Deseret News | BYU football: Another missionary switches to play for Y.

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BYU football: Another missionary switches to play for Y.

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To confused | 2:42 p.m. May 30, 2008

You are confused??? Bronco said he would never recruit a kid on a mission. Bronco's assistant sends word through Nelson's high school coach to Nelson's parents that BYU is interested. THAT'S THE DEFINITION OF RECRUITING.

The kid from Hawaii via UNLV was NOT recruited. HIS PARENTS CALLED BRONCO without an assistant putting word out of BYU's interest.

SIMPLE AS THAT.

193 Comments? | 2:50 p.m. May 30, 2008

Please, who really cares? Are we so starved for sports in the summer that we will allow ourselves to get all riled up over recruiting practices of a football team from a mid-major conference, when the practices in question are allowed under current NCAA rules?

I love how everyone seems to have "sources" that know who initiated contact with whom, or who said what. We know what has been reported and BYU cannot comment on the specifcs yet. Lets all calm down and wait until all the facts come out over time before hastily making accusations and judgements, or better yet ... MOVE ON!

Nothing new | 2:57 p.m. May 30, 2008

I was on a mission to Europe and had a companion at the time who had redshirted his freshman year at BYU. Elder 3-Star Defensive Back used to get all sorts of stuff in the mail from schools trying to recruit him on his mission. One PAC-10 school even coincidentally happened to have a coach over in Europe on vacation who just wanted to "drop by and introduce himself."

This happens all over. Why is this such a big deal?

Comments continue below

Alex | 2:57 p.m. May 30, 2008

Objective fan:

"BYU fans get over yourselves, this isn't about blind jealousy on the part of Ute and Aggie fans. From a Ute fans perspective why would they be jealous that you're pulling in two marginal recruits whose future impact on the team is as mysterious as the BYU coaches silence on this whole issue? "

Why? Why are you and other Utes here posting pretty inflammatory rhetoric? For some reason, you and others seem to care desperately about it.

dave neff | 2:56 p.m. May 30, 2008

Gotta love being from one of the state schools.

USU, Utah, Weber, SUU, UVSC on one side all teaming up and hating on byu and pointing out their lameness that they ignore.

The only downside is most of these byu fans never even went to school there. Or if they applied byu would shread their applications before they could even get to the parking lot.

dave neff | 2:59 p.m. May 30, 2008

Hey RM Cougar, is playing for byu a calling? Some of your fans seem to think so.

Re: UTE FAN | 3:03 p.m. May 30, 2008

"SOON THERE WILL BE NOTHING TO HATE!"???

Ute fans would lose their identity if they didn't have BYU fans to whom they could compare themselves.

btw,

There's still time to enroll in that English 99R class,

again.

Where were you all in the past? | 3:03 p.m. May 30, 2008

It is funny that this has become such an issue the past few days. Missionaries changing their minds and coming to BYU is not new. Nobody was complaining a few years ago when Max Hall (ASU), Garrett Reden (UNLV), & Jan Jorgensen (Utah)all came to BYU post mission. These are the kids you should be complaining about because they have actually contributed to the Y's football revival. I know the reason nobody complained then, because the Y wasn't very good back then and nobody seemed to care. Now that we are winning everybody has a problem with these kids coming to BYU. Ute fans had no problem with Isley Filiaga when he decided to attend Utah instead of BYU a couple of years ago. Utah State fans had no problem with Brian Soi ending up in Logan (even though it was not because he didn't want to go to BYU). BYU will get some kids post mission and will lose some post mission (Olson, Stratton, Hill, Filiaga), the point is kids want to be associated with winning programs. The Y just finished up with two very successful seasons and the LDS talent around the country is taking notice.

Can't stop laughing! | 3:05 p.m. May 30, 2008

I wonder how many of the same people that are pounding their fists and adamantly demanding that these missionaries be left to focus 100% of every minute of every day on the their missionary responsibilities and absolutely cannot in anyway be distracted by any school back home are the same former missionaries who on their own missions used to spend their time sleeping in, loitering for five hours at eating appointments, and finding excuses to go shopping instead of tracting!

(I apologize for the run-on sentence, but all rules of grammar, decorum, and sensibility seem to fly out the window when posting on a forum!)

