This might be long...

While in the mission field my companion and I would have times walking where we drifted into a conversation about our favorite topic: BYU Sports. Often we would get into a discussion which went something to the effect of "if you have the all-time BYU team in [fill in the blank sport] then you would have an awesome team that could compete for the title in [fill in the blank sport]!"

We would talk about one legend after another together at the same time - and in the process showing all of those "heathen schools" how the Mormons played sports. Yeah baby! We would rock!

This became a familiar theme as I looked over our basketball teams over the years. There were the seasons where we would have the Rafael Araujo type of big body that dominated the paint, or the legendary Seasons of Jimmer where the world was his oyster, as well as the seasons here and there where we had amazing wing players of the likes of Devin Durrant, Kresimir Cosic, Michael Smith, or Jeff Chatman and a great point guard here and there. But one thing was clear: we have only once had a team in the modern era (post 1960's) that put all phases of a great team together - and that was the Danny Ainge led 1981 team.

It hardly ever seems to happen at BYU that we have a great team let alone a great team that performs above themselves. We have seasons of dominating post play (not enough of these), great wing players, and once in a while a guard line who will amaze and lift the entire team around them. But all too frequently we have one of the above and weaknesses in the other two.

This season is another in a long string of other BYU seasons. I shouldn't be surprised. I was, I will admit, that after starting out so well and competing well against Gonzaga at home I thought we had enough of two of what I think are important (great guard play and enough wing dominance), but the post play either offensively or defensively hasn't been enough to overcome the other problem we have right now which is poor shooting from the 3. This season is mostly on par with much of what BYU basketball is: a nice team with guys you want to root for but reality of their general lack of athleticism and game performance makes you cringe at times and cheer at others. There just aren't enough Jimmers, Ainges, Shawn Bradleys, or Araujos out there that can keep BYU relevant in basketball except for a season or two here and there.

Does that mean I wont follow BYU Basketball? No but its hard to be a fan. I love BYU. I love most of the coaches that have come through. I just know we cant get the top LDS talent consistently. How do I know this? Sure some of it is anecdotal. There are the Madsens and Burgesses but I point to Jabari Parker. A great coach in Dave Rose cant inspire Jabari to come for one season before heading to the NBA?

What following BYU means is that I am going to have to suffer through losses like Saturday afternoon in which we had no business losing to a team that isn't that good. Yet, as they have done with other teams, BYU made San Diego look like an NCAA tourney team.

Will I be proven wrong in time? I would hope so. Yet, there is nothing I have seen to show me I am wrong. Senior Season Jimmer? Close but no Davies. Maybe a season or two with a future Michael Smith clone? Not enough post defense or point guard play.

I am happy that we have a coach to be proud of and guys that give 100% but I am certainly not thinking we have a final four team anytime soon. We just don't have enough of the great LDS players at BYU at the same time to take us to the higher level.