Seeping Matter

Well, rivalry week is over.  Actually, some of the rivalry games (e.g. Michigan-Ohio State) were last week, and some (e.g. Oregon-Oregon State) aren’t until next week.  But this was the big week, and there were some great rivalry games played.

Also, BYU and Utah played.  Around these parts people think it is a big deal.  That’s mostly because they don’t ever watch any other college football games.  These are the same people who, every year, think that this year is the year BYU will win the national title.

Yes.  They are delusional.

Anyway, BYU won the game, like it matters.  Sorry to rain on the parade, but these are also-rans in the Mountain West after all.  Don’t blame me, it isn’t my system.

So in the post-game press conference, they asked BYU QB Max Hall how much the win meant to him, and he proceeded to explain that he hates the U of U football team. No, wait:  all the U of U students.  No, wait:  the whole University of Utah.  No, wait:  every person, anywhere on earth, who has ever cheered against BYU, or who has ever said or done anything against Max Hall’s family that he didn’t like, or who has ever said anything negative or even questionable about Max Hall, ever, or anyone who might at any time in the future suggest anything but the most esteemed or complimentary thoughts in his regard, or who might ever even dare to take the the parking spot that his mom might wish to have at the grocery store.

Yes.  He hates — HATES — all of these people.

So I guess he probably hates me too.  This really has me distraught.  I mean, how can I go on?  Max Hall hates me?!?  And I’ve so been wanting to achieve his approval!

Alright, so I exaggerated a bit.  Hey, it’s my blog, so I can do whatever I like, including change the tone of my blog post from humor to the straight dope.

So here’s the straight dope:  Max Hall, if you want to know why I, a member of the LDS faith, just can’t bring myself to be a full-fledged BYU fan, look no further than the end of your nose, buddy.

Yes, it was a rivalry game.  Yes, BYU lost to Utah last year in large part due to Hall’s mistakes.  Yes, his family was poorly treated after the game last year.  And yes, when it all comes down to it, Hall is a just a mid-20s kid letting off some steam at the end of an emotional football game.

Doesn’t matter to me.

I realize that his behavior wasn’t that much beyond expectation of any other fairly high-profile player on any other fairly high-profile college team.  The problem is, that is just not good enough for me.

It isn’t that I think my religion is better than any other.  It is that it represents me personally.  BYU, and the players that play for that school, and the fans of those teams and players, represent me.  And I’ve been disappointed too many times by players and fans when they have behaved in ways that are not consistent with what I believe.

Hall’s remarks are just the latest in the line.  When he says he hates the University of Utah, their fans, and their players, well, that’s just not in line with what I believe at all.  When he explained that it was in part due to how his family was treated last year, well, my faith teaches that I’m supposed to forgive others, not hold grudges.  When he judges the whole University of Utah, their players, and their entire fanbase based on the actions of a few people, well, that differs from when I was taught to first worry about the beam in my own eye before worrying about the mote in someone else’s.

In short, despite the fact that BYU is supported by the LDS church, it’s just often enough that their players and fans don’t represent my beliefs that I just can’t consider myself a true fan.

Don’t hate me, Max.