COLUMN: Beware of the BYU Tortilleros
In Detroit they throw octopus. In Florida they throw rats. Fans and players in Cleveland are known for throwing anything they can get their hands on (bleachers, beer bottles, helmets, etc.). And apparently in Provo they are now known for throwing corn tortilla shells.
According to an article in the BYU Daily Universe Sept. 13, tortilla throwing is the next thing that will sweep the nation by force. Yeah right. Grow up.
As someone who’s most recent hometown is Provo and whose neighbor is BYU Head Coach Gary Crowton, I am embarrassed to hear about this “new found craze.”
What is the point of throwing tortillas? Detroit and Florida throw their respective objects on the ice in celebration of a win. The squid toss has been a tradition since the playoffs of 1952.
Cleveland first threw bench seats from the old Cleveland Stadium to protest the greed of Art Modell, who picked up his ball (team) and went to Baltimore. To this day, Modell cannot set foot in Cleveland without being berated by Browns fans.
Supposedly there is a tradition to tortilla throwing as well. According to the Daily Universe article, tortilla throwing is nothing new to BYU games. However, a few fans, who are only identified as “John” and “Joe” of a group called the Tortilleros, decided to take object throwing to the next level.
It is reported there were 500 tortillas smuggled into the first game, but when Hawaii came to town approximately 3,100 tortillas flew into the air after BYU running back Marcus Whalen scored the first touchdown.
The 3,100 tortillas used to celebrate were purchased the night before the game at Macey’s Food and Drug. The mysterious “John” and “Joe” spent $60 to buy 2,000 tortillas. Hey guys, I have a better idea, why don’t you give me the money so I can put it toward something useful like a textbook if you are just going to throw it away?
There was, however, a tragedy involving the tortillas. A tortilla bruised BYU freshman David Low when he turned to give his friend a high-five. Low went on to say in the article, “I was shocked and chagrined that such riffraff attend BYU sporting events.”
Come on Low, lighten up. While I agree tortilla throwing is one of the dumbest things I have ever heard of, I find it funny that one bruised you.
Overall, I think tortilla throwing is not a tradition in the same class as octopus, rats or bleachers. I think the BYU fans should just give it up now before they really make idiots of themselves.
Oh and by the way, any Utah State student who finds a BYU fan throwing a tortilla on the field here is given the right by me to throw the fan onto the field in celebration.
(This last act is not endorsed by anyone so please do not take it
seriously.)
Jim Higgins is a junior majoring in broadcast journalism. He thinks USU fans should follow the example of Cleveland fans and throw their bleachers onto the field when the team threatens to move to Brigham City. Comments can be sent to jwhigg@cc.usu.edu.