Way to Represent

During the press conference after the Utah/BYU game Max Hall said “I don't like Utah. In fact, I hate them. I hate everything about them. I hate their program, I hate their fans, I hate everything... I think the whole university, their fans and their organization is classless. They threw beer on my family and stuff last year, and they did a whole bunch of nasty things, and I don't respect them, and they deserved to lose.” (emphasis added) There have been hundreds of comments online about his comments (as of right now, over 800 comments on the SL Tribune article, 1442 comments on the KSL.com article, 873 comments on the Deseret News article and hundreds more on other online articles and bulletin boards).

I love sports. I love playing them and for the most part, love watching them. I understand rivalries, too. Being from Green River, Wyoming there was a time in my life when I thought nothing good could ever have come out of Rock Springs. I have been called terrible things by players and fans of a rivalry team firsthand, so I understand that in the emotion of the moment, you can say some negative things about those players and teams. But, I never played for an organization that represents the “only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth”, one that is supported in part by tithing funds that are given under the most difficult of circumstances and sacrifice. Hall’s comments couldn’t be more in opposition to the mission of the Church and BYU. The first thing that went through my mind was, think of all the things the Savior went through. He was spit upon, mocked, physically assaulted and berated and eventually killed, over something much more important than a football game. Did he ever say he “hated” the Jews or the Romans? He forgave them as he hung, dying on the cross. The scriptures are replete with statements such as “love your enemies, do good to them which hate you”, “pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you”. There is no doubt the Savior taught us to react to tribulations in a higher manner.

I could even have given Max Hall a pass had his comments been directed at the players and team, but he included the entire university in his comments quite purposefully (even though he has now issued an apology and said he meant his comments toward those fans who were so rude to him & his family, it is very clear he meant the comments toward the whole University of Utah). As a graduate of said University, I take offense at the comments he directed to the whole University of Utah and its alumni. While I’m not in the same league as the following individuals, I’m in pretty good company with the likes of President Monson, President Hinckley, President Faust, President Eyring, Elder Hales, Elder Wirthlin, Elder Maxwell, Elder McConkie, a physiology Nobel Prize winner, and hundreds of other very prominent men and women who have made valuable contributions to society, much in part due to their education from the University of Utah. For Max Hall to make a blanket statement about the whole university was completely irresponsible.

I realize that Max Hall (and any of us for that matter) is far from the same character as the Savior, but the fact is, he plays a very prominent role in an organization that represents the Savior. His comments have given a black eye to BYU, and it’s unbelievable that there are some people who are supporting and encouraging his comments. What happened to his family is not right, but his reaction shows that he does not truly understand the Savior’s teachings and does not practice them. When you live a life in the limelight, you have to understand who and what you represent. His comments do not represent his church, or his university and as such, I think he should be prohibited from officially representing them from here on out.