"When you're doing what's right, on and off the field, the Lord steps in and plays a part." - Austin CollieIt was 4th and 18, but it might as well have been 4th and 1,800. After a near fumble, a near interception and a dropped pass, the Cougars looked like they were done. Their collective heart had been broken. It seemed the Utes would once again claim victory in LaVell Edwards' hallowed field. And then... we all saw it. We watched Max Hall break out of the pocket. We saw him wind up and let loose. Then we looked down field and saw Austin Collie wide open on the Utah 40 yard line. And then we went crazy.
And I mean, WE WENT CRAZY.
When AC caught that ball it was BYU's game. Sure enough, Harvey Unga sealed the deal by running into, through and over the Utah defense, including Steve "The Tool" Tate (Pictured here eating turf)
In a post-game interview, Austin Collie gave the above quote. In essence, he gave credit for his ability to the Lord. It shouldn't come as any surprise that Utah fans became enraged. It's like clockwork: Every year, no matter what happens on the field, it always has to come down to religion with these two teams. We can't escape it.
And why shouldn't it? I mean, how dare a BYU student athlete give God the credit after a wonderful win, right? How self-righteous!
Austin Collie later said, "I just think it's absolutely ridiculous that people take something like that [his earlier quote] and blow it up. I really think it's because I'm a Mormon white kid from Brigham Young University. Anybody else says that from any other team and it's just 'how spiritual that guy is.'"
How true. When Illinois QB Juice Williams led his team over then #1 Ohio State, the first thing he did in the post-game interview was thank God. There are myriad other examples of different players doing the same thing every game. Kneeling after a touchdown, crossing themselves, pointing to the sky - these are all ways of giving God credit. And yet, when Collie does it, somehow it's offensive and self-righteous.
Essentially, Austin Collie said 'when you do what's right the Lord blesses you.' If you believe in a higher power, how can you disagree with that statement? I now quote from an article printed in today's Deseret Morning News:
(Austin Collie speaking)"It's true. You can see that around the world, God cares about his children and that he's going to bless them whether it's on the football field or any other areas of their lives. I think if you're doing the things you should do on and off the field, things are going to come together for you."
"To tell you I got here on my own and that the Lord hasn't had a hand in my success and our team's success and every other athlete's success in this world is just B.S., because he's had a hand in every person's life."
When asked how he felt about the commotion his quote has caused, Collie, a freshman All-American before leaving for his mission three years ago, replied, "People need to get a life. It's just ridiculous. People have to get a life, that's all."
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13 comments:
Thanks for noting the Juice Williams post-game interview. That is the first thing I thought of when Austin's comment first came under scrutiny.
Plus, Ute fans, freaking Austin Collie can say whatever the heck he wants, he earned that right when he hauled in a 4th & 18 pass over your sorry carcasses.
Ute fans just don't like to hear it cuz they know they're going to hell.....Mormon or not.
I don't think that people take offense to him thanking God. I think those who are offended, and I'm not one of them, take offense at the implication in his statement that because they won, they were living more righteously than the other team. Otherwise, why didn't magic happen for the Utes?
Which brings us back to the stereotype that BYU students/players/fans all think they are more righteous than other people, especially Mormon Ute fans, as Trevor has so succinctly shown here.
As a whole, we are more righteous than Ute fans. Am I more righteous than every single Ute fan? Hell no. But as a collective group BYU fans are more righteous (if you take an LDS viewpoint). When was the last time you saw a group of BYU fans drinking and swearing? I see dozens of groups of Ute fans doing this every time BYU and Utah play. So when people try to tell me that fans on both sides are "just as bad" I have a hard time believing it.
Ute fans lose and have to find something else to talk about other than the fact they lost. Whether it's penalties, comments, or religion.....they just want bash BYU for something since they can't about the outcome of the game.
Jake, I think you need a little more prayer and fasting if you want some of our Joe Smith Magic.
Well I certainly won't argue that Utes fans don't drink more than BYU fans. And probably if you count the total number of swear words uttered by Utah fans we'd probably come out on top as well. (Assuming we aren't counting the swears that the .mtn felt we needed to hear from Gooch as he lay injured on the sideline.)
But my guess is that drinking and swearing probably aren't commandments #1 and #2 on the checklist for who is most righteous, although I certainly would have to let you and your buddies answer that one seeing as how you seem to be the ones who are writing it.
"By this shall men know ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."
Jake, do you have a part in your hair?
Austin Collie is a great athlete but immature (way too common among athletes today).
He wants to say whatever he wants, but then he whines when it get's scrutinized.
read more at Austin Collie Quote
Fetch, man. Those fetchin' Utah fans don't know what the f they're thinking. They are all going to h because we're so fetchin' righteous. I hope they burn and suffer in h forever for their sins on and off the field. F the U for like, f-ing ever. Fetch, dude.
You don't f-ing say?
My only beef with BYU is the whole "let's wear religion on our sleeves."
We get it. Your school has religious stuff going down. No need to declare it over and over again... we got the point a long time ago, I assure you. I'm truly glad y'all found God, but there is a reason it is called a personal relationship.
And what is with the stadium wide prayer before a game? It is a football games folks, not a bloody testimony meeting. At least after the prayer we know that "we might all have a good time and that the concessions may nurture and strengthen our bodies."
Great team otherwise, but if BYU wants to be treated seriously, they might want to consider not shoving their religion in other people's faces.
Best regards,
A mostly harmless Ute-fan
Do you byU fans hear yourselves? I don't think god would enjoy reading your comments and thinking this is my church's institution. I am mormon and a Utah fan, and can't believe you think that we are going to hell because we don't cheer for byU.
This is getting ridiculous. I am as avid a BYU fan as you will find, I have a big party going on at my house today and would love to see a cougar victory. I am a student at BYU and have always thought that our fans tried to maintain a bit of composure and maturity about this whole thing, but I honestly cannot believe that ANYONE from our school would say something along the lines of damnation for not cheering for the Y. It makes me absolutely sick. Get ahold of yourselves and remember who you are claiming to stand for.
All these comments have gotten me so stressed, I think I need a beer. Go Utah!
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