luck throughout their careers. But, I still love to beat them in basketball, not because BYU is more righteous or because BYU is representing the LDS church, but because I like to see my basketball team win...thats all.

Re: Pay Offs? | 9:39 a.m. March 24, 2009

Why oh why oh WHY do we have to keep having this discussion? You honestly think that a team who has won 30 games at the Division I level should go to Division II? Any idiot knows that is a great record, no matter what your schedule or conference is. The Aggies end of season strength of schedule was 142. If it was so easy to win 30 games, the 201 teams with easier schedules than the Aggies would do it. Guess how many of them did? Zero. Also, as a sidenote, the last time the Aggies won a NCAA Tournament game (I assume that's what you meant) was in 2001 against Ohio State, not sixteen years ago. I'm not saying it's anything to be proud of, just saying you should check your facts before you post.

re: re: payoffs | 1:12 p.m. March 24, 2009

Maybe I missed where someone said they should go down a division, but i didn't see it. The only reason people say that is because men's basketball is the only sport they are consistently good at. Had USU not scheduled BYU or the U in football, they would have been awfully close to going down one division for not meeting the attendance criteria.

It would be great to have a round robin tournament in SLC where all the players were RM's and all were sportsmanlike, yet still showed fierce competition. I think that would be a treat for all state of Utah fans who are LDS.

BYU has one of the top guys in the country working on a cure for aids, a top business school, U has a great medical program, and USU and Weber have their share of good stuff already mentioned.

re: re: re: payoffs | 10:47 a.m. March 25, 2009

But this discussion isn't about football. It's about basketball. Let's stick to basketball. The post about going down to Division II was at 12:53 PM on March 19.

D II? | 11:02 a.m. March 25, 2009

First of all, men's basketball is not the only sport Utah State is consistently good at. They always field excellent cross country teams (reigning WAC champions in Men's and Women's) as well as track and field, women's soccer (again, current WAC Champs).
Second, even if basketball WERE the only sport they were consistently good at, why should the basketball team drop down to Division II? There are 343 Division I baskteball teams, but only 119 Division I football teams. Clearly, a school can field teams in both divisions, the Ivy League being the best example.

UTAG | 12:06 p.m. March 28, 2009

Good article. I think we have a lot of good guys in our b-ball program--as well as the coaching staff--and am glad they represesent the school so well both on and off the court.

Congrats to the Y and the U for their success as well; I'm happy when it benefits the state and the sport in general. I graduated from USU, had a great time in Logan, learned a lot while there, cheer for the Ags, and am very happy to be an alum. Now that b-ball's over (and what a great year it was), let's turn the page to a new era in Aggie football. Go Ags!

Thanks for the coverage D-News.

dj fresh cheese | 8:19 a.m. June 3, 2009

go penn state <3

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