Fans may fill the Internet boards and radio airwaves with their annual trash talk before the CU-CSU game next Saturday. Players on both sides will boil over video bulletin-board material from a television special on The Mtn. network.
But Colorado’s Dan Hawkins and Colorado State’s Steve Fairchild couldn’t be better friends. The two coaches chatted amicably before Friday’s annual CU-CSU kickoff luncheon at the DCPA. They shook hands again crossing paths on the way to the podium. And when the event was over, they made sure to say goodbye to each other.
In Fairchild’s remarks, he said during his time in the NFL he had forgotten what an impact college coaches had on their players’ lives.
“That is why I tremendously respect Dan Hawkins. He’s a tremendous football coach. When I’ve been at events like this, he gets it, like I do.
“There’s no question in this role: winning and losing are very paramount. We’re also here to help our kids be better prepared for society after they go through our programs.”
When it was Hawkins’ turn to speak, he said: “What he said (pointing to Fairchild). . . . Steve’s been awesome. We share a lot of phone calls and texts in the offseason. In rivalries there’s always a lot of hate going on but I have the utmost respect for Steve Fairchild.”
The luncheon drew 800 guests. The clip from The Mtn. (Comcast 411 and HD 948, DirecTV 616-1) showed several former players from each side saying how much they hated the other school. The show will be rebroadcast next week.
No decision on BYU.
BYU has until Tuesday to say if it will seek an independent football course or stay in the MWC through 2011.
