what's with Luke Staley?

[NDCougar]

If anyone thinks this is normal and natural and he is just supporting his wife because she is a ute blah, blah, blah, just ask yourself how many former ute players have you seen wearing BYU garb in pics on twitter.

I loved Staley as a player, I am extremely disappointed in this betrayal. This is inexcusable and disgusting.

Definitely not kosher nor positive.......but betrayal? We don;t know the whole story, just trying to give him the benefit of the doubt vs assuming a conspiracy vs BYU.

[BOID]

It is indeed a betrayal. To be a high profile former player with national awards means that everybody in the home state remembers his significance. To wear that stuff in the state of Utah is a slap against his school and his former team members and also all of his fans. If it's not a big deal, then why is he not seen wearing his Alma Mater's colors, as easily and as frequently as he dons Ute red?

I don't buy in to the victimhood idea. I don't for a moment believe that BYU's athletic department and FB program would unilaterally cast aside their Doak Walker winner. If there are bad feelings there, then it would, as in most relationships, be a two way street.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[Stirfry]

That's definitely in Draper. I'm not sure which park but maybe it's Corner Canyon's new field. I don't know anything about Luke's situation (last I knew he was being mocked by Ute fans for selling cell phones at a mall in Provo) but I don't know anyone, Ute or Cougar, that cares about sports at all that wears the other teams gear. Maybe if he's at a camp I can see it but not hanging out with the family. I really can't think of a single person and I've lived between Holiday and Provo my entire life (except for 2 years )

Maybe he had a bad experience with Crowton but I'd think his experience and Doman's would be similar and Doman loved BYU. (not sure he does now)

[Qman]

As a casual BYU fan who does not live in Utah anymore, my official response is 'MEH'. He is choosing to separate himself from his BYU past and it might be a wise decision- happy wife-happy life.

[Ungoy]

As a casual BYU fan who does not live in Utah anymore, my official response is 'MEH'. He is choosing to separate himself from his BYU past and it might be a wise decision- happy wife-happy life.

Maybe it's just me, but I'd be pissed at my wife if she wanted me to turn my back on the school, and its fans that supported me during my playing days. If his wife is so selfish that she can't stand to have her husband root for the school that he not only attended, but played for, then she has bigger issues than he.

[frdbtr]

If anyone thinks this is normal and natural and he is just supporting his wife because she is a ute blah, blah, blah, just ask yourself how many former ute players have you seen wearing BYU garb in pics on twitter.

I loved Staley as a player, I am extremely disappointed in this betrayal. This is inexcusable and disgusting.

Definitely not kosher nor positive.......but betrayal? We don;t know the whole story, just trying to give him the benefit of the doubt vs assuming a conspiracy vs BYU.

Ever seen ex ND players wearing USC gear? How about Michigan players wearing Ohio state gear, or Texas A&M wearing Texas gear, or Oklahoma wearing texas gear. It isn't done, it is a betrayal to your school. You simply don't wear the gear of your rival whether you are a fan or even more so if you are a former player.

[redneckjedi]

Just because you played at a school doesn't mean that's where your loyalties lie forever. Take Bronco - he wanted to play for BYU, but didn't get an offer. So he chose Oregon St., because they had BYU on the schedule. Does that make him a Beaver for life? Clearly not. There are plenty of people who have grown up cheering for one school and ended up playing for that school's rival, because that's where the offer was. Maybe that experience changes their loyalty, but I'm guessing in at least a few cases it doesn't.

This isn't switching from good to evil, or being a Soviet double agent or anything like that. It's a T-shirt. And while I dislike the Utes as much as the next guy, acting like there is something morally wrong about something as benign as supporting a sports team - especially only implied support through a T-shirt - is exactly why this rivalry has gotten as nasty as it has.

Sports should be fun. Good sportsmanship makes that possible. I lived in Longhorn country for 5 years, and worked with Longhorns, Aggies, and Sooners, and none of them treated their rivalries the way we do here. There's playful trash talk before the game, and friendly congratulations to the victor after, and everyone stays friends throughout. Nobody gains anything by making it any more serious than that. And I know that a lot of it probably originates from their side, but come on - do you want to stoop to the level of a Ute? I don't.

[ABYUFAN]

Just because you played at a school doesn't mean that's where your loyalties lie forever. Take Bronco - he wanted to play for BYU, but didn't get an offer. So he chose Oregon St., because they had BYU on the schedule. Does that make him a Beaver for life? Clearly not. There are plenty of people who have grown up cheering for one school and ended up playing for that school's rival, because that's where the offer was. Maybe that experience changes their loyalty, but I'm guessing in at least a few cases it doesn't.

This isn't switching from good to evil, or being a Soviet double agent or anything like that. It's a T-shirt. And while I dislike the Utes as much as the next guy, acting like there is something morally wrong about something as benign as supporting a sports team - especially only implied support through a T-shirt - is exactly why this rivalry has gotten as nasty as it has.

Sports should be fun. Good sportsmanship makes that possible. I lived in Longhorn country for 5 years, and worked with Longhorns, Aggies, and Sooners, and none of them treated their rivalries the way we do here. There's playful trash talk before the game, and friendly congratulations to the victor after, and everyone stays friends throughout. Nobody gains anything by making it any more serious than that. And I know that a lot of it probably originates from their side, but come on - do you want to stoop to the level of a Ute? I don't.

How many times did you see a Longhorn wearing anything crimson or with an "OU" on it? (or aTM for that matter?)

[scott715]

But wait, I thought we were Texas' rival now.

http://texas.247sports.com/Bolt/Longhor ... U-29966518" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Longhorns already amped up to face BYU

[SpiffCoug]

This isn't switching from good to evil, or being a Soviet double agent or anything like that. It's a T-shirt. And while I dislike the Utes as much as the next guy, acting like there is something morally wrong about something as benign as supporting a sports team - especially only implied support through a T-shirt - is exactly why this rivalry has gotten as nasty as it has.

Sports should be fun. Good sportsmanship makes that possible. I lived in Longhorn country for 5 years, and worked with Longhorns, Aggies, and Sooners, and none of them treated their rivalries the way we do here. There's playful trash talk before the game, and friendly congratulations to the victor after, and everyone stays friends throughout. Nobody gains anything by making it any more serious than that. And I know that a lot of it probably originates from their side, but come on - do you want to stoop to the level of a Ute? I don't.

Sorry. But it most definitely IS swtiching from good to evil and likely worse than working for the Soviets!