Poked Around

I know I've mentioned this before, but I mention it again since I happened to be in Laramie again this past May. I'm shocked that Wyoming can recruit a football team to compete on the Division I (sorry NCAA...the FBS) level. Laramie in May was cold (but not snowing like it was in June the previous time I was there), brown, and extremely windy. Like 70 MPH windy. And there doesn't seem like there is much to do there (as is probably evidenced by the Wyoming fans' behavior at games in Laramie). So I'm impressed that Wyoming can get decent players to come spend 4 years in Laramie. It reminds me of LaVell Edwards' old quote, "I'd rather lose and live in Provo than win and live in Laramie". Speaking of Coach Edwards, we saw him up close and personal on Saturday.

One final thing about Laramie. I always hear the Utah media complain about the hotels and lousy accommodations on their trips to cover the Cougars/Utes there. They need to stay in the Hampton Inn. That's where we stayed and it was fantastic. Clean, comfortable, a great continental breakfast, and thick walls to shield you from the wind. Definitely the place to stay in Cowboy country.

Having said all that, some probably look at BYU's 44-0 trouncing of Wyoming and think, "Wyoming is able to compete at the Division I level?" Fair point. But the Pokes actually played better than the score indicates (and better than UCLA, too, for what that's worth). For example, Wyoming was marching down the field quite well on their first drive, until an incomplete pass (that ended up being a backwards lateral) fell innocently to the ground. BYU's Scott Johnson recognized it wasn't a pass and scooped the ball up. Sixty-four yards later in the endzone, Johnson had given BYU a lead and had deflated Wyoming. Their defense held up okay to start the game, but that was mostly because of the rustiness that Max Hall and Company had to shake off. Once they did, it was another 2 1/2 quarter day and the only suspense was whether or not a second straight shutout could occur. (It did.)

Speaking of shutouts, I think the best part of these two shutouts are that it gives the 2nd and 3rd string something to play for. They've got to try their hardest to keep the opponent out of the endzone to keep the scorelessness going. Plus, it will give the entire defense a reason to try against Utah State. Here's to a third straight shut out.

I arrived at the Wyoming game early. Early enough, in fact, to go to part of the pregame "tailgate" party. I'm not sure that it should be called a "tailgate" party when the nearest tailgates are like 70 yards away. It is true...BYU fans do NOT know how to tailgate. That's okay, though. They do know how to have their real estate investment, noni juice, and nail care businesses set up booths and have football tosses for prizes. And then call that a tailgate party. I was less than impressed at the tailgate party. In the spirit of Bronco's focus of turning the football program into a beacon for the Church, it seems like the Athletic Department could turn the "tailgate" party in to some sort of large scale service project. Can you imagine the humanitarian impact of dozens of quilting table frames set up in the west stadium parking lot surrounded by hundreds of blue-clad BYU fans holding needles and tying quilts for cold, suffering young children in Laramie? Seriously though, it seems like with so many people gathered together, they could perform some good of some sort. And if Bronco got behind it, fans would flock to help.

Here's a remarkable fact about BYU pregame tailgate parties. I have only been to 3. Ever. In my life. Saturday was the 117th game* I have been to at the Stadium, and I've only been to 3 tailgate parties. Once was when I was a freshman and thought, "Hey I live close enough now I can walk to the stadium and spend all day there." The other time was before BYU played Miami, and that was only to get my own official Heisman Ty.



So it was a historic day on Saturday, arriving early enough to "tailgate". The best part of the pregame happenings outside the stadium is hearing/seeing the marching band march down the street and into the stadium.That just has college football pageantry written all over it.

I mentioned the idea of some sort of service at the tailgate party. Maybe 5 years down the road, that will come to fruition, just as my idea from about 5 years ago has come to fruition this season. BYU has sponsored a fan commercial contest. Fans were invited to make a commercial about BYU football and the winners would be played at the stadium (and on the byucougars.com website type "football fan commercial" in the search box at top right of the page to view these). My idea was to let students make short films and have the winners shown at halftime. A little bit different, but still the same concept. You can't underestimate the creativity of BYU students/alumni. So I'm glad they are capitalizing on that to make gameday a better experience at the "Y".

The best reason to go to a BYU game early is to get to watch the players warm up. I've done this many times. I don't know why it is so fascinating to watch guys run 10 yards down the field, turn around, and catch a ball, but it is. I got to do that for a few minutes then headed over to see the team come out onto the field after their final locker room chat. As has been done for many years, the team is led onto the field by people holding giant BYU flags. When Bronco became the head coach, he began having one of his players, elected by teammates, carry the flag onto the field. This year, the Cougars have started a new tradition - a second flag (that actually goes out first before the players' flag) carried out by a former BYU player or coach. It is a way to honor BYU's outstanding football past. Coach Edwards carried out the flag before the first game of the season. Saturday, it was Ty Detmer's turn, accompanied by the widows of 2 of his offensive lineman while at BYU (who both died prematurely from two different diseases that I'm too lazy to look up right now).Ty is behind these two ladies (in their husband's old uniforms) wearing a tan ball cap. I love this tradition and it is another reason Bronco is a genius. Seeing the current players come out with their flag is nothing short of electrifying.(By the way, notice the new video scoreboard in the north endzone, as discussed after the UNI game.)

All in all, it was a great pregame, a great game (or at least a great 2.5 quarters of a game), and another great win for the 4-0 Cougars. This coming week they will certainly record another shutout against BYE.



*This may be for my benefit only, but BYU is 88-29 in games I have attended, a 75.21% winning percentage. Since the stadium was expanded in 1982, BYU is 123-35 at home, which is a 77.85% winning percentage. I guess I'm bad luck for the team.