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Cougar Sportsline, Vol. 38, Issue 38, April 22, 2019
by HB Arnett 22 Apr '19

22 Apr '19

HB Arnett's "Lite" <mailto:hbarnett@fiber.net> hbarnett(a)fiber.net 801 372 0819 Vol. 38, Issue 36 - April 23, 2019 Here are 2 Famous Farewell Speeches from Sports Icons <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qswig8dcEAY> <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCM0GIP3sDk> Here's my not-so famous Cougar Sportsline farewell speech I Quit. This will be my last communication to you as a subscriber and friend of Cougar Sportsline. No, I am not dying. But my brother did 10 days ago. He was just 2 years older than me. While I am not in any immediate danger of passing away, after the funeral of my sibling, I am more acutely aware of just how mortal we all are. For me time is slipping away. There are other things other than commenting about BYU sports that I want to do, and more importantly, much more important things that I need to do. One of those important things that I want to do and need to do is to spend more time with my wife. She is also not in any danger of passing away soon, but she does have some medical issues that require my full attention. I made that commitment to her 47 years ago, and I still stand by it. I'm sorry if this affects you negatively. I don't see how it can. It was my wife who said some 37 years ago when I started this publication, "I can't believe that there are people dumb enough to actually pay to read what you write." That's not a term I would use. More appropriately, I prefer to call you a dear friend rather than, as my wife said, an intellectually challenged subscriber. Thanks for the ride. It was a good one. A Pal Always, HB Arnett

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CS Lite, Vol. 38, Issue 35 - March 25, 2019
by HB Arnett 25 Mar '19

25 Mar '19

HB Arnett's "Lite" <mailto:hbarnett@fiber.net> hbarnett(a)fiber.net 801 372 0819 Vol. 38, Issue 35 - March 25, 2019 Legal Definition of Bigamy: Bigamy: Is the condition of having two wives or husbands at the same time. Which begs the question: Will BYU Football be practicing monogamy or bigamy at quarterback this fall? We know plenty about Zach Wilson, BYU's current starting quarterback, who is not participating in spring drills because of recent shoulder surgery. His credentials and credibility as the first wife and starting BYU quarterback were documented and detailed during the last part of last season. He was special. He is talented and a playmaker. But.and this is an even bigger butt (rump roast) in the Cougar coaches' room after spring football. Is Wilson, as special as he has shown he is, still the best quarterback on the roster? That became an issue after Jaren Hall threw his hat into the ring of best quarterback by leading BYU to 4 touchdowns in his 4 possession during the spring scrimmage last week. All he did was go 12 of 14 for 203 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed 5 times for 59 yards and had a 65-yard touchdown run negated by a holding call way down field. It was readily apparent to those who saw the display that Hall is extremely talented. Our best compliment is that he looked "Wilson Like". Here, however is an opinion that counts. Jeff Grimes, BYU's current offensive coordinator, when asked what Hall showed him, had this response. "The same thing he shows every day in practice - a lot of poise, a lot of confidence and, really a pretty amazing combination of a guy that can run and throw," said Grimes. "Not surprised at all because we see it every day in practice." For those who take the letter, this also should be no surprise. Below are snippets of what was written by me beginning last July. July 27, 2018 The future at quarterback for BYU will be either Zach Wilson or Jaren Hall. BYU coaches are not stupid. They are not going to jeopardize that future by throwing Wilson to the wolves early against Arizona, California, Wisconsin and Washington. (Just off a mission, Hall won't be ready to play, but he and Wilson will play at least four games later in the season. That is the competition we should be anxious to see.) August 13, 2018 Now for Some Serious Succession Talk Mangum Wilson Critchlow Hall Romney Conover McKee We will see. The British have their monarchy and set succession, but BYU will need diplomacy. If Wilson is the heir apparent, how are they going to keep Jaren Hall happy and in the program? Stay tuned. August 20, 2018 BYU offensive coaches know that Zach Wilson, on the right, is good. He will more than likely start the Arizona game. Yes, he is that good. So is Jaren Hall, on the left. He is as talented as Wilson. He just didn't get all the spring reps and practice that Wilson did because he was finishing up his LDS (oops, my bad) The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints mission in California. There is a reason Hall is getting plenty of reps and is the 3rd QB in camp in front of Joe Critchlow. There is a reason that he will see the field this season. October 29, 2018 They didn't see the field, but just a friendly reminder that both true freshmen quarterbacks, Zach Wilson and Jaren Hall were both dressed and ready to go if needed. They will be needed next year and maybe this year if Mangum doesn't stay healthy. After Saturday against Hawaii, the current 2018 BYU QB controversy will either be resolved or exacerbated until next March and the start of spring football. I'm talking the Zack Wilson vs. Jaren Hall debate on tap for 2019. A season opening schedule of Utah, Tennessee, USC and Washington guarantees a QB controversy between them. Wilson will have the head start and could have a lock on the job depending on how he performs during the remainder of this season. But don't discount Hall, the returned missionary from Mapleton. So, let's get started early because it is coming. Zack Wilson.Jaren Hall <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKoEax6Xqrc> Click to Watch Wilson <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Q8Y8v6Q5SY&t=95s> Click to Watch Hall The good news is it appears we now have a playmaking and game changing quarterback in Zack Wilson. Even better news, we have Jaren Hall, the redshirt freshman, who has all the same skills Wilson has. For the next four years, we are good to go at quarterback even if there is an injury issue. Since the probability of getting a quality running back and a game changing receiver are slim to none, it might be time to get the quarterback in shotgun formation and let him air it out and when that doesn't happen, make a play with his legs. January 7, 2019 Glasses Up.Glasses Down! You Decide Here are some recently released stories about BYU sports. Click and read them and then decide if they are glasses up for you because of darkness or glasses down because of brightness. Zach Wilson and Jaren Hall <https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900049274/dick-harmon-zach-wi lson-needs-a-hungry-push-from-jaren-hall-joe-critchlow-in-offseaso n.html> ...Glasses down because of brightness. January 18, 2019 Spring Ball.So Good, yet So Ordinary (Now) I have always been a big fan of Jaren Hall. He is the redshirt freshman quarterback that is lighting it up in Spring football drills for BYU this month. For those worrrying about the shoulder surgery recover of Zach Wilson, don't. Wilson, as he has already proven, is a big time quarterback, but for whatever reason, if he doesn't fully recover or is late in recovering, BYU has a quarterback on the roster already (Jaren Hall) shining this spring that is as talented as Wilson in football. So far, I can't say the same about Hall in baseball. Of course his attention is devoted to football, but he is skilled also as a baseball player. He is only hitting .105 currently for Mike Littlewood and the Cougars in baseball. That should pickup when spring drills in football are over. That was what I wrote in the past. Here is what I am writing in the present, beginning with today. March 25, 2019. One of these 2 quarterbacks, Wilson or Hall, will not still be on the BYU roster in 2020 I have no inside scoop or information. I just keep tabs on college football.particularly schools like Georgia, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Clemson, Alabama, Utah, and Texas. To make my point, history is on my side. <https://www.ajc.com/blog/mike-check/after-dust-settles-transfers- georgia-good-shape-with-fromm/1CiluQNqPD4X8aMLxxvPBP/> Click here to see why. To further emphasize the QB transfer point, Click here <https://247sports.com/Season/2019-Football/TransferPortal/> . Did I mention that the last two Heisman winners were both quarterbacks from Oklahoma in Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray? Both were transfers to OU. Mayfield started as a walk-on at Texas Tech and Murray, enrolled originally at Texas A&M. Once again, I have no inside information, but a lot of time the past is certainly indicative of the future. That is why I don't see Jaren Hall or Zach Wilson being on the same BYU roster either in 2020 or at the latest 2021. The wild card in this scenario would be a season or career ending injury to either of these two big-time talented quarterbacks. Again, just my opinion, but if, and I emphasize the word "if", Hall or Wilson were to transfer, the most like spot would be Utah. It is still very close to both player's family and both were recruited by the Utes. In Montana, where neither Hall or Wilson would transfer to play for the Grizzlies, like former BYU QB Drew Miller did, they like to say, "Don't Borrow a Jack". A traveler had a flat tire while driving in the country and discovered he didn't have a jack. Spotting a farmhouse, a mile off, he started walking toward it, so he could borrow a jack and change his tire. But as he walked, he convinced himself that the farmer wouldn't trust him, would think he was a con man and would refuse his request. By the time the traveler got to the house, he was so offended that when the farmer came to the door, he shouted at him, "You can keep your dang jack!" and stomped off. Speaking of Montana and Jack, I married a girl from The Big Sky State and she still tells me occasionally, "You don't know "Jack", which is short for "Jack Squat" who sat in front of me at Palo Verde High School my senior year in a civics class and lived up to his name. He really didn't know "Jack Squat". In his defense, however, he did own and drive a 1966 Ford Mustang that was "Jacked up" which proves he obviously did know something. So did I. That is why I sat behind him so I could ask him for a ride home after school. Consequently, I freely admit I also don't know "Jack" and I'm probably borrowing a "Jack", but history has a way of repeating itself, especially when it comes to elite football programs and elite quarterbacks. BYU is not an elite program yet, but they do have two "extremely elite" quarterbacks on their roster. If we don't have to borrow a "Jack", it should "Jack" up the Cougar fans base for what is to come for BYU offensively in the future. Yeah, But BYU is Different Just a reminder, two of the best BYU quarterbacks ever were transfers from other schools. Do the names Max Hall (ASU) and Taysom Hill (Stanford) ring any bells? Yes, I know Hill never enrolled at Stanford, but he did sign with the "Trees" out of high school. Click Here <https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2018/05/22/10-college -quarterback-transfers-had-great-success-new-team/629262002/> to read about the top 10 college QB transfers, which lists Max Hall among them. SPEAKING OF STANFORD. That is who the BYU Women's basketball team will be playing tonight in the second round of the NCAA tournament. TV: 9 pm MDT, ESPN2 That game will be hosted by Stanford on their home court. By now you should know that BYU took care of their opening round business with a 73-64 win over Auburn. You may not know what Steve Young told the team after the game in the locker room. Click here <https://twitter.com/i/status/1109963920976932864> to see for yourself.

