Several people have asked me why I'm not a
University of Utah fan.
I used to follow and cheer for Utah,
until I was a senior in high school.
I had won 1st place in the Region
Debate & Forensics in the category
of Extemporaneous Speaking for
American Fork High School.
I was one of three girls on the "State Team."
We placed 2nd in the state as a team,
and I placed 4th in my event.
The tournament was held in the
Student Union Building on the Utah campus.
It was a HORRIBLE experience!
We wore badges, so everyone knew we were
the high school kids.
There were tons of Utah students
wandering around.
When they saw any student with a badge,
they harassed us!
They said so many vulgar things to us.
They would block the bathrooms so you couldn't get in.
Probably 95% of the high school kids
had things taken out of their hands and
destroyed, thrown, or dumped in the trash!
The debate coaches went to administration to complain.
Administration did absolutely nothing!!!
I had been to high school debate meets
at Weber State, SUSC (now SUU), and BYU.
At those schools, we were treated with nothing
but dignity and respect.
After our state tournament, I knew then
that I would go to any school in the state
EXCEPT Utah!
When I began teaching school, no student
ever wore a Utah shirt, EVER!
There were a ton of BYU shirts, and a few
junior Jazz shirts, but no Utah.
This was about my first 18 years of teaching.
Then, Utah slowly began to win, and the
Alpine kids jumped on the bandwagon with their families!
It was exciting when the basketball team went the
the NCAA finals.
And, also to go undefeated in football.
Then came my BYU season football tickets!
I've had them for 25 years, and can count on
one hand how many times I've seen BYU win at home!
Until I moved down 19 rows to my current seats 10 years ago,
I sat straight across the aisle from the opposing fans.
No problems ever, except with one school . . . Utah.
We used to always play our games at the end of November.
Many of the students and fans across from me were mostly
drunk when they got there.
I would watch MANY of the fans pull out the
flasks from their inside coat pockets and sit there and openly drink!
(Bags and blankets were checked, but not coats)
And, they threw things at the BYU fans!
They threw golf balls, tortillas, beer bottles . . . everything!
I left to go down once to the bathroom, and asked the
usher to have them not throw tortillas at us.
I told her I spent good money for my seats, and didn't deserve that!
She said, "We can't control them!"
Of course, I would not allow a freshman girl
to be the usher at that portal.
When Utah would score, one of the male cheerleaders
would run the length of the end zone with their flag,
and idiot BYU fans would throw things at him.
(They had a bad aim)
Grass was dug up, goal posts pulled down, lots of damage!
About 8 years ago, they stationed 3 policemen at
my portal. Not BYU police, but Provo police.
There would be an average of 25-50 students taken
out by the police. It became "the game within the game!"
It really helped!
This year, only a couple were taken out!
I still cheered for Utah during bowl games.
And then, a big change.
Utah joined the PAC 10 with Colorado,
and became the PAC 12.
BYU was not invited.
On the sports radio station I listen to, the
Ute fans would call in and say BYU was no good.
The PAC 12 didn't want losers.
They didn't stop to think of the "Sunday play."
Yes, football is played on Saturday, but all
other sports are played on Fridays and Sundays.
Because BYU is owned and operated by the
LDS Church, they do not play on Sunday.
So, BYU became independent in football.
They found a league for all other sports.
The West Coast Conference.
They are religious schools, including
Gonzaga, John Stockton's alma mater.
There was also a lot of vandalism, too.
I'm sure BYU did their share in SLC.
The best one was this year!
After spending years guarding the "Y",
and wrapping up the Cougar and Brigham Young
statues, for some reason they didn't this year.
They said there hadn't been problems recently.
Well, someone called the police and
said 4 people had spray painted the cougar.
Their car had U of U license plates and stickers.
The 4 people (18, 19, and 21) returned
to the scene of the crime . . . to admire their
work and take pictures.
The 4 were caught "red-handed" with the
paint on their hands and spray cans in car.
Names were printed in the paper, because they are adults.
Charged with the misdemeanor of criminal mischief.
Their parents must be sooo proud!
So now, I do not cheer for Utah.
Between high school and going to the games
the last quarter of a century, I'm done!
I will, however, cheer for my students
who play on the team.
And, of course, I'm proud of any student
who graduates from there!
A college education is a college education,
and they have a top notch university!
University of Utah fan.
I used to follow and cheer for Utah,
until I was a senior in high school.
I had won 1st place in the Region
Debate & Forensics in the category
of Extemporaneous Speaking for
American Fork High School.
I was one of three girls on the "State Team."
We placed 2nd in the state as a team,
and I placed 4th in my event.
The tournament was held in the
Student Union Building on the Utah campus.
It was a HORRIBLE experience!
We wore badges, so everyone knew we were
the high school kids.
There were tons of Utah students
wandering around.
When they saw any student with a badge,
they harassed us!
They said so many vulgar things to us.
They would block the bathrooms so you couldn't get in.
Probably 95% of the high school kids
had things taken out of their hands and
destroyed, thrown, or dumped in the trash!
The debate coaches went to administration to complain.
Administration did absolutely nothing!!!
I had been to high school debate meets
at Weber State, SUSC (now SUU), and BYU.
At those schools, we were treated with nothing
but dignity and respect.
After our state tournament, I knew then
that I would go to any school in the state
EXCEPT Utah!
When I began teaching school, no student
ever wore a Utah shirt, EVER!
There were a ton of BYU shirts, and a few
junior Jazz shirts, but no Utah.
