COLUMN: Not liking the ‘No Umbrella Policy’
Have you heard the latest one-liner trying to slam the USU football team?
I read it on an Internet message board in reference to the low 9,462 attendance number from Saturday’s game: “The Utes get more people to their baseball scrimmages,” one person wrote.
Ouch.
To the source of that joke I say this: First, there have been much lower numbers, such as the 7,108 that showed up to last season’s home finale vs. New Mexico State. Second, it’s too easy to kick somebody while they’re down. Lastly, the Aggies had Fall Break, the ridiculous deer hunt, and a Romney Stadium “No Umbrella Policy” working against them on a day that began with dismal weather.
By the way, what’s the deal with this “No Umbrella Policy”? Does anybody really want to watch this team-or any team-lose and get drenched in 40-degree weather at the same time? Watching loss after loss is quite enough to sit through.
According to USU athletic media relations, this policy is a “long-standing” one. I, as well as others who have been “long-standing” followers of Aggie football, had never heard of it. It’s not exclusive to USU either.
I was first introduced to this rule Sept. 29 at Rice-Eccles Stadium. It was near freezing that day with rain and snow. The kind lady at the media entrance confiscated my umbrella immediately, put it in a large plastic storage container with other umbrellas taken hostage, and told me I could pick it up after the game.
They say umbrellas block the view of others and can injure people. I can understand the logic behind a person’s view being blocked, but with all the empty blue and white space last Saturday, there was more than enough room for people to be able to spread out and open their umbrellas. As far as injuring somebody, a lot of obscure things could do that.
It’s time to do away with the “No Umbrella Policy.”
A UNIQUE SEASON, INDEED
It has been said these are not last year’s Aggies. In other words, this 2007 squad is improved.
All things considered, it’s flat-out true. Sure, by this time last year the Aggies had a win, but it was ugly.
Really, though, which is worse?
Losing 38-7 or 32-18?
Losing 48-0 or 34-18?
Losing 21-14 or 23-20?
Losing 63-10 or 52-37?
Losing 42-0 or 31-28?
The former numbers are last year’s results against Wyoming, Utah, San Jose State, Hawaii and Nevada. The latter are this year’s scores.
They’re improvements-at least mathematically. The Aggies have narrowed the gap. The games are exciting. In most instances, the USU offense and special teams are scoring more and the defense allowing less. The offensive production proves hiring Darrell Dickey as offensive coordinator was a step forward from Mike Santiago of last year.
Unfortunately, there is no statistic for how close a team gets to winning. There are wins. There are losses. So, anything less than a win is, well, nothing-to fans, media, and even players and coaches.
Not to beat a dead horse, but the point to be made here is that the Aggies are not as bad as their 0-7 record would indicate. Yes, they are unique. They will continue to be so until they win.
I dare say if the current team was playing a Sun Belt Conference-type of schedule, they would have at least a few wins by now. Under USU Head Coach Brent Guy’s predecessor, Mick Dennehy, they were in the Sun Belt.
Dennehy is a good man and won 19 games in five years in Logan. His teams, however, had at times a slight luxury in playing teams like Idaho State, Southern Utah and Weber State.
Let’s hope the Aggies win at least three games this season.
Let’s hope Guy isn’t let go at season’s end, even if the team ends the year 0-12. It would be the first time since 1941 that an Aggie football squad was winless.
Something the program needs, especially while competing in the Western Athletic Conference, is stability. The last football coach to be here for at least six seasons was Chuck Shelton, who left in 1991.