The football game caused me just as much anguish as it did for the other fans in the stands, on their couches at home or checking the score religiously on ESPN’s Score Center smartphone app.
I groaned when it was time to groan. I cheered when it was time to cheer. I groaned again when there was no other option but to groan and cry and groan.
I, like you, am extremely disappointed we couldn’t pull out a win against the University of Utah, but let me tell you this — the men on the field feel it more.
I know you think this game affected you the most. It ruined your night, destroyed your weekend and made it awfully hard for you to feel the spirit on Sunday.
But it affected the men on the field more.
I know you prayed for the team, plead for the win and promised all of heaven you’d never forget to do your home/visiting teaching again if every member of the U of U team woke up with a sprained ankle or worse.
But the men on the field prayed more.
You, like my husband, painted yourself blue from head to neck and shoulders to hands in preparation for the game and left feeling just as blue as your skin.
But the men on the field prepared more.
You left LaVell Edwards Stadium in an angry sulk. Maybe you left early, or maybe you stayed the whole time, but either way you swore your revenge — slandering the players, insulting the coaches and most of all defaming the fans in red.
But, and I promise you this, the men on the field were angrier.
They didn’t want to lose. Contrary to what you may have said Saturday night, they didn’t drop the ball because they felt the Utes deserved a chance to win.
They tried, they fought.
Now, I have faith in my team. I stuck it out to the end, kept hoping it’d be the most exciting second half, the most exciting final quarter.
Yeah, I was disappointed.
Yeah, it stunk.
But I don’t think that’s a reason to abandon my team.
I saw fans pour out of the stadium five minutes into the second half.
I saw more fans pour out in the final quarter.
By the end of the game I’d bet there were more Ute fans in LaVell Edward Stadium than Cougs.
What a terrible thing.
How can we expect our football team to rally us if we don’t first stand and rally them.
Do you think it helped our players to watch their “loyal” fans abandon them at the first sign of grief?
Do you think it helped them to hear the Ute fans more than us?
I once read a statement from an opposing coach about our stadium. He said it was so hard to play in because the fans were so loud.
I don’t think the Utes had that problem.
I admit I was a far stretch from a perfect fan. I had my share of exasperated sighs. I had my share of half-hearted cheers. I even found myself off my feet far more than their needed rest.
Saturday’s game is in the past — there’s nothing we can do whether we want to or not.
We can’t go back and cheer more just like our team can’t go back and catch more.
But there’s always next game. There’s always our opportunity to show UCF what we, as fans, can do.
And, if we prove ourselves as fans — show the men on the field we support them no matter what — I’m sure the men on the field will prove themselves.
That’s just how it works, we work together to make each other better.
Allie McCoy is the opinion editor for The Daily Universe. This viewpoint represents her opinion and not necessarily that of The Daily Universe, BYU, its administration or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
