HB Arnett’s 801 372 - 0819 hbarnett@fiber.net 1391 West 800 South – Orem, Utah 84058 Special Issue, Thursday, August 8, 2013 Click Here <http://cougarclicks.com/product/Order-Cougar-Sportsline?ID=3173> To Order Or Renew Your Subscriptions Today Bronco Mendenhall announced that will forgo having the names of his players on the back of their uniforms. He will be replacing names with nouns…as in Tradition, Honor, and Spirit. You can read the story from the Deseret News by clicking <http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865584352/BYU-football-Social-media-reaction-almost-unanimously-disapproving-of-Cougars-uniform-change.html> here. Update: A couple of hours later Bronco has now said that after talking to his players, they will wear their own names on jerseys for all games except for the homecoming game in Provo October 12 against Georgia Tech. Here is his actual tweet. <https://twitter.com/BYU_Football> Coach Mendenhall @BYU_Football <https://twitter.com/BYU_Football/status/365639858343002112> 27m Bronco’s original intent created a firestorm among BYU football fans. I am not sure how I feel about this but I am will to look at both sides of the story as if I had a twitter account. If I had a twitter account, which I don’t, and hated the idea, here is what I would be tweeting: I’m all for his idea when it is in an appropriate place, which in my opinion is at firesides and within the walls of team meeting rooms and locker rooms. This smacks too much, again in my opinion, of flaunting our faith in the face of others. Forget bulletin board material, this is on the field in your face material. White smoke coming from the SAB. BYU has a new Pope of pigskin. Bronco Mendenhall has long worn his religion on his sleeve, but now he is demanding that BYU football players wear his religion on the backs of their jerseys. I could even stand No sex, No beer and No BCS on the uniforms before becoming another of those wigged weirdoes who flaunt the infamous John 3:16 signs in stadiums across the country. If this is going to stand without somebody with more savvy and juice above Bronco saying something, then I suggest they add integrity to the other three words. Then at least there will be a random chance of seeing four players aligned in a row on the field wearing Spirit, Honor, Integrity and Tradition. Try that acronym on for size and you would get a pretty good read of how many BYU fans feel. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- What Mendenhall is doing already has eclipsed the positive missionary message two dunking Mormon missionaries sent via you tube this week. Their actions said boldly and loudly, we embrace all comers with our message. Mendenhall’s message may be proper, but the perception of it won’t be. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight.” ― Gordon <http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/313356.Gordon_B_Hinckley> B. Hinckley Here’s a new t-shirt idea for some entrepreneur: Hey Bronco, “You can be smart and happy or stupid and miserable. . . it's your choice” ― Gordon <http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/313356.Gordon_B_Hinckley> B. Hinckley ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ And Gordon B. Hinckley also weighs in, in my opinion, on wearing your religion on your uniform and gives Bronco some much needed advice on where he should be wearing it when he said: “We wear on our faces the results of what we believe and how we behave, and such behavior is most evident in the eyes and on the faces of those who have lived many years.” ― Gordon <http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/313356.Gordon_B_Hinckley> B. Hinckley, If I had a twitter account, which I don’t, and loved the idea, here is what I would be tweeting: After reading President Hinckley’s book “Stand for Something”, I like Bronco’s bold move Bravo for Bronco. He’s a man of conviction, courage and Church. I was hoping for a 12-0 season and then breaking out the spiritual jargon on the back of uniforms in a BCS game would have gone down more smoothly. Give Bronco credit. He marches to a different drummer than the rest of us. He has convictions and is willing to back them up with action. Bronco is the master of taking the heat and pressure off his players. Now his team can concentrate on continuing to have a great fall camp and get ready for a season that if successful will have fans begging to buy shirts with Spirit, Tradition, Honor and Winning a BCS game plastered on everything BYU they own. Give Bronco his due. He is a man of no ego. When he makes a mistake, he admits it and moves on to bigger and better things. Go fast, go hard and now going back to the uniform status quo is evidence of that. We are lucky to have a coach with that lack of ego and attitude. hb
