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Brian M's avatar

Well, of course you as a "Ute" fan see it that way. "Better talent at most positions". Really? Who made that call? But the Beavers have already made improvements for next season in the recruiting window. The Beavers will have Gulbranson back plus 4-star freshman Aidan Chiles. They have just greatly improved the D with recruits. I don't get your concern for the Beavs. But I am sure you don't want them whipping your butt next year in Corvallis, which they will. So I get it.

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jon joseph's avatar

I LUV your enthusiasm and support of Gulbranson who will have a difficult time beating out Caleb Williams as the all Pac-12 QB.

Terrific win but it came against a middle of the pack SEC team playing its 3rd string QB and not against Georgia or Bama.

Beware of Hubris.

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Brian M's avatar

Hubris??!! For a Beavs fan? That is not even possible. Check the definition. We are just happy to be in the hunt. As for "middle of the pack"...this is the SEC, right? All I hear is how the SEC is a different level league. The Majors to the Pac 12 Double A. And this is the same team that beat the Pac 12 champ Utes, right? So why should I be embarrassed about that? Spoken like a true Ducks fan

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The Miami Ute's avatar

If you watched that Florida vs Utah game (and I was there) you'd know that the final result was an anomaly that would take some doing for it to be repeated. Bottom line, the Gators played out of their minds and had A LOT of luck allowing them to win the game (they also had a full roster, unlike the Las Vegas Bowl). As an example of what I mean, the Utes got into the Red Zone six times and only got 13 points for their trouble. The Gators got into the Red Zone only three times and cashed in 22 points. It's pretty unusual for one team to take advantage of every single of their opportunities and for another to come away with nothing. I'm really looking forward to the repeat of that game in SLC next season.

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jon joseph's avatar

That was such a winnable game. Some really poor decision making by rising.

Fortunately, a very good chance for payback in SLC in 2023.

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jon joseph's avatar

A Ducks fan who respects the heck out of the Beavers.

My point. People far too often overreact to a bowl win and a bowl loss.

Many the UF fanatics are calling for Napier to be fired!

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Brian M's avatar

Thanks...and I read your comments and see you are level headed. This was just a nice mid-level bowl win for the Beavs. Nothing monumental. It is a building block to the future. It will help recruiting and it validates Coach Smith's process to recruits, current players and boosters alike. As for national standing, I think where they are is about right, #14 or #15 (with 50th-70th ranked recruiting classes). They have played the Pac 12 Top 20 opponents well, except the Utah game. The Beavs have lost one home game in two years, the USC game, which was a last second loss. I like the direction of the program!

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SonoranJeff's avatar

Not possible for a Beavs fan? Not possible for a Beavs fan? Well perhaps you are not quite the Beavs fan you hold yourself up to be, because pally, here’s the definition of hubris: exaggerated pride or self confidence. If that doesn’t fit your behavior on this board I don’t know what does. You are an arrogant bully who contributes nothing if not your inflated ego.

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Brian M's avatar

Pally? Old school for sure. Bully? That is a good one. Don't think I have ever been called that. I do like a little good natured sports trash talk. for you, apparently it is easy to be critical when you are anonymous

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SonoranJeff's avatar

Brian. Please read your threads on this latest topic. Consider the tone of how you interact with people. It seemed in some instances to be a bit aggressive but perhaps sports trash talk is not my thing. I am brand new to this website and perhaps am not familiar with the tone of things. If others think it is fine, then I’m the one who must adjust. You seem to be a knowledgeable football fan with good takes. I have been a huge PAC-12 guy from when it was the PAC-8. Lots of difficult things happening in the college game. NIL, Transfer Portal, Super Conferences are threatening to tear our sport apart. I am looking for a good venue to share thoughts and ideas with others who love the sport and the PAC in particular. That’s what attracted me to Canzano in the first place. If you disagree with my original criticism, I am perfectly willing to say I was too hasty in my remarks. I look forward to a lot of positive sharing. Jeff

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Brian M's avatar

For me this is just a way to have fun. This is sports. No one should take it too seriously. We are not the athletes or coaches, just the fans (hence, I can't have hubris since I am not the player, only the observer). But as fans, when others "trash talk" my team, the Beavs, I am going to respond in kind. I don't swear. I never get angry. But I do like to get the facts straight and so I call out the misinformation. If I get my facts wrong, I am more than happy to be corrected. So, agreed, I think you got my tone wrong. I am just having fun. This should not be some PC place. Sports are never PC

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SonoranJeff's avatar

Fair enough Brian. I look forward to good information, good spirited debate. All the best.

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The Miami Ute's avatar

How else should I see it? You're talking about a team that hasn't won the PAC since LBJ's first full year in office and they're, somehow, to come up with some magical scheme to change that in 2023? Yeah, I'll believe it when I see it. If I were you, I'd be over the moon if they're able to somehow replicate this year's 10-3 record.

