If Florida and Arizona can have an election recount, I can have a newsletter
resend. Mailed this issue out 4 hours ago, but it appears nobody received
it. Here it is again.
hb
HB Arnett's
"Lite"
<mailto:hbarnett@fiber.net> hbarnett(a)fiber.net
801 372 0819
Vol. 38, Issue 16, - November 12, 2018
A CINEMATIC COUGAR FOOTBALL SEASON
Arizona was Field Marshall Erwin Romrell and BYU was General Bernard
Montgomery in this football re-enactment of the great victory in the desert.
BYU stirred up a lot of dust, hype and hope in this desert battle in Tucson.
BYU beat the Wildcats 28-23
BYU went from a surprising win against the "Bear Down" Wildcats to a bare
bones loss to the Bears of California in BYU's home opener. Bare bones means
meager offense for the Cougars in their 2018 season opener.
This game, a 24-21 upset win of then ranked No. 6 Wisconsin was a red
herring special. It was euphoria in Provo and dismay in Madison, but when
the leaves started to fall in the Midwest, it was apparent that the Badgers
weren't as good as they were portrayed in preseason polls and BYU wasn't
nearly as good as this supposed upset proved to be.
This was a guaranteed win for BYU against an FCS McNeese State. Don't know
how much Tom Holmoe paid, probably in the $600,000 range to get the Cowboys
from Louisiana to Provo, but BYU's 30-3 win over the Louisiana team worked
out to be a $20,000 per point payout for BYU. It may be proven to be a
cost-effective expenditure because the win counts towards bowl eligibility.
BYU was still holding on to the Wisconsin game fantasy world only to have a
dose of sleep walking in Seattle as the Huskies dismantled the Cougars on
both sides of the ball. The final was 35-7 UW. In reality, the final was
determined in the first quarter when it was obvious that BYU was
overmatched.
The Aggie farm hands from Logan came to Provo and proved emphatically who
were the mice and who were the men. The 45-20 shellacking was brutal, but
could have much worse if the Aggies wanted it to be. Without a doubt, this
was the best offense BYU saw and will see this season. Won't be surprised if
this USU season costs them a head coach after their bowl game. These kind of
offenses don't grow on trees or in the ground of Cache Valley.
BYU's 49-23 win certainly left some Blue Hawaii fans in the Cougars' win in
Provo. The win also was the starting debut of BYU's next rock star, Zach
Wilson. He showed he was an athlete and playmaker. Meanwhile Hawaii showed
they were just another pretender despite some early season scoring
spectaculars. If we are looking for rock stars, it would be a smash hit if
Hawaii big-time receiver John Ursua could somehow end up at BYU as a
graduate transfer. Don't know his academic situation and graduate status,
but the former LDS missionary proved he is a big time receiver. Wishful
thinking never hurt.
Another Husky, another loss to the dogs. This time it was Northern Illinois
by the score of 7-6. In dog sled racing, you hear the term "Mush". In this
game Mush referred to BYU's anemic and non productive offense. This one was
a hard one to take and postponed BYU's offensive flashes against Hawaii
until further notice. NIU had the nickname, but BYU held the definition of
dog in this unsightly upset.
BYU has had 7 consecutive deaths by potato losing experiences in Boise since
signing a long term home and home with the Broncos. We've seen death by
fried potato, humiliation by baked potato, sliced potato with a missed field
goal and now a potato au gratin and ever so grating defeat this season with
the Cougars on the two yeard line but with not enough toughness to put the
tuber and touchdown in the endzone. The final. Another fried french fry for
BYU by the score of 21-16.
Insert Massachusetts for Mayor and you get what BYU faced last week in
Foxborough when they beat back the Minutemen 35-16. Just like the elections
in Utah County last week, BYU had the same problem as the election system
did. It was a long wait to vote (3-4 hours) and even longer to tally the
votes. BYU took their time registering their first score, but once they got
on the board, they also got on a roll. BYU played well and UMass didn't. It
takes a good batter to make a good cupcake and BYU battered and beat this
team to a pulp.
Cupcake skirmish would be a more appropriate title for this movie and
mismatch set for this Saturday. New Mexico State is giving up 42 points per
game. This should be BYU's best chance to give their offensive impersonation
of Utah State putting the hammer down on the Aggies. A win also cements a
bowl game invite for the Cougars.
This movie title re-run pretty well sums up what to expect in two weeks when
BYU travels to Utah to face the Utes in Rice Eccles Stadium. Reality and
more reality. Expect BYU to play hard, but Utah will win their 8th straight
game against the Cougars. Their defense is just to talented and too tough
for BYU to handle. This game usually is close and will likely be again this
season, but defense wins championships and defeats BYU. Just ask Washington,
Northern Illinois and Kyle Whittingham.
