What is the hallmark of a true fan?
Consider commitment, desire, passion, loyalty and faith as fundamental characteristics. Now consider a typical Utah fair-weather fan that can be characterized as fickle, late, occupied, unappreciative and unrealistic.
What is the deal with the lackluster fan base, anyway? OK, there are diehard fans that have been following the Utah football program for a long time, but then there is the other 85 percent.
Some of you might know them. You know, the guy who shows up mid-way through the second quarter — and leaves if the Utes trail heading into the final 10 minutes of the fourth. He’s the one with the Utah hat, Utah shirt, Utah beanie and Utah seat cushion. Unfortunately, the minute the Utes show any sign of struggle he begins to wipe off the rub-on tattoo he put on his son’s cheek just 20 minutes earlier.
Many Saturday afternoons in the fall at Rice-Eccles Stadium have crowds composed of individuals like this, but the Fickle Family fan is just half the problem.
The other half is the student body. I give props to the MUSS; it does a good job. But where is the rest of the student body? Hundreds of students walk around in Utah football apparel on campus every day. On game day these individuals are nowhere to be found. Just look at the stadium when it is regularly filled to 70 percent capacity.
Many times on a Monday after a football game I’ll see Debbie the Downer, simultaneously sporting a “this is Utah football” T-shirt and talking about how much the Utes suck.
U fans want to have a big-time college football program. They quickly blame Kyle Wittingham and other coaches and players for not keeping up with bigger programs. These are the same fans who turn their backs on the Utes when times get tough and wins are harder to come by.
Texas is Texas because of Horn Nation. Ohio State fans go to the horseshoe to watch them dot the “i” as much as they do to watch the Buckeyes win. South Carolina has won one conference championship in its history and it still sells out Williams-Bryce Stadium consistently, even before Steve Spurrier headed to Columbia. Penn State has had some good and bad times in recent years under legendary coach Joe Paterno but the whiteouts in Happy Valley seem brightest when the team is struggling.
During the Fiesta Bowl season of 2004, Utah football had record attendance. If U fans want to make Rice-Eccles Stadium a premier venue and the Utah football team a premier program, the stands cannot be left half-empty when the team isn’t enjoying a 12-0 season.
ESPN.com recently released its ranking of top college football programs over the last decade. Utah ranked 28th. It seems the football program is doing its job, ranking ahead of programs such as Texas A&M, Arkansas, Alabama and Cal.
This ranking was based on winning percentage, bowl games and conference championships. A separate fan-base ranking would leave the U far behind many mediocre programs.
Fair-weather fans hurt Utah’s national reputation and hinder the effectiveness of home-field advantage. The tradition and pageantry Utah football offers should be embraced by the student body and the fans. Many fans might think the coaches and team have failed in the past few seasons, but these are the same fans that have failed the team.
