BYU-A-Palooza!

Cosmo!

Yesterday dawned cold, wet, and rainy.  Flakes of snow drifted intermittently from the skies.  At times, it was difficult to know whether it was snowing or raining--it was just wet.  I ended up spending the majority of the day at BYU--almost as much time as I spent there since I volunteered at a seemingly unending law school competition one time.

I went down pretty much first thing in the morning to see my two brothers play in their BYU intramural flag football playoffs.  They lost and it was cold!  The highlight of the game was seeing SLD chase down another player to make a touchdown-saving tackle at the 1 yard line.  I don't know if I've ever been so proud of him!  Great job SLD!  (I was even more proud than when I watched him drain that sweet-looking, three-point swish shot in his basketball game last week!)

Then it was time to get some errands done.  I was still unsure about whether or not I wanted to freeze my fanny in the snow at Lavell Edwards Stadium.  One thing I did know was that I needed even more cold weather gear if I was going to survive!

The view outside the stadium...told you it was cold!

Ultimately, I decided to go--and not just because I had a free ticket to the game.  I went because it was the last home game of the season and I thought that it would be an experience to say that I had been to a game in the snow.

The view inside the stadium from our seats...look closely for the snow flurries...

At the game, my sister told me that she had won a chance to fire the cannon after a BYU score.  She was #8 in line to do so.  The cannon fires after every score (touchdown or field goal) and at the end of each quarter.  Normally, as #8 in line I would not have been so hopeful about my chances to fire the cannon, but this was Senior Day and we were playing Idaho State.  I felt like the odds were pretty much in my favor...

They were.  We scored 49 points in the first half and right before the end of the third quarter, I had my moment:

I also got to hang out on the sideline while waiting for my big moment.  Cosmo came by and I snagged him for the picture above.  I didn't realize that he was so short.  But I guess it helps for all the flips and acrobatic maneuvers he has to do every game.  I'm sure that the pic above will impress no one except for my kids...

I also realized that I made the (international) tv broadcast (on BYUtv).  I'm sure that no one recognized me, but me.  (And since the field goal that gave me the shot at firing the cannon put us up 59-10 was anyone even still watching?  Plus it's not like we were talking ESPN here!)  So in case you missed it, here it is:

I'm at the top left, wearing the white hat standing behind one of the cadets "guarding" the cannon.

On my way out of the stadium, I stopped by to check on my nephews.  The cold was too much for them, so they were hanging out in the Cougar Room underneath the West Stands of the stadium.

Hard at work!

Ever wonder where the stadium orange coated security force hangs out?  Now you know.  They were there too.  I guess the cold was a little too much for them as well.  Plus, no need to worry that the BYU fans--rowdy though they may be--were going to storm the field to tear down the goal posts following this win.  I think that BYU's crack security force/ushers were a little embarrassed when they saw me pull out my phone to get this picture.  :-/

Because you can never get enough of BYU (or Provo for that matter), I headed over to the Marriott Center where there was a basketball doubleheader going on.

Kyle Collinsworth, Matt Carlino, and me

First, the women's team beat Boston College in overtime.  The great thing about the women's games is that you can literally sit courtside.  I met some interesting people including a couple of BYU's star players (above).

Based on the above photo, I think I may have actually grown an inch or two.  If Matt Carlino is 6'2", I'm more like 6'4" or 6'5".  Also, there is no truth to the rumor that Kyle Collinsworth is sporting a mullet...

A true mullet requires a tail in the back

...He just has a bad haircut.   :-/

But did I mention what a nice guy he is?  And how gracious he and Matt were to let me get a picture with them?  Both guys are having great seasons so far and the BYU basketball team is off to a great start this season!  Go Cougs!

The System

This is the newest book on my Kindle.  It has two chapters that were recently excerpted in the DesNews.  If the rest of the book is as good as these two chapters, this may well be one of the best books that I've read in a long time:

Kyle Van Noy:

Kyle Van Noy Awaits the Snap...

Kyle is one of the best linebackers in the country last year and this year.  He is likely going to be a very high draft pick in the NFL draft this Spring.  He basically won BYU's bowl game last December (against San Diego State) single-handedly--even though he is a defensive player--by blocking a punt, intercepting a pass which he returned for a touchdown, and forcing a fumble which he then returned for a touchdown.

