More Holy?

It just doesn't feel right. Any of it. September. Rivalry week. Civility. Could it be that the so called "Holy War" is slowly becoming a little bit more like its name would imply? There have been no statements that would infuriate fans of either side, no new quotes we can repeat every year...not even a new shirt with a clever saying.

Maybe its because students are so busy trying to remember where their classes are that they don't have time to post derogatory comments on Facebook (those never fail to entertain) or perhaps because the freshmen haven't been indoctrinated as to why we are supposed to despise "The Team Up North."

Sadly, for all of us who have grown up with the rivalry and know what it means and what it feels like for the game to be played in November, it will just never be the same. Even I (who has never bled a red drop in my life....just ask the doctor) haven't felt that same excitement and energy for the game. Bronco seems more than happy with it (the civility), but even he admits that it feels wrong to be playing it in September.

It is how it is, though. There is nothing we can do. I'm sure all of us will cheer just as hard for the Cougars as we always have and enjoy the pride that comes with knowing we are better (even though we already knew that, of course.) So here's for an exciting game that delivers hard hits and exciting plays, because, like it or not, this rivalry will be different from now on.

I blame the Utes.

The End, or the Begining

I wanted to ease my pain from seeing Doman struggle so much as a new offensive coordinator, so I looked up game totals from BYU's former offensive coordinator in his first season. The news is not good for the cougars.

To start the 2005 season the cougars scored just three points against Boston College, however the rest of the year aside from a 10 point performance against San Diego St. was decent. BYU even managed 50 points in a close loss to TCU. The former coordinator started slow week one but never really looked back until last year.

Doman on the other had has only seen one offensive touchdown in his first two weeks. The defenses he has faced may be tougher but the offense sure has not worked liked everyone had hoped. Was he not brought in to allow BYU to play well against good defense?

I feel that everyone has taken the Texas loss way to hard. Maybe that is because we have to go undefeated now that we are independent or maybe it is how we lost. The hardest thing to swallow is an offense that was supposed to be more diverse more aggressive has proven to be not even close to that. To me the past coordinator lost his job when settling for a field against Utah last year in a game very similar to this years Texas game. The offense played no different in the Texas game than in did last year in the Utah game, possibly worse.

So what does it all mean, nothing. Doman clearly has not learned how to call plays yet or the players have not learned how to make plays against good defenses. Lucky for the cougars and sad to fans the only have the Utah and TCU games left to prove they are a better offensive team and firing the former coordinator was justified. Right now I do not see much of a change and really doubt the cougars throw for over 300 yards and score more than 24 points against Utah and will be lucky to score against TCU. I do not think bringing back the old coordinator is right. It would have been better had they made the change before last year, taken their lumps and than had the offense did what it did at the end of last year all the hype would have been justified and we would have been set for a great year. Now it looks like we will take more lumps this year.

The Texas loss seems like the end of the world, based on the offense and how we lost, can BYU turn it around against good teams, only two chances left to show they can, lets hope it happens.

More Jersey Talk

By Ann Cannon (as told to Dylan Cannon)

Okay. Time to weigh in with a little fashion report here. I know! Y’all couldn’t wait!

Today I’d like to discuss the outfits worn by Nortre Dame and Michigan in last Saturday’s game. First, snaps to Notre Dame for putting little shamrocks on their shiny golden hats. In this fashionista’s book shamrocks are both tasteful and undeniably sassy—a fab accessory for all things (and players) Irish!

And I loved, loved, loved Michigan’s shirts with that big block retro “M” stamped right there on the chestal region. Well-played, Wolverines! I’ll take a heaping plate o’that, please!

Finally, who can resist those jaunty little caps the refs wore? Certainly not moi. Like I always say, it’s good to see refs get in touch with their fun-loving sides!

More next week! And you’re welcome.

ECU Football Intro

NASCARnal Affairs

Based on the title of this, I know what you are thinking... "What does NASCAR have to with football?" Like most of you, I normally don't waste my time with such silly things like NASCAR, but it is because I love football so much that I feel that I must write this post about NASCAR.

When I turn on the TV, the first channel I turn to ESPN (followed immediately by ESPN 2). I am always excited to see what is going on in the world of sports. However, when I see a bunch cars racing around a circular track, all excitement dies. I am even more devastated when I see it on Sunday instead of NFL games!

