Haha, Utah fans are so lame. "they [BYU] should feel honored to get a game against a team in a real conference."
I just told Mrs. Trout that quote and I thought she was going to die laughing. I asked her, "Do you think they're just trying to get my goat, or are they serious...?" She was like, "Oh, they're serious." and went on to tell me about some fart box she knows who wrote up a full blog page on what a great day in history it was when the Utes got into a "Real Conference".
There aren't enough adjectives in the English language to describe how ludicrous the Utah fan base is.
Ummm, I think he posted that just to get the ire up from some BYU fans and you were the first to jump all over it. Congrats.
You can say how "ludicrous" the Utah fan base is but that's a broad based assumption that simply is not true. I don't think Utah should ever feel above scheduling BYU, even if the Cougs spend the rest of time in the MWC (I happen to think they're Big 12 bound before too long anyway).
Is the move to the new Pac 12 going to elevate Utah's program over BYU's? I think intelligent fans on both sides would have to agree that will be the case. BYU will be pulling in around $1.5 million per year until 2016 with the current MWC TV deal. Reports came out yesterday that the new Pac 12 TV deal will pay each team around $14.5 million per season. Not to mention that Utah will be sharing in BCS money every single season. Utah is simply going to have more resources than BYU and it will be ten-fold. Again, that's assuming BYU doens't make the jump to the Big 12.
However, even in the MWC, BYU is unique enough to survive and keep their program fairly close to Utah's. Not only that, I believe during the rivalry games (which will survive and thrive), the two schools will be close enough in talent that it will still be a hotly contested rivalry with plenty of close games.
Utah will win some recruiting wars that they simply haven't won in the past. I saw Harvy Unga used as an example in here the other day, and I completely agree. That's the exact type of player that BYU is going to find harder and harder to hold on to. Not saying they won't win that battle every once and a while, but the Utes are certainly in a better position at this point.
For the most part, I think the move to the Pac 10 has brought out the extremists on boths sides. Fact is, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. If BYU was going to the Pac 10 instead of Utah, I would have the same expectations for the Cougs as I do the Utes because both programs are much closer than any of the fans would like to admit. I could see BYU stepping into the Pac 10 and doing well right away. I would expect them to compete in the top 4 or 5 in the conference most, if not every year and every 3 to 4 years I would expect them to make a serious run at the conference title which obviously means a potential trip to the Rose Bowl.
I have the exact same expectations for Utah. I certainly don't expect them to become Pete Carroll's Trojans. It seems like Cougar fans like implying that's what most of us Utah fans are expecting, when in fact I'd say about 90% have very reasonable expectations.
And to the guy who said Utah shouldn't be afraid to play in Provo next year even if it means Utah playing an extra road game, that's insane. Utah is not going to play 7 road games and 5 home games just to accomodate BYU, or any other school for that matter. Plus, Utah is not attempting to "duck" BYU. Obviously, when Utah made the 2011 schedule, they didnt' assume they'd be in the Pac 10. They won't be getting out of the Boise or Pitt games, so we all just have to face reality on that. I'm sure Utah will make every effort to schedule a non-conference game with BYU in SLC. I honestly think it's in BYU's hand whether the game is played or not. However, I expect that BYU would sign on to play they game. They'd have a lot to gain by playing that game, and not much to lose if you ask me.