For a defensive player to score two touchdowns in a bowl game is almost unheard of.  He's had a great career at BYU...but he almost didn't come to BYU.  Here is the backstory behind Van Noy's decision to come to BYU:

• Part 1
• Part 2
• Part 3

Kyle Van Noy is one of the reasons that I love BYU and I love BYU football.  No he is not perfect, but none of us are.  His decision to sit out an entire season so that he could come to BYU is admirable (and almost beyond belief).  It would have been very easy for him to go to another school and tell himself that he was going to make the changes necessary to get his life back in order at that other school.  But he didn't do that.  He knew that he was supposed to be at BYU and he made the necessary sacrifices so that he could attend (and play for) BYU.

I'm excited to see what Van Noy can accomplish at BYU this season, in his NFL career, and in life.  But in the meantime, I'll feel good cheering for him (and the rest of the Cougars) this Fall.

Bronco Mendenhall:

Bronco shows some emotion on the sidelines

How can you not like Bronco Mendenhall?  First of all, he's got a great name.  Second, he is loyal.  Third, his teams play with energy and passion.  I remember when he was first hired as BYU's defensive coordinator, I used to root for his defense to take the field because Bronco's defense at BYU was more exciting to watch than BYU's offense.  At a school known for its high-powered passing attack like BYU, this represented a fundamental paradigm shift.  (Of course, this was in the Gary Crowton years when the offense was a bit stagnant).

Here's the excerpt about Bronco from the book:

• "The True Story of How BYU Came to Hire Bronco Mendenhall"

I love that Bronco was loyal to his friend Gary Crowton.  I love that Bronco's players were loyal to him and went to the school's administration to support him.  And I love that one of the first things that Bronco did after getting hired was to get on his knees and pray.  (I can relate to feeling so overwhelmed with a new assignment that I felt like I needed to pray for guidance.)  

Anyway, I'm grateful that it's football season and I'm grateful for the opportunity to cheer for the Cougars.  Maybe if I'm lucky, I'll actually be able to see a game this season.  In person.  Go Cougs!!!!

Something to Live For

Notre Dame's Word of Life Mural--aka "Touchdown Jesus"

It's no secret to my friends and family that I am a big fan of BYU sports.  I especially look forward to football season every year.  There is something that I love about watching our football team play and every Fall, hope springs eternal that our football team will have a memorable season.

We all have things that motivate us, things that inspire us.  I'm not as good as I should be about setting goals, but goals do help us focus on the important things.  We can have personal goals and we can have other goals as well.  BYU's football team is no exception.

Back when BYU was a member of the WAC or MWC conferences, the football team's goal every year was to win the conference championship.  With BYU going independent, however, that goal is gone.  Instead, we all hope that BYU will win a national championship.  Another goal would be for BYU to make it to a BCS bowl game.

Play Like a Champion Today

With a current record of 4-3, however, BYU will neither win a national championship, nor play in a BCS bowl game.  Our goals for the football team, consequently, have gotten simpler.  Win the rest of our games and win the Poinsettia Bowl--and hope that that can springboard us into the national rankings for next year.

I know, it doesn't sound great, but things could be worse.  We could be Utah fans and have to win 4 of our remaining 6 games in the PAC-12 just to be bowl eligible.

Or we could be Utah State (who is having a great season) and have to worry that if we don't beat Louisiana Tech on the road, we might be bowl eligible, but not even make it to a bowl game.

Which brings me to this week.  Even though our overall season may be over, we have a chance to do something really special this week.  We play #5 Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana.  If we win, it would surely be remembered as one of BYU's greatest football wins of all time.  It is an opportunity to make an even bigger statement than going to a bowl game and winning.

Notre Dame Stadium

The last time BYU won in South Bend was in 1994. I really had no idea that the game was being played because I was trudging somewhere in the jungles of the D.R.  But I have a friend who played in that game and I'm sure that it's something that he will never forget.

The game on Saturday has the potential to be huge.  It will be on NBC for a national television audience.  It's not often that you have a chance to play a Top 5 ranked team and it's not often that you have a chance to beat a Top 5 ranked team.  But if you want to be the best, you have to play the best--and win.  I think we have a real shot to play well and win, despite the disappointments that we have endured this season.

If we do, it could be as fun and exciting a game as BYU's 2006 win over Utah.  A game that came down to the last play and which featured "The Catch" on an improbable pass from John Beck to Jonny Harline.  So BYU fans, even though even though we suffered through a disappointing loss to Utah and a 7-6 bummer of a loss at Boise State, there is still hope.  There is still something to live for!  :-)

The Catch!

UPDATE:  The DesNews published this article today:  "BYU Football: 1994 Win at Notre Dame One of BYU's Best".  Looks like I was a little ahead of my time!  :-)