Of Faith and Football

Now seems as good a time as any for this. It's been on my mind lately, with everyone thinking "We're screwed" after the Utah game, or in the UCF game before the KO return, or in the USU game before Riley came in, and now after the TCU to Big XII announcement.



Anyway, I want to counter the doom and gloom with this.



Why does BYU have a football program - or any athletic program whatsoever?

It generates exposure for the church, and is a missionary tool - especially in the lives of athletes, but also around the world.



If the BYU football program is an effective missionary tool, does it make sense for it to fade into obscurity?

No, of course not. And our recent moves have only made it more prominent and less obscure.



So, if the football team's exposure (not necessarily success) is linked, albeit indirectly, to the salvation of souls, does the Lord have an interest on preserving that exposure?

I don't pretend to speak for the Lord, but I would expect that He would. And if so, He has direct control through the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve to exercise that interest.



For one reason or another, the Lord has placed the people he has chosen as his instruments in sticky situations. Moses and the children of Israel were boxed in with nowhere to go at the Red Sea. Gideon probably didn't have a bevy of 5* recruits in his army of 10,000, but even if he did, the Lord asked him to fight the battle with 300. The early Latter-Day saints had ridiculous obstacles from New York to Ohio to Missouri to Illinois to the plains and to Utah - wandering like an independent team from place to place, wherever they would be (temporarily) accepted. Helaman and Captain Moroni had to out-smart and over-power armies inflated by bigger numbers, more resources, and nasty dispositions - kind of like the BCS - with the handicap of using young, inexperienced soldiers and internal strife in their own government.



Is BYU football in anything like these situations? Of course not. But it does go to show that the Lord's people are often stuck in a lurch, for the purpose of showing the rest of the world that he will pull them out of it if they have faith. Does that apply to football? I'm not sure to what degree. I believe it does when talking about the exposure of the team and the existence of the team. I'm not sure when it comes to particular successes and victories of the team. Austin Collie believed it did when comes to individual success. And BYU has had some pretty crazy comeback victories on big stages before.



In any case, I have faith that whatever happens to the football team is what needs to happen in the big picture of things. I doubt we went to all this trouble to gain exposure only to fade into obscurity. And I firmly believe that will be able to look back on these times at some future date and see the Lord's hand in all of it, and be thankful for it.



So have faith, people! Faith in the Lord, most importantly, but also in the church leadership, the athletic department, the coaches, and even the quarterback, whoever it ends up being. I'm not saying don't be skeptical, or not to help out in any way you can if you see something that concerns you. But it will work out, and the future will be great.



Go Cougars!

Good post. I think I see a priesthood lesson coming to be.

I forsee myself wasting hours on a message board just like this one about BYU football for years and years to come... ;)

I don't know if God cares about football that much, even if it can help spread His word. Still, I like your spirit, and optimism.



I haven't talked myself into believing that the Big XII is still likely since this morning. But I still believe that BYU football will still be a worthwhile and entertaining venture for the near future.

Study it out. Exposure in the Big12 vs exposure as an independent: Which situation gets more missionaries in doors. Then ask if you're right.



For me I'd say Big12 > Independence as long as you get to keep 3rd tier rights but I'm not in a position to do the asking.

jvquarterback wrote:
Study it out. Exposure in the Big12 vs exposure as an independent: Which situation gets more missionaries in doors. Then ask if you're right.



For me I'd say Big12 > Independence as long as you get to keep 3rd tier rights but I'm not in a position to do the asking.

I don't really agree with big12 > Indy as far as a missionary tool. Less games on national TV is almost a certainty. LHN is going to be broadcasting BYU games, and I won't be watching those unless I'm pirating some feed from a computer hacks basement.



How many teams have a better name in the big 12 than BYU? I'd say BYU is more recognizable than all but Texas, A&M (who left) OU, OkSU, TTech had a nice little run for a while but that faded pretty fast.



BSU has done great with a terrible conference. I feel that the only time BYU is going to be seen nationally in the Big 12 is if they are making waves with an undefeated record. And BYU can do that right now with independence, plus are seen nearly every week on ESPN or BYUtv nationally. It's all about how the TV deal is being worked out, which I assume is one of the main hang-ups in the negotiations. And rightfully so.

I think one BYU-OK St game on byutv equals more exposure than any number of Sjsu games on espn. And I think there will be at least one of those games per year with big12 football. And that isn't even touching the basketball 3rd tier rights in the big12 which in my view makes the big12 much better in terms of exposure.



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jvquarterback wrote:
I think one BYU-OK St game on byutv equals more exposure than any number of Sjsu games on espn. And I think there will be at least one of those games per year with big12 football. And that isn't even touching the basketball 3rd tier rights in the big12 which in my view makes the big12 much better in terms of exposure.



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OK, but who's to say it will be televised at all when we are in the big 12? For all we know the Big 12 wants to remove all BYU's tv rights.