OLB wrote:

I think you bring up a legit point. But here is the difference (at least in terms of football and basketball) -- the football team can actually beat BCS teams where as the basketball teams folds under pressure (a la the conference tourny).

I'll go ahead and call it right now that the football team goes 12-0 and gets a BCS invite right now. Of that, I have no doubt.

But excuse me if I think the basketball team will have a nice game, lose in the closing minutes, and be back in class on Friday. There is nothing to support the fact that the Cougs are ready to win a first round game.

I also grow increasingly tired of seeing the whining on this site. Refs don't (normally) lose games for teams ... it is the players and coaches that do. BYU lost against UNLV because they lacked composure, not because of some mystical haze that was cast upon the fellows in zebra clothing.

Wow OLB... thanks for saving me the typing, as you said EXACTLY what I think as well.

BTW, our excuses started today, not Thursday. Just like they started Thursday night when UNLV was handed a win by the MWC refs-they just came to a head last night. I'm sure that's what will happen this week, unless we win, of course. OLB, you used to be somewhat nice, what happened?

BYUtx wrote:

Another classic OLB ray of sunshine.

Another classic response by BYUtx. A nice chippy one liner, but no substantive response or counter-argument.

I guess I could've simply asked why you're so negative, but I thought that was implicit in my statement. I really am curious.

BYUtx wrote:

BTW, our excuses started today, not Thursday. Just like they started Thursday night when UNLV was handed a win by the MWC refs-they just came to a head last night. I'm sure that's what will happen this week, unless we win, of course. OLB, you used to be somewhat nice, what happened?

I saw the game. I thought the game was called rather fairly. Outside of this board, I haven't encountered any BYU fans (who actually watched the game) that felt like the refs were unfair. Granted, I live in Colorado so I've only been able to talk to about a dozen people, but it leads me to think that folks on this board are hyper sensitive about refs' calls.

It leads me to think that BYU doesn't know how to play a physical game. This will be a serious problem for them in this tournament, as the refs are more likely to let the players "play", meaning a timid Cougar team will just get run over -- and it will leave people like you screaming at the TV about fouls that aren't called.

No question there seems to be a tendency from fans to blame the refs or the MWC when we lose. As I mentioned on another thread, it's easier to blame refs or officials because then the fan doesn't have to be disappointed in his team. The fan can just walk away and say it was someone else's fault.

Me, I am all about owning up to things. We got beat by UNLV because we didn't play well. Key players didn't show up and we left UNLV's leading scorer wide open and basically let him rack up 14 points against us in the final 5 min. The refs had NOTHING to do with that.

I know beating A&M on Thursday will be tough, but there's a good chance we'll pull it off so need for the doom and gloom.