The Game

Saturday started out as a bad day so I wasn't surprised that ended the same way. I woke up at about 11 a.m. (Lazy I know, but one has to be rested for a day of tailgating and football) only to be disappointed by the rain outside. I stayed positive nonetheless.
Driving up to tailgate my attitude about the day immediately changed. I saw that there were not just a few tailgaters but a large group of hardcore fans that were willing to tough it out in the rain. I couldn't help but smile and have a sudden increase in pride for my school. But that would all change soon.....
At kickoff I had my second big upset aside from the weather. Our classmate and my good friend Jake Gaebler would be sidelined due to injury but I remained positive. The game definitely didn't encourage me any. We were beat from the word go. It felt like we were the better team but for some unknown reason we were being out played. I couldn't explain the loss but it did remind me of how I felt when I was playing and we lost. To make it worse, it was to a 1aa school. many would say that it was a gimmie game, but don't be fooled. They were an exceptional 1aa school but all excuses aside, we should have won.
However, all the emotions from the game couldn't even come close to the emotions I felt towards the fans sitting next to me in the stands. I can't even begin to describe the resentment I have towards fans that are ignorant, obnoxious and embarrassing.
I'm not trying to say that a fan should just sit there quietly without any emotional attachment to the game, but when fans are cheering for the other team when they score, chanting, "Fire Elson!" or putting down teammates and more importantly friends of mine I get upset. There was a grown man doing most of this with two kids. What kind of role model was he trying to be for his children? "Hey act like you like this team but when they do bad make sure and say things to make them feel terrible. Never mind the fact that they are college athletes that can do things your father never could athletically but make sure and sit up here and make fun of them it brings them to your level. Trust me son, your team will respond to this kind of treatment"
I was inclined to start a chant, "Fire your dad," but I refrained.
How could a grown man act this way, so negative? You would think that he wasn't hugged enough as a kid and for cheap fun he goes to college football games and makes fun of teenagers and young adults. And I'm sure he knows the game, I mean he did buy NCAA 09 Football for his kid and with Corso's help probably put on a clinic, beating his son and telling him he sucks and should be fired.
Basically what I am trying to say is that I can tolerate my team losing 100 times to a sub-talented team before I could sit and listen to fans that are nothing but posers. No matter how bad your team is doing, you should have the respect for them and yourself to at least fake that you still support them (fake it until you make it). Instead I see these parents at games dogging the players, but on family day they are first in line with their kids to get autographs.
"If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all." That should be the motto of every true fan.
Or for most of our fans, "If you don't have anything smart to say, don't say anything at all!"
Either way, Saturday gave me a view from the other side or the fence, and it sucked to be honest.
The WKU football team may win/lose every game from this point on, but they have my full commitment either way.

P.S
I might drive to that guys work today, go up in his office and start a chant, "Fire Steve! He sucks!" If anyone wants to ride with me. I'm going to take his kids so they can see how his father reacts under pressure.