To the students who tore down the goalposts:
Could someone please explain to me why students felt it necessary to do this? Just what was the celebration all about? Your football team finished a losing campaign (albeit on an obvious high note) by squeaking by the worst BYU team in three decades. Let me take nothing away from the Ute gridders or especially coach McBride. (Firing him was just plain wrong!) They deserve to be honored for their hard work and dedication. But this?
This program is worthy of tremendous respect–much more so than they receive in fan support. But tearing down the goalposts, while a fun tradition, seems to be reserved for far greater victories and far greater seasons than this. Is BYU so hated that even beating them at their worst merits this kind of celebration? What if it were Notre Dame? Miami? Penn State?
Fan behavior is a curious thing. In college especially, the irrational becomes commonplace. Not that rationality need be a part of a college football game, but the next time the goalposts come down, let’s hope it’s to celebrate a much greater and more meaningful victory.
Ron Judson Graduate Student Exercise and Sport Science