Utah cancels annual rivalry game with BYU for 2016-17

[All State Baseball]

Utah and BYU have been playing each other in basketball since 1909, with only a one-year break in-between due to World War II.

 

That will change in 2016.

 

In a statement, BYU announced that Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak has informed BYU coach Dave Rose that the series will not take place during the 2016-17 season.

 

"I disagree with the decision," Rose said in a news release. "I know our students, our players, our fans and college basketball fans in the intermountain area want to see this long-standing rivalry continue."

 

The decision comes after an incident in this season's game in which BYU guard Nick Emerythrew a punch at Utah guard Brandon Taylor and was ejected. Emery was then also suspended for another game for his actions.

 

 

 

Utah cancels annual rivalry game with BYU for 2016-17 - CBSSports.com

[LRCW]

Seems like an overreaction by the Utah coach.

[UKMustangFan]

How in the world was he only suspended for one game for that? No way he should still be on the team.

[Wireman]

A lot of overreaction by everyone. Definitely nothing to cancel the series over.

[gchs_uk9]

A lot of overreaction by everyone. Definitely nothing to cancel the series over.

 

I think, deep down, Utah considers themselves above BYU since they've moved to the Pac-12. They've already dropped the football series (at least from an annual basis) and this seems like a ready-made excuse to drop basketball.

[Clyde]

Here's how fraudulent BYU is. This kid gets a one-game suspension for this egregious act.

 

They had a player a few years ago that had to miss most of the season for having a female in his dorm room.

[mcpapa]

Here's how fraudulent BYU is. This kid gets a one-game suspension for this egregious act.

 

They had a player a few years ago that had to miss most of the season for having a female in his dorm room.

 

If he had been married and had his four wives in the room, probably a non-issue.

[Wireman]

I love that people act like this player should be sentenced to 10-20 years I prison for hitting an opposing player in the face. Geez.

[Clyde]

I love that people act like this player should be sentenced to 10-20 years I prison for hitting an opposing player in the face. Geez.

 

One game is light but your overall point is correct. My issue is that they have an "honor code" that doesn't take this type of incident into account.

[NKYknowitall]

One game is light but your overall point is correct. My issue is that they have an "honor code" that doesn't take this type of incident into account.

 

To be fair, BYU did suspend the football player after punching that guy from Memphis for only one game. So I can't be too surprised. Do I think it should warrant more than 1 game? yes. But apparently the powers to be at BYU think otherwise.

[UKMustangFan]

I love that people act like this player should be sentenced to 10-20 years I prison for hitting an opposing player in the face. Geez.

 

Disagree. There's no place for what he did in athletics. It's not like it was the heat of a tie up or they were fighting for a loose ball. He deliberately wound up and punched the kid in the face.

[Wireman]

Disagree. There's no place for what he did in athletics. It's not like it was the heat of a tie up or they were fighting for a loose ball. He deliberately wound up and punched the kid in the face.

 

Who knows what happened prior to this? Basketball is a contact sport and some times it's dirty. I've done way worse in the middle of a game and I'm not ashamed to admit it.

[UKMustangFan]

Who knows what happened prior to this? Basketball is a contact sport and some times it's dirty. I've done way worse in the middle of a game and I'm not ashamed to admit it.

 

You've done worse than punch someone in the face during a basketball game?

[Wireman]

You've done worse than punch someone in the face during a basketball game?

 

Yep, I sure have. I never got dirty first though. If you did something dirty to me, you could guarantee it was coming back at you though. That was just the nature of the game when I played.

[ggclfan]

Weak by Utah IMO. You know their fans would rather play BYU more than ANY other team they replace them with. I wonder if the Utah governor may get involved here...