As fun as college football is, I feel a lot of its viewership burden it with a lot of unnecessary baggage.
The big commercial machine wants to tell you what your team is worth, have talking heads and wagging jaws quantify your school as this tier, this conference, this pay level.
This is so the teams that are already at the top can stay there. Everyone is told that is where they belong---including the recruits. This is so that greenbacks can line the pockets of their boosters, sponsors, and television affiliates. This is why there are far too many award lists, poles and pre-poles, conferences breakups and realignments and jockeying for position.
They give those heads something to talk about, to fill air time, to get eyeballs on ads.
You may say, we have all those things because people want it. It may be true. A lot of people have come to cherish the money, fame, and pride of being on top.
This is my basic fan philosophy---it's the GAME that matters.
It's what has always mattered, and what should always matter. The individual clashes when one team has a showdown with another. The players, the plays, the passion---more than notoriety, conference affiliation, money, or even championships. Those are important (especially that last one) but they are not the Big Deal that is the Game.
I think people want and love the Game, love it so desperately that if they can't have it, they'll take whatever shallow facsimile they can get. We eat up the polls and ad-bait and conference realignment like a wino will stare down a bottle of rubbing alcohol.
This is why rivalries are important---why BYU, Utah, and Utah State should play every year. Almost without exception, there is no better game to watch in any sport than one with the history, passion, and investment that make it a rivalry. The reasons these and other great rivalries aren't played are all rooted in money and pride, and not love of the game.
This is also why bowl games matter---not just for some random trophy, but because bowl games consistently produce better opponents and better games. Or at least, traditionally they did. The bigger the bowl, the bigger the opponent, the bigger the game.
And the result of wanting the money and fame more than the fun, chewing over them like a cow on its cud, is you have substantially less fun. You get caught up in comparing to others negatively instead of letting the competitive results on the field speak. You start letting your conferences affiliation (or lack thereof) dictate your worth.
I didn't hate BYU being in the Mountain West Conference for the games, and the reason BYU left the conference they helped found wasn't because of money, pride, or even poor competition---even though they were consistently the bell-ringers in most sports there. (This mostly hasn't changed---the Cougars currently have a nation-leading five fall sports in the top 25 rankings.) It was, however, because of money and conference affiliation and pride that their greatest ally and rival was called away. It was because this was just the last straw on top of a heap of poor media access and broken promises that they went independent.
And then there's all the time people spend thinking about the money. How much you have, how much others have. I think someone once wrote something about what was wrong with loving money.
Now, lest I be misunderstood: money, conference affiliation, and especially championships are necessary and important. I still remember the thrill of BYU Men's Basketballs' pump-up pregame from 2009-10--- Back to Back to BACK Mountain West Conference Champions! The roar, the goosebumps. It's a great memory, and the feel of being on top---!
But is it better than watching a game? Better than playing well against today's opponent? Watching Jimmer splash from 30 feet or Andrew George missed by two defenders and run roaring into the end zone? Better than watching Women's Soccer's 2012 terrific home run to the Elite 8---one extra time slide tackle away from the Final Four? Did not winning it all make them any less enjoyable?
If it did, maybe a change of values is in order.
Its those great games that make a championship amazing, and not the reverse. Who wants a title that you played 13 dull, easy games to get?
It's the chance to win great games that make getting into a P5 important, and not the cash and back slaps. Only fools wear their conference affiliation like a cape. Money is only the oil that keeps the sports moving--paying for uniforms, stadiums, and college educations.
So let's talk about the players, the plays, and most of all, the Game, and not get so caught up in that other stuff. The Game is where the fun is. There is a great game for football this week--a top-20 clash with the UCLA Bruins in the famed Rose Bowl. Prognostications of championship possibility can wait, pale in comparison to the emotion and possibility of that one game.
Even with a loss---guess what? The very next week, there is another great game, a battle with the Michigan Wolverines in the Big House. Regardless of what happens this week, new games will come, and each with the opportunity to win, to see amazing plays you will not forget. We've already had a few.
Even with a loss---guess what? The very next week, there is another great game, a battle with the Michigan Wolverines in the Big House. Regardless of what happens this week, new games will come, and each with the opportunity to win, to see amazing plays you will not forget. We've already had a few.
And that's what makes it worth being a fan.
Quote of the week:
Quick hits:
Athletics
Last week, I wrote about the importance of winning at home. Guess what? The major BYU sports teams posted a perfect record of 6-0 last week in all home games, and are collectively at 9-0 in their respective venues so far for the season. In fact, for football, women's volleyball, and women's soccer, there's little reason why they can't stay perfect the entire season. Basketball has larger slate of games and some great opponents (Gonzaga) and so will be tough for both men and women, but I recall history having large home winning streaks at the Marriott Center, so it seems perfectly reasonable that this might happen again.
Way to go, Cougars. Fans and players alike.
Also, is there a school not in the Pac12 that plays more Pac12 teams than BYU? Just saying...
