Football with my Son

Since I have not posted for a while (this is Hardy) I thought I would share with everyone my glimpse tonight of what fatherhood will be like. Jackson and I were watching the BYU-TCU game and I was thinking about how many times we would do this in the future. I thought about some of the questions he would probably ask me and some of the answers I would give. Here is what I imagine.

Question: Dad, when we go to church every week, all anyone does is talk about how good BYU is and how they should be ranked higher than they are. Does this mean they are not as good as everyone thinks they are?

Answer: Jackson that is a great observation. Yes, people at church school and other places will tell you BYU is always getting the short end of the stick on something but they usually end up looking kind of foolish. In 2000, before you were born all of the BYU fans were screaming about BYU not getting into a BCS game. Then they gave up 72 points to an unranked Hawaii team. They also lost their bowl game that year. In 2008 right after you were born all I heard about was how good BYU was. People at work were saying they should play in the National Championship game and that Max Hall would win the Heisman trophy.

Question: Who is Max Hall?

Answer: Someone who got exposed for not being very good on a Thursday night game against TCU and later that year against UTAH. Anyway, as I was saying, a lot of time we hear how good BYU is but they turn out to not be very good. Sometimes people just like to think their team is better than they are.

Question: How do you keep such reasonable opinions about the UTES?

Answer: It is easy son. I have watched the UTES go to multiple BCS games over the last few years so I don’t have that inferiority complex some of our BYU friends do.

Question: Doesn’t your friend Tyson epitomize every BYU fan stereotype you just mentioned?

Answer: Yes, but that is part of his charm

Question: He says the same things about the Cowboys as well, doesn’t he?

Answer: Yes.

Question: So what about those people who claim that BYU does the right thing on and off the field so they are blessed by winning football games?

Answer: This is one of the reasons people don’t like BYU very much. Sometimes they say dumb things. Your Dad even emailed the BYU athletic director about this once since it bothered him so much.
Question: Dad what do you do then when you hear people saying all of these things about BYU and you know they are not true?

Answer: It depends on your circumstances. Sometimes you have to take the high road other times you have to set them straight.

Question: Will BYU lose to Utah again this year Dad?

Answer: Of course!

Question: Can we call your friend Tyson after the game?

Answer: We will see. The Cowboys are not doing very well this year either so it might be a little tough for him.

Question: Does he really think they are better than the Redskins?

Answer: (Chuckling) Yeah, he really does believe it.

I can’t wait to spend time with Jack watching games and cheering on the UTES!!!