I know people don't always like what I have to say. But I'm the type who gets more frustrated by poorly reasoned things than by whatever the actual results are.

And BYU, being a private institution, doesn't as easily release data so a lot of grandiose claims get put out there that just aren't supported. I want BYU to succeed, but I don't think we do that by pretending things are way better than they are.

So when people claim that:
1) BYU Academics/Admissions are on par with Stanford, Notre Dame and Vanderbilt

2) BYU draws way more eyes than Utah or any other G5

3) BYU's ESPN contract pays $12-15M annually

Or 4) BYU doesn't take any money from tuition

yeah, I'll absolutely push back on those things. Because we should be realistic about what we praise instead of believing and claiming things that just aren't true, and where there's clear data to show they aren't true.

That said, I've also pushed back on other claims like

1) Zach is doomed to failure because he's on the Jets

2) Utah's 2004 and 2008 seasons were just as meaningful as BYU's 1984

3) BYU didn't deserve the title in 84 and it was clearly the wrong choice in retrospect

4) BYU defense has been a big issue under Sitake/Tuiaki

I'll admit I come off to many as more negative because in an echo chamber like this, the grandiose positive claims are a lot more common than the negative ones, but I'm actually looking to have the most BYU success we can. Just think that's best done by existing in reality