There are things you see as a kid that you can’t unsee, no matter how hard you try. Jerry Pimm’s red plaid jacket is one of those things.
The mid-’70s fashion world had to shudder each time the Utah basketball coach slipped that coat on and strolled into a BYU-Utah rivalry game.
The fact that Pimm had teams that were difficult for the Cougars to defeat didn’t make it any better — and maybe that’s why his attire left such a lasting impression.
But that’s how I was introduced as a young fan to the North-South conflict, and each decade has delivered a memorable sparring session, on and off the court.
There was Buster Matheney vs. Jay Cheesman in the ’70s.
Danny Ainge vs. Danny Vranes in the early ’80s.
Rick Majerus vs. Roger Reid in the ’90s.
Jimmer Fredette vs. all the Utes between 2007-2011.
Nick Emery vs. Larry Krystkowiak in 2016.
And last year, Utah’s Keba Keita helped his team beat BYU 73-69 before joining the Cougars during the offseason.
Keita’s return to the Huntsman Center on Saturday (7 p.m. MST, ESPN+) along with former Utah assistant coach Chris Burgess, who joined Kevin Young’s staff shortly before Keita did, adds a little spice to the 265th rivalry game.
In addition, the game will get some flavor from Caleb Lohner, a former Cougar forward turned Baylor forward turned Utah tight end turned Utah forward, who will face a few of his former teammates.
A jolt of energy in the Huntsman Center will also come from a mixed crowd. The Utes are No. 11 in attendance in the Big 12, averaging 7,020 in their 15,000-seat arena. That will open the door for BYU fans who own the top spot in the conference averaging 16,964 per game in the Marriott Center.
Saturday will also be the first time BYU (11-5, 2-3) and Utah (10-6, 2-3) contend in a conference game setting in Salt Lake City since Fredette put 47 points on the Utes in a 104-79 victory in 2011. The eventual National Player of the Year ended the first half by burying a half-court heave that was celebrated by a thunderous roar from the visiting crowd.
The Cougars, who lead the series 134 to 130, will host the rematch with Utah in the regular season finale on March 8 at the Marriott Center.
As if Saturday’s showdown needed any more drama, there is the lingering effects of BYU football’s 22-21 victory at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Nov. 9. This will be the first major get-together since Will Ferrin’s 44-yard game-winning field goal and Utah athletic director Mark Harlan’s postgame rant.
Granted, Saturday is a different sport and on a different day, between two head coaches who have never faced each other and with a pair of teams still searching for an identity. But it remains BYU versus Utah, Blue versus Red, North versus South in a long-awaited conference game — and that’s enough to make it matter.
What the reunion won’t have is a guy on the Utah bench wearing a red plaid jacket — unless Craig Smith gets a crazy idea, which I don’t recommend.
Jerry Pimm’s fashion legacy is memorable enough.
Dave McCann is a sportswriter and columnist for the Deseret News and is a play-by-play announcer and show host for BYUtv/ESPN+. He co-hosts “Y’s Guys” at ysguys.com and is the author of the children’s book “C is for Cougar,” available at deseretbook.com.