Bear Down Wildcats

Wanted to create a thread devoted to daily reminders that I (and hopefully others) like Arizona basketball a little too much. Acknowledging you've got a problem is always the first step in fixing it.

Today's reminder for me:

My cell has predictive text message suggestions. I was texting to tell my wife I love her too and "Ayton" came up in suggested words.

What's doubly sad? I'm pretty sure if I followed it and texted my wife "I love you DeAndre," I'm pretty sure she'd know what that was about and 100% she wouldn't get mad.

My wife automatically assumes that when I didn't hear what she said because I was looking at my phone it was "your damn sportsboards".

I have a problem with both football and basketball.. Hell even postseason baseball.

If I am ever in a bad mood - regardless of time of year - my 6 year old will ask me, "Daddy, did Arizona lose again?"

Being a sports fan can get out of control, obviously. I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on this. You have to ask yourself what value or benefit it brings to your life. Does the time/attention you give to AZ hoops significantly exceed that which you’re giving other meaningful areas of your life? What is the nature of your attachment to AZ hoops? Have you invested some of your own ego in the team? If so, there could be some low grade narcissism going on. Is it nostalgia from your time at UofA? Is it approaching obsessive behavior?

Can you sit comfortably at a family event, without thinking about the team, while a game is happening? Can you go on vacation and enjoy the beautiful place you’re visiting if the trip happens to coincide with AZ being in the Sweet 16? Would you interrupt your family time to watch games?

Everyone’s situation is different. Asking whether you have a problem shows maturity and a willingness to make changes.

I love AZ hoops as much as the next guy, and I’m on here a lot! But I think I’ve gotten it under control over the years. March will always be a hard month I’m lucky because my wife totally gets it and watches games with me. It would be hard being married to someone who didn’t understand or support this interest of mine.

Good topic, Spiff!

I've evened out my moods with sports significantly the last 5 years or so. A basketball loss especially would take me days to get over. A tourney loss would ruin my mood for a week. Football was obviously never as frustrating because we lost just as much as we won more or less. Meeting my wife and getting married and doing different things at work and going back to school have just re-prioritized a lot. I would rather spend time with my friends and wife who have no interest in Arizona sports then seclude myself to watch them or talk about them. Now I get angry at politics

AZ sports is still my #1 hobby/interest but I don't get worked up even a quarter as much as I used to.

regular season games, 5 minutes most to be upset about. Hour or so for NCAA tournament.

PHXCATS wrote:regular season games, 5 minutes most to be upset about. Hour or so for NCAA tournament.

Interesting considering you are so opinionated on what may be wrong, what could be better, ratings of fandom.

PHXCATS wrote:regular season games, 5 minutes most to be upset about. Hour or so for NCAA tournament.

That is low for NCAA games. I'm down at least a day or so after NCAA losses. Regular season is waaay different. The realization it's over until November is far more than an hour for me.

Getting older and older I don't take losses as hard as I use to. Don't get me wrong, I still go hard for Arizona Basketball and will yell at the TV during games I'm not in attendance for, however, I don't break things like I use to and I don't go in a deep depression over a loss. I think the last time I broke something was 2014 when the ref called an offense foul on Nick Johnson (RIP blackberry)...I also put a hole in the closet during that game (god I hate Frank Kaminsky).

Anyway, I think as a fan over the years you tend to learn how to deal with a loss. I'm just glad I'm not as insane as I use to be.

cats101 wrote:Getting older and older I don't take losses as hard as I use to. Don't get me wrong, I still go hard for Arizona Basketball and will yell at the TV during games I'm not in attendance for, however, I don't break things like I use to and I don't go in a deep depression over a loss. I think the last time I broke something was 2014 when the ref called an offense foul on Nick Johnson (RIP blackberry)...I also put a hole in the closet during that game (god I hate Frank Kaminsky).

Anyway, I think as a fan over the years you tend to learn how to deal with a loss. I'm just glad I'm not as insane as I use to be.

my friend broke his coffee table in 2014.

Bear Down Vegas wrote:

PHXCATS wrote:regular season games, 5 minutes most to be upset about. Hour or so for NCAA tournament.

Interesting considering you are so opinionated on what may be wrong, what could be better, ratings of fandom.

Fandom matters especially in football. If a few more people showed up to games U of A would likely be in the Holiday Bowl and not Foster Farms.

As for adjustments, we can agree to disagree but so far with zero final fours in 17 years I think some things should be at least considered.

I was just talking about time to be actually upset with my mood.

Sorry U of A did not get in the Vegas Bowl. Will have to grab those beers in March before or at the PAC-12 tournament. I got the first round buddy.

Spaceman Spiff wrote:

PHXCATS wrote:regular season games, 5 minutes most to be upset about. Hour or so for NCAA tournament.

That is low for NCAA games. I'm down at least a day or so after NCAA losses. Regular season is waaay different. The realization it's over until November is far more than an hour for me.

