Suck It Up

[oldguystudent]

Alright, I've got to get on my soapbox here for a second. There's a LOT of sad sack "so it goes with our program" posts on here. You want that shiny new stadium? You've got to support and believe in the program. Support brings enthusiasm, enthusiasm brings consistent attendance, consistent attendance brings dollars, dollars talk and the excrement of livestock walks. Dollars bring solid university commitment to the program. And THAT will bring us a new stadium and a solid recruiting program. This fatalistic view of misfortune being a matter of course isn't going to accomplish anything.

As an undergrad, I had season tickets to basketball for all four years. I saw ONE, count 'em ONE win. But I believed then, as I do now, that it was my duty to support the athletic program (I was a serious "athletic supporter!"). In exchange for my allegiance, I got to know the AD on a first name basis and bitched at him frequently that if he didn't want us to be the laughing stock of the NCAA, he'd better start thinking about putting some support in the program. The AD eventually hired a competent basketball coach, which brought us two conference championships, and resurrected what is now a nationally prominent baseball program. He did this while staying within Title IX constraints. Dan Guerrero left UCI for UCLA a few years ago, but we're still in touch, and he still supports the growth of Irvine sports.

I'm obviously giving myself waaayyyyy too much credit for the turnaround. However, I think that if we few students who actually gave a crap had taken on a fatalistic view, the message would never have gotten across to the AD that students did care and that they were going to stick it out thick and thin.

The UNT football team has, well, a LOT of room for improvement. But I'll be there for all the home games, I'll suffer through the losses, but I'll never accept that this is a perpetual given.

[oldguystudent]

I suppose that before anybody kills me, I should make it clear that my post has been sponsored and fueled by the fine people at the Miller brewing company -- the company that is the cause of, and solution to, all my problems.

[Green P1]

I suppose that before anybody kills me, I should make it clear that my post has been sponsored and fueled by the fine people at the Miller brewing company -- the company that is the cause of, and solution to, all my problems.

Dr. B???????