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CS Lite, Vol. 38, Issue 34 - March 18, 2019
by HB Arnett 18 Mar '19

18 Mar '19

HB Arnett's "Lite" <mailto:hbarnett@fiber.net> hbarnett(a)fiber.net 801 372 0819 Vol. 38, Issue 34 - March 18, 2019 It's Time to Pump the Brakes on the "Fire Dave Rose" Chants and Rants I think I have documented my opinion of Dave Rose as a basketball coach in this letter enough for you to know that I think he is an ordinary coach. But so are 90 percent of the other college basketball coaches in this country. I have consistently said that it's the players and not the coaches that make schools winners. I know that is not a popular opinion and one that is constantly rebutted by subscribers when I write it. This might be an especially bad week to say that it is players and not the coach after what Randy Bennett and St. Mary's did to Gonzaga. Another example of coach vs. players will be on display this week in the NCAA tournament when LSU takes on Ivy League Champ Yale in first round action. They will be doing so without their coach who was suspended for making strong "asset" offers to players he recruited. Yale may not be the perfect example of "players or coach" but keep an eye on LSU as the tournament continues. Meanwhile back to Rose and BYU. It is my opinion, and I emphasize again that it is only my opinion and observation that the reason Tom Holmoe extended Rose's contract for another 2 years is because Rose was able to sell him on his plan to get better players on the BYU team. Some of those players will be coming from outside the United States. We got a glimpse of this when he signed a Brazilian and a Chinese player this year. The hangup on recruiting foreign players for BYU is the administration and school's requirement for English proficiency. Most players coming out of Europe and other countries can't meet those requirements at BYU, but have no problem getting into schools like Gonzaga and Utah State. Yes, I do remember that Rafael Araujo and Luis Lemes were both Brazilians that were able to matriculate at BYU. But remember, they both had already played at the junior college level and their English was sufficient to get into BYU after time in the US. Pay attention to what Jeff Judkins is doing with 5 players from foreign countries on his team. Pay closer attention that 80 percent of those foreign recruits also speak English because of the country in which they lived or more importantly have English proficiency because they also played high school basketball in the United States. Back to the Chinese and Brazilian players Rose signed this fall. Both have been playing at least a year in high school in the US. It not only develops their basketball skills, but also their English proficiency skills. That is why they were admitted to BYU. Again, I reiterate, this is just my opinion, but I believe that Rose sold Holmoe on what I call the Wasatch Academy plan. For years the private school in Mt. Pleasant, Utah was providing college players to big time schools. Everybody was recruiting the school.but BYU. It's not that BYU wasn't trying but the previous coach did not like BYU and that is putting it mildly. The new coach, who took over this year, is much more BYU friendly and so is the AAU coach that takes players from Wasatch and puts them on the AAU summer circuit. The key component here, however, is that these prospects are learning English and become proficient enough in it to matriculate at BYU. That's a winning combination for Rose. English and basketball skills together. What a concept. It is my opinion that with the change of regimes at Wasatch, BYU is now able to compete and actually have an edge in recruiting more talented players. Not only with foreign players, but with the cream of the crop LDS prospects from Utah and most recently from Texas, who are also now enrolled in order to practice and play against elite teams and talent from around the nation and on their own team. I can explain it further, but read this story by Dick Harmon in the Deseret News and you will get the idea of what is happening and why I think what is underway buys Rose at least two more years with Tom Holmoe. <https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900060277/wasatch-academy-hea ded-for-geico-national-championship-tourney-in-new-york.html> Wasatch Academy. Again, just my opinion, but my guess is that when Holmoe and Rose had their discussion about an extension and BYU's administrative issues with admitting foreign players, Rose probably pulled out his ipad and showed Holmoe this: <https://www.gowasatch.com/varsity-roster> Wasatch Roster. Again, my personal opinion is that Dave Rose and hundreds of his college co-horts are just ordinary coaches, but two more years on the payroll is not much to risk for a coach who had his out of country hands tied behind his back by BYU administrative restrictions. I say give him two or more years to prove me right. For those who say that Rose doesn't recruit outside of Utah County, this news may not change your mind, because according to my google maps, Mt. Pleasant, Utah and Wasatch Academy are only 61 miles from the Marriott Center. The prospects now playing there, from foreign countries and LDS recruits from across the county might, however, along with a coach that has BYU connections, now suddently make BYU a player in this recruiting game. Again, my opinion only, but two years isn't that long to wait. We already do it for football and basketball signees who opt to serve missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Let's give Rose a two year mission call to recruit Wasatch Academy and call it a foreign recruiting mission. In case you missed it, here is Tom Holmoe's tweet regarding BYU and post season basketball play: "The primary focus of the BYU basketball programs is to qualify for the NCAA Tournament, or as a secondary option the National Invitation Tournament. With that in mind, we have determined that our men's basketball team will not participate in the other postseason events this year." Spring Ball.So Good, yet So Ordinary (Now) I have always been a big fan of Jaren Hall. He is the redshirt freshman quarterback that is lighting it up in Spring football drills for BYU this month. For those worrrying about the shoulder surgery recover of Zach Wilson, don't. Wilson, as he has already proven, is a big time quarterback, but for whatever reason, if he doesn't fully recover or is late in recovering, BYU has a quarterback on the roster already shining this spring that is as talented as Wilson in football. So far, I can't say the same about Hall in baseball. Of course his attention is devoted to football, but he is skilled also as a baseball player. He is only hitting .105 currently for Mike Littlewood and the Cougars in baseball. That should pickup when spring drills in football are over. I'm a big BYU baseball fan, and here is my early assessment of the team. The pitching staff is probably better than it has been in years. The problem is offense. It is spotty at best. Below are the season offensive stats for BYU baseball this year to date. You be your own judge on how productive the offense has been. The Cougars have a good record, 13-5, but in my opinion are not a good offensive team. BYU Women (7th Seed) Will Face Auburn (10th Seed) in NCAA Tournament at Stanford The BYU Women's Basketball team will open NCAA play this Saturday against Auburn at Stanford. The game is set for a 1:30 pm MDT tip and will be televised by ESPN2. Auburn finished its season with a 22-9 record. BYU finished at 25-6. The winner of this opening round game will face the winner of Stanford/UC Davis on Monday at Stanford. As per the last part of the season, BYU will be led by Las Tres Amigas. I think that's Spanish for 3 friends. The English translation is Brenna Chase, Paisley Johnson and Shaylee Gonzales. All this trio does is hit big-time buckets from distance and do it consistently. I call it damsels from distance causing opponents distress. That would be The Three D's. Just ask Gonzaga their definition of the BYU guardline. The Spanish translation from Gonzaga would be tres perdidos (losses). The Spanish translation for "Stanford at home"" is "El Arreglo ya esta formado". I think the English translation is "The fix is in". Regardless of language or translation, this BYU team exceeded expectations and absolutely deserved a trip to the Big Dance. One more big that can consistently produce and defend inside to go along with the length of Sara Hamson and the returning guard line next year and this team may be called the Feminine Fred Astaires. That's because they could be dancing for a long time.

