So long, Kurt Kragthorpe

I always thought he did a good job. He told ESPN 700 he’s retiring after the Alamo Bowl and will write freelance articles about golf from now on, with occasional guest pieces on other sports.

Another sign of the upcoming changing of the guard. He did a good job as the beat reporter for the last year and a half.

Hope he enjoys his semi-retirement.

3 Likes

I’ve met him on a couple of occasions and he seems like a good guy. I’ve never understood the whining that he writes unfairly about the Utes and is a Zoob at heart, but then I don’t always need to have sunshine blown up my skirt either.

6 Likes

Good for him. Best wishes, Kurt.

1 Like

He was solid. He will he missed.

1 Like

When is Gordon Monson going to retire.

3 Likes

Whenever it happens it won’t be soon enough.

1 Like

I’m actually really happy to hear this news. He always brought a Zoob connection to his articles. It was not enough to just cover the UTES without bringing in some lame comparison with Zoob history. I thought it was strange.

I realize I’m wearing red colored glasses. Kurt got better as his time covering the UTES increased, but, man, I was sick of him. Maybe his replacement will be worse, but I don’t care.

2 Likes

It’s the Trib. His replacement will be worse.

I’ve only paid attention to him during the last two seasons, so my perspective is limited.

I’m happy to see him go too. He always seemed to find some negative fact that he could base his article on. I think that he earned his nickname.

Today’s Trib article contains a perfect example of what I am talking about:

“Texas has gone 3-7 vs. rival Oklahoma, while losing twice to BYU and suffering embarrassing defeats in the Big 12.”

What the hell do the BYU losses have to do with the over-all mediocrity Texas has drifted into during that past 10 years? Those losses aren’t the worst Texas has had, and they don’t really play into the conversation, since conference losses and rivalries as so much more critical. But, no, Kragthorpe has to find a way to include BYU into the conversation. The unstated words are, “BYU beat Texas, so let’s see what Utah can do.” If Utah does lose in the Alamo Bowl, rest assured Kragthorpe will find a way to bring up BYU again.

I like the basic overview of the Texas program. But why bring BYU into the mix?

My conclusion is that he is a Zoob through and through. As a professional journalist, he has given the UTES some good coverage. But his heart is in Provo. No wonder he quit.

6 Likes

Why list BYU? They weren’t the worst losses.

No. There’s something more sinister going on.

Sinister? No. Bias, yes.

Not to beat a dead horse . . . oh, well, yes, to beat a dead horse.

In an article titled, “Utes seek a top 10 ranking in a win over Texas in the Alamo Bowl,” Kragthorpe includes the following at the end of his summary of the Utes season,

" About the Utes: Utah is 5-1 in bowl games as a Pac-12 member, including a 30-14 win over the Big 12′s West Virginia in the 2017 Heart of Dallas Bowl. … Zack Moss has rushed for 1,359 yards and needs 161 yards to break John White’s school season record, set in 2011. … The 2019 Utes have posted the third-most wins in school history and can equal the win total of the 2004 team (12-0). … Utah’s 2020 season opener is in September vs. BYU at Rice-Eccles Stadium."

What the hell? What is this sentence about BYU in 2020 doing in this article? Such a head scratcher.

Actually, it is totally predictable. Kragthorpe simply cannot help putting in some line about BYU in an article about the UTES.

He worked for the Provo Daily Herald for a few years. Maybe that experience left a BYU imprint on him.

Anyone who covers the Utes beat moving forward should be an outsider who doesn’t care about BYU or the rivalry.

The one who really shouldn’t get near anything to do with the Utes is Jody Gennessy at the Des News.

1 Like