SALT LAKE CITY — University of Utah athletic director Mark Harlan got help from an unexpected source while moving into new territory.
To clarify, that's new territory on a couple of levels for him — to a new home in the Salt Lake City area this week and to his first full-fledged foray into the wild and wacky sports rivalry between Utah and BYU.
Harlan was a good sport about what appeared to be a joke played on him by someone who works for the moving company. He humorously documented the unexpected moving source on social media Thursday.
"Today's a great day for the Harlans," he wrote, adding, "....but not sure we're off to a great start. (flushed face emoji)"
The reason?
The truck moving his family's belongings looked like it came straight from BYU. The cab had dark blue paint and two Y logos on the passenger side along with the words "GO COUGARS!"
Both the Utes and Cougars have games against other opponents Saturday — Utah's at Colorado; BYU's hosting New Mexico State — but the responses to his tweet gave Dr. Chris Hill's replacement a taste of what this rivalry is all about.
(And, sorry Ute fans who are claiming it's not a rivalry, that's a statement rivals say to try to get under the skin of their ... rivals. You don't get to end a rivalry, especially on an emotional level, just because you're no longer in the same conference as your ... rivals.)
Some reactions to Harlan's tweet:
"Rivalry prank by @TomHolmoe? Haha," BYU fan Cameron Felt wrote. "Welcome to the best rivalry in college sports!!"
@UteBeliever responded with a "No, not really" GIF and Ute fan Tom Cella added, "Used to be a rivalry. Hasn’t been in years. Probably will never be again. At a certain point you just pat your little bro on the head and send him on his way to preschool. ... BYU is irrelevant now. None of the youth care about them. Most of their fans don’t even care anymore. The church would be wise to cancel all sports and instead focus on trying to get people to join through other means."
Others had more light-hearted responses.
"Lol, well done coug nation," SoJoUte wrote. "If anything, though, Mark, you should feel confident that you are in good hands...these guys have been delivering 'wins' to your office doorstep for years."
"I'm surprised the truck was able to finish the drive and get to the house," Jeff Dart wrote. In a similar vein, another Ute fan chimed in, "Just keep your fingers crossed that that truck is better at moving stuff than BYU’s offense."
"Glad we could help with your move in," BYU fan Adam Parker tweeted. "Your local Elders Quorum should be by shortly too."
One Utah supporter shared his vision for the future of BYU's current QB: "When Zach Wilson transfers to Utah next year this truck can deliver him."
And the jokes continued.
"Did you use Groupon to book your moving service? That might explain it."
"Hmm, good to see Lenny Gomes is gainfully employed."
"Hope you got the insurance."
"What moving company do you use? They've just earned a customer for life!"
"Utah trucks always break down in November."
UMass athletic director Ryan Bamford even got a kick of out of it, tweeting to Harlan, "Priceless."
SALT LOB CITY
ESPN writer Zach Lowe took a closer look at Rudy Gobert's dunks and the lobs that Joe Ingles tosses him that make many of them possible.
"Joe Ingles is the NBA's ultimate risk-reward test. He has coughed it up on 17 percent of his pick-and-rolls, one of the five highest figures in the league, per Second Spectrum," Lowe explained. "But Ingles' ambition — basketball bravery, really — turns teensy advantages into easy buckets. ... The margin for error on that straight-on, arc-to-rim lob is close to zero. Ingles coughs the ball up a fair bit, but his daring reveals easy looks that would not exist otherwise. The payoff is worth it."
Lowe noted that Gobert is averaging 4.2 dunks this year, which is up from 2.7 last season.
"Good thing," he added, "because Utah can't shoot from anywhere else right now."
Defensively, Lowe reported that Gobert is "looking spry" and has been a one-man defense.
"Only 28 percent of opponent shots have come in the restricted area with Gobert on the floor, compared to 37 percent when he sits — one of the largest differentials in the league."
WEEKEND UPDATE
Friday, Nov. 16
- NBA: Jazz at 76ers, 5 p.m.
- ECHL: Grizzlies vs. Indy, 7 p.m.
- Women’s basketball: Dixie State vs. Western Oregon, 5 p.m. (DSU tournament)
- Women’s basketball: Snow at Casper, 7:30 p.m. (Pizza Hut Invitational)
- Men’s soccer: Division II third round
- Women’s soccer: Division II third round
- Volleyball: Utah at Oregon State
- Volleyball: Division II regionals
- Prep football championships at Rice-Eccles Stadium:
- 4A: Dixie vs. Orem, 11 a.m.
- 5A: Corner Canyon vs. Skyridge, 6 p.m.
- 6A: American Fork vs. Lone Peak, 2:30 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 17
- NBA: Jazz at Celtics, 5:30 p.m.
- College football: Utah at Colorado, 11:30 a.m. (Pac-12 Network)
- College football: BYU vs. New Mexico State, 8:15 p.m. (ESPN2)
- College football: Utah State at Colorado State, noon (ATSN)
- College football: Weber State at Idaho State, 2:30 p.m.
- College football: SUU at Cal Poly, 5 p.m.
- ECHL: Grizzlies vs. Indy, 7 p.m.
- Women’s basketball: BYU vs. EWU, 2 p.m.
- Women’s basketball: Dixie State vs. Saint Martin’s, 1 p.m. (DSU tournament)
- Women’s basketball: Snow vs. Northeastern JC, 1 p.m., at Casper, Wyo. (Pizza Hut Invitational)
- Volleyball: BYU at Pacific, 1 p.m.
- Volleyball: Utah State at Air Force, 2 p.m.
- Volleyball: UVU vs. Grand Canyon, 1 p.m.
- Volleyball: Weber State vs. Montana State, 7 p.m.
- Volleyball: SUU at Idaho, 8 p.m.
- Volleyball: Division II regionals
- Cross country: NCAA championships, at Madison, Wis.
- Cross country: Division II region championships, at Denver
- Wrestling: UVU at Northern Illinois and vs. Clarion/Tiffin (NIU Duals)
Sunday, Nov. 18
- G League: Stars at South Bay, 6 p.m.
- Men’s soccer: Division II quarterfinals
- Women’s soccer: Division II quarterfinals
- Wrestling: UVU at Wisconsin