Torn Allegiances

I have been an avid Utah Utes fan since I can remember. Growing up within the shadow of Rice-Eccles football stadium I guess this is only natural. Utah football goes very deep in my family. My Grandfather played football for them and so I grew up hearing football stories spanning over fifty years of more. When I was playing football in the East High football stadium that is literally across the cemetery from the stadium it was only natural to look up to the massive stadium as the goal for where you wanted your football career to end up.  The state High school football playoffs and championships are played at the “U” stadium just to make this indoctrination even more thorough.  The Stadium, to me is the top of the mountain. 

So with that background you can only imagine what it was like to sit in head coach Mike Bellotti’s office and be talking the reality of coming to the University Of Oregon to play football. The facilities there were not like any I have ever seen. The weight room has in laid hardwood floors for heaven sake! Could it be that my heart was breaking down walls built to keep any other school besides the U of U out? Well, that’s exactly what was happening.  Now I have a huge tear in my heart when it comes to this football season. Now that the Utes are in the PAC 12 and so are the Ducks I don’t know what to do. My Saturdays are going to be glued to following the drama and excitement that is the up-coming PAC 12 season. It is the ultimate struggle and we’ll just have to see who comes out on top.