Oh To Be a Utah Fan

What would it be like to know two games into the season just how good you're team is going to be? Third place in the MWC or BCS buster. CBI (that's the College Basketball Invitational-the tourney that teams go to that couldn't make the NIT) or the Sweet 16. Two games into the season, you already know if you're mediocre or one of the top teams in the country. This is a luxury Ute fans enjoy in the two major sports. Two games into the season, you can know just what to expect. Start 2-0 and you're golden, anything else, just wait till next year or the year after.
After they pulled one out at Michigan and overcame a POOR first half against UNLV to win, Utah fans must have known that 13-0 was a sure thing.
After that first game loss to Soutwest Baptist from Division II, Runnin' Ute basketball fans knew the Sweet 16 would have to wait. Though they may have turned it around enough for an NIT invitation, we'll see how the rest of the season plays out.

BYU fans always KNOW what to expect, they just don't want to believe it. In basketball and football, you get a top 30 team, but never a top 10 one. You get a team that almost beats a really good team, but falls just short. You get a competitor for the conference championship but failure in the post-season. There is always hope, but it never comes to fruition. A crushing defeat at TCU, a collapse against Utah, a no-show against Arizona, a last-second (or post last-second) tip-in against the Sun Devils, a tie with 1 minute to go against the Demon Deacons. Almost greatness, but, really, just solidness.

With Utah you definitely get a rollercoaster ride. You get mediocrity, followed by excellence, followed by mediocrity, then excellence. With BYU, it's only a rollercoaster if you buy into the undeserved, and never quite realized hype (mostly spread around by fellow BYU fans/columnists). You get a good team, but never a great one. Would you rather have the ups and downs of the Utah program? Or the never-quite-but-almost-ups of the BYU program? What do you say?

I say: the worst day as a Cougar is better than the worst day as a Ute. The best day as a Ute is better than the best day as a Cougar. Utah Man Am I...

...Not. Go Cougars