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Show OPINION Monday, October 2,2006 Page 6 THE CHRONICLE'S VIEW ',••".!'. • • * p • -T Yes, these games DO matter R un. Pass. Punt. Repeat. The offensive scheme about which U head coach Kyle Whittingham and offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig have kept so mum was finally revealed in all its glory at the hands of Boise State's voracious defense on Saturday. '•••/•"Now lite fans, after coming to expect success on a pretty regular basis since the team's Fiesta Bowl appearance in 2004, are suddenly left with a team that isn't even fun to watch. Things are so bad that—although the 36-3 debacle marked the worst home loss in 17 years—nobody on the Ute staff , seemed too bothered about it. "Ehh," they shrugged. "We can still win the Mountain West." •••'•• .: Maybe that's a fair goal and a nice accomplishment, but it shouldn't cut it for a team that was considered a "BCS Buster" as recently as this preseason. . The Boise State Broncos could have still won the WAC if they lost to the Utes, but instead they came out fired up and made big plays to solidify their chances of accomplishing something MORE. The Broncos also annihilated any debate about the best mid-major program in the nation and took a hefty bite out of the Mountain West Conference's credibility in the process. Over the last two years, the Utes have repeat- , edly made that excuse—that losses to Boise State or UCLA or North Carolina "don't matter" because they aren't conference games. But they do matter. The Utes have gotten dominated by these teams—and it's these games that-possible future recruits see on national television. It's these games that gain prestige for the Utes and the Mountain West as a whole. The goal is to win the MWC—but the team's non-conference-doesn't-matter attitude is weakening the prestige that supposedly comes with that. An MWC team beating a Pac-10 team like UCLA or a nationally ranked opponent does mean something. These games do matter for reasons that conference standings and Emerald Bowl trophies cannot possibly quantify. If the game didn't really matter, why were so many Ute players fighting through injuries on the field in .the fourth quarter? The coaches put their players through serious, potentially life-altering sacrifices and then acted completely^iionchalant. during the -\ post-game proceedings. """"^"'•""'"'"" " Surely they were upset, so why politic? They need to at least convince fans that the team cares about what's happening. Whittingham is a local boy and remains very popular in the community, but his staff needs to stop offering excuses unless its willing to concede that winning the Mountain West is the only attainable goal left for the U in its tenure. Otherwise, his attitude sets his players up for failure. : A casual analyst looking in wouldn't be crazy to conclude that we're in a state of regression. If the program continues its tailspin from grace, the U will lose a valuable recruiting edge over the competition, not to mention boatloads of money. Key >.figuresneed to take responsibility and concede the significance of the latest loss. The results have real • consequences not only for the players and their fans, but the school as well. Our football team didn't get any respect in years past because the team displayed the attitude that Whittingham arid Co. showed on Saturday. All that changed when Urban Meyer came to town. It'd be : sad to find ourselves returning to that old state of . affairs. : Unsigned editorials reflect the majority opinion of The Daily Utah Chronicle Editorial Board. Signed editorials, editorial columns and letters to the editor are strictly the opinions of the author. The forum created on the Opinion Page is one based on vigorous debate, while at the same time demanding tolerance and respect. Material defamatory to an individual or group because of race, ethnic background, religion, creed, gender, appearance or sexual orientation will be edited or will not be published. All letters to the editor will .now be published online at wwiv.daHyutahchronicle.com. Letters that the editor deems, best represent those received will be printed in the newspaper as well as online. . LETTER TO THE EDITOR Sine is behind the curve Editor: Some of The Chronicle staff must have forgotten that living in a free country means we have rights and responsibilities. In "The U should not be blamed for lack of minorities'* (Sept. 29), Lindsey Sine claims, "The burden of [eliminating the education gap] lies with the Utah State Legislature." Call me old fashioned, but I think the burden of getting children to desire a college education should be carried by parents. Also, Sine claims that "Every scholarship, study and field trip that the U provides to minorities is worthy/' but doesn't tell us what it is worthy of. Worthy of using tax money to favor one group over another? Worthy of using student fees to support programs that only benefit a few? Rights come with responsibilities. If you want to have a government provide everything for you and eliminate all personal responsibilities, move to a country that doesn't have rights. J.D. Bowns Junior, Finance V O F W'S "TRAPITION COM/VUTTE£" POLLS THE STUPENTS KURT FRANCOM/rfe<rDui/y Utah Chronicle CHARLES GONZALEZ/ The Daily Utah Chronicle Where are all the happy holidays? America needs to start acting like a grown-up empire and skip work A fter eons of scrambling about the rugged landscape for gristle and bone scraps to gnaw, one of the first major conclusions hatched by civilized man about agricultural life was, "Hey! Maybe I shouldn't work so damn much!" When Babylonians were done reaping