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Aggie football fans are truer
than you think
By Kathryn Kemp
October 2, 2006 | There is no question in anyone's
mind that the USU football team is lacking in a few
areas -- like points. But for a team that loses so consistently
and predictably, the Aggies have some pretty loyal fans.
It's hard for anyone to watch a game when the losing
team is losing so much. By the second quarter no one
is watching the game -- they're people watching, they're
flirting with the guy or girl standing in front of them,
they're making plans to go to A&W afterwards. Some are
gone by the third quarter, but give them some credit.
At least they showed up.
There are a lot of different reasons for showing up
to a football game everyone knows we'll lose. For some,
it is to hang out with their friends or flirt with their
neighbor. Others got free tickets so 'hey, why not?'
There are those who just scan their ID cards so the
Aggies have enough numbers to stay in the WAC. Some
go to see if the Aggies will get lucky, while others
just want to see how much they lose by this time. And
then there are the few and proud who are true-blue,
diehard Aggie fans.
It seems that despite the odds that are stacked against
them, these fans still come to the games rain or shine,
win or lose, and stick it out until the end. Full of
Aggie pride, they cling to a little bit of hope that
this game will be different. That somehow the Aggie
team will burst on to the field with an energetic talent
that has never before been seen. Or they cross their
fingers that the opposing team is somehow worse. Or
the most likely scenario, the Aggies are suddenly blessed
with a stroke of luck.
All of these types of people were at the game against
the University of Utah. The stadium was full. True,
half were Ute fans, but still the Aggies showed up.
Everyone knew what the outcome would be. No one was
surprised at the final score of 48-0. So why show up
at all? What's the point if you already know who won
before the game is even played? Those are logical questions.
But we quickly learn that school spirit has nothing
to do with logic.
So the Aggies all showed up anyway to support their
team. Some stopped paying attention after the first
quarter, and a few hung on until the very end, hoping
for at least one touchdown. Everywhere throughout the
stadium people echoed the words, "Yeah, well, wait until
basketball season!" or, "Yeah, well our hockey team
killed theirs last night, 18-3." Anything to prove that
it's great to be an Aggie, no matter how bad the football
team is.
Some will argue and say Aggie fans are terrible fans.
When it comes to filling the stadium like other schools
in the state, we are definitely lacking. But come on,
people! Everyone knows what kind of a position the Aggie
team is in right now -- it's last place! Considering
the lack of faith anyone has in the team, the turnout
to the games is exceptional.
If the diehard fans are getting the moderate fans
to just show up with them, then they're doing pretty
good. If people are still shouting, "Aggies! (clap,
clap) Aggies! (clap, clap)" in the third quarter when
we're down 28 points, then they're doing great! If there
are still people in the stands at the end of the game,
then they have nothing to complain about.
If anyone was expecting anything more than that, they'll
just have to wait until basketball season.
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