My Two Cents: BYU vs. U of U

In light of all the talk going around about the BYU vs. UTAH rivalry, I just wanted to give my opinion on the matter. I mean, that's the whole reason we blog, right?

For those of you who don't know, the big BYU vs. UTAH game was on Saturday. BYU won in overtime 26-23. The game was riddled with personal fouls on both sides and emotions were running high the entire game. After the game Max Hall, BYU's QB, gave an interview in which he pretty much stated he hated everything about UTAH: it's fans, it's team, the coaches, and pretty much the entire school (even the Engineering department! Now that's hitting below the belt...). When asked why he hates them so much, he said it was because of the way his family has been mistreated by UTAH fans for the past year. In an apology the next day he said the hatred was really only for the fans that had been mistreating his family, not for the entire school. You can read all about the rant here and his apology here.

The aftermath of what he said has been interesting to say the least. Max Hall did kind of ruin the victory for BYU. And UTAH fans now have a target in which to direct all of their pain and frustration from losing.

Here's where my two-cents come in.

I find it interesting that many Utah fans are spewing the same kind of hatred for BYU that Max Hall spewed toward Utah.

In a few instances on Facebook I've read statements to the effect of "This is why I became a Ute fan, because BYU fans are horrible, their coach is horrible, blah blah blah." and "I hate the team down South...".

Um. I hate to break your little self-satisfying hatred bubble, but you sound just like Max Hall. Whom you hate for hating. Max Hall's rant does not give you the green light to rant yourself. If you don't like what he did, don't do the same thing.

It goes both ways people. Both teams have horrible fans. But both teams have good fans. And both teams come from EXCELLENT universities that have great coaching programs and great coaches. And great Engineering departments. So there.

In Hall's defense, he was "in the moment" as they say. He'd just won against a team that, in his opinion, has been spewing hatred toward him and his family for an entire year. That kind of thing wears on you. It's hard to "turn the other cheek" when someone targets your family.
I don't condone what he said, but I understand why he said it.

So here's my final say on the matter:

Max Hall, I know you and your family were mistreated and there's no excuse for it. I'm sorry it happened. But harboring hatred is only going to hurt you, so let it go. Be the bigger man and just let it go.

Small percentage of UTAH fans that behave like jerks, shame on you. Shame on you for representing your school with cruelty and hatred towards someone so much that, in his moment of victory, all he can do is reciprocate your hatred. You support a great school, so don't tarnish its name by acting like a jerk.


If it were turned around and the Ute QB said the same things about BYU I would be really disappointed in the BYU fans whose actions prompted such a statement of hatred. You're better than that.

But this isn't just about sports and rivalries. I see a parallel to this in politics, religion, and anything where people have a difference of opinion. There are many people who HATE the LDS church because of the interaction they've had with a few of it's members. Does the action of a few justify hatred of the entire organization? Not at all. But shame on those members for acting in such a way as to misrepresent the church and the gospel of Jesus Christ. (If you want to hate the church because of it's doctrine, fine. But don't hate it because your LDS neighbor next door is a jerk.)

What's my bottom line? I don't know, maybe be nice? Do unto others as you would have them do unto you, even if what they've done unto you is be a big fat jerk? (Ooo, I like that. I think I'll have that cut out in vinyl letters and plastered on my living room wall.)

Don't be haters, people. Don't be haters.