BSU | 3:14 p.m. May 30, 2008

BSU fans are cracking me up with the WAC is so much better than the MWC. Didn't New Mexico spank Nevada 24 to 0 in their bowl game. I also remember just a few months ago the Idaho Statesman ran an article quoting BSU coach Peterson saying that BSU would accept an offer to play in the MWC if one were ever offered. Needless to say Carl Benson was not too happy about those comments. If the MWC ever offers BSU a spot they will take it in New York minute! Also Hawaii did not do the WAC or the MWC any favors by getting spanked by Georgia in a total domination game!!!

BYU accomplishments | 3:15 p.m. May 30, 2008

Please stop with they Heisman winner. NEED I REMIND YOU COUGAR FANS THAT TY DETMER THREW 7, YES 7, THAT IS 7 INTERCEIPTIONS IN ONE GAME IN THE NFL.

Success Syndrome | 3:20 p.m. May 30, 2008

When BYU's football is not winning, no one pays much attention to any of this. But when BYU starts to win, all of the sudden there are lots of articles about how unfair it is that BYU can send players on missions. My favorite was one by Rick Reilley a few years ago about what a HUGE advantage BYU had with all of the returned missionaries.

Yet when the team posted several years of losing records, all of that stopped. Did the advantage suddenly go away?

The reality is that allowing players to go on missions is very difficult to manage as a coach and recruiter. If it was such an advantage then why don't all the schools from big conferences send their players away to the Peace Corps for 2 years? They could still come back just like LDS returned missionaries.

Re: The real issue | 3:22 p.m. May 30, 2008

The real issue is that Nelson's coach contacted a BYU recruiter, according to Riley's dad.
The second real issue is this -- who's Jensen?

Re: The real issue | 3:31 p.m. May 30, 2008

I agree - Bronco went against his policy with "Jensen".

I disagree - Bronco didn't go against his policy with "Nelson".

Re: A good laugh... | 3:31 p.m. May 30, 2008

"Pretend that Ty Detmer is a much better player than Alex Smith"

No need to pretend:

QB Rating of 74.7 > 63.5

Player DetmerSmith
Games Played5332
QB Rating74.763.5
Completions546435
Attempts946800
Pass Percent57.754.4
Pass Yards63514679
Yards/Game119.8146.2
Yards/Attempt6.75.8
Touchdowns3419
Interceptions3531

Re: A good laugh | 3:36 p.m. May 30, 2008

1 - lets add Steve Young to the list, oh wait, we can add Jim McMahon too. So here is the question?

How many NFL Hall of Famers does BYU have, and Utah?

2 - As for the bowl record. It's easy to have winning records in less then respectable bowl games. How many of those wins came in the Holiday Bowl and other New Years Day Bowl games? Aside from the Fiesta Bowl (oh wait wasn't their competition that year also an 8-4 team?) which major bowl victories is Utah hanging their hats on?

To Zoobie 55 | 3:36 p.m. May 30, 2008

I appreciate your stories and honesty (maybe). That is pretty funny. I know that not all students at BYU are dorks. It is good to at least have some sort of sense of humor.

To GO COUGS-
Awesome comment. Truly hilarious. The mens volleyball thing is classic. Thanks for the pick me up in the day full of people who apparently cannot read, or who are not aware of or heard the interview with Nelson's dad.

Re:Success Syndrome | 3:40 p.m. May 30, 2008

The reason you didn't hear it any more is because the rest of the country doesn't enjoy kicking a program when they are down (unlike the BYU fans).

Alex Trebek | 3:40 p.m. May 30, 2008

RE: Timeline = Manti's rise

Um, duh! Who wouldn't do everything within their power to get Manti Te'o (the best player in the country at his position) to come to their school? Too bad the other schools didn't think of it first. In the business world don't they call that being "progressive?" The Cougs would be foolish not to help their cause by signing Malosi. Wait, is doing so a violation? Should we call the Honor Code office for that one? Or maybe the Council of the Twelve since they're the school's trustees? Y haters, get over it!

BYU accomplishments:

Let's compare apples to apples: Detmer won the Heisman in COLLEGE. He threw 7 interceptions in one game in the NFL. Big difference there, bub. But it you want to go there we can. How great did Alex Smith look at Utah? Pretty good, I'd say. Now, how does he look like in the pros? Not so much. Is that a fair enough comparison for you?

