My wife and I took a vacation in ‘75 to my home town of Deadwood, SD. In the way back, we stopped at Brigham Young. I wasn’t a member at that time but I was looking at going back to school. I had been accepted at San Jose St. But, when I saw the well groomed students and no smoking, especially around the P.E. areas like the track, I said to my wife I’d like to go to school here.
People do watch us. They know BYU is a Church school. Those who believe the outward appearance doesn’t somehow often reflect the inward soul are sadly mistaken. We aren’t talking about the less fortunate street people who may look unclean. Rebellion with kids usually starts about at 12 years of age and manifests with their hair. Especially boys. But, this may continue well into their adult life. While a mustache may not show rebellion, long hair and strange hair cuts with dying of hair usually shows an enternal rebellion worth watching. It’s not nothing.
We are here to learn to control our bodies, parts and passions. I think it can help many who are struggling to be well groomed and work on the rebellion within. The HC made sense to me when I saw BYU for the first time. Still does today 
Hopper, you are ever so slowly seeing the light in these areas … stay up with Jim and you will eventually get over the hump!
I learned why the conversion has been so slow for you and it makes me realize just how much where you are from influences the way you look at things! Deadwood SD! Anyone who grew up in Deadwood has to be given a pass for their ideas until they have time to gain traction in the outside world! 
I said Deadwood was my home town. I didn’t say I grew up there. We left there right before my 7th birthday. We spent 1 year in Scottsdale, Arizona. Moved to California on my 8th birthday and grew up here. I came to BYU when I was 23 for 3 years. So, you were saying?
Deadwood was a great place to be a kid.
I gave you perspective from what nonmembers see from a clean cut environment at BYU. I have no problem with it.
I am just joking with you. Don’t get bent out of shape! I am sure Deadwood was a great small town, Hopper!
Don’t forget that he is still the “hopper” and prone to get hopping mad at the drop of a hat! 
Good points, hence my ideas on BYU playing in a conference like the American Athletic Conference, a top G-5 league. I still believe that BYU can get into the AAC for football and basketball and maybe volleyball and play schools with good standards like Navy, Cincinnati, SMC and perhaps others in thet league. P-5 is an insiders club meant for sports power only. BYU stands for much more than P-5 sports standards.
I’m open to ideas.
Could we create a new conference that is a better fit? As in schools with a national presence and several non football teams?
Headliners that are malcontent in their conference, Religious schools, Service academies, and a few premier basketball schools with no or poor football? The big 12 could still blow up and we could position ourselves well.
Notre dame, Texas, USC, BYU, TCU, Kansas, Navy, Air force, Army, Gonzaga UConn Boise st
That’s 12. It would give us a lot of exposure. And if the Big 12 combusts, which it might. This is possible.
Maybe it’s a bad idea, but I’m for creating ideas in quantity to find quality.