Chris Burgess is going to the hated rival. And you know what? I'm happy for the guy.

Jeff Hansen -

WARNING TO ALL READERS: This is basketball content. Basketball is a game that was invented by Dr. James Naismith. Originally, it consisted of two teams trying to throw a ball into a peach basket. It has since evolved into the game of basketball that you remember from the 90s and the few years that Jimmer played at BYU.

Surprisingly enough, I have confirmed that basketball does, in fact, still exist. Today, we will be talking about a basketball related story.

*Cue the 'Law and Order' sound

The news that we've been expecting for the last few weeks finally broke today: Chris Burgess is a Ute. Again.

The former Duke Blue Devil who broke all our hearts (even if you're not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we're still considering your heart broken so long as you are reading this) has broken the hearts of BYU fans once again. After three years as an assistant coach at BYU, Burgess will return to his post-Duke alma mater to be an assistant coach for Craig Smith and the Utes.

And honestly, I'm happy for the guy.

Remember how cool it was when Kalani Sitake came back to BYU as the head coach? And then he brought a bunch of dudes with him who also had BYU ties? It felt good for fans. It was cool for Kalani and his staff. And overall, it just had a bunch of feel good-ey vibes that made us all happy.

Today (or whenever Utah makes it official... have they already made it official?) Burgess and Utah fans will get to have the same kind of feed good-ey vibes.

Burgess will walk into the Huntsman Center and feel like he is walking back into his glory days. He will be able to tell his players tales of the legendary Rick Majerus and probably a few stories about Crown Burger, too.

That's really cool! And I'm glad he gets to experience that.

Additionally, he gets to coach at the school that his daughter will play out a college volleyball career. That is also very cool and also something that is a really unique opportunity that most people don't get to have.

I mean think about it, you can be in the same buildings and same (or nearby, at least) facilities that your daughter is in while she lives out her dreams? That's every dad's dream.

I'm really happy for Burgess.

I don't really care about the Utah fans who get to feel the feelings of a prodigal son coming back home, but they get to feel that too a little bit. I don't have any ill feelings towards those fans, but I don't really feel anything for them.

But for Burgess? Man, I feel happy.

Now onto some things that I don't feel....

The first thing that I don't feel is the need to sit here and pontificate about whether Burgess made a lateral move or not. Or to ponder about whether the Big 12 is better than the PAC-12 in basketball. Or to nitpick about whether Burgess got a fractional raise or whether BYU got outbid. I feel none of those things. Because none of those things matter.

But in addition to not feeling those things, I feel compelled to make a very important announcement to the BYU (and Utah!) world. (This is where you imagine the Meryl Streep meme where she's yelling who knows what at some Hollywood pat-themselves-on-the-back award show.)

I DON'T FEEL THE NEED TO COMPARE THOSE THINGS BECAUSE THOSE THINGS JUST DON'T MATTER!

Is BYU a better job than Utah? For some people, it absolutely and undoubtedly is. For others? Nope. No way, no how, and no chance on earth would they pick Provo over Salt Lake City.

...it's almost like different things matter to different people? Weird.

Please allow me a moment to take some creative liberty and look to our friends at American Idol to illustrate my point.

If you are heretofore unfamiliar with Kenedi Anderson, take 6:21 to acquaint yourself here.

That adorable 17-year old girl with the voice of a thousand angels is the daughter of former BYU player Justin Anderson. She is also, per Katy Petty and Luke Bryan (my hell how far has American Idol fallen?!?), born to be an absolute superstar. She is one of the most talented singers that the show has ever had.

THIS IS THE SHOW THAT CREATED KELLY CLARKSON! (lol she changed her name to Kelly Brianne and expects us to not still call her Kelly Clarkson? k.)

THIS IS THE SHOW THAT CREATED CARRIE UNDERWOOD!

IT CREATED THAT DAUGHTRY DUDE AND ADAM LAMBERT AND SCOTT MCCREERY AND THE ONE MCPHEE GIRL! NOT TO MENTION THAT OLD DUDE WHO LOOKED LIKE HE WAS SINGING JAZZ HITS AT THE PIANO BAR ON THE WEEKENDS... HICKS SOMETHING!

This show knows stars! And the lovely Ms. Kenedi received a literal fast pass to stardom from the judges. Unbeilevable, right?

Well....

I have zero idea what those personal reasons are. It could be health related. It could be family related. It could be that some other label offered her a mega contract because they saw a clip of her singing on TikTok. I have no earthly idea what the reasons are for her leaving the show, but she is making the decision that she feels is right for her.

And you know what? I'm super happy for her.

There are other people who would kill for what she's walking away from. And if those people get that opportunity, I'll be happy for them too.

But you know what I'm not doing? I'm not running to the Give 'Em Hell, American Idol podcast to have a segment debating whether she made the right decision or not.

Why? Because I don't care. It's her call. And there are so many reasons that a person can make a decision like that.

And such is the same with Burgess and Utah. He is making a move that he feels is right for him.

Is he doing it for more money? Maybe!

Is he doing it because he has a deep, passionate hatred for Mark Pope? I have no idea!

Is he doing it to 'go home' and get back to his roots? If he is, then I applaud him.

But I am not going to waste any of my time (or your time, faithful reader/listener/follower/friend) discussing the hypothetical components to Burgess' decision in the name of RiVAlrY dIsCusSioN.

It just doesn't matter.

If we want to talk about what this means for Dallin Hall, I'm ready to have that conversation.

If we want to talk about Colin Chandler, then I will (reluctantly) listen to you.

Hell, if we want to talk about the future of BYU's basketball recruiting and how much easier/harder it will be to go head-to-head against Utah with Burgess, then I'm willing to have that conversation too.

But I'm not going to sit here and compare the jobs and breakdown every intricate detail of two programs (two high-major, quality programs, by the way... objectively speaking, there isn't a bad choice between BYU or Utah) so that we can come up with a conclusion that some man I don't know made a right or wrong decision.

And neither should you.

Just be happy for the guy, and get excited about the future of BYU hoops. Because no matter what assistant basketball coach Pope decides to bring in, BYU's future is still brighter than it has ever been. And isn't that what BYU fans should actually care about?