Comments about ‘Dick Harmon: Hiring of Atuaia will help prime BYU's pipeline to the Polynesian community’

I believe the WAC championship game, the Wyoming game, was in 1996, not 1994.

Translation: Utah has been having far more success recruiting Polynesian players than the Y.

Priming a line only happens when you want the line to begin to flow. No one primes a line that in already flowing.

Selling a program that has little or no chance to play in any significant bowl game that would lead to a National Championship, where you will never be All Conference because there is no conference is going to be difficult, a lot like selling a convention hotel with no bar.

Utah fans are so bitter. I have never wasted my time reading an article about the utes. You guys always have to read cougar stuff because you still have the little brother syndrome for some reason. BYU is doing just fine with the Polynesian recruits. They currently have more Polynesian players on the team than any other team in the country. BYU could not succeed with out Polynesian players.

@yobanfa

Uh....just a couple of weeks ago a polynesian player left utah's program. So you have a point?

That "pipeline" is drying up. The mighty Utes are getting the majority of the polys now. BYu is in a TON of trouble.

Sooooo many Ute fans are sooooo bitter and continue to show their bitterness through their comments. Go to your own articles and pat yourself on your back.

BYu is the most popular school on this planet. Goooooooo BYu.

Mark Atuaia is a great hire. Thanks for the article. Here is a man that has gone the extra mile to improve himself and he is being rewarded for it. The best thing he is doing is showing his kids what it means to work hard and be a father and a great husband to his wife. Lessons we can all learn from.

To the ute fans, your comments are very sad indeed. Take a great article and try to turn in into rivalry smack. Pathetic. We just need recruits to read these sad comments from ute fans to see which school they should pick.

Hondo, you are correct. Over the last two weeks, I've watched BYUtv's episodes of the 1996 season which included the first ever WAC championship game in Sam Boyd Stadium against Wyoming.

Atuaia played an integral role that season even though he got displaced from starting running back by Ronnie Jenkins & Brian McKenzie. Glad to hear we can put him to good use recruiting Polynesians.

RE: Utah-Hawaii Alum

They must be the most popular, or you wouldn't be here commenting.

Actions louder than words.

casperkasey,

BYU fans can't keep away from BYU articles, Utah fans can't keep away from BYU articles, and usu fans can't keep away. Everyone loves to follow BYU sports. A direct Polynesian hire just further makes them want to follow to see how these recruits come flowing in in the future. More Unga's and Vakapuna's are going to be coming to BYU, and they'll get to tour the entire United State while they are here. What a bonus!

@ Jazzsmack

If they are so popular; why do they need the help of some also-ran like Notre Dame to have a chance in the BCS/post BCS landscape?

@ Striker

I love to follow at a safe distance much like a coyote at the back of deer herd.

Glad to hear that Atuaia has been hired as assistant AD. As a die hard BYU fan I was very nonplused when he was not offered a full time position on Bronco's staff. In fact, I count it as one of Bronco's bigger coaching blunders.

I don't know what happened, but BYU football did lose its edge when it comes to recruiting Polynesian football players. I attended BYU from 88-90 and then again 92-95 after my mission. BYU football did have a lot more Polynesian players during that time period than it does now. I have to admit that both Utah ans Utah State have done a better job recruiting kids from the islands over the last 10 years. I really wonder what slowed the pipeline. Mendenhall's teams have been pretty much White since he became head coach.

JustGordon

"Translation: Utah has been having far more success recruiting Polynesian players than the Y."

Valid point for discussion. BYU is not automatically getting the poly recruit like we used to. Utah has succeeded in landing some of the polys that BYU wanted.

"Selling a program that has little or no chance to play in any significant bowl game that would lead to a National Championship, where you will never be All Conference because there is no conference is going to be difficult, a lot like selling a convention hotel with no bar."

Yes to the all-conference smack, being all-independent just sounds funny, even if you did beat out someone from ND to do it. But little or no chance? I have to say that BYU and Utah are about the same distance away at this point. Finishing tied for 8th in your conference is not going to get you into a major bowl. And your final point is just too ironic. BYU is competing "with no bar (reference to alcohol)". We like it that way. I note that ND's starting qb was busted for acting out at a party. Won't happen here...