Football
I challenge you to find two more exciting, thrilling games back to back to open a season. For any year, for any school. Tanner Mangum had some freshman moments (as predicted---and they likely aren't done) and the defense seemed to follow its usual pattern of inconsistency in the first and third quarters. But oh, what a thing of beauty was that fourth quarter. Down by 10, when the clamps went on and the prayers flew and the ROC chanted Taysom's name... magic. The injured QB continues to inspire, and motivation in the quarter matching his jersey number sparked the most thrilling comeback you've seen since---well, last week.
Don't expect perfection in the next game. A top ten team at home is not to be taken lightly. Still, with all the momentum and positivity they could ask for, the Cougars more than merely stand a chance.
Women's Volleyball
The 5-set win against Idaho State clearly gave BYU a needed wake-up call. In their near double-header against Oregon State, who like Idaho State were a Sweet 16 team last year, BYU swept the Beaver's the first match and with some liberal substitution took them 4-1 in the second. This week they have no home games but stay in the state of Utah, with a showdown against Utah in Salt Lake and a match with UVU in nearby Orem. Playing the Utes is almost always a tough out, regardless of record, but frankly the Cougars should squash both these in-state foes under their block. Last year's match against Utah was gorgeous---a sweep where they downed the Utes 7-25 in the final set.
Women's Soccer
Having conceded only one goal in one loss on the season, the Cougars' defense has proven far better than could rightly have been expected, considering the youth and inexperience that makes up most of the back line. Rachel Boaz as keeper has proven aggressive and dominating when the ball nears her spot, but really the collective defense has allowed exceedingly few shots to do more than trickle softly to her hands. The Cougars followed a good outing against playing-not-to-lose Utah State with yet another 2-0 victory over UNLV. Due to a scheduling quirk and lack of TV coverage, I wasn't able to see this game (I was otherwise occupied) but will be taking in the Oregon State game tonight. Hopefully see you there.
Upcoming Games:
Quote of the week:
It's been the funnest first two games of my coaching career and playing career.---Robert Anae, BYU OC
Quick hits:
Athletics
Last week, I wrote about the importance of winning at home. Guess what? The major BYU sports teams posted a perfect record of 6-0 last week in all home games, and are collectively at 9-0 in their respective venues so far for the season. In fact, for football, women's volleyball, and women's soccer, there's little reason why they can't stay perfect the entire season. Basketball has larger slate of games and some great opponents (Gonzaga) and so will be tough for both men and women, but I recall history having large home winning streaks at the Marriott Center, so it seems perfectly reasonable that this might happen again.
Way to go, Cougars. Fans and players alike.
Also, is there a school not in the Pac12 that plays more Pac12 teams than BYU? Just saying...
Football
I challenge you to find two more exciting, thrilling games back to back to open a season. For any year, for any school. Tanner Mangum had some freshman moments (as predicted---and they likely aren't done) and the defense seemed to follow its usual pattern of inconsistency in the first and third quarters. But oh, what a thing of beauty was that fourth quarter. Down by 10, when the clamps went on and the prayers flew and the ROC chanted Taysom's name... magic. The injured QB continues to inspire, and motivation in the quarter matching his jersey number sparked the most thrilling comeback you've seen since---well, last week.
Don't expect perfection in the next game. A top ten team at home is not to be taken lightly. Still, with all the momentum and positivity they could ask for, the Cougars more than merely stand a chance.
Women's Volleyball
The 5-set win against Idaho State clearly gave BYU a needed wake-up call. In their near double-header against Oregon State, who like Idaho State were a Sweet 16 team last year, BYU swept the Beaver's the first match and with some liberal substitution took them 4-1 in the second. This week they have no home games but stay in the state of Utah, with a showdown against Utah in Salt Lake and a match with UVU in nearby Orem. Playing the Utes is almost always a tough out, regardless of record, but frankly the Cougars should squash both these in-state foes under their block. Last year's match against Utah was gorgeous---a sweep where they downed the Utes 7-25 in the final set.
Women's Soccer
Having conceded only one goal in one loss on the season, the Cougars' defense has proven far better than could rightly have been expected, considering the youth and inexperience that makes up most of the back line. Rachel Boaz as keeper has proven aggressive and dominating when the ball nears her spot, but really the collective defense has allowed exceedingly few shots to do more than trickle softly to her hands. The Cougars followed a good outing against playing-not-to-lose Utah State with yet another 2-0 victory over UNLV. Due to a scheduling quirk and lack of TV coverage, I wasn't able to see this game (I was otherwise occupied) but will be taking in the Oregon State game tonight. Hopefully see you there.
Upcoming Games:
| Sport | Date | Opponenet | Time | Radio | TV |
| WSOC | Sep 17, 2015 Thursday | Oregon State | 7:00 PM MDT | Cougar IMG Sports Network ESPN 960 AM | | BYUtv |
| WVLB | Sep 17, 2015 Thursday | Utah | 7:30 PM MDT | Pac-12 Network | |
| WVLB | Sep 19, 2015 Saturday | Utah Valley | 7:00 PM MDT | ||
| FTB | Sep 19, 2015 Saturday | UCLA | 7:30 PM PDT | Cougar IMG Sports Network KSL 1160 AM / 102.7 FM | FOX Sports 1 |
No comments:
Post a Comment