Fan Negativity! Why are Husker basketball fans better than football?

[jimmykc]

I resent the implication that we basketball fans can't be just as bitter, negative and derogatory as most of the other fans who seem to populate the internet. Too bad we didn't have computers in the Iba and Nee eras when the old disparagement card was easier for some to play. The personalities of Barry, Doc and Timmie just haven't been compatible with hating.

[HuskerBB]

As many have said the difference is really almost entirely about expectations.  Most people have low - even unrealistically low - expectations for the basketball program.   The opposite is true about the football program where most people have unrealistically high expectations - thinking that the "norm" should be what we had in football in the mid-90's and anything less is a disaster.  That might be a bit of an overstatement - but not much.

 

The other aspect that is not really touched on directly above is the global level of "care" about the program.  Nebraska football is a big deal for Nebraskans (in and outside the state) and it is a big business as well.  Lots of people put alot of mental energy into the football program.  That leads to overreaction in general - and more extremes on both side.  The more you care about something the more extreme your reaction when things don't go exactly as you hoped.  That environment also breeds things like the rivals message board where people's shared overreaction just feeds itself and makes it expand to even greater and greater levels.  Plus the anonymity of message boards allows people to use them for self-agrandizement.  Many of the so-called "experts" on the rivals board are really people who have absolutely no inside information - they have just used anonymity and arrogance to convince peopel they know something.  Those people (unfortunately much like most of the media today) are much more interested in creating controversy than they are about the underlying program they are supposed to be a "fan" of.  There are "experts" on the rivals board who I am sure are just posing as Nebraska fans but are really not that at all and are just motivated by a desire to try to bring down the program.  The sad thing isn't that those people exist (they always will) the sad thing is that there are places where they find lemmings who follow them and believe what they say.

 

In comparison there are simply not that many people who care that deeply about Nebraska basketball - and those few of us that do have been around enough to have a pretty good understanding of the program and where we stand.  As a result we are more realistic about our expectations - and we have enough knowledge to spot the imposters and expose them.   Guy's like kidney have tried to come on here and develop a following only to be quickly shot down.  The rivals boards are example of a forum that got taken over by those guys like kidney who managed to sell themselves to the masses - and ultimately had the effect of chasing any knowledgable person off that board.   The same thing could happen here if Husker hoops gets important enough to generate interest from people who really don't have an understanding of the program.

[atskooc]

The sunshine pumper football fans are the ones that stick around for basketball.  I understand criticism of programs, but constant negativity has driven me away from the rivals site.  Hard to be a fan and read some of the worthless nonsense that is posted on there.  This board, although I haven't been on for long, is a breathe of fresh air.  Can't wait for the opener!  

I am not a sunshine pumper football fan, and I stick around for basketball. 

 

I see the basketball program going in the right direction, whereas the football program is becoming irrelevant on a national scale.

[a0t0w0]

I can't take it anymore.  The constant pissing and moaning. I can't believe the crap that's said about the players.  Give me a break!  Grown ass men obsessing over 18-22 year olds. 

 

Fans are prying into every part of the players life.  The LJS making a front (web) page article about Kenny Bell's dog was just over the top.  I understand it was supposed to be a positive moretolifethanfootball article, but jeeebens lay off! 

 

I wouldn't wish being the HC or starting quarterback at Nebraska on anyone.

[Jadler]

 

Norm, what you say makes a lot of sense.  I go the the HM message board and I want to be done with it.  Is there a more level headed message board somewhere for football?

 

I found HuskerBoard a while back, and it's way better (IMO) than Huskers (Max OR Pedia) for football talk.

 

NOTHING is better than here, however, for hoops talk.

 

Huskerboard was amazing back in 2006-2007. However, the firing of Callahan brought a whole new level off asshat to the board. I rarely every go back now.

[Tony]

I can't take it anymore.  The constant pissing and moaning. I can't believe the crap that's said about the players.  Give me a break!  Grown ass men obsessing over 18-22 year olds. 

 

Fans are prying into every part of the players life.  The LJS making a front (web) page article about Kenny Bell's dog was just over the top.  I understand it was supposed to be a positive moretolifethanfootball article, but jeeebens lay off! 

 

I wouldn't wish being the HC or starting quarterback and Nebraska on anyone.

+100      Let basketball begin. Sold out arenas in both Omaha and Lincoln. We're not just a football state anymore.

[tcp]

If we ever start winning on a regular basis, the psychotics will come.

 

We've had them before, but they usually don't last too long. 

 

I have to admit part of me dreads having a winning program for this reason. Every a-hole with a maturation deficit will show up.

