Bear Down Wildcats

fan·dom
ˈfandəm
noun
the state or condition of being a fan of someone or something.
"my 25 plus years of University of Arizona fandom"
the fans of a particular person, team, fictional series, etc., regarded collectively as a community or subculture.
"the Arizona Basketball fandom"

I figure now, tonight, is a good time to start a thread about fandom, what it means to you and to share a short story about mine:

The scene: Paris, France. March 20, 2008. Somewhere close to 1:00 AM local time.

The Situation: I was in France, preparing to become a married man. However, there was an NCAA tournament game featuring the University of Arizona on somewhere in the city.

The Problem: I'd have to venture out into Paris, in the early A.M. to watch the game with my best man (uCla fan) who had a feed of the game on the US Armed Forces channel at his hotel (streamed the uCla game on his computer). Our boutique hotel did not have a television. Thus, I'd have to lave my soon-to-be wife alone, in a foreign city, days before I married her.

The Choice: "Go ahead and watch the game, I know what is important to you" she says. So, what do I do? I leave. I walk across Paris from our hotel to his, only to watch us lose (thanks KO).

The Quote: Me (in jest): "Well sure our love may last forever...but Arizona basketball will always be there for me..."

The Result: My wife, unpleased was happy to hear that "the beast was dead" and that I need not worry about the tournament for the rest of our time in France.

The Future: My fandom has never ceased. In fact, it has (quite unbelievably) grown. The only problem is, due to my own choosing, I now have an anniverary that falls smack in the middle of every NCAA tournament every year...but at least she knows that it probably can't get any worse than being left alone in a hotel room in a foreign city, days before the most important day of her life.

The Epilogue: I must admit...I was slightly relieved that Arizona lost (I know, I know)...but that season was a mess if you remember. K-Fucking-O was the coach and Arizona entered the tourney with 14, yes 14 losses (the most since '85) and was a 10 seed. I think for the sake of my future marriage, the team lost.

The Question: Yes, we are still happily married (2 boys). Yes, she is attending the game tomorrow with me. Yes, she will be wearing Arizona gear (even though shes a UGA grad. Yes, she's fantastic and I love her (almost as much as Arizona basketball).

Glad my anniversary is around memorial day! 0 sports conflict.

June for me.

I'm good.

Got married April 15th. Never an issue in my house

Wow, that's a great story Odogg and I'm impressed....I would have done the same thing so BTFD and you are Da' Man! . Seriously, I get it.

My Thai wife doesn't speak English very well but she says 'Bear Down Arizona!' fluently. Also, doesn't complain when I walk around like a madman with the stereo surround sound speakers at full blast when I occasionally get to see a game.

I have butterflies in my stomach right now for the UCLA game tomorrow.....but am lucky my anniversary is in July. Sounds like your wife is pretty cool for understanding your passion so congrats!

O Dog, What is the big deal. Of course, you left her alone in her hotel room after midnight like any other night pre-marriage. I mean the lady has to sleep. She has her room and you have yours. Otherwise it would of been a sin. Hopefully you were able to get adjoining rooms.

My anniversary is in late March, even though I begged and pleaded to have it sometime during the fall because what were the chances our football team would ever be in a meaningful game?

My wife was in Labor with my first child. I had tickets to the game against Texas 2002. Texas was ranked 8th in the country. We won, and I made it back in time to see the birth of my Daughter. I've been hearing about that ever since. Worth it!

My kids don't make me put money in the swear jar during the month of March.

I got married in 1994 the day of the Oregon game that was for the Rose Bowl and we lost 10-9 in Eugene.
The year before UO was 2-6 in the PAC-it was supposed to be a cakewalk game for Desert Swarm when we set the date in March.


My groomsmen and I were watching in the back of the church on a portable TV before the ceremony and during pictures after (pissing off the photographer). As I was walking down the aisle after the vows with my bride I looked over at my roommate for a score update and got a thumbs up we were still winning.

Found out during the reception the Ducks took and kept the lead.

I once had sex during an Arizona loss to ASU, so I'm not winning this thread.

UAEebs86 wrote:I got married in 1994 the day of the Oregon game that was for the Rose Bowl and we lost 10-9 in Eugene.
The year before UO was 2-6 in the PAC-it was supposed to be a cakewalk game for Desert Swarm when we set the date in March.


My groomsmen and I were watching in the back of the church on a portable TV before the ceremony and during pictures after (pissing off the photographer). As I was walking down the aisle after the vows with my bride I looked over at my roommate for a score update and got a thumbs up we were still winning.

Found out during the reception the Ducks took and kept the lead.

Spent the Illinois Elite 8 loss in the groundskeeper shack at the Tucson Botanical Gardens watching it on a shitty small black & white portable TV with v-hold issues instead of at my wife's sister's wedding reception.

Just got married this past Saturday. Right before tourney time. Not too bad. Had to miss the Washington game though, it was worth it.

thezboe wrote:Just got married this past Saturday. Right before tourney time. Not too bad. Had to miss the Washington game though, it was worth it.

