Why You Have Every Right To Say Whatever You Want About Utah Athletics

Lately, this board has been filled with several posts asking people to stop being critical towards certain events related to U football and basketball and criticizing coaches' play-playcalling and the like. Or that if a fan doesn't go to ALL home games or donates a ton of money to the Crimson Club, they have no right to open their mouths about the Utes.

We are sports fans who love University of Utah athletics. We are emotionally attached and involved in the outcomes of the sporting events of our beloved Utes. Because of this emotional attachment to the Utes I and others personally have "invested" in, I have the right, as a fan, to whine, bitch, second-guess, yell, kick and scream; call for the coaches' head on a platter; utter words of disgust, dismay and wrath towards the Utes that I wouldn't say to my worst enemy; cheer, celebrate, compliment, dance an ugly jig in my living room after a touchdown; belittle, back-stab, and vilify the Utes out of frustration as much as I would like.

There are those that are the "experts" on this board who know everything about anything related to the Utes, sports and pretty much life in general on this planet who like to offer their opinions on any subject. Fine by me. But what I find amusing about these "expert" fans is that some of them live entire continents away from what is happening with the Utes, have only seen an occasional ESPN broadcast of the Ute football and basketball games, have barely a pulse on the local surroundings, but yet seem to "know" everything there is about the Utes, or predict the future about the Utes and then criticize "the local's" opinions, who live in Utah and are *at* and view *every* game. I wish I had that gift and ability.

Let me share an example. I love the Los Angeles (er..St. Louis) Rams with an undying passion but live in SLC. Here's the problem: I only get to see them on TV on the 3rd Sunday of each month that falls on a presidential election during an "El Nino" year. Because of this, I can't say I know all that much about the Rams other than what I read on the internet or on the highlight shows, which still impairs me greatly from getting a real pulse on the happenings of the team. I AM a Rams fan, but would not consider myself a "Rams expert".

My point in all this, is that we as fans are entitled to whatever opinion we have, and are allowed to say whatever we would like about our teams (this is still America, right?). So for those of you out there I am addressing this to, it's simply food for thought. We can be fans of our Utes in whatever fashion we choose. But please stop telling others how or when they should be able to criticize. Please stop requesting that those who don't have R-E Stadium parking passes to not be able to second-guess the coaches and programs.

Overall we are fans of the Utes and entitled to disagree on occasion. But there are those who think they know more than anyone else (don't ask me how) who feel the need to put others down from their lofty perches and positions. Or there are those that have been Crimson Club members "...since the War of Northern Aggression Against the South" (the Civil War, for those of you who were wondering) and delegate who can criticize and who cannot.

Let's be fans. Offer our 2 or 3 cents from time to time. Everyone is entitled to cheer on the Utes how they like.

Go Utes!!!

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