Run and you will live, at least a while.
Oct 22, 2007 2007 Season, Fuck, Ranting, Righteous Indignation, Self-Referential Stuff
There are few rules when it comes to rooting for a team. Generally, you can do whatever you want and no one will say much of anything. I’m not saying that you won’t get a look or three because of what you are wearing, what you have painted on the side of your $60,000 RV, or what you convinced your wife to tattoo on her cleavage, but in the end, all anyone asks is that you are loyal to your team.
One of the few rules that does exist as part of being loyal, however, is that you never, ever, EVER leave a game before it is literally impossible for your team to win/lose the game. And I do mean “literally;” “unlikely” is not the same thing. So, it is in that vein that I would like to offer a sincere and heartfelt “fuck you” to all of the Texans fans who left the game early yesterday. That was just as disappointing as anything else that happened.
When I saw how many fewer seats were occupied following halftime, I was mildly annoyed. I chalked that up to people who were really there only to see Vince Young. After all, it’s not like the place ever filled up yesterday–plenty of seats never had an ass in them because it was known that Vince was not starting. Still, I assumed that few Texans fans were among the exodus.
When my wife called during the early third quarter to tell me that the television announcers were joking about the parking lot filling up with people returning to their tailgates, I was even more peeved. Way to stick it out and cheer for your team, ya know? Hell, I don’t even understand the mindset that would say, “hey, Earl, we’re losing; let’s go outside and listen to the game on radio instead of sitting here in this seat we paid for and actually watching the game.”
And so it went that each hiccup by the Texans sent more and more people fleeing like rats from a sinking ship. At no point did any of them stop to think that there was a chance we might come back. Was it likely? Fuck no. Was it technically possible? Fuck yes. Obviously. Yet none of the departed seemed to even consider the possibility, however remote.
As disheartening as it was to see the empty seats during the comeback, the real slap in the face didn’t come until after Andre Davis‘ miraculous TD catch. When Tennessee got the ball back and had to put together a drive, the few of us remaining were screaming our lungs out. We wanted to make it impossible for Collins to hear or audible and make the offensive line jump because they couldn’t hear the snap count. We screamed. We beat the empty seats with bottles. We clapped until our hands hurt. And, obviously, we were unsuccessful. One-fifth of a stadium full of people can’t do a whole lot, especially when a not-small percentage of that fifth is composed of Titans/VY fans.
Would it have made a difference if the place was packed? Who knows? That’s not really the point. The point is that I shouldn’t have to sit here and wonder “what if;” I should already know whether a packed house (or a reasonable approximation of a packed house) could have created a din that would throw the Titans off in that last, crucial minute.
Right about now, someone reading this is thinking that I am a dumbshit for suggesting that you stay even when the odds are 1-in-a-whole-fucking-lot that the outcome could change. Yet, that is exactly what this dumbshit is saying. If it is possible for your team to win/lose, you keep yourself in the stadium and see what happens. If you want to leave at the two-minute warning when your team is losing by four possessions, go ahead. If you want to start heading toward the exit as soon as one team begins the kneel-downs or even as soon as they get the first down that will let them start kneeling, be my guest. But until then, don’t even consider leaving. Because only an asshole would do that. Nobody likes an asshole.
Look, maybe I am just venting because I saw the whole thing happen live. Losing like that, there is a feeling of disgust that no TV or radio broadcast can convey. The old lady who hugged me when Andre scored looked like she was going to cry when the field goal sailed through. We’d witnessed thirteen minutes of amazing comeback, only to have our hearts torn out at the end, so it’s possible that I am simply bitter that the people who left early escaped the first-hand heartbreak. Then again, at least I can say that I saw that unbelievable rally live and–even better–I can tell people that I stuck it out even as the score climbed to 32-7. Maybe I left felling like I got kicked in the nuts, but I at least I had the balls to stick it out.
I’ll get down off the soapbox now.
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October 22nd, 2007 at 10:18 pm
Fuck Houston fans. Seriously. I say that as a diehard Houston sports lover, but screw these bandwagon douchebags. I went to see the Astros/Braves 18 inning marathon that propelled the ‘Stros to the Series two years back. After the seventh inning, MMP stops selling booze in the stadium. Thus, the stadium was maybe 2/3 full when the Astros ended up winning on a miraculous HR by Burke. Now here you had a situation where we ALREADY came back from a seven run deficit in the eighth inning. We sent the game to extra innings on a 2 out HR by Ausmus in he bottom of the ninth. AFTER this had already occurred, people started leaving to go right across the street and watch the game at a bar. What kind of dumbass would leave a tied playoff game to go watch it at a bar? Houston fans, that’s who.
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October 23rd, 2007 at 7:05 am
I wholeheartedly agree Matt. When I was a kid and used to go to games with my dad, he always made that point that you stick it out until the end. The only time I’ve left early was when someone gave me tickets and they wanted to leave. I’d give them crap, but I kinda felt it was their call. Still, I felt dirty.