fields of rye with their heavy scythes—or whatever it is Babylonians did all day—the only leisure time they had was an hour of shadow puppetry in front of the fire before hitting the haystacks. And, for a short time, they were content with that. But husbands eventually grew tired of the same old shadow puppet shows. Many men even started going out for a few glugs of hearty ale after long harvest days. In turn, their lonely wives developed major psychological complexes that were considered incurable at the time—since health spas had yet to be invented. Couples soon stopped begetting altogether, and it became clear to early Babylonian leaders that a standardized seven-day workweek—complete with a day of rest—was necessary. So began "days off" as we know them today. Ancient Egyptians took a "yearly five days" to make up for the gap in their 360-day calendar. Unfortunately, they used all five days every year instead of accounting for leap years, and they were five months behind schedule by the end of the Old Kingdom, causing all of their supercomputers to crash. One day a week wouldn't cut it forever, though. The great Romans needed another excuse to skip work, eat grapes and have public sex with multiple partners simultaneously. Their answer was to exploit an old tradition—the "holy day." The first "holy day", according to The Bible, was Father's Day. In the Garden of Eden (baby), Abel gave a fine razor in appreciation of his father's love, while Cain presented Adam with a snakeskin tie—the mark of a Sith lord's apprentice. So Rome can't claim to have originated the holiday, but they were unquestionably the best at altering their calendar for the public's interests. "Thou shalt rejoice on the Nones of Martius!" emperors would exclaim in hopes of keeping would-be conspirators at bay. Emperor Claudius held 159 holidays in a 360-day year, even though they only had a six-hour she then created a holiday to commemorate her lies and announced it to the local newspaper. OK, so that one probably didn't really catch on. It probably got her fired. But even the hallowed Mother's MATTHEW Day was the commercial brainchild . PIPER of phone companies attempting to increase long-distance phone calls (I refuse to celebrate it). The only truly worthwhile holidays workday at the time. And forget are the ones that get us out of work. the stuffy Rose Bowl; their holidays For those, you need a revolutionary, featured cool chariot races and muran explorer or a religious affiliation. derous combat. Think: "Jackass, VII In New York the entire working A.D." population gets the day off on major Valentine's Day, which many credit Jewish holidays. Hawaii has King to stationery companies, can actuKamehameha Day, Texas has San ally be traced back to the Roman Jacinto Day and Illinois has Casimir festival of Lupercalia (Februarius 15), Pulaski Day, in honor of a Polish when young men would gather in a fighter in the American Revolution cave with bloody goatskins and run who never visited the state in his life. around whipping nearby spectators In Utah, Mormons were able to to promote fertility. This is the reaestablish Pioneer Day, even though son lovers give each other cards and calling the Mormon settlers "piochocolates today. neers" is kind of Like calling Moses a Who knows who started Luper"seafarer." calia (besides historians)? Whoever Since there aren't really any new started it deserves our most sincere revolutionaries or explorers, it might acclaim for taking advantage of be time for us to look again to orgaRome's tremendous prosperity to nized religion for relief. bring joy to all humanity. America, If only we could recognize Scienalso possessing tremendous prostology as a legitimate, meaningful perity, should mimic this laid-back faith...we could add an astounding 19 approach. holidays to the calendar! Currently, there are just 10 federal Scientologists have a Celebrity holidays. Can you name them? Day, a day to cure drug addiction, a Who cares if you can name them? day to celebrate their auditors and (I can't believe you actually tried to similar days to celebrate just about •name them!) The point is, these holi- every business arm of their organizadays will someday come to identify tion. They even have enough famous the priorities of our culture. faces to put on a TV benefit. In a If we're not careful, future scholars nutshell, they're perfect. are going to find a dumpster full of All we have left in 2006 is crummy fliers and conclude that we all once Columbus Day, Thanksgiving and celebrated "Starbucks' Frappuccino Christmas. We need Celebrity Day. Friday," or else they'll simply group We're in serious jeopardy of forus with the smelly, no-fun Babylogetting essential elements of bur nians. nation's spirit, valor and pride. Any of us could start a decent In this supposed "land of opporholiday with a little effort. We all tunity," where's our freedom to skip know "No Pants Day" as an integral work, eat grapes and have public sex part of our American culture in 2006, with multiple partners simultanebut did you know that the University ously? of Austin was the first to observe this By the way, for all the hesitant fine occasion just nine years ago? Monday class-goers out there, Oct. "Blame Someone Else Day" be2 is Yom Kippur, Gandhi's birthday, came popular after Anne Moeller Guinea's Independence Day and the didn't get up on time for work in French Potato Day. 1982 and told everybody she knew You have all you need. Just be sure an elaborate excuse, according to the to get the nQtes from somebody, and Pittsburgh Tribune-Review in May have a happy holiday. 2005. letters@ In a sly effort to cover her tracks, chronicle.utah.edu \ |