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CS Lite, Vol. 38, Issue 33 - March 11, 2019
by HB Arnett 10 Mar '19

10 Mar '19

HB Arnett's "Lite" <mailto:hbarnett@fiber.net> hbarnett(a)fiber.net 801 372 0819 Vol. 38, Issue 33 - March 11, 2019 San Diego Toreros Gore BYU 57-80.and it wasn't that close Pictorial Perusal of What Happened to BYU Basketball BYU's six-year downward spiral in basketball has been examined, dissected, discussed, defended and should be the subject of several doctoral dissertations over the coming years. For those unfamiliar with a dissertation, here is one definition. A thesis or dissertation is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings. I can't wait a couple of years to discover what happened to BYU Basketball. And even though I already have a Ph.D, (Pharmaceutically Helped Daily) with Metformin, Lisinopril and Botox (to keep my BYU smile in place), here is a more mundane attempt at explaining BYU basketball pictorially and with previous tried and true dissertations. It was Chick Hearn, the legendary LA Lakers announcer who coined and said continually when a team was shooting terribly. "They can't even throw a pea in the ocean." BYU was 1 of 17 from beyond the arc against San Diego. Here is the BYU box score in pictures. Note there are no peas in the ocean. Eddie Guerrero was a professional wrestler who coined the phrase, "If you're not cheating, you're not trying. Notice there are no peas floating in his sea either. Here is a video that backs up Guerrero's mantra and a good reason BYU has slid backward in basketball. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAjdAJghtCw> When it comes to "Strong Ass" offers at BYU in recruiting, that would be the ultimate oxymoron, but if there were such a thing as "Strong Donkey" offers at BYU, here is my pictorial perspective of what it would look like. Actually, years ago a BYU head coach did lose his job for offering a "strong donkey" offer to an athlete who had no transportation in Provo. Here is what he provided and was fired for. Bicycles and Bottom Line in BYU Basketball BYU will only be as good as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints pipeline provides. It hasn't been a strong pipeline for several years now. Let me quickly explain that there is a difference between the regular pipeline of players of the sponsoring institution's faith and elite players of the same faith. Church players with NBA potential don't sign with BYU but go with programs who while they may not be offering "Strong Backside" offers financially, they are offering one-way tickets to the NBA. The elite Church prospects don't sign with BYU. Good Church products to, but they aren't good enough to compete with those prospects that warrant "strong donkey" offers from elite schools. There are no elite Church prospects in the pipeline. There are some decent to good prospects, but none of the big boys with the big bucks will be offering any big-time money to these players. The last strong donkey player at BYU that stuck in the NBA was Danny Ainge and that was decades ago. Mike Smith was a strong asset player, but he just got a cup of Postum in the league. Kyle Collinsworth was the last big hope, but he is on the fringe in the "G" league. Nobody on this current team is NBA material and nobody has been NBA material for the last 6 years. If they were that is where they would be playing. Sorry, but that applies to Jimmer Fredette. If he was NBA material, he would be in the NBA. Maybe better coaching and a different program culture would make a difference but watch the upcoming NCAA tournament and then tell me you honestly believe that. Do you honestly believe that when you watch players that are considered "Strong Asset Offered Players" that BYU can honestly compete without that caliber of players? Me either. I will still watch BYU football and basketball. They are still my teams, but the bottom line the way big time college sports is set up is that if you want the thoroughbreds in your stable, you have to attend the auctions in Lexington where they are sold and be a competitive bidder. Here is another viewpoint when it comes to BYU football and basketball from one of my favorite subscribers. I present it for your perusal or refusal. Men's basketball is just one sport, and we knew it was a lost cause. Forget about it (especially tonight) and look at the rest of the athletic department. What a turnaround, in one year, for track-and-field. Last year BYU choked. The 2018 men's team, in particular, had been highly ranked going into the NCAAs. Once there, it failed mightily. This year, things were different. Both men's and women's track-and-field did BYU proud, performing better than expected. The men had been ranked 16th in the latest USTFCCCA poll, but they finished 13th at the NCAAs. The girls were even better. The last poll (March 4) had them in the 22nd spot, but they finished 14th in the finals. Those two finishes will translate into a lot of Directors' Cup points. This is exactly what BYU should be doing. The bureaucrats who run BYU aren't ruthless or creative enough to compete with the corrupt, religion-hating mass-culture when it comes to the money sports, football and men's basketball. But BYU can compete elsewhere. The Cougars should be an OVERALL sports power, like Stanford, Notre Dame, Penn State, UCLA. Let LSU make the "strong-ass offers" to sleazy front men for ghetto players. BYU doesn't need to get into that sewer. https://ftw.usatoday.com/2019/03/lsu-will-wade Beyond track and field, BYU has a top-twenty women's gymnastics team, for the first time in a long time. Baseball is off to a hot start. BYU men's tennis is actually ranked in some poll somewhere. This is all good news for the school, and it's the proper way to run a university and to keep BYU's name in the headlines. Most NCAA athletes play these "other" sports, and many of them are also good students. They generally hang around for all four years of college. They're high-quality representatives of the school while they're attending, and later they become high-quality alumni. More of that, please. A Subscriber Just a Little Surprised In an interview last week, a BYU football coach was asked which was harder to get in school at BYU when it came to football players. He said jucos were the easiest and grad transfers were almost impossible. Again it appears that BYU is playing by different rules. That is probably good for the academic integrity of the school, so I will leave it at that. But I do find it interesting that Big Ten schools with their Big Ten Academic Alliance seems to have no problem with grad transfers playing football and basketball at their prestigious institutions. Here is how the Big Ten Academic Alliance describes itself: Headquartered in the Midwest, the Big Ten Academic Alliance is the nation's preeminent model for effective collaboration among research universities. For more than half a century, these world-class institutions have advanced their academic missions, generated unique opportunities for students and faculty, and served the common good by sharing expertise, leveraging campus resources, and collaborating on innovative programs. Governed and funded by the Provosts of the member universities, Big Ten Academic Alliance mandates are coordinated by a staff from its Champaign, Illinois headquarters. The grad transfer that rings my bell is Russell Wilson who went from North Carolina State to Wisconsin to the NFL, without any admittance hitches. Here is the latest I have gleaned from the current Transfer portal when it comes to quarterbacks transferring to the Big Ten seamlessly. Justin Fields is going from Georgia to Ohio State. Josh Jackson is going from Virginia Tech to Maryland. John Langan is going from Boston College to Rutgers. When it comes to grad transfers to BYU, Ty'son Williams the grad transfer from South Carolina was on the Provo campus this past weekend. He would be a major upgrade to the Cougar's offense. Unfortunately, during his visit, it was snowing profusely, and also when it comes to being admitted as a grad student at BYU, that snow turns into an almost unpassable avalance blocking almost any and all grad transfers. It is possible, however, because Dylan Collie was admitted last season as a grad transfer. We will see how this plays out. Here is the latest BYU spring football roster as put out by the Cougars.

