U of U joins the Pac-12: “A trail to Mediocrity?”

When the decision was made, I was in Kansas City, sitting in a hotel. I had no access to KSL radio, BYU internet, or anything of that matter. All I had was a text from KSL, that said. Utah joins Pac-10 live coverage on 102.7 FM, 1160 AM. . . I was shocked, and I have to admit being a huge cougar fan I was pretty upset; actually I was furious. And although it took me a few days to regain my sense of logic on the issue I eventually applied my rational faculty to the matter and came to the conclusion that the Utes are actually inadvertently stepping down a trail to mediocrity. Let me explain.


Now, with this new invitation to the Pac-10 I’m sure that the Utes have reason to celebrate, after all they are moving into a higher class Conference; more elite than any they have ever been apart of.. . . But that’s actually the biggest down side to this situation. Can the Utes even survive in a Conference as big as the Pac-10? History would argue against the Utes.

Let’s take a nice even number—“50”—and look at the Utes success over the last fifty years: They have 2 BCS titles, 11 bowl wins, and 6 Conference Championships: 2 Coming from the WAC and 4 Coming from the MWC, (on a side note, 3 of the 6 were shared conference titles.) Now try to understand that MWC and the WAC are and have been Conferences, that well, haven’t exactly been crowned among the more prestigious and elite conferences in the nation.…but still, from these conferences the Utes only earned 6 titles in 50 years. ––Now as they move on to an elite conference competing against teams like USC and UCLA on a yearly basis, how do they expect to be more successful than 6 titles in 50 years, coming from lower class conferences, in which ½ of their championships were ties? My answer is…Ute fans… don’t hold your breath, because your team may just become the ‘Butler’ of the Pac-12.

Now in contrast, in the last 50 years BYU has won 23 Conference championships (From the same conferences as Utah), 17 Bowl game wins, 1 National Championship, 17 top 25 finishing seasons, and 1 Heisman winner. Now shouldn’t a team like this be the one that is up for consideration when talking about which teams deserve to move into better conferences? I guess we will find out, but until we do, BYU along with TCU and now Boise will have a great time Ruling the MWC without the Utes. BYU may be in a smaller pond, but we are the big fish, and quite frankly the more deserving Team, more the more experienced Team, and historically proven the better team altogether.

Your vision of Success

As I look out into this audience I see, my family, my teachers, my friends, I would like to thank each one of you for the support you’ve given us all- to get us each to this point today….I look out and I see my fellow classmates of The Class of 2010. . . But more importantly I see a group of individuals, each with different backgrounds, ideas, desires, and achievements. We are each here today to celebrate those Achievements; Today is the day of our graduation.— Tomorrow we begin our days of independence; relying on nothing but our own vision and judgment to guide us.. . . Lancers, as you now forge ahead, you leave behind the solace of high school; but enter into a world of achievement- where success is in sight, will you press on and choose to pursue it?

Ayn Rand once said, “The ladder of success is best climbed by stepping on the rungs of opportunity.” The United States of America is a land of opportunity, and throughout the course of our lives we will be faced with more opportunity than any person before us. . Ronald Regan, said, “Each generation goes further than the generation preceding it because it stands on the shoulders of that generation.” — Our graduating class holds in its hands the achievements of our parents, teachers, and those who paved the roads before us. We honor them for their courage and merits, as we reach for our own success, and recognize that our triumphs begin with theirs.
A line from The Fountainhead reads, “Throughout the centuries there were men who took first steps down new roads armed with nothing but their own vision.” As we each Race towards our visions it is important to realize that you will fail if you fail to proceed with a passion. History is filled with examples of those who succeeded—against all odds—— their passion and individual desires guided them to success.

Call a child dull and hopeless and flunk him in the sixth grade, and you have a Winston Churchill. Tell a young boy that he has no talent, and that he should give up, and you have a Walt Disney. Deny a child the ability to see, hear and speak, and you have a Helen Keller. Call a boy a slow learner "retarded" and write him off as uneducable, and you have an Albert Einstein. Take an undeveloped nation whose people have no rights, no government, no trained army, and no conceivable chance at liberty—and you have the beginning of The United States of America. . . All of these examples were told that they could not, that they would never. They fought, they suffered, and they paid. But they won. Because they wanted their visions to much, to let anyone deny them from chasing it.

My Grandfather recently told me, “Jason you’re a lucky person, you already know what you want to be, so be sure, at all costs to never give up on it. Take every position, every opportunity, every internship, job or class that will bring you closer to that goal. And just don’t ever give up on it. I expect great things from you.” My friends, the world expects great things from us. But as Dr. Howard Thurman put it "Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Ladies and Gentlemen, The road to success is by no means easy. . . in fact it is meant to be hard.. . . But you can rise above anything that stands against you; if you will swear allegiance to yourself, to your own values, to your own goals and to your vision, and promise to follow them as far down the road of achievement as your ability and ambition will carry you.