Re: Shadow - Original | 3:41 p.m. May 30, 2008

If we go by your standards - then the 2004 season is irrelevent, Bronco was head coach then. So by your standards, neither BYU nor Utah has gone undefeated.

You can cherry pick your years all you want, but if the 2004 season stands, then 1984 season stands. If we want to talk about current seasons, then let us look at the last three years when both current coaches took over the programs and had their control.

Shadow - YES!! | 3:48 p.m. May 30, 2008

Lovin it. ByU fans can't seem to admit that all of this upcoming season goals are ones that Utah already accomplished. I don't care about Heisman...not a goal for Utah. I don't care about National Championship...not a goal for Utah (or any MWC team since its unachievable). I thought the ByU education was better than this. Listen to my point....BYU'S GOALS FOR THIS SEASON ARE ONES THAT the UNIVERSITY OF UTAH has already Accomplished!!! Congrats on aspiring to be where Utah has been!!

On a side note, why does anyone care about a dude that was a UNLV guy. Maybe if he was transfering from USC, but UNLV??? This kid will be a special teams player...big deal!!

Another side note, so many comments here means that the Jazz are out of the playoffs and there's nothing to do in SLC!!

Last thing, all you ByU complaints about Utes posts on ByU stories, go look at the Utah articles and you'll see even more of the opposite

Re: BYU Accomplishments | 3:54 p.m. May 30, 2008

And don't get me started on Alex Smith. Let's not talk about how successful NFL success relates to college success.

Re: BYU accomplishments | 3:56 p.m. May 30, 2008

Last I checked, the NFL and the NCAA were two separate entities.

Fans who think that a great college player has to have a great pro career in order to validate his college career are just plain and simple, idiots.

Different teams, different leagues, different playing conditions.

Apples and Oranges comparisons are meaningless.

Who is better?

John Wooden or Phil Jackson
Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods
The Fighting Irish or The Pittsburgh Steelers

Ty Detmer won the Heisman Trophy
Alex Smith finished a distant fourth

BYU Dorks | 3:57 p.m. May 30, 2008

As a Utah grad, I'm not fully aware of the BYU culture, so hopefully someone can educate me. Do BYU coeds really go on dates and eat dinners on the grassy knoll between the two lanes of traffic??? I just had a girl BYU grad tell me that she had 2 (yes, TWO) dates where this happened.

This ALONE confirms the dorkiness of BYU fans.

BYU breeds hypocrites (see: Bronco). Look no further than the guy sitting across from me last Utah vs. BYU game at Lavell Stadium who was extremely nice to me the whole game until Utah took the lead. A complete jerk (not to mention dork) for the few minutes that Utah had the lead. Afterwords, couldn't say enough about how great Utah was. Hypocrites!!!

Lastly, this kid is good enough for special teams play and no more. Anyone that commits to play for UNLV in their current state obviously didn't have many other options....with reason!!

UtahManSir | 4:07 p.m. May 30, 2008

TRIPS TO A BCS BOWL:

UTAH-1

BOISE ST-1

BYU-0

UNTIL YOU GET TO A BCS GAME, KEEP YOUR MOUTHS SHUT

Mike B. | 4:10 p.m. May 30, 2008

Once again the ignorance of non-byu fans is amazing. They jump on the band wagon and call Bronco out like he is from cell block C at the Utah State Prison. How dumb can you people be?? We have a program right now that is on the rise, these kids want to be a part of it. Winning is contagious. We have a great program here. Bronco once again was contacted by the parents first and has done nothing unethical here. Utah State and UNLV stink right now. What would you seriously do? Stay to have 4 loseing seasons or go with a proven winner? COME ON GET YOUR HEADS OUT OF THE SAND!

Re: BSU fan | 4:10 p.m. May 30, 2008

"CAME INTO YOUR HOUSE AND BEAT YOU 50-12"

Congrats on beating probably the worst BYU team in the last 40 years.

Which proves exactly... what???

Crowton is gone, Mendenhall is here.

You're invited back to Provo anytime.

LP49 | 4:14 p.m. May 30, 2008

BYU really wants Manti!! Suddenly a schollie becomes avail?

