I know that the Wyoming game and controversy about Wyoming fans is now a bit outdated, but, wanted to share my experience in interacting with fans wearing blatantly offensive shirts.

Background: I’d never been to a game in Laramie, but, had seen many on TV and considered it sort of an iconic place in WAC/MWC/BYU lore. I wanted to experience an away game known for hostile crowd. (have only been to USU game and no Utah games.)
I was impressed with the Laramie campus. Thought it was beautiful. I liked how their new buildings incorporate the old architecture and even building materials that emulate the older buildings.

As we walked towards campus and across campus, we got a few “BYU Sucks” yells as people drove or walked past us. Not a lot different than my USU/Logan experience.

Got a visual punch in the gut with the first “F…BYU/F…the Mormons” shirts. Didn’t expect it as it had been 15 years since we’d played there. Anyway, I tamped down my ire and decided I was going to confront this phenomenon in a way that would be unexpected by Wyoming fans. Here’s what I experienced:

Contact 1.
Mid 20’s young man with large print “F…BYU” shirt. He glanced at the three of us (me, my son and his old roommate. My son is about 6’ 210 of solid muscle, so, didn’t feel I would be threatened much during the day.) Guy made eye contact with us. My son’s friend said “nice shirt”.
Him: “Ya, too bad. Deal with it”.
Friend: “no biggie. If you’re cool with it, then, nice shirt”
Him: ‘Loser”
Me: “No worries. Have a great afternoon. Win or lose, your shirt will always tell people how you feel”

Contact 2.
Taking pictures on the east side of the stadium near a tailgate tent with about 15 people all wearing some type of anti-BYU shirt.
We posed for a pic with the three of us. A Wyo fan walking by photo bombed and came over and joined us. I grabbed him and pulled him into the pic and put my arm around him. Shook his hand as he walked away and said “that’s a keeper”

Contact 3
As we stood and just looked at the stadium, a guy about 6’4” looked at me and raise his arm straight up and flipped the bird. I put on an exaggerated smile and waved to him, then, started walking towards him.

Me: “Hey, I figured you wanted to talk to me. So, here I am”
Him: “Why the F… would I want to talk to you?”
Me (smiling): “Why not? Let’s call it research.” I extended my hand to shake his.
Him: (Shaking my hand and looking a bit awkward and speaking in a hushed tone) “I’m not a Wyoming grad. I’m from Michigan. I went to MSU”.
Me: “Sparty!!! Hey, you know the Landshark Bar?” (A well-known bar in East Lansing)
Him: “Of course.”
Me: “My friend is one of the owners!”

We spent the next 2-3 minutes talking about the bar, MSU campus, MSU/Michigan rivalry. A few of his party mates started looking at him with this “What are you doing talking to this BYU guy??!!”

I talked to a couple of them. Said that in spite of their shirts being from 2009 they still fit. Got a few snarky remarks, but, I shook their hands anyway and walked away. Mr. bird flipper shook my hand and said (seemingly sincere) “Thanks for talking to me. It really was good”

Contact 4
Guy walks up to the three of us.
Him: “I hear its ugly shirt day”
Me (with a smile”: “yes, and, I think you win.”
Him: “Now, that’s not nice. Is that the way a priesthood holder talks to people?”
Me: “No judgement. Just my opinion. My shirt is nicer than yours. But, wear yours with pride. This is your stadium, your home. You do you”.
Him: “Well thanks”
Me: “Hey, just know this. Before I’m a BYU fan, I’m an American. I’m standing in a stadium built to honor those who fought in wars to protect our country. I’m surrounded today by a bunch of patriotic Americans. Nothing bad about that. At the end of the game, that is more important”
Him: “Amen. You opened my eyes. You’re right. Have a safe trip home”

Contact 5
An elderly couple walks towards us while navigating through a crowd of WYO fans. They’re walking super slow, the lady has her arms full of bags and blankets and is holding her husband’s arm. (He’s using a cane.) I walk over to them and in front of those fans, ask her if I can help her carry her stuff so she can hold onto her husband. All the WYO fans just stood there looking at me as if I was going to try to steal their stuff.

Contact 6
Walking to my seat, I passed in front of the handicapped seats. A man weighing about a buck fifty was trying to help this 250 lb. guy get from his wheelchair to his seat. I quick-stepped it over to them and helped lift the guy into his seat. This was in front of a group of about 10 WYO fans with “F BYU shirts on” sitting in the row right behind the handicapped seating.

Guys, we can build bridges. I’m sure lots of those people still cussed me after all those interactions. I don’t care. Let them. I wanted to be bigger than that animosity.

I’m not trying to win sainthood by sharing. I think that we can make some inroads to close the gap of sentiment with all opponents. I think we can practice what we do at our home games on the road as well. I know it is a bit hard to gin up the courage to do things like this, but, many of us have done similarly hard things as missionaries or in work environments, etc.

I encourage you to reach out to fans from opposing teams whether at home games or away games.

PS.... Not sure I would have tried nor wanted to try this at a Utah/BYU game. I doubt I could be so kind. But, I'm working in it.