Comments about ‘BYU, Utah Utes gymnastics: Patched-up Red Rocks still manage to defeat Cougars’

To Ms Linda Hamilton and Mr. Ravell Call and Editors:
So this was BYU's highest score of the season? And the quotes from the BYU coach are where? The pictures of the Cougars are where? The story and pictures show you only went to report on the Utah team and not on the meet. No mention of the Deseret First Duel except to say it was the last event (for gymnastics) This belongs in the Utah Student paper. Utah won, I understand that and to the victor go the spoils but you failed basic Journalism by being a groupie rather than a reporter. Where are the quotes about the cougars who did their season and even career bests to help earn their highest score of the year? Not important?
This is why gymnastics is a non-relevent sport. Any sport that relies on judges, popularity, pre-meet expectations, and fawning reporters is always going to be suspect. You seldom hear of upsets in these types of "entertainment" events. It's like trying to follow a Harlem Globetrotters season and see how they do for the year against the Washington Generals.

SLCWatch
The article was about Utah winning with a patched up group. Byu wasn't emphasized all that much because it's old news that Utah pounds the BYU gymnasts into the dirt every time , even without their top student athletes. Also Brad has been down in Provo since what 1988 and has yet to do much either as a recruiter or a coach. It is what it is, and there is nothing gained by blaming the loss on the media or the popularity of the teams. That's just more sour grapes and excuses that we've known to know and love from the blue bloods.

Hailstorm
I am not a gymnastics fan either way. It's not sourgrapes because I don't care whether either team wins or loses. As they say, I don't have a horse in this race. But the article did not cover the meet. It's poor journalism to not cover both sides of an event. Especially if as you say Utah always wins, then losing by less than a point would make this a near upset which doesn't happen in gymnastics. Look at it from a journalistic point of veiw instead of some one with an interest in either party and you would agree.

Both of you stop bickering or I'll turn this car around.

Ravell Call is a BYU grad and a fine photographer. He shoots 'em, doesn't pick which ones go into the article.

I've always wondered: Why are they the "Red Rocks" and not the "Utes"? Anyone know?

They should be the Runnin' Red Rocks!

SLCWatch, if you don't like gymnastics, why are you on here? Oh yeah, to complain. If you re-read the article, you will see they did capture the details of the meet, they just didn't dwell on BYU, probably because as well as they did, it was still loss. Perhaps you should be reading the Daily Universe for Y pandering.

But if you want to complain about suspect "journalism," consdier the BYUTV coverage. What's up with NEVER showing the scores and barely showing any stats on the gymnasts? The commentators were fine, but it must have been freshmen running the technical direction. Hey, I'm just glad the meet was actually televised. By watching it with my wife I "bought" myself plenty of hours of March Madness later :). Just kidding, I think it's an awesome sport and wish we could attend more meets.

Oh, and Utah doesn't always win. They simply hold an 87-2 record vs the Cougs.

Funny that someone called a deseret news writer a Utah "groupie". That fits the description perfectly of two contributors whose names are Harmon and Wrubell.

fresno,

I have no idea. I have always found it odd. I think it stems from the time when it was a club and not an official team. They couldn't technically go by utes, so they picked that.

As far as the all-time record goes, only one of those BYU wins is legitimate. The other one occured in the 80's. Marsden was disgusted with the judges (Utah was trouncing BYU, but still, his gymnasts were getting ripped off). So, he just took his team and they left midway through the meet. Had they finished, there is a 99.% chance the all time record would be 88-1.

Wow,

Not a follower of the Red Rocks but 87-2... that's just crazy.