I’ll end with a quote from a character from the Famous book, Atlas Shrugged. John Galt once said, “Do not let the hero in your soul perish, in lonely frustration for the life you deserved. Check your road and the nature of your battle. The world you desired can be won, it exists, it is real, it is possible, it's yours.” Friends, there is a reason that both the Lancer Legend and Creed end with the words; “The World is mine”. It’s because, the world truly is yours . . . This IS our time. Now Go out there, and take it!!!

Patriotism: The Unmitigated Temerity!

Of all the recent political news, this has gotten me fired up and angrier more than any other. This is outrageous! Here is the story

Five simple words describe my feelings on this news: Are you kidding me?!?! After hearing about this news I was literally pacing around the room, up in arms. This is absolutely insane!

Now that I have regained my composure I am prepared to logically elucidate my opinions on this matter. Even though there is probably no need for a logical deduction of this news, I feel that I must put in my two cents- In hopes to further verify the utter idiocy of the Schools administration; and the pure hilarity of the "Offended Students". The first thing I will talk about is the schools reaction:

There is only two grounds in which the school should, and could have had have a basis to reproach these students for being, quite simply, patriotic. I will show that in both potential grounds for reproach, they school was unable and unjustified in extrapolating ANY logical reason to have done what they did. The two potential grounds are are:

1. If there was a hindering factor to the educational pedagogy that can be linked to the apparel to the students.

2. If the conduct of these student violated any Individual rights, or laws.

First, was there was a hindering factor to the educational pedagogy that can be linked to the apparel to the students? The answer is absolutely not! Some may argue that the American Apparel could have served as a distraction, and therefore could hinder educational progression. This is illogical. Consider this: In every public school in the USA in every classroom, what hangs on the walls, and in front of the school? An American flag! To say that students wearing the exact same symbol could cause a hindering factor in learning, is such a leap of logic that I cant imagine this argument can be justifiably used in defense to the school's despicable actions.

Second, were the actions a violation of individual rights? Again--NO! In fact I would argue that the actions of the school were violating the rights of the individuals. They broke no law, and hurt no-one!

Lets consider, what could have been the motivation of the students to drastically leap to such violent means to promote the American way--and on Cinco de Mayo??? Was it a joke, a legitimate attempt to be patriotic, or maybe was it in malice intent? The fact of the matter is this: The students (whom I see as the real victims) broke no Law, and violated no ones rights! To prove this point I will proceed under the Assumption that the students actions were meant to petition the states endorsement of the Mexican holiday. (which by the way: Even in Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is not a nationally recognised Holiday) Even if this was their motivation, the students were legally still in the right, for Manny reasons. Keep in mind, these reasons are not my fabrications, but legal criteria-- ruled by the supreme court.

1. In wearing the Star-spangled apparel, the students were quiet and passive. They were not disruptive and did not impinge upon the rights of others. In these circumstances, their conduct was within the protection of the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment and the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth.

2. First Amendment rights are available to teachers and students, subject to application in light of the special characteristics of the school environment.

3. A prohibition against expression of opinion, without any evidence that the rule is necessary to avoid substantial interference with school discipline or the rights of others, is not permissible under the First and Fourteenth Amendments.

In the case Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, the Supreme court ruled that: "The First Amendment applied to public schools, and that administrators would have to demonstrate constitutionally valid reasons for any specific regulation of speech in the classroom." However the so called "Valid Reason" for the school to act the way they did was far from logical.

The schools reasoning for their hasty action was that the 5th of May is a day that is dedicated to Mexicans, and they were perfectly fine in wearing their Patriotic cloths on any other day, but on this day it was disrespect full to do so. Needless to say, not only is that reason outrageous, but it is also laughable. However, this reasoning has spread through many Mexican-American students mentality. Many felt that the flag wearing students actions were indeed disrespectful.

Hispanic students claimed that it was their day, and that they wouldn't wear Mexican flags on the fourth of July. Newsflash, its the USA, Every day is a day that we should wear the red-white-and-blue! And to tell you the truth, I could care less if any Hispanic person chose to wear Mexican flags or colors any day, including July 4-th. Because the truth is, People have freedom here (or so I thought) and we here in the USA can wear what we want. We can make statements or protest or show our patriotism. WE CAN BE INDIVIDUALS!!!! And if you, or anyone, Hispanic, white, black or Asian finds offence to this, one of our fundamental rights, then perhaps this nation, and the freedoms that come with it, is not for you.

Because a persons emotional distress in not a reason for what happened in California. Especially because in this case the Hispanic students emotional-offence is attributed to the Unmitigated Temerity of American students to wear 'Old glory' our nations flag on their shirts, In America!

"But hey it was Cinco de Mayo, it was their day"