It has become apparent that our brand of cougars has two different tails wagging them during the same season. This season seems more apparent than last season since last season for our Cougars was the worst in 50 years.
This season, the first tail wagged us to a victory over a Power 5
Conference team in the Proud Pac 12. (Arizona). We shot up the rankings at #25.
That same tail gave us a thriller game that we should have won but
instead, we gave into a tiny loss against another Pac 12 P5 team. (Cal).
We were good. We were not hurt in the polls.
Next, that same tail wagged us into a victory vs #6 in the Nation,
A P5 team from the Big 10, (Wisconsin), and that gave us a Ranking at #20 in the nation. We are good with that tail. Our coaches are good with that tail, our players are good with that tail.
Then guess what?
A delayed action from the Bronco Mendenhall Era set in.
Suddenly, after taking down the #5 team in the nation and raising to the ranking of #20 in the Nation, the other tail pushed the winning tail out the door.
Football is not all that important in the theme of things. Winning is not that all important in the theme of things, (lessons from the Bronco Mendenhall era).
We were taught, By Bronco Mendenhall,
as though we could not figure it out for ourselves, when not in the fantasy world seeking diversion from the trials of everyday survival, that God, Church, Education, Family and Friends, and Fireside Chats are far more important than football.
Apparently the first tail, the winning tail, the tail that saw the importance
in the psychological diversion of football and the importance of winning, split. That tail said, “I’m out of here”. I have better places to go where I
can be appreciated and not put down for the good that I do,
Then, at the next game in Washington, with that second holy tail, we were
utterly disgusting to all that were not followers of the Mendenhall doctrine.
The pre-game (workouts) on the field by our cougars were in sharp contrast to the workouts of the Huskies.
The Huskies were serious at practicing running their routes, with every eligible receiver, catching the balls from each quarterback and the backups.
Blocking, and kicking skills were continuously being practiced.
Every possible coach was visible everywhere, working and coaching with those that the coach was responsible for, doing every possible drill necessary to win a game. I guess that is what #11 teams in the nation do.
I exaggerate the age with our Cougars in this paragraph to make a point.
We looked like a bunch of 30-year-old fathers, playing catch with their 10-year-old sons, in the middle of any typical neighborhood street that had very little traffic. The father would lob a slow, high pass to his 10-year-old son.
The son would push back a pass to dad. Dad, without moving or taking
a step, would reach slightly into the air with one hand, and catch the ball each time with that one hand.
With the boring, monotonous, time-wasting, meaningless passes, that were void of any particular skill, other than to bond with his son, the game appeared to be lost to the Huskies, even before the opening kick off.
We did not come to play the game. We had no intentions of winning. The coaches could not be found on the field during those pre-game warmups.
I am not saying they were not there. I am saying that in contrast to the Washington coaches, the BYU coaches were not visible and I saw no coaching taking place.
During the Game time vs this #11 team in the nation (Washington), after defeating the said #5 team the nation at Wisconsin, we looked like a middle of the Pac Mid-major G5 team that was playing out of our league.
The 3-day trip, (each way), for a total, of 6 days, that it took, just to support our team and watch the competition, was a total waste of time and money. (So much for BYU Fan’s traveling well).
I will think more than twice before traveling to see anymore BYU games,
unless I am convinced that the decision makers at the Y, are determined
to right the ship all the way, and not just with band aides.
I thought that our Washington game was disgusting. I thought that our
attitude was disgusting.
I am all for, and I do see, the value in playing loose, but not to the point
of diarrhea.
I thought that we would get back on track with our next game vs an unranked mid-major team, ( a very good unranked mid-major team), from the mid-major conference of the G5, Mountain West Conference.
Instead, Utah State dominated over us. 45-20 and it was even worse than the score indicates. It was disgraceful.
If indeed, as Bronco Mendenhall preaches, football is not all that important, then perhaps, we should get out of the business of football and find something else to do with our time and with our money. Maybe we should just spend our ticket money traveling.
As a side note:
It must have been a fantasy that we wanted to be in a P5 Conference.
It must have been a fantasy that we thought we deserved to be in a P5 conference.
It must be a fantasy that we think of ourselves as an Independent P5 team.
Last night vs. Utah State shows that we are not even a good, middle of
the Pac Mid-major G5 team.
We have lost our glow. The light is out. I feel so much of nothing.
I was so much looking forward to season tickets next season to be part of the experience of having the best and most important home game season in the history of BYU Football.
Now I have more fear of another letdown season than I have confidence for improvement.
If the Church, if the University, does not right the ship before the start of next season, we might as well just quit football.
I want to cry. I am crying.
I love my BYU Cougars. They deserve more support from the Church and
from the University then our Cougars are getting.
PS. After the disastrous showing in Washington, BYU dropped from
#20 in the nation to #62 over-all as judged by ESPN.
Our lack of performance, for that one game, cost us a 42 point drop in the rankings.
We just can’t handle success. We seem to feel guilty for being successful.
PSS. After the Utah State game, I would not be surprised to find us
missing in the top 130 division 1 teams, but somewhere instead, we might
be among the lesser division 2 teams (FCS), below the top 130 teams.
PSSS I just got home from the # 108 team out of 130 in the nation, UCLA,
vs. the now #10 team in the Nation Washington. (Rose Bowl).
UCLA held Washington to a 3 point win. The game was exciting from start to finish.
#108 UCLA almost upset the same #10 team in the Nation, (Washington),
that tore #20 BYU to shreds.
As #20 BYU once was, UCLA may become. As UCLA once was, #108 in the Nation, BYU is headed to become, (once again).
I do pray, that the Church and the University will see the importance
of their BYU Football Program, and do what is necessary to right the ship.
If the top level of decision makers, at BYU, and at the Church, are not fullly invested in the program before the start of the 2019 season, then sadly, after being a true fan since 1953-54 school year and a fanatic fan since 1970, I will finally give up the ship and support a team more serious about football that is much closer to home…
That will be an extremely hard necessity, but at my age, 83, and for my emotional security, and my heart’s health, my elderly body, deserves more than BYU decision makers are willing to provide.