Utahk About a Team!

There's been a lot of buzz about the Utes this last week - more than ever in the history of Ute football. They may have single-handedly broken the BCS bowl system (if we BCS cynics get our way), only time will tell. Last night Florida was hailed as the number one team in the country. As I watched all the hoopla after the exciting game, (it wasn't a blowout like the Sugar Bowl) and as a Ute fan through and through, I felt a little sick that Utah never had the chance to have that title. Maybe we would have won, maybe not - but it would have been an awesome game and I believe they had a pretty darn good chance. Florida was good last night, but I think it would have been awesome to watch Utah play against them. Especially considering Urban Meyer (the Florida coach) was the coach that took the Utes to the Fiesta Bowl in 2005 - the Utes first win in a BCS bowl. If only... But we didn't get that chance, so we'll settle for our #2 in the nation - as announced today. #2 is pretty dang awesome, but when you never even have a chance to get to number one it kind of stinks.

The title of my post has a link to the best article that perfectly describes how I feel - and it's hilarious too! Below are several quotes from Rick Reilly of ESPN (P.S. thanks to Aunt Danna for the great "motivational" pictures and Shannan and Dan for the link to the awesome article quoted below. (o: ) Because this is a family-friendly blog I edited one of the "posters" below. You can fill in the blank with "rear", "behind" or other words depending on how strongly you feel about it. There is, however, one swear word I left in the article quoted below because the way the swear word was used was creative and made me laugh my head off.

"Some gifts people give are pointless: Styling mousse to Dick Vitale. An all-you-can-eat card to Kate Moss. The BCS Championship given to Oklahoma or Florida. (written before last night's game)

It means nothing because the BCS has no credibility. Florida? Oklahoma? Who cares? Utah is the national champion.
The End. Roll credits.

Argue with this, please. I beg you. Find me anybody else that went undefeated. Thirteen-and-zero. Beat four ranked teams. Went to the Deep South and seal-clubbed Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. The same Alabama that was ranked No. 1 for five weeks. The same Alabama that went undefeated in the regular season. The same Alabama that Florida beat in order to get INTO the BCS Championship game in the first place.

Yeah, that's how it is now in the shameful, money-grubbing world of college football. If you're Florida and you beat Alabama, you get a seat in the title game. If you're Utah, you get a seat on your sofa.

Hey, remind me: What do they give out for one of those BCS things anyway? It's been so long since I cared. Something from Sears? This is the sixth year in the past 10 that the title has been in dispute under this cash-grab, fan-dis, monopoly that the BCS has created. Which is why the title game just doesn't matter anymore. It's like being named Miss Ogallala. Or Best Amish Electrician.

Just take a look at the teams that think they're worthy of being called national champs:

USC? Great year. Wonderful. Let's all go to SkyBar and celebrate. But it lost to Oregon State, a team Utah beat.

Texas? You think beating Ohio State by a nubby three points gets you the title? The Big Ten was 1-6 in bowl games! That's like pinning David Spade!

Florida and Oklahoma? They lost. Utah never did. So that's it. Utah is the national champion. The Utes should probably have two now, actually. They went undefeated in 2004, too, and their coach still thinks they were the best team in the land. Smart fella named Urban Meyer. Coaches Florida now.

Above: Utes will always be #1 to me! We took the kids to Sherry's at 10:00 p.m. to celebrate the Sugar Bowl win on January 2nd. I have an awesome hubby - who despite his strong BYU-fan status - celebrated the huge win with me whole-heartedly. If BYU ever finds itself in the same position, I will do the same for him. (o: Thanks hon! It was fun cheering for the same team!

on with the article...

"This is not how we normally do things in America," says Utah president Michael Young. "In America, quality usually wins, not conspiracy. And there's a reason people usually enter into a conspiracy. It's money. You make money doing it. And those that are in on the conspiracy want to stay in and keep everybody else out."

Sure, BCS blowhards will hand you schlock about how the college football season is like a playoff, how it's an elimination tournament every week. Really? Well, how come Florida and Oklahoma weren't eliminated with their losses? Utah ran the table, beat everybody set in front of them, including Ala-damn-bama in no less than the Sugar Bowl, and gets the bagel.

Oh, by the way? It was Utah's eighth straight bowl win, the nation's longest streak. Among the losers during that run? Let's see USC, Georgia Tech, Pittsburgh, and now the legendary Houndstooth Hats.

"What else do we have to prove?" asks Utah's magical quarterback, Brian Johnson. Good question. He and the Utes essentially whipped Alabama at home. Handed Nick Saban a garlic necklace to wear the entire offseason. Stepped on his team's neck 21-0 in the first three possessions and never looked back. Let's see. Who was it that was losing to Alabama until nearly six minutes into the fourth quarter? Oh, yeah. Florida. (insert: the #1 national champions barely beat the team that Utah CREAMED)

Until all these people do the right thing, I'll be celebrating with the true national champions — the undefeated, untied Utah Utes. (Our new slogan: Utahk about a team!)

Lemonades for everybody!