Cause and Effect

The problem with so much being posted since the loss to Utah is the implicit belief that there is cause and effect to every last event in a game. I do not want to understate the need to prepare a team and getting them ready for big games and blah blah blah, but it does not take a rocket scientist to know that sometimes things don't go your way no matter how prepared, how much you want it, how much you care, how much your invested, etc. etc. etc. This stuff is not a checklist. It is not as if you or Bronco could waive the magic wand of victory and all of the sudden beat the Utes or some other good team. A perfectly prepared team can still lose. An undeserving team can still win. A crap of a coach can win and the best coach in the land can lose. BSU missed a 30 yard field goal last year that denied them a BCS bowl game. That does not make Peterson a crap coach or a coach who does not care. Utah's RB had that one fumble at the end of the game that he caught . When's the last time you saw that? A little different trajectory or a little close Cougar and maybe the ball is ours and the whole game changes. Whit was not some smarter coach because the ball went that way. What I find very interesting is that had that field goal hit the cross bar and gone in and we went on to win the game, there would not be 90% of the angst and hand wringing going on. There's be some, to be sure, because we have issues that need addressing. But this whole loss of emotion and failure and dejection would be gone--and none of it really has to do with Bronco.

BoiseBYU, I agree with what you're saying. Things happen. The ball takes a bad bounce, etc.



However,when those things happen repeatedly then you have to wonder if something bigger is at play. One off occurrences, chalk it up to bad luck. A series of one off occurrences, though, starts to look a lot like a trend.



You also can't deny against better than average teams, BYU's offense dies. Bronco's record against above average teams is nothing to shake a stick at and if the goal is to become a national powerhouse as Bronco talks about becoming then we should be beating average Pac12 teams handily so much so that when the ball does take a bad bounce it isn't a game changer.

Well stated. That is why you play the game.



One thing the Ewetes have exhibited the last couple of years is that they have athletes who can take advantage of opportunities. The last two years, they have had players pick up fumbles and run them to the house. I can't help but think that many players, including many BYU players, would just fall on the fumbled ball or otherwise be unable to run it back for the score.



Boise State has similar players who can capitalize on turnovers and miscues. It's part of the game that isn't totally reflected in any of the statistics, other than the score. Boise State stayed in the Michigan State game because of this, despite being outmanned, statistically, in almost every other facet of the game. BYU must be composed and take care of the ball in order for BYU to win tomorrow, even if BYU's offense and defense otherwise play well.

Well said. Sh** happens, even to the best.

YNot wrote:
Well stated. That is why you play the game.



One thing the Ewetes have exhibited the last couple of years is that they have athletes who can take advantage of opportunities. The last two years, they have had players pick up fumbles and run them to the house. I can't help but think that many players, including many BYU players, would just fall on the fumbled ball.

I wish one of the ones you were thinking of was playing so he could have fallen on the ball and we would have won that game. :~(

Gunk wrote:
BoiseBYU, I agree with what you're saying. Things happen. The ball takes a bad bounce, etc.



However,when those things happen repeatedly then you have to wonder if something bigger is at play. One off occurrences, chalk it up to bad luck. A series of one off occurrences, though, starts to look a lot like a trend.



You also can't deny against better than average teams, BYU's offense dies. Bronco's record against above average teams is nothing to shake a stick at and if the goal is to become a national powerhouse as Bronco talks about becoming then we should be beating average Pac12 teams handily so much so that when the ball does take a bad bounce it isn't a game changer.

I think your point is valid and it is certainly possible that there is a trend that needs correctly..But the past does not necessarily describe or indicate a trend either. It is possible that shizzola happens two or three years in a row, depsite everything, else. So point well stated, but losing three years in a row may but it may not be a trend or indicate a trend. I mean if Star had done a little better in school he would be at BYU blowing up the unfortunate Ute tasked with blocking him.....