Now, since I’m nowhere near Houston, I always DVR the games. I keep the good ones and delete the bad ones (Atlanta, JVill… I’d prefer to wipe these from my memory). Half way through the third quarter I actually pushed all the buttons to delete this one, but right as I was going to delete it, I thought “well there’s still a chance, and I’d kill myself if I deleted it.” I also almost left the TV to go mow the lawn. My girlfriend felt bad and was pushing me to go mow the lawn instead of staying in to watch. I know this isn’t the same as sticking it out at a stadium, but it’s all I got.
With a minute left, I thought I’d keep this game forever.
Of course, after that 8th field goal, I kind of wish I had gone to mow the lawn.
-Vega
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October 23rd, 2007 at 7:25 am
I’m a Texans fan now, but before they existed I was just a football fan in general, not following any particular team.
It makes it easier for me to watch any game to completion, no matter what’s going on because even if we can’t win anymore (or it seems like we can’t), I can still appreciate the football.
Of course, this would be different if I could actually physically go to a Texans game. Then I would probably be throwing things at the field. Like maybe just gently tossing a fifth of vodka to the Titans’ sideline near Kerry Collins with a sign taped on it that says, “for you, with love.”
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October 23rd, 2007 at 8:56 am
How could you tell the difference in the club level? The club level people never sit in their seats even during a good game. They’d rather get bombed in the bar as so many of them don’t pay for tickets and aren’t big fans because they got their tix for free from some company.
I have to say I was proud of the fans that remained because at least at the field level, it was loud. People were pounding on their seats.
It made me think that the fans that left wouldn’t have made much of a difference because obviously because it was so loud at the end, the people who left must have been like potted plants.
Wish you got to witness a better game.
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October 23rd, 2007 at 9:08 am
BTW, did you notice on the JumboTron that someone in the BullPen had a huge sign that just read “Tub Girl.” I swear it.
Or maybe I was kinda dehydrated and imagined it, but I coulda sworn I saw that.
You could have never dealt coming to a game during the 2-14 2005 season. Not only did you lose the games, but most of them looked like variations of the first half of this game. Though the punting was much worse.
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October 23rd, 2007 at 9:15 am
Yeah, Tim pointed out the sign. We were rolling. Then we tried to explain what it was to the guy there with us. Hard to describe without sounding like a complete weirdo.
You are right that Club level was never totally full and that a lot of people stayed in the bar. Of course, I am talking about all the people I saw leaving from various levels.
And the fact that it was so loud with so few of us there is exactly why I got pissed off. Can you imagine the noise if the Texans fans had stayed? Again, I don’t know that it would have made a difference, but I sure as hell shouldn’t have to guess.
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October 23rd, 2007 at 1:35 pm
I dunno. I kinda think that the people who would leave that game early are the sort of people who don’t yell much.
So, are you going to make it to another game this season?
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October 23rd, 2007 at 1:44 pm
Hey, I’ve been reading the site a while, but I’m just finally getting around to posting.
HOUSTON FANS SUCK.
I have lived here my whole life, and I’m a recent graduate from the University of Houston. The one thing all sports in this city share is the fact that the fans only show up consistently for winners. They don’t get behind their team during the down years, but when things are going well they act like they were the first to ever root for them.
The Texans example has already been stated, but look at the Rockets. People LOVED them during the championship era. You could not walk the street without seeing 20 Rox shirts on, but now half the city roots for the damn Spurs and don’t know any players other than Yao. And it’s not like they have been a terrible team. (Be ready for the bandwagon to ride again this year by the way, the Rockets are stacked)
Now consider the ultimate example: UH. During the Phi Slamma Jamma days and Ware’s Heisman run the stadiums were packed and wild. Now we have to give out free tickets and shirts just to get the handful of fans we can. Sure the programs all sucked for a long while, but last year’s football team did great and was an absolute blast to watch (please watch the Liberty Bowl to see some fun football). This year things started strong but after a few hiccups the fans deserted again.
People need to realize what makes a good season GREAT is fighting through all the bad ones with the team. Only then do you really get that feeling that you are a witnessing something truly special. I’m not sure what is wrong with Houston fans maybe its something in the water, but it is not isolated to the Texans by any means.
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October 23rd, 2007 at 2:04 pm
On the other hand, maybe the kind of people who leave early are the same kind of mindless bandwagon jumpers that would start yelling if the people around them were yelling.
Mike, good to have you aboard. I think it’s telling that you’re the third person to detail to me how Houston tends to be a town of frontrunning fans.
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October 23rd, 2007 at 2:07 pm
I could understand giving up on a team that has David Carr behind center or Steve Francis playing point. Those teams looked like they just didn’t want to win. This is completely different though. The Texans have played balls-out every single game this season, even when they’re out-coached or way less talented than whoever they’re playing.
Stick it out, assholes! The only thing separating us from Jets fans right now is that we didn’t boo Schaub when he was limping off the field. Imagine being a player and looking up at the stands. The only thing more depressing than taking a beat-down like that is realizing that even your fans have given up on you.