Is anyone else not looking forward to dealing with fair weather fans?

[colhusker]

My concern with fair weather fans is the hype that breeds them.  I'm afraid that excitement may bring unrealistic expectations.  I don't want to see fans turned off if this season doesn't go as well as they think it should.

 

Otherwise, be careful hoppin' on!

Here's hoping that if the fairweather fans come along with success, they handle it better than Misery fairweather football fans did.

[hhcmatt]

this thread is pretty amazing to read.  At some point, we all becames die-hard fans for various reasons.  I've been a season ticket holder since the 90's and have sat through many, many, many, many, many bad seasons and I'm still there every game.  That doesn't make me upset for people that are just buying season tickets now as it just make me appreciate the hopefully good basketball days that are ahead.  People didn't resent me when I became a season ticket holder so not sure why I would resent anyone from wanting to become one now.  I hope we pack the PBA every game as it's a much better atmosphere with a big crowd.

 

Along the same line of thinking it always amazes me when people worry what will happen if things get too good.

 

I'll miss parking easily or moving but I'd rather have a lot of people excited for Husker Hoops.

We have a shiny new bandwagon opening this fall.  Please hop on.

[Concrete]

Do people really enjoy watching Nebraska play with 6,000 other fans in attendance more than watching them with 12,000 other fans in attendance?  That's insane.

 

Bring on more fans, bandwagon, frontrunner, whatever..  All that means is we're finally good, or at least improving

[rwmctrofholz]

I agree with most of the dispositions I've read here.  I consider myself in a rare cohort as someone that prefers Nebraska basketball over football.

 

It'll be pretty rewarding when the days come that we are a legit team while reflecting back on how we continued to previously keep coming back to take our lumps in defeat for a long long time.  Bandwaggoners will never know that feeling.

[Handy Johnson]

Whether you know who Greg Downing & Jerry Shoecraft were doesn't matter. We need to pack this new place and start WINNING!

[KZRider]

Everybody's welcome!

 

[kldm64]

I agree with most of the dispositions I've read here.  I consider myself in a rare cohort as someone that prefers Nebraska basketball over football.

 

It'll be pretty rewarding when the days come that we are a legit team while reflecting back on how we continued to previously keep coming back to take our lumps in defeat for a long long time.  Bandwaggoners will never know that feeling.

 

I'm in the same boat you are as I'm much more passionate about Husker Hoops than I am about NU football.  I'd rather go watch NU basketball play anyday over a nebraska football game.  I'm know I'm in a minority but I get tired of how over-hyped NU football is every year.  It gets old.

[Nebrasketballer]

This is a tough one for me.  On one hand, I'm sure that there will be a bit of resentment towards the bandwagon fans, because they will be celebrating the good times, without having to experience the bad.  The bandwagon fans didn't have to remain loyal through all of the heartbreaking defeats throughout the last couple of coaching regimes.  The bandwagon fans haven't had to deal with trash talk from other fans (Creighton, Kansas, etc) and defend themselves for backing a program that has never won an NCAA tourney game.  In fact, I'm sure that alot of the future bandwagon fans even contributed to the piling on during the bad years.  It doesn't quite seem fair that they will now be able to stick out their chests with the die hards and wave the Nebrasketball banner, without having to suffer through the tough times.

 

On the other hand, the bandwagon fans will not be able to truly appreciate the good years to the same degree as the die hards, because they have never had their hearts ripped out.  For the bandwagon fans, it will be a fun thing to experience, but the successful years will mean different things to the two different types of fans.  The good years will mean much more to the die hards. 

 

At the end of the day though, more fans buying tickets for Nebraska basketball means a more impressive atmosphere for visiting recruits.  It means a tougher road environment for visiting teams.  It means more money for Nebraska basketball to grow the program.  The higher number of tickets sold means better resources for the basketball program.  So I say bring on the bandwagon fans.  When Nebraska basketball makes the transition from 'cult classic' to 'mainstream popularity', that means that Nebraska basketball has truly arrived.

[Red Rum]

 

I agree with most of the dispositions I've read here.  I consider myself in a rare cohort as someone that prefers Nebraska basketball over football.

 

It'll be pretty rewarding when the days come that we are a legit team while reflecting back on how we continued to previously keep coming back to take our lumps in defeat for a long long time.  Bandwaggoners will never know that feeling.

