Am I a sh*tty fan?

(This is mainly tongue-in-cheek, but I'm curious to see responses)

I'm relatively new to the boards, so let me take a moment to introduce myself. UT Class of '92, been a fan since I could spell Bevo. Texas Ex Life Member, season ticket holder for over 20 years, etc., etc. Hell I'm even a member at the UT Golf Club. That probably describes the vast majority of you here. That said, I've been thinking for quite a while about something and I'd like your thoughts as well...

I was around for and remember the later days of Coach Royal, the success but just "not quite" of Coach Akers, the ups and downs of Coach McWilliams, the confusion of Mackovic, the glory and then remnants of Coach Brown, the hope and subsequent embarrassment of Coach Strong, and the larger hope and now mediocrity of Coach Herman. I cried when Curry fumbled the punt in the '84 Cotton Bowl, then wondered for years when we might return to some semblance of glory. I cheered when Lasher's kick went wide left, then suffered through the beatdown to Miami that ended what felt like a turnaround. I got excited after Roll Left, only to get let down again. For all those years I kept feeling the tide turn, only to have the wave crash.

Once Mack got here and the winning became consistent, I thought "are we there yet?" 63-14 and 65-13 were killers, especially when you're married to a Sooner, but then 2005 happened. I remember running into the street in front of our house that night screaming at the top of my lungs. Luckily the neighbors were Exes as well so they came and joined me vs. calling the police. I was at the 2010 BCS championship game and still know we win if Colt doesn't get hit. After that, well, you know how things have gone, but I've stayed strong (no pun intended), cheered until my throat hurt, kept up the financial support, followed every drop of news and notes, and generally stayed the course because this is my school dammit, and this is my team.

The disappointment over performance on the field is heavy, but I've lived through it before. The difference today is the off the field issues - all of them - that keep kicking me in the nuts. It's this stuff that has me so upset that I want to just walk away at times. This leads to my question. In recent conversations on this topic some have shaken their head and said a true fan is a fan no matter what happens. I feel like crap when I think about that because there have been times in the last six months where I've honestly wanted to burn everything burnt orange in the house. There are times where I wonder if I want to renew my season tickets. There are times when the Longhorns come up in conversation and I change the topic. There are also times when I still feel that pride. It pissed me off when they judged my "fandom", but now I'm wondering...

 

No, I'm right there with you. But, there will be some ******** who may accuse you of being "aggy" or a troll or something. Screw them.

I think wanting a coach who doesn't criticize and unfairly accuse the fans of being racist and actually has control of the team and can coach worth a **** makes you a good fan.

 

Wow, some amazing similarities right here Vino. Liked your post because of that. I would say my own feelings match the "outside" activities being the hardest for me to take. I like you, have lived with the ups and downs of season records and general record and game disappointments but the 'woke' stuff is just too deflating. Now all the players opting out makes me upset. Embarrassing to admit 18-22 years olds can get to an old man but they do cause after all it's "Texas" and something of which I have always been proud. Now I really do not know how to feel, d*** sad if you ask me.

 

You can't fault them for quiting on their team, and looking out for themselves. Its the way of the world in this age of ME ME ME. Society has changed from when we were young. I don't look down on them for quiting, but make no mistake they are quiting on their team. It is a choice they make for their own good. Is it a choice I would have made back in the day ? NO, but is is a choice I might make in this day and time; so I will not judge them for it. I'd rather them quit than play half-*** trying to avoid injury.

 

You sound a lot like me in almost every way.

 

Being a fan is a choice not a guarantee.

Choose to be a fan of the Longhorns or choose some other team.

No one can choose for you or judge you for that choice.

It is yours to make.

 

I agree with you. Please consider removing financial support until this problem is fixed. There are many worthy charities who will appreciate your support and use it much more wisely.

 

I sent my Texas Exes membership form in yesterday and simply wrote on it -
FIRE HERMAN and I'll send you $

 

Welcome Aboard Vino Bevo! I've been going to Longhorn games since I was 9 and saw the Horns beat Navy to win the '63 NC. Yes we're out of the glory days right now, but change is coming in the near future, as soon as TH is sent packing. It's just something we all suffer through every so often. Anyway, welcome to the group, and as always....HOOK 'EM!!

 

One thing is certain America has lost it's since of living for the "greater good". We were headed in that direction even well before covid and the BLM/woke crap. Individualism/selfishness is reigning supreme everywhere and "loving your neighbor as yourself" is fading fast. The world is dying spiritually and darkness is prevailing and is affecting everything including football. In short, we need spiritual revival because we need to get away from selfishness. It's a tall order that requires sacrifice.
This may sound like a religious rant but this darkness infultrates football and everything else.
Just getting down to the nuts and bolts of a lost sense of being a part of something greater than yourself.

 

I’m right there with you. Apathy has run amuck. I’ve been watching Texas for about 50 years now (class of ‘84) and I just don’t care anymore. That’s a hard thing for me to say. I too can deal with the ups and downs on the field but can’t tolerate the off the field stuff. Not only with the football program but the entire school as well. I don’t hate UT but I don’t love it anymore either. I’ve been a sports-aholic all my life, especially when it concerns any sport involving the Horns, but the repeated blows to the heart this past year has me questioning everything. Will I come back? Yeah, probably, but it’s going to take a lot of action on the part of the Athletic Department and school to make me want to come back.