[Huskerpapa]

We are an arrogant fan base.  Sorry, truth is hard to take.  We expect to win, we are band wagon jumpers, we leave early, we love to sit and watch rather than stand and cheer.  We are great when we are winning, and boorish when we are losing. 

[colhusker]

Ok the really reason is Cip is on here and gives us Salsa

[atskooc]

We are an arrogant fan base.  Sorry, truth is hard to take.  We expect to win, we are band wagon jumpers, we leave early, we love to sit and watch rather than stand and cheer.  We are great when we are winning, and boorish when we are losing. 

Which is why we are not the "Greatest Fans in all of Sports" (or whatever the hell the sign says).  We're just like every other fan base out there.

[colhusker]

 

We are an arrogant fan base.  Sorry, truth is hard to take.  We expect to win, we are band wagon jumpers, we leave early, we love to sit and watch rather than stand and cheer.  We are great when we are winning, and boorish when we are losing. 

Which is why we are not the "Greatest Fans in all of Sports" (or whatever the hell the sign says).  We're just like every other fan base out there.

 

+1

[AuroranHusker]

 

We are an arrogant fan base.  Sorry, truth is hard to take.  We expect to win, we are band wagon jumpers, we leave early, we love to sit and watch rather than stand and cheer.  We are great when we are winning, and boorish when we are losing. 

Which is why we are not the "Greatest Fans in all of Sports" (or whatever the hell the sign says).  We're just like every other fan base out there.

 

 

I've thought the tag should read "some of the more knowledgeable fans in college football" instead of the greatest moniker.  Fans are fans, it doesn't matter where they are; by the way, fan is short for fanatical.

 

A basketball forum such as this is a great outlet for the long-suffering hoops fanatics of Nebrasketball. GBR!!

[tcp]

We are an arrogant fan base.  Sorry, truth is hard to take.  We expect to win, we are band wagon jumpers, we leave early, we love to sit and watch rather than stand and cheer.  We are great when we are winning, and boorish when we are losing. 

 

i disagree. what we are is not exceptional. we're like every other fan base. we have decent people who know and appreciate the sport. and we have a sizable collection of dimwads. this happened to every program in the country the second computers became cheap and stupid people finally figured out how to turn them on.

[Huskerpapa]

 

We are an arrogant fan base.  Sorry, truth is hard to take.  We expect to win, we are band wagon jumpers, we leave early, we love to sit and watch rather than stand and cheer.  We are great when we are winning, and boorish when we are losing. 

 

i disagree. what we are is not exceptional. we're like every other fan base. we have decent people who know and appreciate the sport. and we have a sizable collection of dimwads. this happened to every program in the country the second computers became cheap and stupid people finally figured out how to turn them on.

 

Here is part of the problem though tcp.  Compare last years basketball team to this year.  Hmmm.  We have a new pretty arena, and the program is going to start to win.  So, the  arena fills up.  Let's hope that we do not lay an egg again, if so, the nice new arena will have problems filling up.  If you are old enough to remember, the BOB once upon a time, filled to the brim and rocked.  Danny had us winning.  So again, if we win, the fans will show.  Many of us diehards will be there through thick and thin and will lose our voices trying to be part of a win.  But many, many more show only when we win, and then stay home with boorish and immature behaivior when we lose.

 

During the end of the Callahan years, there was a photo of my football section in the middle of the 4th quarter of a game we were losing.  I was standing and cheering in the photo.  I was one of only four people left in my entire section. 

 

Check out the top of the student section on Saturday.  Any bets on whether it is filled or not? 

 

I hate to be overly critical, yet this is a sore spot for me.  I realize some people have to miss games for numerous reasons.  Yet a good number of our so called fans are not true fans.  Nope.  A fan is there to support a program just likie a groom is there to support his bride...through thick and thin, better or worse.  Amen.

[atskooc]

 

 

We are an arrogant fan base.  Sorry, truth is hard to take.  We expect to win, we are band wagon jumpers, we leave early, we love to sit and watch rather than stand and cheer.  We are great when we are winning, and boorish when we are losing. 

 

i disagree. what we are is not exceptional. we're like every other fan base. we have decent people who know and appreciate the sport. and we have a sizable collection of dimwads. this happened to every program in the country the second computers became cheap and stupid people finally figured out how to turn them on.

 

Here is part of the problem though tcp.  Compare last years basketball team to this year.  Hmmm.  We have a new pretty arena, an the program is going to start to win.  So, the  arena fills up.  Let's hope that we do not lay an egg again, if so, the nice new arena will have problems filling up.  If you are old enough to remember, the BOB once upon a time, filled to the brim and rocked.  Danny had us winning.  So again, if we win, the fans will show.  Many of us diehards will be there through thick and thin and will lose our voices trying to be part of a win.  But many, many more show only when we win, and then stay home with boorish and immature behaivior when we lose.