So stupid.. | 4:17 p.m. May 30, 2008

FormerYLoyalist, 12:51 a.m. May 30, 2008 says:

"The Riley Nelson fiasco smelled bad, this makes it smell worse. Notice the fishy made-for-the-press timeline and the timing of the press release. Is this supposed to make Bronco look good? NOT"

Fishy timeline? Don't be stupid. The writer obviously realized that with the Nelson thing, that was the huge question left up in the air - who contacted who first? Is there some BYU conspiracy? Is Bronco lying? Is he poaching missionaries and violating rules?

So, obviously, with the next article, the writer (like any half-decent journalist) says, uh, how did this one develop? Let's get more of the story up front to avoid the questions later. And then he includes the timeline in his article in an attempt to show research and full disclosure.

But you want to see something bad. You want Bronco to be a liar. So, you see in it what you want.

This whole thing is so stupid.

Of course BYU is going to respond to inquiries from missionaries (and their families). They don't hunt them, they just respond. To ignore them would be rude and foolish and hurt the university and its programs.

Chasing your shadow | 4:24 p.m. May 30, 2008

Didn't Utah beat Pittsburgh in the Fiesta Bowl, the same team that BYU beat in the opening game of their national championship season?

Instead of worrying about BYU's goals for this season, maybe Utah fans should woory more about their own team's goals.

Utah hasn't accomplished squat this season and from all appearances, their ONLY goal for the upcoming season is beating BYU in November.

A National Championship will always mean more than an also ran BCS Win.

Alex Trebek | 4:24 p.m. May 30, 2008

RE: Shadow - Yes!

I'll admit it, BYU wants to go to the BCS game. There, you happy now? So what? Don't act like Utah is the only team who has busted the BCS. In fact, they aren't even the best non-BCS team to play in a BCS bowl. That honor belongs to Boise State. So a more accurate statement would be: We're aspiring to do what BSU has already accomplished. There's no shame in that.

However, belittling the Y's accomplishments (Heisman, Doak Walker, Outland, Davey O'Brien, National Champion) will do nothing to enhance the yewes reputation as a second-tier school in a second-tier conference (yes, I can admit our conference stinks too).

Side note: Last I checked UNLV guys really know how to put a hurtin' on the yewe, as do the Cougs so... good move, Malosi. Either way you would've beaten the yewts.

Another side note: Close, I love the Jazz too but BYU football is just that popular. In fact, it's the most popular team in the state, hands down.

Last thing: What yewt articles? No one cares, so no news...

Skippy | 4:25 p.m. May 30, 2008

To Utah Man Sir

National Champion

BYU- 1

Utah - ha ha as if
Boise - keep the dream alive or at least a different turf.

dave neff | 4:26 p.m. May 30, 2008

Hey 'BYU Dorks', byu's dorkiness which is known nation wide is not worth discussing or arguing we are all aware.

Why are we discussing who is better in the nfl BYU or Utah? Why would anyone care? On that note Utah and Weber have sent more players to the NFL this decade in football and basketball, lool Weeber!

What is important I guess is that we enjoy these comments making fun of byu and watching them try and defend their 'almight school' as they think of it. Making fun of byu is just too easy...

And no more talk about grassy knolls I'd rather not know about what goes on down their in happy valley...let me guess they stole that nickname from Penn State. As we saw that byu is known for stealing things from USU and other schools.

Utah fans continue to spout | 4:28 p.m. May 30, 2008

Ute postings prove they are as passionate about BYU football as the BYU fans. However, it seems two faced that Utah fans continue to attack BYU on this and other things when they themselves have had their own problems with ethics and more, such as when Utah Basketball got in trouble with the NCAA just a couple years ago (and Utah fans keep calling BYU fans hypocrits.. go figure). Utah fans bashing BYU over these two recruits are very hypocritical. They are looking for reasons to bash BYU, regardless of whether it is deserved or not. Of course BYU has its problems too, but how these two recruits came to BYU is not one of them. Bronco handled it the right way.

Give Bronco the respect he deserves. He is a class act, followed every NCAA rule, and was sensitive to the athlete, family and mission. That is head & shoulders above what other coaches have done when they have lured BYU recruits away to other porgrams in the past.

Bronco is bringing back the BYU winning tradition and many kids are going to want to come to BYU. This is the true reason why Utah fans are mad.

