Comments about ‘Dick Harmon: Self-interest at heart of Utah's decision on rivalry with BYU’

Utah uses the excuse that they don't have enough slack or ease in their schedule to keep playing BYU having to schedule 9 conference games. Hill is pathetic! Your dang right BYU would crush the U in the coming years with the recruits they have lined up. If the roles were reversed, BYU would NOT have dropped the rivalry. Utah is a selfish school and michigan is going to crush them both years, glad you got what you wanted hill, this is going to make you look even worse than you look now in the coming years.

Now if you understand the order of college football you have a chance to put some pieces together. All elite programs will ask for and be given distinct scheduling advantages when they play mid-majors. In similar fashion, mid-majors will demand the same scheduling advantages when they play lesser programs.

When doing so, no one is uncaring, shameful, stupid or trying to destroy rivalries. Much bigger rivalries have gone thru this change due to one program upgrading or conference realignments. No amount of hissy fits will change all of college football to satisfy a few.

My suggestion is for BYU to quickly accept that Utah has upgraded more than they have. Next, allow the common scheduling advantages that elite programs enjoy. The result would be more games, likely most played in SLC and we could settle in and enjoy the next phase of this rivalry. It would look much like any other elite vs. mid-major series, like Utah series with other MWC schools, like BYU series with USU, like the BYU-Utah series was in the 1950s, like the natural order of things.

Thank you Mr. Harmon, for helping us understand our reality.

This rivalry has died off. BYU fans that I know have cooled off on the love of the football program. I don't hear any big arguments in my family when the two schools face each other. BYU was something under LaVell Edwards. Now it's just meh. They have good and bad seasons. But I think sports fans in Utah are more hungry for professional sports than college sports.

The horse is dead. Let it lie. Isn't there anything else to write about in this state. Time to move on.

@ Rockwell

"When Utah gets over its arrogance and selfishness and decides that tradition matters for something, we'll be happy to play U again;"

Arrogance? BYU is the king of arrogance! Look no further than the BYU players who celebrate like they won the Super Bowl after every tackle, gain or loss! BYU is guilty of cheap shots and spearing and they act like "they could do no wrong". The fans and the students have this "holier than thou" attitude, meaning people who don't go to BYU are looked upon as apostate in their eyes.

"until then, you can take your ball and runaway like a spoiled child, and BYU will move on like a grownup who understands the value of tradition and honor".

As far as tradition and honor, practice what you preach, i.e. Bailing on the Mountain West Conference with your "I'm too good for you" attitudes. While touting Independence! Ending the rivalry with Utah State a decade ago and now demanding 2 for 1 deals with the Aggies to play again. So is that how grown ups act with a skewed concept of tradition and honor?

As a BYU fan I watch and follow most of the Utah games. Now I won't find much interest in following their games. I think they may lose a lot of viewers because of this decision as there are certainly a great number of BYU fans who won't care about Utah that much anymore.

@Truth Machine

It makes little economic sense for BYU to continue playing home-and-home games with a school that can't even fill a 25,000-seat stadium.

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Yet I don't recall Utah demanding a 2 for 1 with Utah State due to "economic" issues. I guess BYU might be low on funds.

@ND95CA

As a Notre Dame fan and proud Notre Dame Alum I value the traditions... Traditions are an important part of a legacy...Reading through these blogs it become quite evident which school has a legacy.

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Why don't you go read Texas-Texas A&M blogs. While you're at it also visit Nebraska-Colorado blogs. Then please come back and post your "evidence".

Is the upcoming playoffs "keeping with tradition"?

Here's what Dr. Hill and the Ute Nation thinks of the "legacy" program down south:

"Utah athletic director Chris Hill had a contract in his desk for the BYU-Utah series since last fall. It remained unsigned."

I don't care what BYu chooses to do. I'm glad that Utah did what they did. The world hates BYu.

It's ok! Both Utah and BYU have bettered themselves.

