Comments about ‘Vai's View: I'm not checking my religion at BYU-Utah rivalry's door’

I don't think Utah has a problem with continuing the rivalry. It's just that they have longtime rivalries with Utah State AND BYU and going from 4 non-conference games to 3 makes it less feasible to have both of them around, so they might be shifting to a format where they have 1 BYU/Utah State game, 1 punching bag, and 1 solid non-conference/non-state-of-Utah opponent (like Michigan).

Growing up Red and turning Blue I have seen ugly on both sides of this rivalry. I will admit there is more Red ugly that Blue but it goes both ways. Even when I used to go to the games in both SLC and Provo you see the true fans. Again more ugly in SLC than Provo. I used to sit with my buddies in the U marching band and could not cheer too loud as the Fraternities were behind us and not always with their full faculties so to speak. I worried I would either get beat up or thrown up on. The ones that did check their religion at the door were the most frustrating. Since a large majority of Utes (including the coach) belong to the same Church as BYU it seemed odd that both sides would be so hypocritical. I am a Ute fan except for one weekend. Great respect for the U and coaches. So why can’t we just have a great time and accept the fact that we have a great rivalry and leave it at that? Having said that may the best team win and I think that is the Cougs.

Thanks for the reminder.

I too would rather see BYU schedule and keep agreements with Boise State rather than Utah. BSU has national cachet whereas Utah merely has delusions of grandeur.

Great article fans on both sides can learn from. Thanks Vai!

When are we going to stop pretending that the PAC 12 is a good conference? Except for USC and sometimes Oregon and sometimes Stanford, the PAC 12 is not that good. Certainly no better than the old Mountain West when there was Utah, TCU and a sometimes good BYU.

kinda got lost during the "I speak here, I speak there" part. That BYU v Utah rivalry is fading away via Hill's stance is sad (maybe its more than Hill - I would think so). I'm afraid, no, convinced, that anything BYU/Utah devolves into more primitive deportment. Intensity is one thing but there is a line which almost always is crossed, by both sides. Will this year be any different? ... I'm gonna guess ...

Part of the problem here is that at least some of the Utah fans boast about not having a religion to check at the door. Then they harass BYU fans for being faithful LDS, or pour beer on them.

Many of my relatives gave me a hard time for choosing BYU over Utah. But Utah was never really a choice - for me. If I had wanted that sort of environment I didn't need to travel 2000 miles west for college. For those who chose it, fine, if that's what worked for you.

And why does Utah play games on Sunday, anyway?

I absolutely love this article! I agree with everything Vai said. It's just a game and people too often let pride and hatred get in the way, even when their not even playing!! I have especially seen it in this rivalry where it just gets taken too far. At first I was really upset with the decision to move away a bit from the rivalry, but now I look at it and it seems like its for the best, to calm things down a bit. I will not check my religion at the door.

@killpack
The PAC-12 currently has 5 ranked teams (USC Oregon Stanford UCLA Arizona) with Oregon State and Arizona State also receiving double digit votes in the AP rankings. If the PAC-12 isn't a good conference then I'm not sure what your standards are other than I guess the SEC and Big12. Maybe the Big10 though two of their previously ranked teams were just beaten by the PAC-12 teams so...

Glad to hear you won't be checking your religion at the door tomorrow, Vai. I'm wondering, though, if you did the same at Bronco's office door when he hired a more experienced asst coach instead of your friend?

Well said Vai. Always inspiring. As an avid Ute fan and season ticket holder, yes, it is absolutely possible to have a great time at the rivalry game, cheer loud and hard at the game, banter with the Coug fans and not check your religion at the door! Go Utes! 27-24.

USC wanted a conference championship game to enhance its position with the BCS. The PAC 10 Comish acquiesced and let has-been Colorado and wannabe Utah into the fold.

The Utes took the bait and now they are being used. I have three words to share with the Ute fans: UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA.

After a decade of 5-4 and 4-5 records in the PAC 12, Chris Hill will be long gone, "loyal" Ute fans will be staying away in droves, former Coug Kyle and his darling wife will be laughing all the way to the bank, and the new captain of the rudderless Ute ship will be begging BYU to play them every year so that they can sell some tickets to be able to pay their overcompensated coaching staff.

I have to say I hate Utah fans with an undeniable passion.
That being said, I need to point out that they are also some of the funniest people at a game. Every Utah/BYU game I've ever been to was made more fun because of the comments and jokes that the fans made. Nothing dirty or offensive, just funny. In 2009 a guy dressed up as the Pope. Another guy cut out a big picture of President Monson and strapped a Ute uni on him. I thought it made the game more fun.

How is booing an athlete from the opposing team a sin?

I disagree with the premises.

What do people want...a rivalry where there's no rivalry?

BTW: Go server the poor if you don't want to "check in your religion at the door" -- worshiping Foot'baal' or Basket'baal' is non-religious to begin with.

Always unafraid to tell it like you see it, Vai, and let the chips fall where they may. It will make some people unhappy but it's refreshing. I wish our presidential candidates would give it a try.

I agree that the rivalry has become much too religiously charged--probably due to being egged on by talk radio and the internet. It's good there will be a break for a while.

I think Vai has it right. Somehow, Utah will probably weasel out of the 2013 game in Provo. Fortunately, there will have been a severe beat down on Sept 15, 2012 and that is the memory they will take with them as make their cowardly escape.

Vai, thanks again for a most profound and much needed message for all that have ears. Although there is nothing wrong with a good old-fashioned athletic rivalry, this so-called "Holy War" has become far too emotional and personal to so many neighbors, family, and friends.

We appreciate your insights and intuition that have come with maturity.

Although I will continue to root for both Blue and Red in athletic endeavors, my passion and cheers will be much more blue-tinged tomorrow evening!

I see, Vai. It's bad religious form to boo an athlete at a game, but it's okay for you to boo Dr. Hill and the Utes in your column.

Do any Y fans still wonder where they get that "holier-than-thou" reputation.

I think for most fans of Utah and BYU the rivalry is healthy without devolving into something angry and vile.

That being said there are many BYU fans who learned much (including myself!) from the graciousness of "Ole Miss" fans last year and how well treated the visitors were. Obviously just being religious isn't sufficient to being a good sport or gracious to visitors. Ole Miss fans who are rude to visitors are strongly and actively frowned upon by the vast majority of Ole Miss players and fans to the point of being practically nonexistent. Peer pressure can be positive! Ole Miss fans are friendly and gracious to the point where you instantly felt like family, very impressive!

I think even the Utah/BYU fans who aren't angry and mean can still improve on both sides and not look the other way at poor behavior. More than a few BYU fans are now trying to recreate the Ole Miss tailgating experience at BYU and should be applauded. If Utah and BYU don't continue the rivalry we both should still strive to be more gracious and friendly to any visiting team and fans.

It's crazy & foolish for BYU fans to whine about the PAC 12 and try to diminish or make light of the conference. I for one would love to have BYU a member of the PAC 12, but it is not going to happen. I like the rivalry, but I don't care for the extreme fans from both schools. BYU needs to get in a conference in the near future. I understand the reasoning for Independence and access for BYUTV, but long-term we need a conference. The scheduling will not get easier as the conferences continue to shuffle and so even the contract we think we have can go away very quickly. I love forward to seeing Utah play and hope they do well in the PAC 12 as well as I like the teams BYU has scheduled for the near future. Big games make football enjoyable and fun to watch, because you want to see how your team matches up against the best. This is why we need a better playoff system to see who really is the best. Go BYU! BYU 17 Utah 14