Easy to understand | 4:35 p.m. May 30, 2008

1)BYU gets high school coach to call Nelson's dad - RECRUITING

2) Te'o dad e mails BYU asking if they have interest- NOT RECRUITING

3) Both are legal under NCAA rules

4) Bronco said he wouldn't ever recruit a missionary and he did (NELSON)

Re: UtahManSir | 4:45 p.m. May 30, 2008

Under your logic only the last 10 years of bowl games matter? So anything before the last ten years (pre-current BCS) are irrelevent and don't matter.

Let's look at bowl games:

Tah:
Fiesta
Sun
Liberty
Copper
Freedom
Vegas
Poinsetta
Emarld
Armed Forces

BYU:
Fiesta
Holiday
Citrus (now Cotton Bowl)
Cotton Bowl
Tangerine (now Capital One)
All-American
Freedom
Liberty
Aloha
Copper
Motor City
Vegas

And according to your counterparts the only reason the Utes got to go to a "BCS" bowl was because of "BYU", after all, it was because of BYU that the BCS was created right? (According to Ute Fans).

Question for Shadow Boy... | 4:49 p.m. May 30, 2008

So what if BYU's goals are something Utah has accomplished? What are Utah's goals this year? Apparently not to win the National Champtionship. Apparently not even to go back to the BCS.

The fact that BYU can set realistic goals to at least make it to the BCS, and have that as a legitimate possibility says something.

It's better to aim high and come up short than to aim low. You'll never get there aiming low.

So go ahead and bask in your 1 good year. Go ahead and look down on us poor zoobs that have high expecations for our team. At least we have more than 1 good year to hang our hats on.

Re: Shadow - YES!! | 4:53 p.m. May 30, 2008

Wow, what's Utah football and Ute fan got to live for? You've already achieved everything you want, a BCS game.

I guess BYU should have given up like Utes after their first WAC/MWC title, wait maybe after thier first Holiday Bowl game, wait maybe after their first Fiesta Bowl, oh wait maybe after their first National Championship...

I guess it is true, BYU should be more like Utah and be satisfied with a concellation game. Cougar fans are selfish, they have already gotten all there is for College Football. Come on BYU - Why do you need more, why shut for another National Championship, why poach other players.... why even exist.

Recruiting | 4:54 p.m. May 30, 2008

If it is not "recruiting" a player on their mission what is it called when BYU Football staff signs a player who is already on a mission?

It is like saying "I didn't steal the car stereo I only took it off the guy's hands who stole it for a small fee.

I don't think it is necessarily wrong but if Mendenhall said he wouldn't do it then he has gone back on his statement.

Personally I think He should have never said he wouldn't recruit and should've foreseen this problem.

But all things considered it really is the choice of the player to decide what he wants to do and they have the constitutional right do do whatever they want as long as it is within NCAA rules.

Being a Ute fan I would prefer that my son play for BYU over USU or UNLV or New Mexico or Wyoming or CSU etc...

UNLV!!! | 4:58 p.m. May 30, 2008

Didn't UNLV beat the Utes? I guess by BYU poaching him from UNLV, BYU is actually caring for their brothren up North. Maybe you'll be able to stop UNLV now.

Sterling73 | 5:01 p.m. May 30, 2008

I would make it a practice to contact every single D-1 quality recruit that ever served a mission. If I were Bronco, I would begin the recruitment of every prospect that ever got away (e.g. Kaveinga, Havili, etc.) over again the minute they stepped into the mission field. Other colleges try to cherry pick our guys while they serve, there's no reason we shouldn't be exploiting the advantage that we wouuld naturally have with full time missionaries.

I'm not talking about harassing/distracting these kids...I'm talking about a word here, and a word there. I'm talking about very subtley reminding them of the spiritual atmosphere at BYU.

I think it would be crazy not to utilize whatever advantage we have to make us more competitive with the USC's and Oregon's of the world.

The unethical part involves Lark | 5:07 p.m. May 30, 2008

I don't really think that Bronco was unethical in what happened with these players on their missions. The unethical part is absolutely hosing James Lark, the quarterback he signed in the exact same class, who spent a season in the program, and is currently on a mission. Did Bronco let him know that he brought in another quarterback that could take his spot. According to all of you zoobs, He needs to consider his future, just like every other missionary.

