On one level it's easy to understand--and pity--BYU fans' antipathy for Majerus. There was a time when many of them literally saw the dominance of their football team as a sign of the superiority of their religion and culture. Majerus is thier worst nightmare--why, the Utes' basketball dynasty, concurrent with (not coincidentally) the epic collapse of BYU's basketball program, while its football program languishes, is enough to shake one's religious faith, or, at least, make one realize that God does'nt care a whit about college athletics.

At the same time, Majerus doesn't fit BYU adherants' cookie cutter image of all-around greatness. But neither would Thomas Jefferson, Franklin Roosevelt, DH Lawrence, or Albert Einstein--all "despicable" by the pat and one dimensioinal standards applied by some to Majerus.

Anyone who believes Majerus does not take life's larger issues deadly seriously should review his recent "ESPN Closeup" interview--he talked with emotion about the importance of, and his joy at watching, Texas Western's upset of Rupp's all-white Kentucky in 1966 (this is the reason for his reverence of Don Haskins); said he could never actually leave Utah because he loves players like Alex Jensen, Phil Cullen and Tony Harvey too much; and, yes, talked about the overriding importance of academics to college athletes. He should be judged by these remarks as much or more than his antics including jokes that occassionally fall flat.

My view of the Utah press is that by and large they are a bunch of Liliputions completely outclassed by Majerus. However, I have felt that Doug Robinson is a cut above among most. Indeed, while he has been critical of Majerus, he has also written some admiring columns. Even when critical of Majerus, he has made some good points--I felt last year's "You'll always listen, we'll always ask" column was outstanding.

This week's Robinson column actually has a bit of good advise to Majerus if you look closely. Majerus deals with his girth, contradictions, and eccentricities by being deadly honest about himself, self deprecating, and injecting humor. This is admirable, but occassionally he doesn't know when to stop. I hope he takes from this Notre Dame saga lessons in how good he has it at Utah, that there is a price in listening to everyone (goodwill with the press, recruits, the public), and to be a little more guarded in making light.

I agree there is a thread of truth in Robinson's column, though I think he made a big mistake in focusing on that one anecdote, particularly since Notre Dame is denying that it had a material affect on "their" decision.

What could have been said is that some other stories display a tendency to disregard some societal rules (traffic laws, decorum, diet?, for example) with the idea that they don't matter so much because he's has higher ideals, and he'll be excused because he's popular. While this may be true 99% of the time (to use his math), there may come a time when the 1% has serious consequences. True with the Notre Dame job? I'm not sure. But, there may come a time when he's driving recklesly and its a tree rather than a trooper that stops him.

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