Congrats!!! But when is the honeymoon?

Chicat wrote:

thezboe wrote:Just got married this past Saturday. Right before tourney time. Not too bad. Had to miss the Washington game though, it was worth it.

Congrats!!! But when is the honeymoon?

That's the tricky part! We're going to Jamaica March 18-26. So it will be a challenge to watch as many games as I would like to. Don't think she'll have a problem watching the Arizona games though, luckily.

Set her up with a spa treatment.

That's a good idea. Though she'll probably want me to go with her! Maybe I can pick one day where I just get bulldozed at the bar watching all the games.

thezboe wrote:That's a good idea. Though she'll probably want me to go with her! Maybe I can pick one day where I just get bulldozed at the bar watching all the games.

There was a time many moons ago... when I was a newlywed... when my wife used to try to "distract me" while I was watching Cats games.

Those were the days!

On your honeymoon I suggest watching the games in bed!

Alieberman wrote:

thezboe wrote:That's a good idea. Though she'll probably want me to go with her! Maybe I can pick one day where I just get bulldozed at the bar watching all the games.

There was a time many moons ago... when I was a newlywed... when my wife used to try to "distract me" while I was watching Cats games.

Those were the days!

On your honeymoon I suggest watching the games in bed!

I thought that was just my wife. The challenge of getting a man who's not in the mood because he's watching his Cats lose to ASU.

I'm such a fan I just stay single

We got married in the middle of the Suns hot run in the 90's. Suns basketball was must see TV for the whole state. Barkley, KJ, Thunder Dan...

Our wedding day/subsequent anniversary was set to be the first Saturday in June after the last possible NBA Finals game. That was 1995...the Rockets made sure it didn't go that far.

Gato Salvaje wrote:My wife was in Labor with my first child. I had tickets to the game against Texas 2002. Texas was ranked 8th in the country. We won, and I made it back in time to see the birth of my Daughter. I've been hearing about that ever since. Worth it!

I was at that game at Texas too Gato!!! With my Aggie Bro during the few years I lived in Dallas between my stints here in Bangkok. The only road game I ever got to attend so far....we own UT and it was a great game....they had that incredible PG then.....forgot his name.

Great game, great win, great memory

Bangkok Wildcat wrote:

Gato Salvaje wrote:My wife was in Labor with my first child. I had tickets to the game against Texas 2002. Texas was ranked 8th in the country. We won, and I made it back in time to see the birth of my Daughter. I've been hearing about that ever since. Worth it!

I was at that game at Texas too Gato!!! With my Aggie Bro during the few years I lived in Dallas between my stints here in Bangkok. The only road game I ever got to attend so far....we own UT and it was a great game....they had that incredible PG then.....forgot his name.

Great game, great win, great memory

T J Ford?

ALASKACAT wrote:

Bangkok Wildcat wrote:

Gato Salvaje wrote:My wife was in Labor with my first child. I had tickets to the game against Texas 2002. Texas was ranked 8th in the country. We won, and I made it back in time to see the birth of my Daughter. I've been hearing about that ever since. Worth it!

I was at that game at Texas too Gato!!! With my Aggie Bro during the few years I lived in Dallas between my stints here in Bangkok. The only road game I ever got to attend so far....we own UT and it was a great game....they had that incredible PG then.....forgot his name.

Great game, great win, great memory

T J Ford?

Yes sir! Thanks....he was really great in college and so fun to watch us beat him at Texas

Bangkok Wildcat wrote:

ALASKACAT wrote:

Bangkok Wildcat wrote:

Gato Salvaje wrote:My wife was in Labor with my first child. I had tickets to the game against Texas 2002. Texas was ranked 8th in the country. We won, and I made it back in time to see the birth of my Daughter. I've been hearing about that ever since. Worth it!

I was at that game at Texas too Gato!!! With my Aggie Bro during the few years I lived in Dallas between my stints here in Bangkok. The only road game I ever got to attend so far....we own UT and it was a great game....they had that incredible PG then.....forgot his name.

Great game, great win, great memory

T J Ford?

Yes sir! Thanks....he was really great in college and so fun to watch us beat him at Texas

I was also at that game with my brother. When the game ended, we were standing and clapping and a Longhorn fan looked at us and said, "Yeah, well you still have Makovic".

At the UA/A&M game this past December, after the game was over my son and I were walking up the stairs to the concourse when I saw someone coming down the steps that I instantly recognized but I couldn't place him. I gave him a puzzled "I know you but who are you?" look and he just smiled and said, "TJ Ford". I think he used to be listed at 5"11" but he's really about 5'7". Pretty remarkable what he was able to accomplish at that size and no outside shot.

Very cool Professor . Bear Down.

Got married the night of an Arizona game. TV tuned to the game during the reception and no issues.

We lost, so I'm figuring a few guests were happy the liquor was free.