This was about my first 18 years of teaching.
Then, Utah slowly began to win, and the
Alpine kids jumped on the bandwagon with their families!
It was exciting when the basketball team went the
the NCAA finals.
And, also to go undefeated in football.
Then came my BYU season football tickets!
I've had them for 25 years, and can count on
one hand how many times I've seen BYU win at home!
Until I moved down 19 rows to my current seats 10 years ago,
I sat straight across the aisle from the opposing fans.
No problems ever, except with one school . . . Utah.
We used to always play our games at the end of November.
Many of the students and fans across from me were mostly
drunk when they got there.
I would watch MANY of the fans pull out the
flasks from their inside coat pockets and sit there and openly drink!
(Bags and blankets were checked, but not coats)
And, they threw things at the BYU fans!
They threw golf balls, tortillas, beer bottles . . . everything!
I left to go down once to the bathroom, and asked the
usher to have them not throw tortillas at us.
I told her I spent good money for my seats, and didn't deserve that!
She said, "We can't control them!"
Of course, I would not allow a freshman girl
to be the usher at that portal.
When Utah would score, one of the male cheerleaders
would run the length of the end zone with their flag,
and idiot BYU fans would throw things at him.
(They had a bad aim)
Grass was dug up, goal posts pulled down, lots of damage!
About 8 years ago, they stationed 3 policemen at
my portal. Not BYU police, but Provo police.
There would be an average of 25-50 students taken
out by the police. It became "the game within the game!"
It really helped!
This year, only a couple were taken out!
I still cheered for Utah during bowl games.
And then, a big change.
Utah joined the PAC 10 with Colorado,
and became the PAC 12.
BYU was not invited.
On the sports radio station I listen to, the
Ute fans would call in and say BYU was no good.
The PAC 12 didn't want losers.
They didn't stop to think of the "Sunday play."
Yes, football is played on Saturday, but all
other sports are played on Fridays and Sundays.
Because BYU is owned and operated by the
LDS Church, they do not play on Sunday.
So, BYU became independent in football.
They found a league for all other sports.
The West Coast Conference.
They are religious schools, including
Gonzaga, John Stockton's alma mater.
There was also a lot of vandalism, too.
I'm sure BYU did their share in SLC.
The best one was this year!
After spending years guarding the "Y",
and wrapping up the Cougar and Brigham Young
statues, for some reason they didn't this year.
They said there hadn't been problems recently.
Well, someone called the police and
said 4 people had spray painted the cougar.
Their car had U of U license plates and stickers.
The 4 people (18, 19, and 21) returned
to the scene of the crime . . . to admire their
work and take pictures.
The 4 were caught "red-handed" with the
paint on their hands and spray cans in car.
Names were printed in the paper, because they are adults.
Charged with the misdemeanor of criminal mischief.
Their parents must be sooo proud!
So now, I do not cheer for Utah.
Between high school and going to the games
the last quarter of a century, I'm done!
I will, however, cheer for my students
who play on the team.
And, of course, I'm proud of any student
who graduates from there!
A college education is a college education,
and they have a top notch university!
Holy War in the "Hood"
(When we played in the Las Vegas Bowl)
Family first!
2 of my 4 niece's husbands graduated from Utah.
The others graduated from UVU and Washington.
This is my oldest niece, Camille's husband.
Chief of Staff for the Lieutenant Governor.
Director of Elections for the State of Utah.
He graduated from Utah.
2 of my 4 niece's husbands graduated from Utah.
The others graduated from UVU and Washington.
This is my oldest niece, Camille's husband.
Chief of Staff for the Lieutenant Governor.
Director of Elections for the State of Utah.
He graduated from Utah.
We were heading to the graduation of
my niece's husband, Michael,
at the University of Utah.
Ooops. Detour to have their first child!
Of course, I was dressed for the occasion . . . wearing blue!
(At least I got a day off from school to attend, even though
we never made it!)
This is how Mike dressed his twins for my
birthday when they were almost one,
just to annoy me.
But, I got him back with this picture
of Brooklyn (Brooky)
The caption was:
"Daddy dressed me in this dumb ol' shirt!
He dressed Ally (Allyson) in all blue!
All I wanted to do was Rise & Shout!"
Before my niece's husband, CJ (married to Katie 7.29.17), hit the NBA,
he played his collegiate ball at the University of Washington.
He's #23. We went up to the university every time he came down to play Utah.
Katie's parents, all her siblings, their spouses, nieces and nephews,
her BFF, and of course, Auntie Ann, went up to support!
Why, yes, that's a Diet Coke in a Utah glass!
We all dressed in Washington's colors, purple!
Swoop seemed to like the kiddos!
I always support any of my former students
who attend Utah.
It makes for a
#ProudMissMitchellMoment
Clint Mower . . . Sugar Bowl
Joe Phillips
Dakota & Chase Hansen
Eva Neves Robb
Chelsey Hansen Payne
Liz Neves
Holy War . . . 2017
September 9, 2017
I took my oldest great niece, Courtney, 17.
Yay! Tied score!
(It doesn't matter that the game hasn't started.
It's on the scoreboard!)
#ispyswoop
The BYU & Utah Bands
perform together before the game.
I have the "Dancing Usher" again!
(And that sign made by a BYU fan was stupid!)
(And that sign made by a BYU fan was stupid!)
Watching former student, Liz Neves,
performing at halftime.
(Last flag girl in line)
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