CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq 8212;Too often, the world we live in is a thankless mess and the things we perceive as legacy are forgotten quicker than a college football fan can cry “playoff.”
When I was 18, the Utes were having one of their finest seasons in school history and their energetic and personable coach was being lauded as a savior.
Long before he was fired after the 2002 season, coach Ron “Mac” McBride was considered a genius “up on the hill” and were it not for three poor decisions by players and some terrible officiating in back-to-back games against New Mexico and Air Force, Utah would have gone 12-0 in 1994. Moreover, since the Bowl Championship Series was not in existence yet, the Utes would have won, or at least split, the National Championship that year.
Fourteen years later, my beloved “Crimson Warriors” have attained heights never before thought possible and yet their amazing 13-0 accomplishment will forever be tinged by the grotesque farce, the hated enemy of any fan of “Mid-Major” college football8212;the BCS.
With all due respect to the team of that carpetbagging “Urban Legend” coach in Florida, those of us who dwell within the boundaries of our scenic mountains as well as a few pundits brave enough to speak the truth know who this year’s real National Champion is.
However, with the exodus of some of the Utes’ talented underclassmen, along with the departures of this year’s seniors, by this time next year, Ute fans old and young might be fighting off the dreaded “What have you done for me lately?” outcry.
Just like the last time Utah ran the table and was snubbed for a title shot (circa 2004), I am in the midst of deployment to Iraq. Despite being a lifetime season ticket holder, this year I had to settle for listening to games on the Internet or occasionally having a tape-delayed bone thrown to me by the American Forces Network.
Much like with that Alex Smith-led team, I have read, heard and followed every so-called expert (aka Ute-hater) rant about how the Utes couldn’t do this or wouldn’t do that, how they had a weak schedule and couldn’t hang with the BCS “big boys.” Blah, blah, blah. Bowl teams Alabama, TCU, BYU, Oregon State, Air Force, Colorado State and seven others will tell you the Utes did more than “hang.”
Despite all of this success, next year is certain to be a let-down season even if the Utes end up 10-3, beat the Team Down South again and are winners of a bowl game. As a result, Ute fans will have to hear the same old junk about how the program is overrated, coach Kyle Whittingham will endure outcries for his firing and people will wonder what the problem is if the heir-apparent quarterback Corbin Louks struggles.
While typing this piece, I heard talk of upcoming missions and grumblings of recent semi-failures our unit has had despite the plethora of outstanding things we have accomplished during our tour. Such is the nature of life. Such is the nature of our “right now” world.
Be that as it may, in terms of “my” Utes, this was and will forever be (until two years from now when Utah goes undefeated and gets snubbed again by the BCS) the most memorable season I have ever been a part of, even from 8,000 miles away.
Moreover, as a man and a soldier who’s not about the bottom line, it’s been refreshing to see some Ute fans finally learning their lesson in terms of being appreciative of things and people when they are going and doing well.
Coach “Mac” was able to come full circle this year and receive some level of appreciation for the program and house he and his teams essentially built and coach Kyle Whittingham finally stepped out of “the other guy’s” shadow, forever cementing his name in Ute lore.
Who knows, maybe Chris Hill and the men’s basketball team will schedule Saint Louis’ Billikens in the next few years and finally honor coach Rick Majerus for the blood, sweat, near-championship and leftover pizza he gave the program.
Until then, here’s to hoping that coach Jim Boylen will keep screaming into the microphone after wins and future conference championships, Whittingham will keep on doing what he’s been doing despite nay-saying pundits and that Paul Kruger and Sean Smith will do well in the NFL. Lord knows that even in this here-today-gone-tomorrow-if-you-are-mediocre world we live in, these folks will always be a “Utah Man Am I!” Go Utes!
Editor’s Note8212;Douglas L. York is a former U student serving with the Utah Army Air National Guard’s 128th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment in Baghdad, Iraq. For feedback on this column or its contents write Douglas at [email protected] or via the USPS at:
Spc. Douglas L. York
DSTB, 4th ID (PAO)
Unit #43119
APO, AE 09344
Douglas L. York