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CS Lite, Vol. 38, Issue 31-32 - March 5, 2019
by HB Arnett 05 Mar '19

05 Mar '19

HB Arnett's "Lite" <mailto:hbarnett@fiber.net> hbarnett(a)fiber.net 801 372 0819 Vol. 38, Issue 31/32 - March 5, 2019 Lung Rhymes with Dung Which Describes How I Have Felt the Last 10 Days I apologize for not publishing the newsletter the last couple of weeks. I think I have a good excuse. I wouldn't exactly call it a near-death experience, but I did see the light and found myself going towards it. Turns out it was just a Flying "J" Truck Stop in Boise. That's where I spent more than a week in bed at my daughter's home with a cough that wouldn't go away while hacking and hoping my lungs would outlast my limited supply of Diet Mountain Dew. I tried all my go-to Shaquille O'Neal and Wal Mart remedies. I used Icy Hot, Mucinex, Minestrone, Mike and Ike red hots, but nothing was working. That's when I compromised my medical standards and went main-stream. I saw a doctor. No, she wasn't seeing patients at the Flying "J" but did diagnose me with a case of "Gonzageria". It's not that rare of a disease these days. The primary symptom is that your blood pressure and the BYU-Gonzaga score are the same: 102/68. She prescribed me something called Benzonatate. The pills looked a lot like Mike and Ike's, but didn't taste as good. Then she threw in a freebie prescription and it has worked wonders. She prescribed watching the following video 3 times a day to cure all long-term effects of Gonzageria. It worked for me. Click to Watch and for the cure <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6mqFMdhDe4> WCC Tourney Prescription Benzonatate for BYU? What is Benzonatate used to treat? This medication is used to treat coughs caused by the common cold and other breathing problems (e.g., pneumonia, bronchitis, emphysema, asthma). It works by reducing the reflex in the lungs that causes the urge to cough. There is no specific description on the effectiveness of this drug when it comes to choking. In case you forgot, BYU will now be playing either Santa Clara, San Diego or Portland Saturday night in Las Vegas in WCC tourney action. Game time is set for 10:00 pm Mountain Time and will be telecast live on ESPN2. They coughed or choked away, depending on your BYU Benzonatate perspective, the No. 2 seed by losing at home to San Francisco. The BYU women have earned the No. 2 seed and are scheduled to play in the semifinals on Monday, March 11, at 2 p.m. PDT. The Cougars will play the winner of No. 3 seed Pepperdine vs. No. 6 seed Pacific, No. 7 seed Santa Clara or No. 10 seed San Diego. The game tips off at 3 pm Mountain Time and will be broadcast live by BYUtv. Three of a Kind Spring Football Poker I'm not a poker player. I had to look up poker hands from highest to lowest. Here is what I found: Poker Hands From highest to lowest. 1. Royal Flush. The best possible hand in Texas hold'em is the combination of ten, jack, queen, king, ace, all of the same suit. 2. Straight Flush. Five cards of the same suit in sequential order. 3. Four of a kind. ... 4. Full house. ... 5. Flush. ... 6. Straight. ... 7. Three of a kind. ... 8. Two pair. Again, my expertise is not poker hands, but it doesn't take much of a read to tell that this fall could be anywhere from a Royal Flush, Straight Flush or just Flush with the likes of Utah, Tennessee, USC, Washington and Boise State on the schedule. What BYU does have in its favor is four of a kind at quarterback and a full house on the offensive line. They are also working on a three of a kind recruiting hand. There is a reason that Baylor Romney will see reps this spring. First and foremost, he has some qb skills, he also is the older brother to current Cougar teammate Gunner Romney and BYU's top high school prospect for the coming year. That would be Tate Romney, a 6-2, 210 pound linebacker from Chandler HS in Arizona. Romney, the qb, prepped in El Paso and not at Chandler. He does have game. Gunner Romney also has game, we just haven't been allowed to see it with a new offense and injuries that plagued him all season long. The younger Romney may be the most talented of all the Romney's. His recruiting offers have gone through the ceiling. His current offers include scholarships from Utah, Colorado, Vanderbilt, Washington State, Yale, Iowa State, Cal, Northwestern, Arizona and BYU. Here's Grimes Take on First Day of Spring Practice Click to Watch <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oa9mG4fgFTM&t=50s> Spring Ball Stats For those wondering if dung lung is an actual diagnosis, I have included the following photo of my sick self and the doctor checking me out with an under the hood examination in Boise. I also am providing medical proof from the University of Utah that dung lung is real and so is the UofU. Click here <http://dailyutahchronicle.com/2017/03/10/u-doctor-compares-dung-l ung-sickness-himalayas-utah-air/> for proof. Cold fusion photos to follow.