 

During the end of the Callahan years, there was a photo of my football section in the middle of the 4th quarter of a game we were losing.  I was standing a cheering.  I was one of only four people left in my entire section.  Check out the top of the student section on Saturday.  Any bets on whether it is filled or not? 

 

I hate to be overly critical, yet this is a sore spot for me.  I realized some people have to miss games for numerous reasons.  Yet a good number of our so called fans are not true fans.  Nope.  A fan is there to support a program just like a groom is there to support his bride...through thick and thin, better or worse.  Amen.

 

Fanhood should never be as important as marriage.

[Silverbacked1]

Being faceless and in a crowd is so much easier to say and do things than it is in a face to face setting. The internet itself has really shown how the crowd mentality works. It is so easy to bitch and moan and call other names if they will never know who I am.

Heck I know I say some things on here that I would never say in "real" life. I think that is what has happened. I know that there have been people who have bitched and moaned about the huskers for years, but the internet has allowed them a bigger forum to vent. And some times it can even be somebody from another team just stirring the pot, heaven for bid..

message boards remind me of the scene from The Holy Grail where they are trying to prove that "she's a witch"

[Norm Peterson]

I'm gonna defend the moniker "greatest fans." 

 

The stupid people who figured out how to turn on computers are a relative minority who populate fanbases throughout the entire nation.

 

People who come to Lincoln to cheer on their visiting team never get urine bombs thrown at them.  They don't endure a hostile phalanx of home-crowd fans harassing them as they walk to the stadium to reach their seats.  Our fans have a long history of standing and applauding the opposing team as it leaves the field of play, win or lose.  Who else does that?

 

You constantly see letters to the editor from the fans of teams who have come to play here who say they've never been treated so well by an opposing fan base at an away game.  I do believe I recall seeing such letters to the editor in the LJS from UCLA fans, Wyoming fans and Southern Miss fans this year.

 

On the other hand, I've had and known people who have had absolutely miserable experiences in other college towns while travelling to watch the Huskers play elsewhere.  My brother went to the PSU game last time we were there.  He said that the University sent out a message warning our fans to try to be a little subdued (and maybe wear something not red overtop of their Husker gear) while heading to the stadium in Beaver whatever.

 

I've known people who had tires slashed in Boulder, their car keyed in Columbia, general disrespect in Norman.  I've personally been flipped off in Manhattan for nothing other than having a Nebraska license plate.  And it wasn't even football season.  I'll never forget that.

 

So, do we have some jackasses living within the state of Nebraska?  Oh, you better believe that we do.  And some of them learned to turn on their computers.  (Sadly, many of them also learned to turn on their car's ignition.)

 

But we fill our football stadium with a consecutive sellout streak that dates to the early 60s, we are among the top two or three programs in attendance for women's volleyball, the women's basketball program has enjoyed strong support, and even in the worst of years, I, along with six or seven thousand of my closest friends, have loyally attended the home basketball games.

 

Our basketball attendance in losing years beats a lot of teams' attendance in winning years.  Duke, for example.  (OK, bad example.)

 

Anyway, I do think this fanbase is special.  We are the best fans, in large part because of how we treat our guests, and I hope we continue to be that way.

[hhcmatt]

I'm gonna defend the moniker "greatest fans." 

 

I agree.

Every fanbase has awful and awesome individuals that can skew your perception.

As a whole, we're great because we care.  We care when we're bad and we really care when we're good.

[tcp]

"I'm gonna defend the moniker "greatest fans." 

 

The stupid people who figured out how to turn on computers are a relative minority who populate fanbases throughout the entire nation."

-----------------------------------------

We have absolutely no idea what  the percentages are nor does it matter. That's not the argument. Ever notice how one troll can derail twenty good posters? You should have, since it happens here every season. One Creighton fan can send 30 of you all into an apoplectic bender. That's not a favorable ratio for your argument.

 

This is the nature of the internet. It's given voice to every pinhead who in every other time would have been buried in the obscurity they so richly deserved, only to be listened to by the cat or the dog who ran under the bed during every one of their mania-fueled tantrums.

 

As for the litany of of urban mythology about how crappy other teams fans are (thereby elevating our own to exceptional status apparently by default), your examples violate your own observation about minority conduct. You find one extreme example and extrapolate that to all fans. I think you were right the first time, Norm. These are a minority of people, and every fan base has them. But that was my point. We're no exception to the rule that roaches and assholes will be what survives the apocalypse (and they'll certainly be the last ones populating a desolate internet by the time Windows 14 rolls out).

 

There's only one generalization about fans worth noting: every team has great fans and crappy fans. The exact proportion varies. Maybe even enough to say one school's fans are better than another school's fans.