The arrogance displayed by most ute fans, coaches, and administration is sad. Is this acceptable amongst families, neighbors, and life-long friends? Absolutely not. Utah will rue the day that Dr. hill let money, power and ambition change the face of Utah athletics forever.

Things seldom turn out the way you hope.

As for BYU, I would hope that the administration at BYU does not cave in to Utah's every demand / whim. If they don't want to play us, fine. But we should never let them dictate if or when the series is to start up again. Just as a spoiled child, there needs to be consequences to their actions.

BYu is old news. Sorry!

Good BYu, go elsewhere. I don't care about your future in any
way at all
.

@Cougars1

"... a Utah fan calling BYU fans arrogant is one of the most arrogant comments on the board. Utah fans have become what they have always proclaimed to hate the most about BYU fans. Arrogant."

I won't argue your point because my comment really was arrogant. But that arrogance has come in the last couple weeks with all the incessant whining from cougar fans about the rivalry game and the ridiculous spin they all want to put on it as well as anything else Utah / Pac 12 related.

It's gotten so obnoxious that the recent whining and previous years of BYU arrogance has taken me from being one of the Utah fans who supported playing the rivalry game regardless, to one who thinks it may really be time to turn away from it. Perhaps a nice helping of humble pie will bring Coug fans back to earth, not holding my breath.

So yeah, I'm fine with admitting I'm ready to return the arrogance with some arrogance. I had hoped not to go that route but I'm more than ready now.

Utah needs to let whiny cougar fans take a timeout to gain some perspective/humility.

BYu is in trouble. Utah is not.

Uteology

"Yet I don't recall Utah demanding a 2 for 1 with Utah State"

No, Utah simply bought out their final scheduled trip to Romney Stadium and will never play the Aggies in Logan again after this season.

The Utes have turned their backs on their instate rivals because they're cowards.

Sorry if the truth hurts, but the Utes are nothing but elite team wannabees - big boy conference bottom-feeders living in the reflected light of programs that have actually accomplished something on the national stage.

Motorbike - NEVER has BYU exhibited the arrogance that Utah is now. How many ute fans have said something to the effect that "we are better that BYU now; bigger fish to fry; we are big time now; BYU is mid-level major" etc. etc. etc. The fact that you think that in your second year you can actually compete in the PAC12 is laughable; the fact that your fans continue to talk about getting to the "final 4" in football is laughable; the fact that you think you can get to the Rose Bowl any more than once in 20 years (talk to Arizona, ASU, WSU, etc.) is laughable; the arrogance displayed by Whittingham and Hill is laughable; the utter arrogance exhibited by Utah fans is laughable.

There is no question which school wins the title of "arrogant" in the state of Utah, and maybe the whole United States.

Enjoy the title; you have earned it.

Uteology

Your response to ND95CA reveals much more than you realize about the U. Not once did he mention which school he considered having a legacy program that values traditions, or which school he considers lacking a legacy program and not valuing traditions, yet the evidence is so blatantly obvious, even to Utah fans, that you've validated everything he said with your response.

ND95CA's comments were advice for the wise - those who show disdain for traditions, will eventually find themselves rudderless on the seas of change, with no sense of identity of who they are.

As a Utah fan, graduate, and donor; I have no problem with the decision to take a break from the annual game. I will always consider BYU the biggest rival and look forward to resuming the game in 2016. Until then, many of the fans need to get over themselves - Utah did what they felt was best for the program and said nothing negative about the Y.
Comments about being greedy are simply unfounded. Both the U and the Y have taken actions recently that they believe will benefit their programs and I commend both schools for their decisions.

@ Cougars1 9:55am

While I'm not saying that BYU will drop football, I wouldn't dismiss the future possibility of it. (No, I am not a Ute fan). Those with higher authority over folks in the athletic department would likely be responsible for making that decision. I hope your faith isn't compromised if/when that decision is made.