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CS Lite, Vol. 38, Issue 30 - February 18, 2019
by HB Arnett 18 Feb '19

18 Feb '19

HB Arnett's "Lite" <mailto:hbarnett@fiber.net> hbarnett(a)fiber.net 801 372 0819 Vol. 38, Issue 30, - February 18, 2019 Cougars Sweep SoCal Road Games BYU Playing Tonya Harding Basketball Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan Here's Wikipedia's description of Harding: Tonya Maxene Harding; born November 12, 1970 is a retired American figure skater. A native of Portland, Oregon, Harding was raised primarily by her mother, who enrolled her in ice skating lessons beginning at age four. Harding would spend much of her early life training, eventually dropping out of high school to devote her time to the sport. After climbing the ranks in the U.S. Figure Skating Championships between 1986 and 1989, Harding won the 1989 Skate America competition. She was the 1991 and 1994 U.S. champion before being stripped of her 1994 title, and 1991 World silver medal. In 1991, she earned distinction as being the first American woman to successfully land a Triple Axel in competition. She also was a two-time Olympian and a two-time Skate America Champion. In January 1994, Harding became embroiled in controversy when her ex-husband, Jeff Gillooly, orchestrated an attack on her fellow U.S. skating rival Nancy Kerrigan. Despite the controversy, both women were selected to compete at the Winter Games in Lillehammer, where Kerrigan won the silver medal and Harding finished eighth. After the Games ended, Harding was not charged in the attack but pleaded guilty to hindering the prosecution and was banned for life on June 30, 1994 from the U.S. Figure Skating Association. My Take Ok, here's my take on Tonya Harding and BYU Basketball. Harding had a lot of baggage that she carried around during her career, but the bottom line is that despite the drama and damage of her off the ice escapades, she was an extraordinary athletic skater. She proved that by becoming the first woman to land a Triple Axel in competition. For most of this season, BYU basketball has been emulating Harding, on the court. There have been plenty of beatdowns and baggage during the current 18-10 season. There has been a revolving door in the rotation and starting five. There have been games when there was little to no defense played. Dave Rose has been accused of being over the hill and over-signed to a two-year extension. Nick Emery came late to the party, Josh Seljaas came late to the shooting party. Throw in the transfer/non transfer of Jashire Hardnett and the only thing BYU hasn't done this season is take a baton and beat the kneecaps off Gonzaga. The next kneecap opportunity will be this Saturday in Spokane. The Zags are still the Nancy Kerrigan and King of the WCC. But despite the distractions of Harding's off-the-ice dramas, she was a fantastic skater. Could it be that after all the in-season distractions, dramas and mind boggling losses, BYU could actually be a very good basketball team? This is the week we find out. San Francisco is first up on the docket as the Don's face BYU in Provo on Thursday. Then, as mentioned, it is on to Spokane for a second chance at Gonzaga on Saturday. Television Timetable BYU vs. San Francisco (M Basketball) Thursday, February 21 at Provo Tipoff: 7:00 pm MST TV: BYUtv BYU vs. Gonzaga (M Basketball) Saturday, February 23 at Spokane Tipoff: 8:00 pm MST TV: ESPN or ESPN2 <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7a55EzaltgQ> Harding and Baxter showing their spin moves on ice and hardwood <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4rAP28YKUA> No Harding, but Harden (as in James of the NBA) for TJ Haws as he puts up 35 on San Diego. Couldn't find any video highlights of TJ Haws putting 35 points on San Diego, but this high school video will give you an idea of how he played against the Toreros. Warning, Haws play is spectacular, but the audio is much less so. Turn it down. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4NLSoLSPtc> BYU Beats San Diego <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqgOheo694w> BYU Women Showing their Moves in WCC Standings Against Gonzaga with 66-64 Win Going, Going, Gone? Coming, Coming, Here? BYU is still looking for a running back to bolster that position for the fall. The latest name to surface is Ty'Son Williams from South Carolina. Click Here <https://247sports.com/Player/TySon-Williams-34533/> to get more info on Williams. And Click Here <https://www.theitem.com/stories/gamecocks-tyson-williams-enters-n caa-transfer-portal,321522> for even more information. Get the latest on national transfers and graduate transfers by Clicking Here <https://247sports.com/Season/2019-Football/TransferPortal/> for the TRANSFER PORTAL <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7R15EksxnHg> Click arrow above for video of Williams at South Carolina

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CS Lite, Vol. 38, Issue 29 - February 11, 2019
by HB Arnett 11 Feb '19

11 Feb '19

HB Arnett's "Lite" <mailto:hbarnett@fiber.net> hbarnett(a)fiber.net 801 372 0819 Vol. 38, Issue 29, - February 11, 2019 pre.sump.tu.ous adjective 1. (of a person or their behavior) failing to observe the limits of what is permitted or appropriate. "I hope I won't be considered presumptuous if I offer some advice" Synonyms: brazen, overconfident, arrogant, egotistical, overbold, bold, audacious, pert, forward, familiar, impertinent, fresh, free, insolent, impudent, cocksure; In the spirit of presumptuousness, I will announce my choice of lunch for today at 1 pm MST. I have invited all local media to attend for the announcement. I am still working on streaming arrangements for those of you living out of state, so you won't miss this momentous meal occasion. I want to thank all those fast food chains that have made this opportunity possible. They all offer great selections, but I will choose the one best for me and my future. Here is how it will work. I will be sitting at a table with several different hats and options from which to choose. I want to thank all those fast food franchises for giving me this great opportunity, but I have narrowed it down to the following caps and cuisine. All offer me a chance to pursue my intake of saturated fats, but only one will allow me to pursue my life-long dream of becoming a sous chef when my football career is over. Consequently, I choose Wendy's. That in a nutshell, is my presumptuous perspective on football recruiting.at BYU and all other schools. There is enough hype, hope and hats to go around, but can you name me five recruits BYU signed two years ago? Didn't think so. Can you name me five football recruits Utah signed? Didn't think so. Want an even more in-depth analysis of college football recruiting. Check out the current transfer portal and see how many 4- and 5-star recruits from a few years back are transferring for more playing time. Yes, I'm the same guy that has said repeatedly that it is all about players and not coaching. So recruiting is important, but it can't truly be evaluated, especially at BYU, until 2 or 3 years down the line. Who really knows how BYU did in football recruiting this year? We will absolutely know how the Cougars did 2,3 and 4 years ago coming this August when the face the likes of Utah, Tennessee, USC and Washington. Hang onto your hats for that schedule and a real evaluation of BYU recruiting. SPEAKING OF RECRUITING AND THE FUTURE I offer this interesting informative and eye-opening article about high school football, and even the NFL. It is from Atlantic Magazine. It is long, but I think well worth the read. Football and the NFL are Facing White Flight <https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2019/02/football-white -flight-racial-divide/581623/> - The Atlantic Who Finished Second? The 1973 Belmont Stakes was the 105th running at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York June 9, 1973. Facing a field of five horses, Secretariat won by 31 lengths, the largest margin of victory in Belmont history, in front of a crowd of 69,138 spectators. His winning time of 2 minutes and 24 seconds still stands as the American record for a mile and a half on dirt. The event was televised and broadcast over the radio. In the five-horse field, Twice a Prince showed while My Gallant placed (second and third). I had to look up who finished second to Secretariat, but I have a really good idea who will finish either second or third to Gonzaga this year in the WCC basketball standings. That would BYU. The only thing to be determined is by how many lengths the Cougars will be behind the Zags. That will be determined in the next two weeks as Dave Rose and his troops hit the road this week for games at San Diego and a rematch with LMU. The following week BYU returns to Provo to face San Francisco and then faces Gonzaga again in Spokane. Here are the current WCC Standings. Television Timetable BYU vs. San Diego (M Basketball) Thursday February 14 at San Diego Tipoff: 7:00 pm MST TV: TheW.tv BYU vs. LMU (M Basketball) Saturday, February 16 at Los Angeles Tipoff: 2:00 pm MST TV: TheW.tv BYU vs. San Francisco (M Basketball) Thursday, February 21 at Provo Tipoff: 7:00 pm MST TV: BYUtv BYU vs. Gonzaga (M Basketball) Saturday, February 23 at Spokane Tipoff: 8:00 pm MST TV: ESPN or ESPN2

