that is when YOU started to notice it, but it has been around a lot longer than your Ute-related attention span. First of all, athletes started doing it back in 03/04 when Urban noticed some fans doing it and told the players to start doing it after big plays/touchdowns. Anecdotal evidence from multiple people (admittedly not iron-clad by any means) puts its use going back into the 80s and, according to one older fan I've spoken with, even the late 70s. As far as your not noticing it until 2008, I'd say "if a Ute throws up the U and no cougar cares to notice, does it still set a precedent?" I say yes.