[Dean Smith]

We are an arrogant fan base. Sorry, truth is hard to take. We expect to win, we are band wagon jumpers, we leave early, we love to sit and watch rather than stand and cheer. We are great when we are winning, and boorish when we are losing.

Which is why we are not the "Greatest Fans in all of Sports" (or whatever the hell the sign says). We're just like every other fan base out there.

I've thought the tag should read "some of the more knowledgeable fans in college football" instead of the greatest moniker. Fans are fans, it doesn't matter where they are; by the way, fan is short for fanatical.

A basketball forum such as this is a great outlet for the long-suffering hoops fanatics of Nebrasketball. GBR!!

I wouldn't even go that far. I'm no Tom Osborne but I've heard my share if really stupid things from the stands. & I hate watching with my relatives. To them the referees are at fault for everything the Huskera do wrong. I got tired if their a screaming once about "how do we get those #######'s to stop calling holding on us." I simply said, "Maybe if we stop holding?" They looked at me as if it was blasphemy.

[AuroranHusker]

 

 

 

We are an arrogant fan base. Sorry, truth is hard to take. We expect to win, we are band wagon jumpers, we leave early, we love to sit and watch rather than stand and cheer. We are great when we are winning, and boorish when we are losing.

Which is why we are not the "Greatest Fans in all of Sports" (or whatever the hell the sign says). We're just like every other fan base out there.

I've thought the tag should read "some of the more knowledgeable fans in college football" instead of the greatest moniker. Fans are fans, it doesn't matter where they are; by the way, fan is short for fanatical.

A basketball forum such as this is a great outlet for the long-suffering hoops fanatics of Nebrasketball. GBR!!

I wouldn't even go that far. I'm no Tom Osborne but I've heard my share if really stupid things from the stands. & I hate watching with my relatives. To them the referees are at fault for everything the Huskera do wrong. I got tired if their a screaming once about "how do we get those #######'s to stop calling holding on us." I simply said, "Maybe if we stop holding?" They looked at me as if it was blasphemy.

 

 

I did say, "some of the more knowledgeable"... 

[unl]

I don't think it comes down to Miles vs. Pelini at all.   NU hoops has not won a tournament game but is competing (at this stage) and NU football is only winning 9 games per year, while not winning huge games and losing badly in others. 

 

It's like the Detroit Tigers comment above - fans get too hot and too cold when their team has success/failure. 

 

I am shutting down the Rivals board for now because there is absolutely nothing of substance from the posters.   I might check out the mods posts but that's about it. 

[Red Rum]

 

 

 

We are an arrogant fan base. Sorry, truth is hard to take. We expect to win, we are band wagon jumpers, we leave early, we love to sit and watch rather than stand and cheer. We are great when we are winning, and boorish when we are losing.

Which is why we are not the "Greatest Fans in all of Sports" (or whatever the hell the sign says). We're just like every other fan base out there.

I've thought the tag should read "some of the more knowledgeable fans in college football" instead of the greatest moniker. Fans are fans, it doesn't matter where they are; by the way, fan is short for fanatical.

A basketball forum such as this is a great outlet for the long-suffering hoops fanatics of Nebrasketball. GBR!!

I wouldn't even go that far. I'm no Tom Osborne but I've heard my share if really stupid things from the stands. & I hate watching with my relatives. To them the referees are at fault for everything the Huskera do wrong. I got tired if their a screaming once about "how do we get those #######'s to stop calling holding on us." I simply said, "Maybe if we stop holding?" They looked at me as if it was blasphemy.

 

 

Ya, there are some people I would rather not watch games with. But they are my freinds/family so I can't outright refuse. But I'm getting close.

[Norm Peterson]

tcp, it's not a hasty generalization that the entire Colorado student section was required to exit the stadium during a Nebraska football game in Boulder.  The sellout streaks for football and volleyball are similarly objective data sets.  I continue to maintain that an argument can be made -- and I advance that argument -- that we do have, in fact, the best fans.  

 

As far as the internet, I'm assuming for the sake of argument that it brings out the worst in every team's fanbase that has any significant on-line community.  So that all balances out.  But to see 7,000 fans continue to show up for Husker hoops during the worst of times tells me our fans support our teams.  And the powers of observation and inductive reasoning confirm to my satisfaction that we treat our guests typically better than we ourselves get treated and better than guests get treated in other places.

 

I'm sure someone could devise a scientific study determine whose fans are the most gracious to their guests, but I think "Study confirms:  Nebraska fans are the best" would be like "Study confirms:  Water is wet."  Why spend the money to prove that which is obvious?

[a0t0w0]

Tunnel Walk of Shame makes being a Husker football fan fun...