Wrong | 5:08 p.m. May 30, 2008

BYU never admits to doing anything wrong, but we forget who broke this story, Dick Harmon!! Dick Harmon folks, the biggest BYU appologists in the history of BYU sports. How much credibility can we lend to this story?? If Bronco really beleived in the Missionary program he would tell these kids to concentrate on their missions and let the pieces fall when they get back. They're not committed to the Aggies or Rebels when they get back. But, then again Bronco doesn't beleive in the Missionary program!! This is hypocritical!!

dave neff | 5:15 p.m. May 30, 2008

Hey Sterling73:

I don't think your comment below is the type of thing college students are looking for - loooool.

"I'm talking about very subtley reminding them of the spiritual atmosphere at BYU."

You win some you lose some | 5:14 p.m. May 30, 2008

I hope it will be that other teams will not recruit LDS players. That would mean a competetive advantage especially as the church gets larger. For all of you eating sour grapes my comment to you is WAHHHHHHH. This happens all the time. Get over it, you win some you lose some. If I remember right we had a commitment this year for a four star lineman that switched to Utah. I was OK with the switch, obviously he prefered Utah over BYU but there are a lot of LDS players that love BYU as well.

Do USU fans need an interpreter? | 5:23 p.m. May 30, 2008

GIVE IT UP!!!!

Fact: Nelson expressed interest in coming to BYU long before any BYU coach discussed any interest in him.

In fact, I learned it from the USU fans, that Nelson had interest in BYU, long before BYU ever approached Nelson. Now USU fans are suddenly saying it was the other way around. Who are the hypocrites? What a flip-flop. You all knew he was interested in BYU and may end up there. Why so shocked? Many of you predicted this would happen and it was all over your paper. His interest is well within BYU's criteria to then approach him with and let him know of equal interest.

You lose, like always. You'd think you would get used to it already and quit making fools of yourselves. Isn't it just adding insult to injury for BYU to say what you are claiming, that BYU is better at recruiting than USU? That's true to, but if you think Bronco actively recruited Nelson, then you really are revealing how pathetic USU's idea of recruiting methods are. No wonder you guys stink so bad.

Still Laughing | 5:24 p.m. May 30, 2008

Concerning "Re: A good laugh" -- if it's so easy to have a winning record in less-than-respectable bowl games how in the world do you explain LaVell's embarrassing bowl record? [Best explanation is he didn't really care that much about bowl games, viewed them more as a fun diversion -- but still, for heaven's sake]

LaVell's teams never went to a "respectable" bowl game and, bless his heart, his biggest win came against a disinterested Michigan team that finished the year 6-6.

But, what about loss after loss to teams like Indiana?

Anonymous | 5:27 p.m. May 30, 2008

It's always easy to justify questionable tactics, mock opposing fans who feel they've been had, and inexplicably gloat about an undefeated season before you've played one game when you've had a couple of good years against subpar competition.

I've heard and can't agree more with some of the comments about hypocritical BYU fans. Putting a Cougar logo above a urinal and referring to the cougs as "that team down South," aren't tactics against any rules either, but you seem to have plenty of issues with both.

Go ahead and glory in the 1-star recruits you took from other programs. Go ahead and predict your undefeated season before one football has entered the air. We'll see you on the field in November; Big House challenged and cloaked in a sea of red.

Why are Utah Ute fans...... | 5:28 p.m. May 30, 2008

on this message board??? This story has nothing to do with them- ZERO. It seems they care more about what happens at BYU than their own school. It's very sad and weird. Have you noticed that BYU fans don't post comments on Ute stories??? It's because we just don't care.

socal bystander | 5:41 p.m. May 30, 2008

All those of you whining and wailing and gnashing your teeth alleging that Bronco is a hypocrite and is evil for "recruiting" players while they are on missions should at least have the intellectual honesty to define what you mean by recruiting so as to make the argument meaningful. If by "recruiting" you mean ANY contact with BYU athletics with the actively serving missionary, then perhaps you have an argument. I suspect that what Bronco meant, and which makes eminent sense, is that neither he nor anyone acting for BYU would make any initial contact with a serving missionary. That then would mean that Bronco is NOT recruiting, because the story is clear that the initial contact was made by the missionary or his family. If you BYU/Bronco haters don't know what I am talking about or are too blind to see the difference, then you probably attended a school that failed to teach you critical thinking skills. The "U" perhaps? Would you all like some cheese with your whine?

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