As expected, there will be a lot of somber and morose BYU fans after the
upcoming Utah game. Instead of critizing Kalani Sitake, here is a film that
is very good and is uplifting enough to distract your disgust for BYU's
eighth straight loss to Utah. Depending on the scoring differential between
the Utes and Cougars, this happy-ending movie may not be upbeat and
golly-gee-good enough to pick you up. Relax.
There is always Mary Poppins. If BYU beats Utah, I will have
supercalifragilisticexpialidocious tattoed on both armpits. If BYU upsets
the Utes, every time I put on deodorant, I will smell the sweet fragrance of
my forecast. If Utah wins, my other option is to never put on deordorant
again and remind all of just what real B.O (bad opinion and body odor)
smells like.
Logistically and on paper, The Frisco Bowl, held in Frisco, Texas on
December 19, in my opinion, looks like the only viable spot for BYU to land
in a bowl game. It features a match up of an AAC school versus an at large
team. All other minor bowl games feature conference matchups. There is
always a chance that a league can't fulfill its allotment of six win teams,
and if that happens then here are some possible bowl games where ESPN could
place BYU: Gasparilla Bowl, Tampa; New Orleans Bowl; Cure Bowl, Orlando;
Boca Raton Bowl. As of today there are only 64 Division I football teams
with six wins, the necessary victories needed to qualify for a bowl spot.
There are 39 bowl games which means 78 teams will be needed to fill those
bowl spots. Don't worry about where Frisco is and if there is anything to do
there. It is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metro area (30 miles north of
Dallas) and was selected by Money magazine as the best place to live in the
US. There are plenty of BYU fans in Dallas and plenty of flights from all
over the country. Now if only New Mexico State will cooperate with the
Cougars and supply them with a win. BYU opened ast a 23 point favorite.
Basketball in Context
In case you missed it BYU basketball was slapped across the wrist, hand and
face with NCAA sanctions resulting from Nick Emery's issues after a messy
divorce. Here is a summation of the charges against Emery in particular and
BYU in general for lack of institutional control: The NCAA report also found
that most of the impermissible benefits were given by one booster and
included approximately $10,000 worth of all-expenses-paid trips, the use of
a car and car insurance. Two other boosters treated Emery to free golf
outings and meals at a country club where they were members. One of those
boosters also provided or left $200 cash in the locker room for Emery during
practice. The fourth booster arranged a free weekend stay at a resort.
>From the NCAA perspective, the hammer was dropped on BYU basketball and
fully merited. From a particular church's (mine) new emphasis on ministering
to those in need of uplifting and strengthening in a time of trials, this is
right up ministering's main street. I guess we can't have it both ways.
But can they Shoot the Three?
These two movies tell the story of BYU basketball this season. BYU has never
been an athletic team, but they have a history of being able to shoot the
ball well beyond the arc. That history took a hiatus the last two seasons
while BYU struggled to put the ball in the hoop from distance.
This is an easy season to project. If BYU can have a successful renaissance
of rainbows from beyong the thee-point line, this team has a chance. That
was fully demonstrated last week in BYU's 75-65 home win over UVA.
This game was close and contested until TJ Haws started shooting from
distance and delivered. Game over. Season over, if BYU can't keep up the
successful shooting from outside. Next up for BYU this coming week are
games Tuesday against Northwestern State (Louisiana) Tuesday night November
13, Oral Roberts, Thursday, November 15 and Alabama A&M Saturday afternoon.
Hard Times Ahead in 2019?
Television Timetable
BYU vs. Northwestern State ( M Basketball)
Tuesday, November 13 at Provo
Tipoff: 7:00 pm MST
TV: BYUtv
BYU vs.Oral Roberts (M Basketball)
Thursday, November 15 at Provo
Tipoff: 7:00 pm MST
TV: BYUtv
BYU vs. Saint Mary's (W Volleyball)
Thursday, November 15 at Moraga
First Serve: 8:00 pm MST
TV: TheW.tv
BYU vs. Pacific (W Volleyball)
Saturday, November 17 at Stockton
First Serve: 1:00 pm MST
TV: TheW.tv
BYU vs. Alabama A&M (M Basketball)
Saturday, November 17 at Provo
Tipoff: 4:00 pm MST
TV: BYUtv
BYU vs. New Mexico State (Football)
Saturday, November 17 at Provo
Kickoff: 8:15 pm MST
TV: ESPN2
