A brief look at this and other websites about BYU basketball has led me to the conclusion that a typical BYU basketball fan is one who does all or some of the following:
Marginalize the contributions of the players in spite of the fact that they are some of the best players we have ever had…
Criticize the coach in spite of the fact that he is statistically the best coach the team has ever had.
Inform other posters that they are uneducated about the team in spite of the fact that the average poster’s entire experience with college basketball is marginalizing contributions of players and criticizing the coaching staff.
Complaining that the team, that has been to post season more consecutive times than any team in the state and most teams in the nation, never does the one thing in the post season that the poster thinks they need to do.
Uses obscure, possibly irrelevant statistics to “prove” their opinion about a player, coach or maybe another fan.
Generally whines and complains about something relating to the team.
Claims that the current players will never be as good as ______ past player that happens to be the poster’s favorite.
States authoritatively that X player will never succeed in the NBA because of Y issue in spite of the fact that our team plays in the NCAA and future success in the NBA has minimal impact on ability to succeed in the NCAA. See Jimmer.
I have an interesting idea, why don’t we just cheer for the team regardless of whether they win or lose. Especially at this point of the season, we need to cheer for our team. I figure that we have, at most, 9 more games with this group of seniors, probably a lot less. I will miss them when they are gone. I am enjoying the team’s play. They have overcome a lot of issues including injuries, sickness, youth and WCC referees. They might do some damage in the tournament. They might lose tomorrow and go to the NIT. They might even win the WCC tournament for the first time in the Dave Rose era. I’m enjoying this season of my favorite team playing my favorite sport. Anyone with me?
One of the reasons I don’t post as much here as I used to is the constant negativity. Some of it is understandable but there are a few who manage to snatch a victory on the scoreboard and turn it into a loss in their frenzied state of mind and thus find no pleasure in winning if the team struggles in a game they think they should win in a buzzer to buzzer blowout.
Then there are those who allegedly have all the inside dope due to obscure connections with the AD’s office. Actually there is only one individual who fits that description and the sky is always falling and the athletic program is just one step away from disaster. To a few, on this board, every kid that leaves the program leaves because the coaches are at fault. In the minds of a few the Board of trustees need to get in line with the way the rest of world does things if BYU is ever going to be like Alabama or Kentucky. BYU will never do things the way Alabama and Kentucky do things and if they do they are just selling their soul for a mess of pottage. I want BYU to be a national power but only on BYU’s terms and if they can’t do it on their own terms then I will be happy that they have winning programs in football and basketball with an occasional special season and will always see the glass as half full. BYU actually does very well with the limitations they have on recruiting. I would like to see any other program do as well all things considered. To play for BYU you have to be a real student and live an honor code. At Alabama and Kentucky you have to be able to spell cat if they spot you a C and some rich alumnus will probably pay you well or arrange a nice paying job for you where you probably don’t have to show up for work. I suspect BYU’s illustrious PAC 12 rival the U of U has higher standards. An athlete would have to be able spell cat without any help.
I would like to see BYU in a power 5 conference but only on BYU’s terms. That may never happen and if not so be it. I will still enjoy the program and it will still be competitive, although not a national power. If it is that important to somebody to root for a national power house maybe they should root for somebody else. Alabama will always win in football and Kentucky will always win in basketball and if somebody doesn’t care how what you have to do to win they need to root for all the usual suspects ie; Alabama, Kentucky, USC, Oklahoma, Florida State etc, etc, etc.
Most everything you say is not only a BYU issue but pretty much pertains to fans of every team. I would not try and make it more than it is. I agree that we can be more positive but of the dozen or so fans that post here there are probably a million that do not post and love BYU sports, my wife being one of those and my cousin being another.
The dozen or so that cheer, complain, analyze, vent, theorize, pine for more, etc. are doing nothing that fans elsewhere do not do - want more success. Sometimes it does seem over the top but if you cannot analyze and criticize, then what kind of fan are you? While I hope I do not go over the top I am not just a clapping monkey either. I want to talk about what went right and what went wrong. I want to debate that with others who have different points of view. I want broaden the richness of my game experience. I want to clap, rise, and shout but I want to be more than a cheerleader. I suspect others do also.
