Comments about ‘Countdown to Poinsettia, Las Vegas Bowls’

Good luck, Utes. My brother told me about his stake president a few weeks back wishing the new Navy coach luck against Utah in the bowl game. There were no Ute fans there to defend your squad. He smirked at the opportunity to coach his first game against the Utes, according to my brother. That should add an interesting dynamic to the game.
Kyle always has his boys ready to go for the bowl. Maybe it's the national exposure, the extra prep time, or just bad competition. At least you come away with W's. BYU doesn't exactly play juggernauts and seems to follow the bowl trend of losing to the underdog. Maybe Bronco can learn a thing or two from Kyle about bowl games. Of course, Kyle could learn a thing or two from Bronco about the mid-season slump he seems to have every season.
I think both teams got the right coach for the job, keeping in mind that there will never be another Urban or LaVell.

Good luck little brother Utes but
I think Navy is going to take this
one.

But hey, the red rocks are ranked third
this year. Thank goodness for gymnastics.

with love and support,

The cougars

Utah and BYU programs are both headed in a good direction. They have prepared well and should represent the State well. We need to continue to bring the attention to the quality of football we play here. The national exposure will go a long way in doing that.

I expect the Cougars and the Utes to win their games leaving all their fans in festive holiday bliss. Now if only there were something I could do for the Jazz.

The Utes are listed as over 9 point favorites in Sagarin Ratings. This does not include the travel that Navy has to make traveling three time zones. If the Utes don't win it will be an embarrassment.

What a great match up. Two teams with terrible bowl records over the past ten years. I bet alot of people will be very excited to watch this one.

FYI just because you play on ESPN does not mean the whole nation will be watching, youre mistaking your game with the important and worthwhile games those ones take place after the new year. The nation does not want to watch a MWC play a .500 pac 10 team.

Awwwww...

No more Urban?

Dude, he was there for "TWO" years.

De he even unpack his books?

Anything is better than watching the Cougars

Does the nation want to watch a 72nd ranked Navy team with an 89 strength of schedule with losses to powerhouses like Deleware and Ball State? Where as UCLA is the 36th ranked team with the second toughtest schedule. Now I will hand it to you UCLA does have a loss to a loser team by the name of Utah. But no one has heard of them. They rank up there with the Navy losses to Deleware and Ball State.

GO UTES. id rather watch those stupid dog shows on espn than BYU playing a 6-6 lame UCLA team. thats got to be the worst bowl game in bowl history.

I think the nation isn't really interested in either the LV or Poinsettia Bowl games.

Certainly, Navy adds a little interest as the nation has Navy alumns all over. By the same token, BYU has the LDS factor. But, the nation just knows UCLA is 6-6 with a poor PAC-10 finish. Most don't look into Sagarin ratings, SOS, or early season losses/wins.

So, overall, both of these bowl games are pretty much a non-issue throughout the country. Unless you play on or around New Years Day, it doesn't really matter except to the local fans and alumni.

Sorry Jimi, a 17th ranked BYU team in the BCS rankings playing against the 36 best UCLA team in Sagarins is a much better matchup than a pathetic #35 ranked Utah team against a #72 Navy team. If you think 17 vs. 36 is bad, what about #35 vs #72? Maybe you need to spend less time watching those "stupid dog shows" and you state and more time watching sports since you have no idea what you are talking about.

'JIMI'- I'm glad to hear that you are so sure that BYU is going to kill UCLA! I wish I had your unbridled optimism.

I actually think that Rutgers vs Ball State may be a slightly worse bowl this year. Both teams come in at 7-5, but identical records never felt so different.

It is true that Whittingham's teams suffered a mid-season funk each of his first two years. That was a worrysome thing for me, a Ute fan.

However, that trend didn't continue this year. After September 22, Utah played outstanding football. Thus, the October slump didn't occur this year.

BYU and Utah had very similar seasons this year. Both had two early losses and then came on strong the last 2 months. The main differences were:

1. BYU won a close head to head game at the end of the season
2. BYU's two early losses were to OOC teams where Utah's came against MWC opponents.

I think the Whittingham mid-season slump problem wasn't an issue this year.

To tell you the truth, I don't know why the Utes went to visit the San Diego zoo, they could have just stayed in Utah and got the full effect by going to see the co-eds down at the Y....

To re: Dear Max,
Why you bringing Utah into the equation, did I ever say that anyone is going to watch the utah game either. Fact is on a national level no one probably will! Max made a reference to playing on a national tv in front of a national audience! Both of utah and byu's bowl are insignificant on a national level. Personally I will watch the utah/navy game because the triple option attack is beautiful thing to watch! On Saturday night I am going to cuddle up next to the fire and watch my favorite reruns of Gilligin's island.

At least the Vegas Bowl has a conference champ. And other than Notre Dame, BYU has the biggest fan following of any school in the nation, so their will be a lot of people who will watch this game despite what loser Ute fans want to say. How good of bowl game can the Poinsetta Bowl be with a MWC 3rd place chump against the likes of Navy. Actually that could be a pretty good game. Two mediocre teams squaring off. I'll watch the game with a conference champ and a PAC 10 team myself.

If you really beleive BYU has the second biggest fan following of any school in the nation, I have some beachfront property in Fillmore I'd like to sell you.

Said Max- "With the game on ESPN, most of the nation will be watching. It's a chance for us to shine a little bit and prove that we can play with anybody."

Most of the Nation wil be watching-Wrong, non of the nation! Bowls games before new years let only before christmas arent worth watching!

Prove that we can play with anybody-playing UCLA is not proving you can play with anybody, for goodness sakes they got blown out of the water by utah and lost to Notre Dame!

Max your living on an island!