 

I'm in the same boat you are as I'm much more passionate about Husker Hoops than I am about NU football.  I'd rather go watch NU basketball play anyday over a nebraska football game.  I'm know I'm in a minority but I get tired of how over-hyped NU football is every year.  It gets old.

 

 

Count me in on that.

 

I see what everyone is saying about the bandwagoners but from what it sounds like, I might be one. I've only had my season tickets for 6 years. Going to sporatic games here and there since the 90's but only really bought in 6 years ago. I don't intend on giving them up for anything.

[colhusker]

This is a tough one for me.  On one hand, I'm sure that there will be a bit of resentment towards the bandwagon fans, because they will be celebrating the good times, without having to experience the bad.  The bandwagon fans didn't have to remain loyal through all of the heartbreaking defeats throughout the last couple of coaching regimes.  The bandwagon fans haven't had to deal with trash talk from other fans (Creighton, Kansas, etc) and defend themselves for backing a program that has never won an NCAA tourney game.  In fact, I'm sure that alot of the future bandwagon fans even contributed to the piling on during the bad years.  It doesn't quite seem fair that they will now be able to stick out their chests with the die hards and wave the Nebrasketball banner, without having to suffer through the tough times.

 

Understand what you are saying but this is not worded well.  They CHOSE not to remain loyal through all the bad.

[tuxino]

For more than the past decade I have felt like I was part of a special secret society.  I felt proud to be a hardcore Nebrasketball fan.  And everytime the stadium would fill up I would be mad that my concourses were full because the weather was nice or KU was in town.

 

I will be happy when we are good but I will feel a little resentment towards the fair weather fans.  

You know my interest in Nebrasketball goes way back. It is not too hard for me to understand what would seem like fair weather fans. Cip, Iba, then Nee made some noise. Barry and Doc put out the fire. What exactly do you want? I know we are BBall fans here but I bet if the football team went cold for decades we would see the same results. Embrace them because Miles may create something so good and move on before we would all like. tux

[Norm Peterson]

I don't think you have to have held season tickets since 1962 to claim ownership over Husker hoops fandom.  Let's say we go on a roll next year, make it to the bubble, get some big conference wins and have a real shot of seeing our Husker team's name called on selection Sunday.  There will be lots of folks jump along for the ride.  Maybe they can be called fair weather fans.  Johnnys come lately.  Whatever.  But anyone who has followed this team closely and hung out here on game threads though they were out-of-town and coudn't attend or who has held season tickets and actually showed up for even the non-conference games during seasons where we weren't the best -- those aren't fair weather fans.  Red Rum, you are not a fair weather fan.  Nor are you a bandwagoner.

 

The fair weather fans and bandwagoners are the guys who couldn't be troubled to pay attention to this program since 1998, except for a couple of occasions in the meantime where we almost knocked on the door.  If and when those guys come back, most of them will probably act like they've been here the whole time.  And it won't really bother me except they'll probably have better seats than I will.

[Silverbacked1]

Their seats will be better because of all the money they saved not buying season tickets or eating at the games over the last 10 years or so.

 

I just hope that if they are new that they stick around awhile if things don't take off right away. 

 

You know stay on the band wagon for a while.

[Norm Peterson]

OK, we need a t-shirt.  Something that designates us folks who've been there through thick and thin.  This program is gonna get on a roll and all kinds of folks are going to be showing up who didn't give a rip about Nebraska basketball over the last couple of decades.  So maybe we should have a shirt to wear to games that designates us as the folks who've been around.  And stuck around.  Even when it might have been tough.

 

How about some ideas, guys?

 

Here's one:

 

Front: 

 

When wins were few in the darkest years

those Husker teams still heard MY cheers

 

Back: 

 

I'm one of the

5,000

 

Kind of present the notion that there were only about 5,000 of us who stuck it out through some of those down years to see the program where it is today.

[AuroranHusker]

Why not a tee for the Devaney Dungeon dwellers???

[leonidas]

I'm sure Creighton fans will do their best to rag on the uptick in attendance (ignore the hypocrisy for a moment).  I don't see why a subset of Nebraska fans should help them out by ragging on their own. 