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CS Lite, Vol. 38, Issue 28 - February 4, 2019
by HB Arnett 04 Feb '19

04 Feb '19

HB Arnett's "Lite" <mailto:hbarnett@fiber.net> hbarnett(a)fiber.net 801 372 0819 Vol. 38, Issue 28, - February 4, 2019 Yes and No Answers to Gonzaga's 93-63 Thrashing of BYU Yes, Gonzaga is really that good! Yes, The Zags have 4 and possibly 5 legitimate NBA prospects on their roster. No, BYU has zero NBA prospects on its current roster. (They may have a couple of Euro prospects in Childs and Haws and it's still too early to tell with Baxter, but he is trending up. Yes, The coaching apples don't fall far from the Dave Rose tree. Quincy Lewis played for Rose at Dixie JC. Lee Cummard played for Dave Rose at BYU. Tim Lacomb didn't play for anybody. Here is the offical BYU resume of Lewis, Lacomb and Cummard. Tim Lacomb - Coaching Experience * BYU Assistant Head Coach (2017-present) * BYU Associate Head Coach (2015-17) * BYU Assistant Coach (2010-15) * BYU Director of Operations (2007-10) * Utah Video Coordinator (2005-07) * American Fork Assistant Coach (2002-05) * Lone Peak Assistant Coach (1999-02) * Utah Team Manager (1994-96) Quincy Lewis - Coaching Experience * BYU Assistant Coach (2015-present) * Lone Peak High School Head Coach (2003-15) * Southern Utah Assistant Coach (2002-03) * Utah Valley State College Assistant Coach (1997-02) * BYU-Hawaii Assistant Coach (1995-97) Lee Cummard - Coaching Experience * BYU Assistant Coach (2018-present) * BYU Graduate Assistant (2016-2018) Yes, the coaching apples also don't fall far from Gonzaga's Mark Few's tree. Donnie Daniels - Coaching Experience * Gonzaga Assistant Coach (2010 - 2019) * UCLA Assistant Coach (2004 - 2009 * Cal State Fullerton Head Coach (2001-2003) * Utah Assistant Coach (1990-2010) Tommy Lloyd - Coaching Experience * Gonzaga Assistant Coach (2001-2019) Responsible for Foreign Recruiting * Gonzaga Administrative Assistant (1999-2000) Brian Michaelson - Coaching Experience * Gonzaga Assistant Coach 2013-2019) * Assistant director of basketball operations (2010-2012) * Gonzaga administrative assistant (2008-2009) * Walk-on for Mark Few at Gonzaga (2001-2002) So, what's the difference between the coaching staffs at BYU and Gonzaga and the superior success of the Zags over the Cougars and the rest of the WCC? This guy - His name is Tommy Lloyd Click Here <https://gozags.com/coaches.aspx?rc=252&path=mbball> to see what he has done for Gonzaga. Sheepish of Sheepskin? Ask any Gonzaga graduate or current student if they think their degree is diminished or tarnished by their school admitting 4-5 foreign students with limited English proficiency annually to play basketball. How do you think they would respond? How would you respond? Ask any BYU graduate or current student if they think their degree is diminished or tarnished if their school admits 2-3 foreign students annually to play basketball? How do you think they would respond? How would you respond? Since I have a degree from BYU as evidenced by the above photo, let me respond personally. I would gladly give up 3-10% of my BYU birthright and diploma bragging rights for an annual berth in the NCAA tournament. What's a little mess of pottage on my part to clean up the current messes of recruiting for BYU football and basketball. Here is Gonzaga's diplomatic diploma response below. Here's my personal response. I will gladly take a 5% depreciation on my BYU degree if the Cougars can beat Utah, Tennessee, USC, Washington and Boise State in football and can at least split with Gonzaga. And I don't care if they do it with little to no English grammar skills as long as they have "game". The only other alternative for BYU in basketball is this: Refuse to play Gonzaga and plead and play the xenophobia card. BYU 67 LMU 49 It Was Baxter to the Maxter Take it to the max is an expression of achievement. Try this on for achievement in your first start as a BYU basketball player. I'm referring of course to Gavin Baxter's line in BYU's 67-49 win over LMU last Saturday night in Provo. Granted, they are only numbers, but are numbers that are usually reserved for Yoeli Childs and TJ Haws. What does it mean? Baxter can play.at least against LMU in his first career start. Nick Emery used to know how to play and then he forgot after a two-year layoff. The temporary bout of amnesia is apparently gone based on Emery's stats against LMU. All box scores are not equated equal. For that reason, don't go looking at the BYU boxes with Gonzaga, Mississippi State and San Francisco. The BYU women also had a couple of box bummers this last week on the road as they lost to both LMU and Pepperdine. Here are the current WCC standings for men and women. Television Timetable BYU vs. Portland (M Basketball) Thursday February 7 at Portland Tipoff: 9:00 pm MST TV: ESPN2 BYU vs. Pacific (M Basketball) Saturday, February 9 at Provo Tipoff: 7:00 pm MST TV: BYUtv BYU vs. Saint Mary's (W Basketball) Thursday, February 7 at Provo Tipoff: 11:00 am MST TV: BYUtv BYU vs. Pacific (W Basketball) Saturday, February 9 at Provo Tipoff: 2:00 pm MST TV: BYUtv I'll be back later tonight, but probably tomorrow, with some previews of national letter-of-intent day for football.

