Ute Game - we are sneaky!

So I'm a die-hard BYU fan.  I am.  I bleed blue. I love BYU sports.  I grew up listening/watching BYU football. I always knew that I would go to BYU and I've never regretted that decision. My first year of college the football team went 14-1 and played in its only New Year's day bowl game ever. That pretty much solidified it. That year our basketball team went 1-30 but I didn't care.  I even went to a couple of those games.   I had friends on the teams and went to support them. My last year of college I worked in the computer lab in the Smith Fieldhouse and developed friendships with many athletes of all sports (not to mention cheerleaders and dancers :)  So whether it's football, basketball, soccer, volleyball, rugby, swimming, or any athletic event, I cheer for BYU. 

And I hate the U. 

I really do.  I hate their fans.  I hate their colors. I hate their campus. I hate everything about the U.  

Now let me explain a little bit.  I have many MANY friends who have attended the U. I've dated girls at the U.  I go to church at the U. I've even taken a class at the U.  Obivously I don't hate my friends or the church. But the part of them that is the U.... yeah I hate that part of them. I don't own anything red. Our outdoor soccer team has 2 sets of jerseys, red and blue, and it pains me when we have to wear the red ones.  When I've gone out with a girl that is a Ute fan I always make the joke that we could never marry because it would be like the Montagues and the Capulets and that story did not end happily (if she gets the reference I'll take her out again, if not... well... she gets home early:) 

I'm not totally sure where this seeded hatred comes from.  I think it may be a culmination of many things.  And usually it lies dormant for most of the year.  But during football season everyone in this state makes their allegiance known and I'm one of the antagonizers.

Well this year the BYU-Utah game is in Salt Lake.  It's usually difficult/expensive to get tickets to the "Holy war". So this year I got the bright idea to buy season tickets AT THE U!  I convinced Jon, Joe, and Rob to buy them with me.  So we have 4 seats in the north end zone right outside the portal.  They are pretty good $83 for the season seats.  I figured we can either sell all the other games or hey, it's something to do on a Saturday night.

Well we went to the game Saturday night. The utes beat UNLV handily. I have to admit that the ute fans are pretty good fans.  It seams everyone wore red (except for my friends).  I saw one guy in a BYU hat and thought "man that guys is insane".  I'm still trying to figure out if more people wear red at a ute game vs the amount of people who wear blue at a BYU game.  The problem is that red stands out more and it seems like their is more empty space at BYU games. But I'll give the ute fans credit for supporting their team.  

We've decided to play it cool until the BYU game.  I won't go as far as to wear red, but I will sit there respectfully and watch the game.  I even chatted a bit with the family sitting next to us. Hopefully the nice lady with the baby will forgive me when I wear blue to the BYU game. I have a feeling that it is going to be a BIG game this year.  

Last time I attended a BYU-utah game in SLC was the year they went to the Fiesta Bowl.  Jon went with me and we sat in the student section.  It was cold that night and I just wore a plain coat.  Jon, to his credit, wore his gray BYU hoodie.  This drunk girl in front of us turned around and swore at him the entire game.  I learned some new swears from her and I used to work construction!

But this year I will be going in my classic Steve Young Jersey.  I will cheer.  I will be loud.  I will be really loud when BYU wins.  I will also probably get killed.  But you know what... it will be worth it.

- Rhett