 

Your all right Maj. Last year I got mad at you for hating on Herman when I thought we were going 10-2 and playing in the CCG. Obviously that didn’t happen and you were right. I still think optimism is better. But, your all right. Just cheer hard for the next coach. Hope it’s soon and a kick *** hire! I don’t think TH is here much longer.

 

Said it before and will no doubt say it again - uh, as I am now - it started as soon as they took prayer out of the schools. In my mind that was the camels nose.

 

VB, you sound like a great fan to me who cares about the image of your school and the vast resources that seem to be wasted year in and year out by one of the wealthiest athletic departments in the country.

My definition of a bad fan is someone who (1) trolls or interacts directly with recruits unless they had a prior relationship with them; (2) trolls players directly (our players or opposing players) on twitter in a negative way; (3) boos our players for not making a play; and (4) of course, commits NCAA violations

 

I feel the same way as you. I've had my heart ripped out so many times I just wonder what's next. 1984, 2009, and now continually beat by lessor competition due to stupid decisions, lack of fundamentals and lack of accountability.

Quit honestly it flat out sucks to be a Texas fan and I don't see a rainbow anywhere in sight.

 

Wow, I am also class of '92 (and '95), season ticket holder since '95 and so much of what you wrote is my experience too. The issues this year with the Eyes of Texas has weighed so heavily on how I view this season and this team and there have been times I just wanted it all over and found reasons to not invest as much of my time and interest in Longhorn football as seasons past. It helped that I opted out of my season tickets because of covid so I didn't have the six trips down to Austin with the hotel rooms, meals, three and half hour drives each way etc. to plan. I can live with the wins and the losses those come and go but what this coach and a majority of this team did this year was divorce itself from us as fans. I share almost all of your concerns and thoughts.

 

Boy, LQJ portalling really puts an exclamation point on this.

 

Did I not post this multiple times since Sept?

f**k TOM HERMAN!!!!

 

No. Tom Herman is a sh*tty coach.

 

And how you spend your time and money. Your choice. I used to watch every game, rewatch the games, watch all the LHN leading up to the season. Still did this year. But you give me a nice fall afternoon and I'm heading to the lake. Why? Because I enjoy fishing more than throwing koozies at my TV. It's my choice. I can still be a fan and enjoy other pursuits. Doesn't have to be an either/or. Night games I'm watching. Day games I'm probably on the lake. I've given up too many fall afternoons to football. I probably only have another decade where my old body can take an 8 hour fishing trip. I'll have more time to sit in front of the TV.

 

It will get better. TH must go. I think it happens in 2020! He ain’t the coach next year! Mark it down. We all felt like this in late 97’!

 

My parents suffered through Ed Price’s last season. They took me to DKR’s first game. I’ve been a Longhorn since the day I was born.

I’m not quitting on my team or my university.

 

Yes, but today's version of MB isn't out there. Well other than a couple that we have a snowballs chance in hell of getting to Texas.

 

Texas deserves a Top Ten team every year as the flagship team of the State and the number of fans who support.
Once the season is on, I am all in on whoever wears Orange, as long as they are trying at 100%. With all the pressure we put on these people, this is the least I can do.

 

MB wasn't MB or Sabin when we hired him.

Thanks to TH's woke pandering the team quit and many are still quitting on us.

 

I'm not sure how that works. TH's woke pandering inspires players to become apathetic and quit when he was trying to bond and sympathize so that they wouldn't quit?

 

Hmm Pom
You may be right which if so imo shows a lack of understanding of leadership
OR TH may agree with them.
Either way he handled it wrong.

 

Same here to the OP.
I admit that I vacillated between for the first timein my life, walking away ..to the next day when UT was taking the field felt exactly like I did for every other season, super excited screaming at the TV happy as hell when Texas was playing well. Then the next day something will come about that I will not talk about here because I’ve beat it to death, the eyes obviously, and then I thought again about walking away.

Never been there but I guess this would be like dating a European supermodel that can’t speak English ( that’s a plus) but having her be bat **** crazy, but I can’t get walk away.
I’ll ride this out...

 

Thanks for the thoughts and feedback everyone. Recent feelings of anger, frustration and embarrassment aside, at the end of the day I'm a Longhorn, have always been a Longhorn, and will always be a Longhorn.

I was thinking about it during my morning walk today and the best my feeble mind can equate it to is to the love you feel for a child, sibling, whomever means the world to you, and you see that person engaging in behavior that breaks your heart. You beg and plead for them to stop, you do everything you can to help, you try to help them see the alternatives out there that would bring so much more fulfillment, but at the end of the day it's their decision. It then becomes yours as to whether you want to be around them during this time. It doesn't mean you love them any less, nor does it mean you won't welcome them back with open arms like the Prodigal Son, but after a while you also have to think about yourself and how much effort and pain you're willing to endure until they make the decision to change.

That's probably too deep an analogy for a damn football team, but for something we've loved for as long as most of us have it feels pretty dang similar at times. That said, my blood runs orange and that won't change, so Hook'Em!