Incriminating Silence

That's the feel I got when seeing the lack of posts on this blog since our season opening win.

But I've sorted it all out.

When you love a team to the point of fully invested fanaticism it's easy to hurt when your team is struggling. And before we get into a debate of wether it's worth it to be "hurt" over something as silly as football, I'd like to define where the hurt lies.

A BYU win is not a reflection on me. A BYU loss is not a reflection on me. I'm not the guy on the field busting my ass, bleeding, exhausted and covered in bruises. I'm not the guy on the sideline who's studied the schemes of an opposing team, who's evaluated my guys based on the knowledge of working with them day in and day out, gaining insight into different players work ethics and courage.

I'm the guy that sits in the stands sipping on a caffeine free Diet Coke. At times I hear fellow cougar"fans" within the stadium abrasively tear apart our head coach and players with such brilliant insights as, "It's so simple, all they need to do is (fill in the blank)", all while sipping on their caffeine free Diet Coke.

That's where it hurts.

I've been going to BYU football games quite literally since I can remember. So many good memories come from sweating out miraculous wins and losses and outright thumpings with my best friend, dad, uncle, brothers and brother in law. Each year the names on the jerseys change but my view is still that of a boy watching his heroes battle it out in front of 70 thousand.

When I hear fair weather fans calling for the heads of Bronco and his players it drives me nuts! How spineless to abandon "your team" at the first sign of trouble. Why boo "your team" when they're already down? I believe these rat-finks do so because they actually see wins and losses as a direct reflection on them. They want to take credit for all of the off-season training and the countless hours our guys spend in the film room. But the moment trials present themselves they distant themselves from any blemish and demand perfection restored.

In the grand scheme of things, football is low on the list of priorities. I do not believe it wise to become obsessed to the point where our lives are out of balance, but, being a fan, and loving a team gives us opportunities to experience and witness the highs and lows of life's drama within a four hour spectrum of life; suffering through a one-sided blowout, holding our collective breath on a 4th and 18, peeking through gated fingers as we watch our defense hold steady on a crucial 3rd down. Being a fan allows us to test our character against those things we claim to believe, especially if you wholeheartedly believe in the life philosophies that team boldly teaches.

There are too many people out there eager to jump on the hate-train aimed at BYU. Too many bitter souls who take delight in a BYU loss. They, like fair weather fans, see a win over BYU as a personal win for them. These people feed on sour emotions from those of us who root for BYU even in the down times. Their hate may be because of the LDS affiliation, or it may be rooted in the sound beatings we've handed out for decades. Regardless of their motivations, it's time for the real fans to buck up, pay our dues, and take our lumps along with the team by supporting them through difficult times.

Is this a life and death situation? No. But will it give insight to the make-up of our character? Yes. Is this a self-righteous post.

Hell yes.

I'll end with a quote from Teddy, who nicely sums up what it is to believe in yourself, and in your compatriots.

"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."

Go Cougs!