An open letter to Tom Holmoe, coach Bronco Mendenhall and Brigham Young University: Nothing good ever comes from playing the Utah Utes.
The ugliness rained on the heads of the referees following the game demonstrates why this rivalry needs to end permanently.
The game no longer has championship implications, does not affect recruiting and may do more to harm the mission of the Church when the fans or team demonstrate the same level of hatred they have so long endured from the other fan base.
Whether the Cougars win or lose the matchup, BYU fans must endure being harrassed, having objects thrown at them, being sworn at and being mocked for our beliefs and the beliefs of BYU without returning such attacks in kind.
Prior to Saturday’s game, I had only been embarrassed twice to be a Cougar fan. The episode where a fan tackled a Ute cheerleader was the first. The second event involved a woman who had endured being called disgusting things all game long, finally snapped and poured a drink on the Ute fan and then hit him.
The inhumane treatment of the refs on Saturday by many was by far the most disheartening. BYU fans must be better than that.
Yes, the refs called an imbalanced game highly in favor of the Utes. Allowing Cody Hoffman to be tackled on the first drive of the game a half-second before the ball arrived, and for that to go unpunished while calling back big play after big play the Cougars had made when the infractions were much less grievous summed up how the Cougar fans may have felt about the officiating.
That sort of restriction is what the Cougars agreed to when they scheduled the Utes. The refs were guests of the university and should be treated with respect.
What happened at the end of the game showed that our fans are no different than many other crass groups around the sporting world.
After completion of the current contract with Utah, please refrain from scheduling any more contests between the two schools unless the two programs can show each other respect and kindness.
Steven S. Jarvis
Kearns