ESPN should not taint its prestigious name by affiliating with NASCAR. I'm sure that even the NASCAR fans would happy with ESPN dropping them. ESPN is so out of touch with NASCAR. The only people who like NASCAR are southerners, and everyone knows that southerners' priorities are football, God, and NASCAR in that order. I bet even Dale Earnhardt Jr. knows that NASCAR is second fiddle to football, yet ESPN still shows races on Sundays. To further this argument, I saw a recent NASCAR commercial made by ESPN. Do you know what music was playing? No, it was not an 80s monster ballad, but a Euro-techno-crap song! Seriously ESPN? You're not appealing to a wider audience with that, you're alienating an already slim following.

The solution to this problem is simple. ESPN needs to drop NASCAR and renegotiate their contract with the NFL to start showing Sunday games. NASCAR could create its own network much like Texas did. Those who actually want to watch NASCAR on TV will subscribe to the network. Another benefit of this would be that companies could advertise their product through commercials instead of every inch of the driver's suit and car. NASCAR drivers would look less whimpy.

ESPN... Save us from NASCARnal affairs!

Angry Texts

To relieve my pain after losses I often text my frustrations to family and friends. Here is a little glimpse into this depressed angry world.

I should start with some texts I sent during the game.

To Dylan: Field goals are not going to cut it. (This text came early in first quarter).

To my brother and mom: We need a touchdown out of halftime.

Now to start the anger.........

To Dylan: It almost seems like Doman calls play action just because he can, even if it makes no sense.

Dylan to me: Yeah. Our offense almost lost us the first game. They DID this game.

Me: Still can we get a tackle? Maybe if they would have had contact in camp. BYU got what they wanted with Doman but he can't call plays. Where was Apo or a TE in the second half. Same song and dance as last year, throw on first, run on second and on third and long.

Dylan: So much for heart. Third and eight and give up 13 on a draw.

Dylan also adds texts saying we are more conservative than with Robert and have no down field presence.

And the rest of my texts to Dylan:

Well this year is over. How do they get up for any other game? Man, if any of the field goals are touchdowns we win. We look like Utah's offense of just 3 or 4 yard passes but without the run game.

I knew Texas would make a push and play better offense in the second half but I also thought one more touchdown would win it. Sure would have. I do not think the offense will look good until we play WAC schools, at which point they will talk about how good next year will be. I know Texas is fast but we could not run or pass. I thought our line was good but seemed like Heaps was rushed all night.

If teams did not have back up QBs we would win a lot more games.

Somewhere between Lavell and now, BYU forgot how to put games away. Beck never did it, Hall never did it and now we do not do it. We get a lead and think that is good enough. We do not know how to not be conservative with a lead. It is like a disease.

One more thing, how can Rice run all over Texas and we get like two yards, if that.

So I just want to apologize for my rant to my family and to Dylan but it helps me get over the loss. A day later the loss still hurts but I no longer believe most of what I wrote. I think BYU has some offensive issues, and we will see if they can fix it. That is what makes the season great. Too many fans go too high after wins and too low after a loss. Auburn barely beats USU and drops from the rankings but in week two they beat a ranked Miss state team. USU is not that good and Auburn not that bad. Teams have off nights and on nights. USU had an on night against an off night. BYU needs to make sure it gets an "on" game this week or this season may look too much like last season.

Why Can't My Good Prophecies Come True?

Unfortunately, my BYU Wins If...Loses If post was dead on.

I said "BYU Loses If...Jake Heaps plays like he did in the first half against Ole Miss." My brothers and I all noticed that Jake Heaps did not throw the ball downfield, at all in the second half (and not much in the first). I'm not sure if it was by design or receivers weren't getting open or if Heaps had no confidence. Anyway you dice it, we had absolutely no threat to stretch the field and so all of our dump passes went nowhere in the second half.

BYU Loses If... "We allow Texas to run consistently on us." Our defense was stellar throughout most of the game but in the 4th (probably because they were exhausted from the offense's 3 and outs) they just couldn't stop the run. When it was 3rd and 6 on Texas' last drive, they easily ran the ball for 9 yards without even getting touched.

BYU Loses If... "Texas stops our run and makes us one-dimensional" Our run game was non-existent. I've heard so much about how much of a stud Juice was going to be this year (as he was at the end of last year) but thus far he has not really shown me anything. None of our three backs did a thing this game.

So, for the U game, I might just write an article called BYU Will Win Because... and leave it at that.