It has been a while.
The events of these times demand a response. I'm reminded a little of the beginning of a Kingston Trio song, "the MTA." Allow me to paraphrase slightly:
"These are the times that try men's souls. In the course of our nation's history, the people of [Utah] have rallied bravely whenever the rights of men have been threatened.
Today a new crisis has arisen, the [Utah AD Chris Hill and his athletic department] is attempting to levy a burdensome tax on the population in the form of [the elimination of a historic tradition of the yearly BYU-Utah rivalry game.] Citizens, hear me out...."
Yes, this is a little tongue-in-cheek. I'm hoping a little whimsicality will temper what is, in the final analysis, an emotional lashing-out in text.
Really, that's what the BYU Utah football game is. Its not about conference allegiance, strength of schedule, or national prestige. For the fan, it has none of the tiresome trappings of checks and balance sheets. Its about emotion, the conflict and investment of emotion created by nigh a century of history. More than the length of time, the individual and remarkable incidents of that history have made it a passionately indelible part of every Utah and BYU fan's memory. The games aren't just dates and scores, they are legends.
They have names--34-31 parts I and II, 4th and 18 or "Magic Happens", Even I Intercepted Max Hall, Harline is Still Open, The Rice Bowl, The Great Ute-shoot, Kaneshiro's Klank--and it goes on. Even years that fans don't dub a name for the game, even when its close and ugly or a painful/gleeful blowout, the sheer vigor with which this game is endowed far surpasses any other during the year. That one Saturday outweighs the rest for investment as a fan.
As Jason Franchuck of the Provo Daily Herald put it: "Because when the lean years come — and, sorry, Utah, there will again be lean years — it's those familiar Saturdays that make the season worth living."
But fans are not in control. Chris Hill, his staff, and by extension the university leadership that has given him this power is in control, and above the emotion and enjoyment of the tradition for fans, they value the almighty dollar. In their eyes, it is obvious that football and other athletic programs do not exist for the highest enjoyment of the game, or for the thrill of the ordinary fan, but for that greater paycheck always on the horizon.
This isn't to say Hill or the university is alone or solely to blame in this desire. Indeed, college football--sports in general are all falling prey to men counting money in coffers. That's what realignment, "balanced scheduling" and conference affiliation is all about. That, in and of itself, is not all bad. Its part of the production. Its the wizard behind the curtain, making the magic on stage happen. Its needful, and BYU like any great program takes it into account.
Its when the wizard takes center stage and the magic stops that the problem arises.
In talking about the issue with a couple of Ute fans, I get a range of responses. One said (albeit half-jokingly) "We're tired of holding you guys up. You're just upset about your strength of schedule falling, anyway." Some are as passionate and upset as I at its passing. One thought it wasn't really "passing" at all, and that it would continue in the future even with the break in 2014-2015.
There are few on both sides that think the whole thing has gotten too mean, and too bitter, and is better off going.
Those people are wrong.
For BYU fans, its not about strength of schedule. Setting aside the fact that getting an elite program historically better than Utah in September has proven to be a relatively easy task, I would take Utah over yearly tilts with Michigan, Notre Dame and Oklahoma combined. The reason BYU wants to play Utah is the fact that they are Utah, not their relative ascension in the college football pantheon, dubious as it is.
Those that feel the rivalry is too much have, in most cases, personally allowed it to become so, and would be more wise to look to their own improvement.
As for if this hiatus is just a temporary setback, I don't know. I certainly hope that is the case. Regardless, its highly unlikely that Hill and Co will issue a message the equivalent of "No, wait, we take it back." The creeping worry there is that if the game is devalued once, with foot firmly in door, it will be devalued again and again.
Moreover, the issue is with 2014-2015. In those years, it will be gone. Incoming freshman, both players and regular students, will miss a large piece of the college football experience. The one guaranteed important game, regardless of all other wins and losses, will but cut out. Don't get me wrong: going against Hawaii and Utah State is great. But they aren't Utah. And as far as I'm concerned, no one else can be.
I have never hated Utah. In fact, I've been the kind fan that said, "Utah can win every game against every team but one." But, like these times, my opinion is changing. I don't want the game to stop, but if it does, the blame will be their own. And having burned their bridges for their 30 pieces of silver, may they go down in flame as well.
