December 19, 2015, one of the most weirdly satisfying days in Utah sports history

[SeattleUte]

I'm just putting this here as a placeholder for memory's sake--December 19, 2015 was one of the most weirdly satisfying days in Utah sports history. When I realized we were playing Duke in the Garden and BYU in the Vegas Bowl on the same day, December 19, I thought "uh oh". The odds were decidedly against it being an overall great day to be a Ute fan--1-1 or even 0-2 was a lot more likely than 2-0; 2-0 was well below 50%.

Yet, there's not been much celebration as you'd expect about 2-0. I wonder why? Is it because we've been here a lot before by now? Maybe somewhat. I think it has a lot to do how in each game Utah was in a position of improbably having the game in hand--improbable at the point in the game in which it apparently had the game in hand--and then very nearly gave up the game in bizarre or very weird even historic fashion.

Also, as Ted Miller recently wrote, playing BYU in the bowl game this year was not, at least for Ute fans, a celebratory occasion. For Ute fans it was a literally painful, joyless experience. Part of it has to do with the fact that we had hopes for getting to a Big Bowl. Part of it has to do with the fact that, for whatever psychic reasons, since Utah got into the Pac 12 its administrators and fans mostly just want to put BYU in the past. But now that we beat them, I have to say, that since we weren't in a Big Bowl, it was better to have beaten BYU than any other team that was available as an opponent.

The football team also finished with 10 wins, capping one of the best seasons in history, adding another quality win. The basketball team finally got a quality win, indeed a marquis win, this season, and may have found its point guard.

What a satisfying, albeit weirdly satisfying day for Ute fans.

[UtahsMrSports]

Absolutely the best sports day I can recall. It would have been fun to check my blood pressure in the morning before the hoops game tipped and check it again in the last few minutes of the football game.

[SoCalPat]

I'm just putting this here as a placeholder for memory's sake--December 19, 2105 was one of the most weirdly saisfying days in Utah sports history. When I realized we were playing Duke in the Garden and BYU in the Vegas Bowl on the same day, December 19, I thought "uh oh". The odds were decidedly against it being an overall great day to be a Ute fan--1-1 or even 0-2 was a lot more likely than 2-0; 2-0 was well below 50%.

Yet, there's not been much celebration as you'd expect about 2-0. I wonder why? Is it because we've been here a lot before by now? Maybe somewhat. I think it has a lot to do how in each game Utah was in a position of improbably having the game in hand--improbable at the point in the game in which it apparently had the game in hand--and then very nearly gave up the game in bizarre or very weird even historic fashion.

Also, as Ted Miller recently wrote, playing BYU in the bowl game this year was not, at least for Ute fans, a celebratory occasion. For Ute fans it was a literally painful, joyless experience. Part of it has to do with the fact that we had hopes for getting to a Big Bowl. Part of it has to do with the fact that, for whatever psychic reasons, since Utah got into the Pac 12 its administrators and fans mostly just want to put BYU in the past. But now that we beat them, I have to say, that since we weren't in a Big Bowl, it was better to have beaten BYU than any other team that was available as an opponent.

The football team also finished with 10 wins, capping one of the best seasons in history, adding another quality win. The basketball team finally got a quality win, indeed a marquis win, this season, and may have found its point guard.

What a satisfying, albeit weirdly satisfying day for Ute fans.

Because the second half victory lap we should've enjoyed against BYU never materialized, and for obvious reasons.

[GarthUte]

After beating Duke and the first quarter of the bowl game, the day was looking to be a great day for Utah athletics. The rest of the bowl game was not fun at all and the win was less than satisfying. Still, winning both games is always a good thing.

[Scorcho]

I can think of about 30 teams I would have rather played/defeated than BYU ...

Miami
Wiscy
Boise St

We got the equivalent of a MWC matchup on Saturday, we should win 95% of those games

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

I can think of about 30 teams I would have rather played/defeated than BYU ...

Miami
Wiscy
Boise St

We got the equivalent of a MWC matchup on Saturday, we should win 95% of those games

Lol, good call.

[Scorcho]

Lol, good call.

its a team we need to settle up with, as an Oregon fan you would think you would understand.

When is the last time Oregon beat the Bronco's?

[Scorcho]

does anyone know, did we win the Beehive Boot or get Deseret Duel points?

Woo Hoo!

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

its a team we need to settle up with, as an Oregon fan you would think you would understand.

When is the last time Oregon beat the Bronco's?

I hope we never play Boise again. Good for them they had their two moments against us. Nobody outside potato world would trade Oregon's world for Boise's.

[DrumNFeather]

The second half of that bowl game was a lot like the 3-0 win in Provo. I don't look back on that game with one single fond memory. My feet were frozen, and it was miserable to sit through. But hey, we won!

[SoCalPat]

The second half of that bowl game was a lot like the 3-0 win in Provo. I don't look back on that game with one single fond memory. My feet were frozen, and it was miserable to sit through. But hey, we won!

I hope you're talking about the game itself, and not lumping what we gained with that victory in there as well (which should've made the wind, cold and snow tolerable anyway). Otherwise, I'm calling total BS on that remark.

[SeattleUte]

I hope you're talking about the game itself, and not lumping what we gained with that victory in there as well (which should've made the wind, cold and snow tolerable anyway). Otherwise, I'm calling total BS on that remark.

What we gained was our first outright conference championship in over 40 years.

[GarthUte]

The second half of that bowl game was a lot like the 3-0 win in Provo. I don't look back on that game with one single fond memory. My feet were frozen, and it was miserable to sit through. But hey, we won!

I enjoyed the 3-0 game, despite freezing my backside off while there as it clinched the outright conference title and ended what was then the longest streak of scoring in consecutive games.

[DrumNFeather]

I hope you're talking about the game itself, and not lumping what we gained with that victory in there as well (which should've made the wind, cold and snow tolerable anyway). Otherwise, I'm calling total BS on that remark.

Of course!