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CS Lite, Vol. 38, Issue 27 - January 28, 2019
by HB Arnett 28 Jan '19

28 Jan '19

HB Arnett's "Lite" <mailto:hbarnett@fiber.net> hbarnett(a)fiber.net 801 372 0819 Vol. 38, Issue 27, - January 28, 2019 BYU Football, Basketball and Carpet Cleaning I spent the weekend carpet cleaning. My personal theory on carpets and cleaning is: "If it doesn't stink, it doesn't need cleaning." Here is my wife's theory: Carpet Cleaning. Done for appearance, and the removal of stains, dirt, and allergens is done through several methods (Usually Husbands). Clean carpets are recognized by manufacturers (And Wives) as being more visually pleasing, potentially longer-lasting (As in Marriages), and probably healthier than poorly maintained carpets. Which got me to thinking about Carpets and Cougars. Here are some of those thoughts. Called on the Carpet. ... To call someone on the carpet is a common idiom meaning to reprimand a subordinate, or demand that they explain their actions. For example, why did Tom Holmoe extend Dave Rose's contract? Why didn't Dave Rose play Gavin Baxter earlier in the season? Why didn't Kalani Sitake start playing Zach Wilson earlier in the season? Why is BYU raising prices on football for next season? Carpetbagger. If you call someone a carpetbagger, you disapprove of them because they are trying to become a politician in an area which is not their home, simply because they think they are more likely to succeed there. Isn't that what is now called the Transfer Portal. It allows players to find places where they are more likely to succeed. Sometimes it hurts BYU, but more often than not it helps BYU. Carpet Bombing. Known as saturation bombing, is a large aerial bombing in a progressive manner to inflict damage in every part of a selected area of land. I call it BYU Sports Nation and Greg Wrubell in reverse. They say you can't put lipstick on a pig, but these guys certainly are trying hard when it comes to BYU football and basketball. Flying Carpet. A flying carpet is a legendary carpet, and common trope (a figurative or metaphorical use of a word or expression.) in fantasy fiction. They are typically used as a form of transportation and can quickly or instantaneously carry users to their destination. It is fantasy fiction to think that as good as Zach Wilson is and even if BYU had a fantasy and flying receiver to whom he could throw, BYU is going to be in the hunt for post season playoffs. It also means that it is fiction to believe that having Eric Mika and Elijah Bryant on this year's basketball roster would make any difference. BYU still won't make the NCAA tournament. Carpet (the "t" is silent) Diem. an exclamation used to urge someone to make the most of the present time and give little thought to the future. This is why Doritos and Dr Pepper were invented. They are the perfect post-game antidote for the ever-increasing losses in football and basketball. Gonzaga vs. BYU More Basketball Carpetbagging Even if I moved to Ghana, the chances of me running for President of that country and winning are slim to none.with emphasis on none. The same applies to BYU basketball beating Gonzaga this Thursday in Provo. It's ain't Ghana happen. More Carpet Bombing The only chance (and it is slim) BYU has is to put up at least 20 bombs from beyond the arc and make at 12 of them. Flying Carpets Aladdin and his flying carpet aren't available for BYU in this contest, but here's hoping Gavin Baxter can bring his high-flying magic to the game. BYU will need him to prove he is the player we all think he is. The Zags are loaded with NBA talent on their front line. This game won't be decided in the backcourt with guards but in the front court with the bigs. That means Childs and Baxter will have to deliver extra-special performances. Carpet (the "t" is silent) Diem The BYU crown can't be "silent" in this one. The more noise, the better BYU's slim to none chances. Called on the Carpet I look for the Zags to call BYU on the carpet in this one and deliver a reprimand and reminder to BYU that they are still Gonzaga's subordinate. You can watch this Carpet Cleaning and beating in person at the Marriott Center or here on television. Television Timetable BYU vs. Gonzaga (M Basketball) Thursday, January 31 at Provo Tipoff: 9:00 pm MST TV: ESPN2 BYU vs. LMU (M Basketball) Saturday, February 2 at Provo Tipoff: 7:00 pm MST TV: BYUtv Cougar Clicks <https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900052566/dick-harmon-tj-haws -finding-needed-rhythm-for-byu-heading-down-the-stretch-in-wcc-pla y.html> Dick Harmon: TJ Haws finding needed rhythm for BYU heading down the stretch in WCC play <https://www.sltrib.com/sports/byu-cougars/2019/01/27/kalani-sitak es-byu/> Kalani Sitake's BYU football program made significant progress in 2018, but school officials aren't ... <https://www.vanquishthefoe.com/2019/1/24/18187794/byu-football-re cruiting-de-cade-albright-signs-with-cougars> BYU Football Recruiting: DE Cade Albright Signs with Cougars <https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900052376/perfect-fit-brenna- chase-helping-byu-womens-basketball-team-exceed-expectations.html> Perfect fit: Brenna Chase helping BYU women's basketball team exceed expectations

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CS Lite, Vol. 38, Issue 26 - January 21, 2019
by HB Arnett 21 Jan '19

