Lavell era is because there was no twitter, facebook or instagram.
We gotta stop comparing the eras like we do. Do you think if there was no social media today we would know about 90% of this stuff?
I remember Ronny Jenkins announcing to the tribune that he hated byu because they punished him for doing "natural stuff" like having indiscriminate sex with any woman he wanted. I heard an interview with him recently on criddle (also something that didn't exist back then) and he said he is over it and loves what byu taught him value wise. But it took 10 years or more to get there.
Bob Davis (one of the better linebackers in our history) famously hated byu for multiple reasons - brought a lawsuit against byu.
John Walsh left byu with unhappy feelings.
Just saying - players have a format now that they whine in. I wish they knew how selfish it was to whine in the public formats that they do.
But we really can't compare the two eras. Lavell was much loved, for good reason. But it wasn't 30 years of puff pastries and lollipops. Players hated him too on occasion. We just didn't have the largest sports message board in America to discuss their twitter whinings.