Rivalry

One who attempts to equal or surpass another, or who pursues the same object as another; a competitor. To strive against, compete, contend, contest, challenge, approach, approximate, or emulate. The Rival has a long list of definitions. Friends and even family can be rivals. Hatred, love, and a fair or or uneven spirit of competition is part of a a rivalries attributes. I can't imagine this world without conflict. What are we to do when the Millennium arrives and there is no more rivals. No conflict, no war, no contention.....no "Holy War"!!!

Where does BYU-Utah rank? Lets think for a moment about some of the great world wide rivalries. Iran-Iraq, Brasil-Guatamala, USA-Russia. Hmmm ... Not in the shadow I suppose. I have never seen militia and guns pointed at the Cougars down south. Nor do I think it ranks with the Army-Navy, Florida- Georgia, Texas-Oklahoma or USC-UCLA battles. In these parts of the country it does have plenty of merit. Sundays at the pulpit before and after the game it always finds it's way into a testimony or talk. Paul James woke every year to his house being toilet papered and marked with a U (for those of you that do not know he was the Cougar announcer, he would even help set it all up and take it down). I am sure the Cougar statue was covered this week so it would not end up red.

I grew up not liking the team down south. It started with a good friend of mine, Kevin Olson, he loved the Cougars so I had to be different. In my early years we never won. I can remember some large losses in fact. Lately, it has evened out. The cougars have not been to a BCS game, we have, twice! Now this ranks up there with West Jordan-Bingham, Cowboys-Steelers, or Dodgers-Giants for me. I enjoy the build up and hope the best team wins, but I HAD BETTER NOT LOSE THAT SIX PACK!!!

All joking aside may the team down south be struck with crying and gnashing of teeth after today's game. The good will prevail. Utah Red will live on. It is coming to me..... (the score not the knock to the head as you are thinking) Utah 27 BYU 20. Long live the good guy, GO Utes! Go Cowboys, Go Dodgers and may the rest of my rivals get their faces smashed into the turf. (By the way I am starting to hate the Phillies as much as the Giants). Just kidding... I hope today is a GREAT game.