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ELB's avatar

Ute fans can be a little arrogant I’m finding out the last couple of years. My own fans are guilty as well. You are making the mistake of basing current predictions on unrelated history. This Beaver squad may be the best coached team I have seen. When the conference chips fall where they may and the stadium is fully opened, I expect them to be perennial conference contenders. There are much worse places to go to school, the cultural bedrock is there, and I’m thinking it’s going to be hard to pry Mr. Smith away. This last point is powerful in recruiting and something my Ducks have been suffering from. If they can pickup/develop a QB the sky is the limit in an expanded playoff world.

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Brian M's avatar

For a Duck, you are pretty smart! :-)

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ELB's avatar

Ha, I’m going to take that as a compliment. I just recognize game when it’s there as long as it’s not UW. There are certain scars you never forget. They will never hear a kind word as they will never deserve it ;)

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ANTHONY C SKINNER's avatar

One of my best memories from college was going to Eugene to watch my Beavers with some friends who were Ducks. We snuck a pony keg in by covering it with a duck made out of plaster of Paris lol. By the time security figured it out we we're rolling... Good times

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Brian M's avatar

"Haven't won the Pac"... actually, you are wrong. The Beavs TIED for the Pac 12 in 2000 when they went 12-1 with only the last second FG at Washington between them and a 13-0 season. Instead, OSU, UofO and UW tied for the championship and Huskies got the Rose Bowl where they beat Purdue by 10. That Beavs team would have smoked ANY Utah team in history just like they destroyed Notre Dame and ended up #5 in the country. What is the Utes' highest national ranking? Not 5 that is for sure. By the way....QB of that Championship team? Same guy that is leading the Beavers for the next 30 years.

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The Miami Ute's avatar

LOL....I was being nice...that 1964 PAC Championship was actually shared with USC. If you're talking about an undisputed PAC Championship, you have to go back all the way to 1956 and the Eisenhower Administration. What is Utah's highest national ranking? That would be #2 after finishing 13-0 and smoking Alabama in the January 2009 Sugar Bowl. The 2004 edition of the Utes also finished 13-0 and ended up ranked #4 after destroying Pittsburgh in the January 2005 Fiesta Bowl.

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Brian M's avatar

LOL!! So you are hanging your hat on the last two years?! Good for you and good for Utah. Hardly dominance of a conference. Do you really imagine that Utah is the Ohio State or Alabama of the Pac 12? Get real! But I can see you are very concerned that Oregon State is building a powerhouse program. You should be.

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The Miami Ute's avatar

LOL...I'm hanging my hat on the fact that the Utes have been in the PAC-12 CCG four years in a row (not counting the Covid season of 2020 when they only played five games all year). When was the last time the Beavs made it to the CCG? How about never? Sound about right? Maybe that will change next year, more likely not, but you can always hope.

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Brian M's avatar

Utes going to the Pac 12 Championship game for four years is more about how weak the South is as compared to the North. USC was miserable for years until 2022. UCLA not much better. ASU and UofA have been a mess. Colorado too. Meanwhile, the North has Oregon, Washington and now the resurgent Beavers. Cougs have had years, but nothing since Mike Leach. The problem for the Utes is they now have a 3rd competitor from the North and you seem to hate competition but the Beavers obviously love competition. You got a problem, dude

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The Miami Ute's avatar

LOL...the Utes are 7-3 against Oregon State since they joined the PAC and 10-4 going back to 1991. What is there to be concerned about? Be careful or something like this will happen next time we show up in Corvallis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlA43pqrTWM

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Brian M's avatar

Yep, 7-3 against Gary Anderson (a Utah State product who also wrecked the Wisconsin program) and Mike Riley led teams. OSU won 42-34 in 2021 and the current team is much better than last year. Smith is our Whittingham. You will find out (I think you already know that and it worries you).

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The Miami Ute's avatar

Isn't it great how you can explain away dominance by simply saying "that was another guy?" Still the same team though. You better hope that next year's team is much better than this year's after the 42-16 drubbing you suffered this season in Salt Lake City.

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Brian M's avatar

"Still the same team"... huh? The Beavers today are nothing like the 2016 team which is why they are ranked #14 in the country and just demolished Florida. And I don't hope anything. Football is entertainment but I love turning your crank. That is also entertaining.

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Jason's avatar

Really bringing up the game in which the starting QB was knocked out in the first quarter?

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ReaderJoy's avatar

Correction: in 2000 the Beavs were co-champions with Washington and Oregon.

So, not exactly LBJ’s time.

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The Miami Ute's avatar

LOL...I already went through this with Brian. You weren't co-champions...you, Oregon, and Washington had the same PAC-10 record but the PAC-12 Champs were the Huskies, who went to the Rose Bowl. And, to be truthful, that 1964 PAC-8 championship was "shared" with USC. I just used it because the faculty athletic representatives selected the Beavers instead of USC to go to the Rose Bowl. The reason for that? USC had been to the Rose Bowl in 1963, while the Beavers hadn't made an appearance there since 1957. The last time that the Beavers were the undisputed PAC football champions was in 1956. That was 66 years ago and is the longest period of time for any PAC team to not be the undisputed football champion.

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