but there was something very personal about it among a segment of what seemed to be local fans (including older people).

I always assumed it had something to do with the fact that Daniel started playing HS basketball in Provo...then moved to CA as an upperclassman where he became 2nd team all-state (not merely all-CIF, mind you). He was a BIG recruiting coup for Cleveland; he had a lot of Pac offers, among others.

As for Bobick's persona — yes, he had a bit of an ego, sure--but a LOT of locals from day one really liked to see him either failing or unhappy, it seemed. And there was ALWAYS bitter comparisons it seemed between he & Travis Hansen (a local kid, of course).

For the record, I'm from back East, & have no Utah or pioneer bloodlines. Nor connections to Daniel Bobick, his family, or their friends. Zilch. My folks are both converts. But I was a student at the time & attended just about every home game in that time period (I even attended nearly all of Reid's final season games). So I do have a certain amount of credibility when I say that there was something very petty & weird about that whole thing. And I'm talking BEFORE Bobick transferred. (Honestly, I don't blame him one bit for wanting out; for whatever reason, folks in Provo really did not like him.)

I do know at the time that MANY locals were still upset by Roger Reid's firing, so I have wondered if some of those ill feelings directed at Bobick didn't have at least some basis in the politics of that rather fresh & hurtful chapter of the program. As petty as Provo & BYU can still be at times, overall I think things have gotten much better --& less insular-- in that last 20 years. (I can't believe it's been that long.)