 

Personally, I could care less if Joe Fan just started following Nebraska basketball this year.  Hell, I don't even care if he wears a football jersey (although admittedly, I'm not a fan).  I'm not interested in his backstory or what led to him cheering on the Huskers and when.  At the end of the day, he's cheering for the same team I cheer for so all is well with me.

 

Note: This topic reminds me of something Bill Simmons occasionally talks about in regards to soccer fans.  He notes how they complain how no one follows soccer and it doesn't get enough press and then at the same time bemoan those who just started following soccer. 

[HuskerCager]

This entire thread is like the guy who stays up at night, worrying about a meteor plunging into his bedroom while he's asleep and lighting his pajamas on fire.  Is this something we really need to worry about?  The train hasn't turned around on the tracks yet.

[atskooc]

I'm sure Creighton fans will do their best to rag on the uptick in attendance (ignore the hypocrisy for a moment).  I don't see why a subset of Nebraska fans should help them out by ragging on their own. 

 

Personally, I could care less if Joe Fan just started following Nebraska basketball this year.  Hell, I don't even care if he wears a football jersey (although admittedly, I'm not a fan).  I'm not interested in his backstory or what led to him cheering on the Huskers and when.  At the end of the day, he's cheering for the same team I cheer for so all is well with me.

 

Note: This topic reminds me of something Bill Simmons occasionally talks about in regards to soccer fans.  He notes how they complain how no one follows soccer and it doesn't get enough press and then at the same time bemoan those who just started following soccer. 

It remindes me of the dude who follows a band when no one else knows who they are, then when the band hits it big he hates everyone who now likes the band becasue they weren't there in the beginning. 

 

Who gives a shit?

[Norm Peterson]

This thread is like the girl who gets a boob job and then can't believe how guys want to stare at her chest.

 

(OK, I have no idea how the analogy fits but it's certainly a better mental image than soccer, meteors or bands that give a shit.)

[atskooc]

This thread is like the girl who gets a boob job and then can't believe how guys want to stare at her chest.

 

(OK, I have no idea how the analogy fits but it's certainly a better mental image than soccer, meteors or bands that give a shit.)

It certainly is.

[Norm Peterson]

I basically agree with the sentiment of the more the merrier.  However, I can also understand the guys who hung in there during lean years wanting to have a little recognition of that fact. 

 

In the Army, you wore a divisional insignia or unit patch on the left shoulder of your uniform.  For those soldiers who were actually deployed during wartime, though, there's an extra insignia that you are entitled to wear of the unit with which you were deployed, which you wear on your right shoulder.  It stands out.  It sends an instant signal for those who have them that you served in an overseas deployment when the bullets were real.  It's a badge of honor.

 

Now, certainly, the Army wants people to serve and doesn't want to turn away the people who haven't been deployed overseas.  But if you've been through a war, you get a combat patch.

 

Those of us who've been around for awhile?  Who stuck around even when this team could barely reach double figures in wins?  Who suffered through all the recruiting mishaps and blown leads and roster turnover and coaching turnover?  Yeah, I kinda feel like we've been through a war.

 

And it'd be nice to have a little combat patch.  How about one like the 1st Infantry Division (a/k/a The Big Red One):

 

[cipsucks]

This thread is like the girl who gets a boob job and then can't believe how guys want to stare at her chest.

 

 

I think we should put a big nipple on top of the new arena.....

[49r]

This is one of the Tee Shirts I have:  http://www.draplin.com/1998/01/ddc044_nebraska_torso_cover.html

 

[hhcmatt]

Why not a tee for the Devaney Dungeon dwellers???

 

Actually I've been thinking about a red shirt with a white state outline and the star for Lincoln along with TBD text....a going to the game shirt.

[Nebrasketballer]

I actually think the only bandwagon fans that will really bother me is the Nebraska football fan that is a casual basketball fan and since Creighton has had more success over the recent years, they are a Creighton basketball "fan". These fans have made a habit of talking trash about Nebraska basketball. If the tides turn and Nebraska basketball experiences a higher level of success for awhile, and these casual fans start jumping on the bandwagon, then I will not be as receptive to those "fans". In that case, Nebraska basketball fans need to make a shirt that says:

"Nebrasketball"

"My shirt has always been red all year long"