So, while I’ll analyze, assess, complain and cheer. I also stay up ridiculous hours to watch games that end at 2 AM Eastern. I rarely miss a game on TV. I’ll search the internet over to find an obscure link if necessary. I’ll go to games whenever possible and bring family. I’ll travel hundreds and even thousands of miles to attend games. I wear BYU attire to include a BYU tie at church after every football win. I’ll even sleep in BYU jimmies on occasion. And at a young 48 years old I’ll do a push up for every point scored in a football game when not actually at the game.
thanks for lending some perspective Gary. I think it helps when you know somebody personally. That is why I feel totally comfortable agreeing with you the majority of the time and disagreeing occasionally. It is the primary reason Gavenman and I can go toe to toe and then watch a game together.
I recognize that I am one of the specific fans that R Black is talking about but I’ll be honest, I have been criticized for my method of being a fan before and I cannot nor will not change.
I love BYU sports, I am passionate about the teams, the players, the coaches and anything that has to do with BYU. Anybody who has posted here for any length of time knows where I stand and how I show my fandom.
I understand that this annoys some people… oh well. And FYI, I will be a young 52 in a matter of months.
Same here. In a sports forum we get to cuss, discuss, rant and cheer. It is cathartic. Is it right or wrong? I don’t know. Maybe I should be reading my scriptures or mowing the lawn or helping my son with Xbox or Calculus some more and not even be here. But I am here. I admit there is a great dose of negativity that perhaps is called for at times but even that is subjective. We have even learned here the WoW is sometimes subjective.
Anyhoo…I agree that on occasion there is stuff that should be below us and I think that was sort of the impetus for the original post.
Great game last night and loved KC getting another TD. I was up until 2am, got 4 hrs sleep and am off to work. Don’t know when the game is tonight but will probably watch every minute. Afternoon’s at work this week will be hard.
I’ll be passing though Ventura next Monday early evening on my way to VAFB and then back to LA on Thursday. Would be great to catch up with you and SG if possible.
Oh, and thanks for not pointing out all my typos in my message. A little dyslexia, some nerve damaged in my left hand and freaking autocorrect combine to throw some of my words off and I don’t catch it before posting. It is a constant battle with humility for me.
I find myself in a similar situation (accept I’m 63 now). Have loved BYU sports for well over 40 years, including even the less followed ones, like volleyball, rugby, soccer, etc. (just can’t get into baseball).
I am trying to get over yelling at the TV, which my wife has made very clear to me doesn’t accomplish anything. I’m almost there on that one. And I have to admit, I’ve never been one to get excited about “a good lose”. I can bear it if it’s obvious that the skill level on the other side is just well beyond us but I’m a bit more vocal when it’s our team that is causing the loss rather than the other side, particularly when we get “stupid” in our play, such as personal dead ball fouls in football or jump passes to no one in B-ball. Play hard and play smart and I’m okay with the rest. Play dumb and/or lazy and my emotions get a bit warm because I just don’t like to see us lose like that.
I consider myself an avid fan and just because I point out some things I sometimes don’t like about what goes on during a game doesn’t change that.
yeah, we rip the team or the coaching when it is obvious, but we also are quick to point out where great play and coaching occurs…now isn’t that what defines us as avid fans?
Sure there are knuckle heads on this board at times but they have a right to post as much as the next guy and you have the right to IGNORE them or call them out. I can handle anything anyone writes here until they get personal and start the name calling, then I ignore the little jerks.
So proud of our Cougs right now. They played their way into the big dance when even a hiccup could have derailed them. Rose is a once in a lifetime coach and our guys are playing inspired ball when it counts.
I thought I might respond to this post from almost a year ago… again. Why? because it is relevant to what is going on again this year.
It certainly seems like that is the case EVERY year and I guess it is just something we have to accept. It is frustrating for sure.
When this current basketball team makes an effort on defense and plays as a team they can beat teams like Gonzaga. It is also frustrating that they always seem to have to be about 10 points better than their opponent in the wcc just to stay even. When they blow a wcc team out it is because they do all those things.
The frustration is not going away any time soon. If they were obviously less skilled it would be one thing, but they are not.
