To be or Not to be #4 jersey Brian Blechen, Ute Fan

 

 

Well, I have tried to stay away from controversial topics on this blog.

But this one has to go down for the ages.

To Be or Not to Be a UTE fan

- in a world of Cougars-.

... yikes.

I love football.

Jaden rolls around in it like a... hmm. Something that rolls around in something that relishes every bit of it. Sorry. Crohns, Concussion, Side Effect Brain working right now.

Up until recently, we didn't ascribe to any denomination concerning BYU and the Utes. I know, we are crazy.

 

 Due to the fact that we are Idahoans and I didn't go to the Y. and I really didn't get the Y bug may be why I didn't get into the rivalry.

 

 I mean, I did go to an AWESOME  game between Air Force and the Y during 09, oh and the killer game between the Utes and the Y that same year. I sat on the BLUE side.

And I sorta felt the inclination to side with the Y.

But I was too busy workin' up at the U's office with the Crohns dealio.

After going to the U for a very long time, passing their campus and stadium as I went to the office I started to think about it more. Then a friend got into it cause her son-in-law loved it.

The conclusion: I figured I needed a jersey since I "worked" for them, I liked red, and I actually have an Indian brother. No kidding. His name is Chepa. And, well, he lived with us for a year. And I love Indian books. Everything about America's history, Idaho history,

 

 

 

 

I was there for the Indian stories because, let's be honest, they are a little freaky if you were one of the unfortunate pioneers or homesteaders to come across some not so nice ones. And to hear that they liked to scalp blondes. ThaT Had me scared.

So the "Holy War" between the Blue and the Red could really be like the fighting between some of the fiercer Indians, or Indians obeying the rules and the settlers who liked to come out and sell whiskey and til land that was technically not part of the game plan drawn up for the Indians to sign and so on so forth.

Oh,  there was the book: The Flight of the Nez Pearce. that I read at a

young age- after 4th grade Idaho history and I came to really admire the N.P. The solemn words:

 "From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever."

 

 

struck my heart. But not enough to keep me from fighting with my siblings. Cause the sun is standing was standin'  in a different place.

Hardly any reason to align yourself with a football team, right?

Which brings me to the point- I go to the University of Utah Hospital. That is my main office for my profession, patient.

Once I said with a far off look: "I should become a Ute fan. I mean, I practically live here."

 The other person on the SLC shuttle must have shrugged. The person might have been an old person going to the VA hospital for an appt. Or a person going to SLC airport.

So, with limited knowledge of who is who on the both the Y roster and the U roster this year- a nice young lady told us that we should go for #4. She had some connection that I can't recall right this second. oh, and I must say that I did read about the player whose wife was killed as she left one of the games. It was really sad. I read her blog. Unbeknowst, I inched closer to being a UTE.

J. likes red too. Couldn't wait to wear the jersey to school bought for him.

We didn't put much thought into the whole thing.

Said kid named J. as he walked in the door:

 

 "I am NEVER wearing that jersey to school. Again. "

 

Almost like Chief Joe's statement of not fighting anymore again.

ME: "What?? Do you know how much that cost??"

J: "I got called a TRAITOR!"

ME: That's cause a lot of folks here are True Blue. It's like the I.F. Skyline Rival. And it looks like you set up camp on the wrong side of the stadium. Heck, I 'll wear it.

As he was taking the jersey off to get ready to mow, I dialed my friend. 

ME: Who is #4?

HER: BRIAN BLECHEM. He's 'blee, blahs' favorite player.

J respects and admires 'blee blah'.

ME: "J. # 4 is blee, blah's favorite player. She has his autograph on her jersey. He's injured this year, though. Plays on defense."

 

 

J- He stops for a minute and does some thinking.

It retracts the offer to let me wear it and then heads out side to mow the lawn. Which pays for his sports.

But even then, how can you just say you are a FAN unless you really know what's going on. It would be like saying you were a BSU fan cause you watched that one awesome game with your family on Thanksgiving. And you live in Idaho. And if someone asked if you were a BSU fan you'd say:

"chuh, puh! Yaaaaya!"

 

It takes a leap of faith. And that is what we did with #4.

so J is going to garner up his courage and wear it with pride.

Why?

 

Because the kid is pretty awesome at FB. Looks like he stumbled into some trouble....

(smoked some pot and suspended 3 games. darn.)

 

But J. doesn't need to know about all that. It is a good moral lesson, though.

 

We all make mistakes that cost us.

 

 

#4,

 

if you read this, please give J. a shout out. He wore your jersey loud and proud in a sea of blue.

He really took one for the team today.

 

We promise to get on board with watching the games and paying attention to what is going on despite the illness I have going on.

 

We would love your autograph.

 

We would love to come watch a practice.

heck, we'd love to have lunch with you and listen to what it is like to be a Ute.

Cause we're on board now. And we've got your jersey.