21 Jan '19

HB Arnett's "Lite" <mailto:hbarnett@fiber.net> hbarnett(a)fiber.net 801 372 0819 Vol. 38, Issue 26, - January 21, 2019 I'm Coming out of the Closet! Trust me, I am feeling trepidation and anxiety in making this personal announcement, but after 38 years of hiding it, now is my time for truth. I attended my first women's basketball game last Thursday. I am not ashamed. I have been on the fringe of female basketball for a couple of decades. With the advent of BYUtv, I have seen snippets of games, but never experienced an actual game in person.until last Thursday. Please, don't judge me. Let me explain. My wife is very supportive of my disclosure. As a couple, we have probably the best Church calling we have ever held. We are part of a North Orem 7-Stake SNAP program serving as advisors and counselors. SNAP is an acronym for Special Needs Adult Program. It's the closest I've been to heaven. A couple of months ago, the BYU women's basketball team visited us and put on a clinic for these extra-special individuals. These women effused personality, poise and were engaging and enthusiastic and very charitable with their time and talents. As part of their presence and presentation, they gave us as a group free tickets to one of their games. Turns out it was last Thursday's barn burner against WCC powerhouse Gonzaga. BYU won 70-68. What I saw was intensity, talent, will to win and some darn good basketball when viewed in the lenses of perspective and delineation of gender limitations when it comes to dunking, jumping and quick twitch muscles. There was no limitation, however, in shooting, rebounding and ball handling. It was good enough and intense enough, that I actually stood up and yelled at the referees. That's when my wife turned to me and said, "You are really into this game, aren't you?" Yes, I was. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. There! I said it. I have actually come out of the closet and will say something I have never said before. I enjoyed myself and could actually see myself taking in another game in person again. (If the tickets are free!) Did I mention that one of the ancillary benefits of this game is that there were no lines at the concession stand? I was intrigued enough to check out on TV Saturday's game against Portland. It didn't get intriguing until BYU overcame a massive deficit and finally defeated the Pilots with a 16-0 run late in the fourth quarter. The final: BYU 79 Portland 71. Recap of the Gonzaga and Portland games <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZx2Q8Md_1U> Going Back in the Coaching Closet Last week I wrote that coaches are overrated, and the success of BYU basketball and football are determined by the talent level of the players on those rosters. I was immediately subpoenaed to the stand for cross examination by two subscriber attorneys, both of whom are trained to be analytical, rational and thoughtful. I have always respected their opinions. Here is what I said in last week's newsletter: Cougar football is not about coaching. It is also about Church players. The more and better members of the Church you can get and recruit, the better your team will be out of necessity because you aren't going to ever sign big time non-Church recruits. Here is what they said in response. HB: I agree with most of what you write except that against good teams in close games, Coaching makes a huge difference. There were several football games over the last three years that BYU lost because of poor field decisions, play calling and defensive alignments. Moreover, coaching makes a big difference in teaching the fundamentals, conditioning and game preparation. Neither Sitake nor Rose shine as above average (even mediocre) in all of these areas. HB: Jim McMahon was not LDS. Steve Sarkisian was not LDS. Ty Detmer was not LDS. LaVell's great teams were loaded with players and coaches who were not LDS. BYU football would still be a steaming pile of dung if not for the NON-MORMON players and coaches who put the team on the map. A great coach is mostly a manager. He figures out how to get good players. He figures out how to get good coaches. He figures out how to win and how to sustain a successful program. Nick Saban is not a football genius. He's a great manager, and Alabama is the most accommodating venue possible for someone like that. When Saban had to win based just on his "coaching," in the NFL, he was a flop. (That was also true of Lou Holtz, another great manager but not a brilliant football mind.) When you argue (as you do) that it's all about players, and that they have to be LDS, and that there aren't enough of them around, you're apologizing for mediocrity. You've become part of the problem. If I were in charge, I'd fire Tom Holmoe and I'd fire Dave Rose. I'd extend Kalani Sitake. He's got the right attitude; he hates losing; and he's willing to do the things necessary to win. He deserves total support from the administration and from the school's trustees, and he deserves at least five years to show what he can do. Saddling him with an untested Ty Detmer was not the right thing to do. I'd make it clear to Sitake that he will get full support, but that he's expected to make the team better, at least a little bit every year. Too often in the Provo/LDS environment, people say that so-and-so is a "good person" and that consequently they're entitled to a job. Dave Rose is without question a good person. But he can't win championships. He's had the greatest access to Mormon talent in the history of the school, and he's squandered it. He has to go. I'm angry just thinking about what Rose has done with all those great players. Nothing--that's what he's done. BYU fans have to stop apologizing for failure. The rest of the world ignores us. There's this illusion that we're still doing OK. No. We're invisible. We don't matter anymore. Do we have the stuff to do something about it, or do we not? What do you think? BYU beat Pepperdine on the road last week 87-76. Was it great coaching or a great night by TJ Haws' 34 points? Two days later, still on the road, San Francisco handled BYU with ease 63-82. Was it poor coaching or poor play? Yoeli Childs did have 25 points, however. If you are still undecided, more evidence to back up your point of view will be on display this week at the Marriott Center. Saint Mary's and Gonzaga will both be coming to town with the Gaels set for a Thursday appearance and the Zags in on Saturday. Television Timetable BYU vs. Saint Mary's (M Basketball) Thursday, January 24 at Provo Tipoff: 9:00 pm MST TV: ESPN2 BYU vs. Gonzaga (M Basketball) Saturday, January 26 at Provo Tipoff: 9:00 pm MST TV: ESPN2 A Picture is Worth 1000 Words, But What About 1000 Yards Rushing? BYU is recruiting Emmanuel Esukpa, a graduate transfer from Rice. He was recruited to Rice by current BYU running back coach, AJ Steward. Esukpa is 5-11, 230 pounds. Here is his bio from Rice's 2018 Press Book. 2018 Second on the team with a career-high 461 yards and 51.2 per game... Topped 100 yards for the second time in the first three games, finishing with 104 on 17 carries at Hawai'i... First Owl to top 100 twice in the first three games since Charles Ross in 2013... Scored on a 51-yard run vs. Hawai'i, his second straight game with a carry of over 50 yards.... Set up the Owls first score vs. Houston with a career-best, 52-yard run... Smashed his career bests with 32 carries and 173 yards vs. Prairie View... Rushing total was the most for an Owl in an opener since Trevor Cobb opened a season that would end as the winner of the Doak Walker Award by rushing for 197 yards at Northwestern to open the 1991 season... Total was the most for an Owl since Sam McGuffie ran for 178 at Tulsa in 2010... Start vs. Prairie View was the second of his career. 2017 Rushed for 261 yards on 57 carries and scored one touchdown while playing in 10 games (1 start). Made his starting debut in the opener vs. Stanford in Sydney, Australia. Top effort for the season was a 56 yard output (six carries) and a touchdown vs. Army. Yardage total established a single-game best. Ripped off a 29-yard run at UTEP for his longest run from scrimmage in his career... Rushed for 165 yards and a touchdown and added a 5 yard TD reception in the Blue-Gray Spring Game to cap off a standout 2018 spring camp. 2016 Scored a pair of rushing touchdowns this year while battling injuries... Rushed for a career-high 24 yards at USM, including a career-long carry of 15... Saw his first action in the backfield against Baylor, rushing for 16 yards on six carries and scoring his first career touchdown... Scored in his second consecutive game with a one-yard run at North Texas. 2015 Redshirted.... 2016 C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll. Mansfield High School First team All-District 8-6A as a senior at Mansfield for coach Jeff Hulme ... Ran for 743 yards on 125 attempts (5.9 per carry) and scored 10 touchdowns... Added a 61-yard TD on his lone pass reception...Two-year starter... Also participated in track... Member of state qualifying 4x200 relay as a sophomore. Personal Full name: Emmanuel Ukelabuchi Esukpa... Born: Nov. 28 at Dallas... Parents: Stanley and Millicent Esukpa (one brother, one sister)...Rice Major: Sport Management... Ancillary Amusement.at least for me BYU's Ballard Center Apologized for Allegedly Insensitive 'Taco Tuesday' Instagram Post Click Here <https://www.academia.org/byus-ballard-center-apologized-for-alleg edly-insensitive-taco-tuesday-instagram-post/> to read story. And while I'm at it, let me retroactively apologize for BYU students and their tradition of throwing taco shells on the LaVell Edwards Stadium football field after touchdowns. That happened a few decades ago and was a traditional way of celebration until administrators put a stop to it. Not because it was racist and insensitive but because it took too much time and effort to pick up the taco shells so the game could continue. In those days it was an issue because BYU was scoring 5-9 touchdowns per game. And what about the University of Arizona? I remember sitting in the McHale Center a decade or so ago for my daughter's graduation. The tradition then and still is, that graduates throw tortillas at the podium and all over the arena to celebrate their academic achievements. Since I have come out of the closet and confessed about women's basketball, I should also confess to the following costumes that I would like to wear that are insensitive, racist and non-politically correct. I hereby pre-apologize in advance to China, The Navajo Nation, Brazil, France, Switzerland, Poland, Chile and Germany. Chinese Egg Roll Navajo Fry Bread Brazil Nut French Toast Swiss Army Knife Polish Dog Chili Cheese Dog (Where I served a mission, we pronounced it Chile Cheese Dog) Germany

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