Recently I had an Epiphany. I was thinking about the nature of our current BYU student athletes compared to the other athletes within the game of college football. A fellow friend of mine was discussing this issue after last season with a group of us so I thought I would run it passed you guys to see what you thought.

Now this has nothing to do with the size of their biceps, or their natural athletic ability. You see, since the majority of our athletes(LDS) come from homes of comfort, stability, and a loving environment, do you think that its possible that our players lack the tenacity and mental toughness that resides within many other successful athletes throughout the nation? Recently, I watched a news special on the NFL draft that talked about some of top players in the NFL and their life stories. It amazed me at how many of our football stars came from humble circumstances and rough homes where their was no positive influence in their life.

In other words, If I came from the back woods of wyoming, my father was an abusive drunk and I knew that my only activity I could excel in was football, than wouldn't I be even more determined to reach the NFL and play more competitively than the next guy who doesn't know what its like to be poor and endure a rough life? Perhaps, our athletes our too soft and lack that "win or die" attitude that Utah had against us last year. I mean Utah had everything against them last season and they still found a way to get it done.

For example, they had their starting QB out, and two starting receivers hurt as well. Now I'm not just speaking about Utah, but about any successful program such as USC, Texas, Ohio State, or LSU. I think many of their players are playing as if football is their only way out of their unfortunate circumstance and perhaps' their family's circumstance. While at BYU, they know that they'll still get a pat on the back after a terrible loss and all will be better next time. At any major winning program, people would not accept anything but the best, therefore, the players of those programs play the game of football as if it's life or death. Is this lacking in a lot of our BYU players?

I don't think its a motivational issue with our players. Being rich or having a comfortable background doesn't dull competitiveness. How many rich people do you know that are as competitive as all get out? Some people are just born with a competitive fire. Otherwise LaVell never would have had the "glory days." Why some teams win perennially can really be chalked up to talent, coaching, and execution. At the DI level you have to believe that every one of these guys is competitive, really loves football, and wants to win badly. Why else would they put themselves through the practices, weight lifting, running, etc. while they are going to college? No one likes to lose, and especially those competitive enough to make it onto a college football team. Best example from BYU lore is Ty Detmer. Can you think of anyone more competitive that has ever played for BYU? His Dad was not a drunk that slapped him around, but a football coach that taught his kids how to play.

[color=blue:3a9089c8fa][color=blue]quote="cougarfan87"]I don't think its a motivational issue with our players. Best example from BYU lore is Ty Detmer. Can you think of anyone more competitive that has ever played for BYU? His Dad was not a drunk that slapped him around, but a football coach that taught his kids how to play.[/color:3a9089c8fa]

In those days at BYU we actually recruited blue chip NON LDS athletes (They actually came to BYU, remember?). Now Bronco has the team singing Nephi's courage, tunnel singing, and disgracing the Tongan culture by performing ancient chants before loosing to Utah. :oops:

As to poor kids that have a rough life growing up being better might be true. Then again you have people like Steve Young who wasn't beaten and lived comfortably, who came to BYU, then to the NFL hall of fame. Same goes with Peyton Manning who is an incredible QB and grew up definatley well off with his dad starting in the NFL, albeit he didn't go to BYU but the argument stands. As to Bronco singing "Nephi's Courage" I'm glad. That doesn't mean I want only LDS kids, but we all know what happened when Crowton tried to bring in people that for the most part happened to probably grow up with a rough life.

tm1991

As to poor kids that have a rough life growing up being better might be true. Then again you have people like Steve Young who wasn't beaten and lived comfortably, who came to BYU, then to the NFL hall of fame. Same goes with Peyton Manning who is an incredible QB and grew up definatley well off with his dad starting in the NFL, albeit he didn't go to BYU but the argument stands. As to Bronco singing "Nephi's Courage" I'm glad. That doesn't mean I want only LDS kids, but we all know what happened when Crowton tried to bring in people that for the most part happened to probably grow up with a rough life.

WOW!!! You're a funny one. I forgot to mention that there are a "few" exceptions to the rule. As for Peyton Manning, he was pushed to limits by a father who expected nothing but the best from his son. Most of our LDS athletes had this mentality...."Work the hardest you can-that's all that matters." Sure, it sounds cute and cliche, but that's not the way many of today's great football players were raised. It was more like..."work your hardest and be the best, or you won't have food on the table." You see the difference? Now, as for the kids that were kicked out of BYU, that was unfortunate. But I hope you know that things like that have happened before-perhaps not publicized or even discovered by the honor code office. It's a shame that we are going to fail in two of our goals-converting more non lds people (Vai Sikahema, Ty Detmer, Curtis Brown, Brian McDonald ect...) and loosing more football games because we discourage them from coming here. Don't worry, this little temporary theme song of "let's have a celestial football team" will eventually faze out as we continue to have loosing seasons and our positive popularity as a team, school, and church begins to decline. The world will forget about the glory years of BYU and eventually the generous booster donations will get smaller and smaller as more and more supporters begin to get more and more angry as they watch their dollars go to more losses to Utah. Trust me, it will happen. Now, once this has happened, the Church will have to make a choice..."do we want to loosen the leash on Bronco and allow him to go after more good upstanding, non-LDS athletes making us a better football team? Or do we want to maintain our obedient mediocre-to-bad football team while keeping our program more safe from public scrutiny after an athlete is caught breaking the honor code? You do understand that Bronco's whole "let's bring in only good, upstanding LDS athletes" theme didn't come from the athletic office don't you? It came from downtown Salt Lake.

I think when two opposing D1 football players are going against each other each of them are playing as hard as they possibly can. Unless your that Smith bastard from Utah last year who gave up a long play to Air Force almost losing the game and completely gave up (Silly Utes). As for all others players, they are going out there to kill or be killed.

This topic reminds me of the Super Bowl last year when Stevens, the tight end for Seatle said, "Well, Jerome Bettis may be coming home to Detroit, but he's leaving Detroit with out the lombardi trophy." Then Jerry Porter the MLB for the Steelers said, in essence, "That's it, now I'm really going to play hard and he's going to wish he'd never said such a terrible thing about my teammate!" The point is, Jerry Porter is smoking crack--You either play at the highest level possible for the biggest game or games of your life or you don't. You don't need any one to disrespect you, to make you play better in the Super Bowl, it shouldn't make a difference. The game itself should be and always is enough incentive to fight your hardest. Especially once you get to the highest level of competition.

I don't think we lack athletes who've not been beaten and starved as children, I think we need better athletes.