As I sat in the stands for the Saturday game against Kansas State, I felt sorry for a select group on the field. The senior football players on this team deserve better than a 60% capacity crowd.
Ok, I get it. The product on the field hasn't been very good. The fans are fed up with coaching decisions. 11:00 am kicks are brutal. I'd rather be sitting in a deer blind. I get it. I know the excuses.
And this isn't a thread to attack those who couldn't go, or even those who could go and chose not to. Whether or not you attended doesn't determine your level of fan-ship.
But the players on the field deserve to play in front of a large crowd that is encouraging them. They may have let you down. They may not be able to make the plays you expect them to make. They may not be winning games. But they signed up to be Red Raiders, because they know what our support can be. They sat in our stadium as high school players at some point, taking in an exciting game and saying "man...this is where I want to be."
It's not the players' fault that they are limited in what they do. They are the best at their position on this team. They all fight hard. And so far we've seen that if they don't, they get benched.
Not filling the stands may be a way for the fans to protest, but to the players on the sideline, it's sending the wrong message. It's saying that you don't care what they've done on the practice field or in the classroom, or in the community. It tells recruits that we don't support our team through thick and thin. It not only affects things this season. It affects the future of our program. Apathy can't be the answer. It's the only surefire way to Kansas status.
So let's do this for these players: let's fill the stands against TCU. Not for the coaches. Not for each other. But let's do it for the players who wear the Double T. They deserve our support. And who knows...if we are there yelling and encouraging, maybe they can rise up and do the impossible.
If you have season tickets and can't go, give them away to someone who can. Hook up local veterans groups, or childrens homes, or local law enforcement. Send an underprivileged family who needs an escape for a few hours. Let's show the players on this football team that we still care about them. Let's live up to expectation that we've earned as being a great fan base.
I know I will get obliterated ITT, so let me have it.
Ok, I get it. The product on the field hasn't been very good. The fans are fed up with coaching decisions. 11:00 am kicks are brutal. I'd rather be sitting in a deer blind. I get it. I know the excuses.
And this isn't a thread to attack those who couldn't go, or even those who could go and chose not to. Whether or not you attended doesn't determine your level of fan-ship.
But the players on the field deserve to play in front of a large crowd that is encouraging them. They may have let you down. They may not be able to make the plays you expect them to make. They may not be winning games. But they signed up to be Red Raiders, because they know what our support can be. They sat in our stadium as high school players at some point, taking in an exciting game and saying "man...this is where I want to be."
It's not the players' fault that they are limited in what they do. They are the best at their position on this team. They all fight hard. And so far we've seen that if they don't, they get benched.
Not filling the stands may be a way for the fans to protest, but to the players on the sideline, it's sending the wrong message. It's saying that you don't care what they've done on the practice field or in the classroom, or in the community. It tells recruits that we don't support our team through thick and thin. It not only affects things this season. It affects the future of our program. Apathy can't be the answer. It's the only surefire way to Kansas status.
So let's do this for these players: let's fill the stands against TCU. Not for the coaches. Not for each other. But let's do it for the players who wear the Double T. They deserve our support. And who knows...if we are there yelling and encouraging, maybe they can rise up and do the impossible.
If you have season tickets and can't go, give them away to someone who can. Hook up local veterans groups, or childrens homes, or local law enforcement. Send an underprivileged family who needs an escape for a few hours. Let's show the players on this football team that we still care about them. Let's live up to expectation that we've earned as being a great fan base.
I know I will get obliterated ITT, so let me have it.
