CAN YOU CHEER FOR YOUR RIVAL?
Wow, this conversation has gone all over the board over the past few weeks. Certainly, it began in August with BYU's "Quest for perfection" and Utah's feelings of being the second rate team not only in the conference, but in the state. Many fans, primarily BYU, were sure that nothing short of a BCS berth would be an acceptable end to this season. And sure enough, almost to the mid-point of the season, pundits were even speculating that BYU could be good enough to take on the Championship Game. Then TCU came and BYU fell flat. Meanwhile, the team up on the hill just kept their noses down and kept winning. It wasn't always pretty, but at least they were winning.
Then came the rivalry game and I think the heat on the smack talk picked up. I really think it was due largely in part the fact that BYU fans were honestly afraid that we weren't going to win this game and so we hid behind our history and our numbers cuz it made us feel safe. No need to recap the debacle that was Max Hall, suffice it to say, BYU dropped another one.
Then the talk of BCS games moved to the north and we all sat and wondered where Utah might go and whether they would get another pancake or a worthy foe. Enter the Crimson Tide.
Now the question BYU fans? Can you cheer for Utah? Can you set aside your hate for all things Ute and cheer on the local variety of Crimson Red or does your hate burn so deeply that you are the world's biggest Alabama fan tonight? My brother-in-law follows the latter. He claims that if you are a true fan, you CANNOT cheer for your rival. And though married to a loyal Ute fan, he's threatened to raise up Bama posters in their living room tonight. A friend of mine said he is pulling for Utah "(strictly for conference pride and validation)" but that he is "all for Utah getting crushed, except that Utah getting crushed also injures BYU due to 'guilt by association'. If BYU could be neutral in a Utah drubbing then I would be all fo it".
During this season I've been all over the board. I watched the Michigan game this season and found myself trying to cheer for Michigan because I hated Utah so much, but I couldn't keep it up the whole game. I tried to be happy that they almost lost to OSU, but was more relieved when they pulled it out and again against TCU. Granted at that time there would be no battle of the unbeatens at the end of November, but the table was set for a matchup of the ages and I was happy for the Utes. Since finding their location and opponent for this year's bowl game, I've been pulling for Utah. I find myself appreciating the competition from the team on the hill because it not only improves the conference respect, but it should improve BYU's team as a byproduct of needing to adapt schemes and personnel in order to acheive what Utah has now acheived twice.
As a loyal and true BYU fan, I say, "Go Utes!" I can say that with honesty and sincerity; there is no guile in my exclamation.
What say you BYU fans?