I will of course wish U of A was still in it and not be happy there are out, but the time where it will actually impact my life is about an hour.

Have never broken anything watching a game. Although I do pace a lot when it gets close in playoff games for pro teams and the NCAA tournament. 2014 vs Wisconsin I probably walked a few miles in the 2nd half and overtime.

Spaceman Spiff wrote:

PHXCATS wrote:regular season games, 5 minutes most to be upset about. Hour or so for NCAA tournament.

That is low for NCAA games. I'm down at least a day or so after NCAA losses. Regular season is waaay different. The realization it's over until November is far more than an hour for me.

I don't know. I was ready to riot at the thought we were probably going to lose to UNLV but the 3 losses prior didn't help. Glad that didn't happen.

The Xavier loss took about 2 days to get over. Doesn't help when you have annoying aswho friends (yes, I have those) who like to text you after every tournament loss about how Sean Miller "keeps choking."

scumdevils86 wrote:

cats101 wrote:Getting older and older I don't take losses as hard as I use to. Don't get me wrong, I still go hard for Arizona Basketball and will yell at the TV during games I'm not in attendance for, however, I don't break things like I use to and I don't go in a deep depression over a loss. I think the last time I broke something was 2014 when the ref called an offense foul on Nick Johnson (RIP blackberry)...I also put a hole in the closet during that game (god I hate Frank Kaminsky).

Anyway, I think as a fan over the years you tend to learn how to deal with a loss. I'm just glad I'm not as insane as I use to be.

my friend broke his coffee table in 2014.

Well damn.....

Cracked my laptop against UConn but never anything physical.

to be fair it was the cheap Ikea table. which he then taped together and still uses.

You might have a problem if you wrap your phone and remote in bubble wrap before the game even starts...

I've learned to protect my valuable shit from my expensive reactionary habits.

When we lost to Wisconsin the first time, I didn't turn the tournament (or ESPN, or anything else sports related) on TV until the national title. Didn't even know who was playing.

I don't know how anyone could get over a tournament loss in an hour that's just silly.

prh wrote:When we lost to Wisconsin the first time, I didn't turn the tournament (or ESPN, or anything else sports related) on TV until the national title. Didn't even know who was playing.

I don't know how anyone could get over a tournament loss in an hour that's just silly.

Takes me longer than that, for sure. The two Wisconsin losses were really bad because those AZ teams had championship DNA. Really loved those players.

I'm not sure I'm completely over the Illinois game. That would be the closest Lute ever got to his 6th Final Four (5th at AZ). Really wanted him to get one more before he called it a career.

My tude correlates with my view of whether I thought the best team that night won. If it did, I'm good. If It didn't and It's the Cats, I'm down for a couple hours. My therapy is a surf or a run on the beach, which pretty much erases my bum but I do get in trouble for tracking in sand and water. But if I come to the site and read posts it cancels the surf or run therapy, so I avoid the board after a loss now.

Spiff, I fell out of my highchair laughing with "I love you, DeAndre". I plan to say exactly that to Dianne after exactly the right game and at exactly the right moment. It's too funny not to share.

Love the 3 big sports at UofA. Hate when the summer sets in or we get to that game in basketball where if we lose the season is over. Hate elite 8 games as it is either the pit of despair or some of the purest joy one can have. Hate, hate, hate any discussion about the FBI and any mention of Book. Hate losing to ASSU in anything but especially football

EOCT wrote:My tude correlates with my view of whether I thought the best team that night won. If it did, I'm good. If It didn't and It's the Cats, I'm down for a couple hours. My therapy is a surf or a run on the beach, which pretty much erases my bum but I do get in trouble for tracking in sand and water. But if I come to the site and read posts it cancels the surf or run therapy, so I avoid the board after a loss now.

Spiff, I fell out of my highchair laughing with "I love you, DeAndre". I plan to say exactly that to Dianne after exactly the right game and at exactly the right moment. It's too funny not to share.

It's probably not even among the worst things my wife has had to deal with.

I think I posted this before, but against UCLA at Pauley last year, when Lauri sealed it with the and 1 follow dunk, I was watching in our bedroom. I dropped my pants and began screaming at the tv that the Bruins could do (blank) to my boxer clad self. After that, I turned to my wife, who just calmly said "put your pants back on, honey." It's a testament to her patience that she doesn't judge those things too harshly.

If we ever make the Final Four, or God forbid, a NC, I'm seriously worried about pushing it too far. I came to the University of Arizona in 2004, so I haven't seen the mountaintop(s) yet, but I don't need to decimate my marriage in the process.

I have a problem, U of A Wildcats Basketball is my religion.

Spaceman Spiff wrote:

EOCT wrote:My tude correlates with my view of whether I thought the best team that night won. If it did, I'm good. If It didn't and It's the Cats, I'm down for a couple hours. My therapy is a surf or a run on the beach, which pretty much erases my bum but I do get in trouble for tracking in sand and water. But if I come to the site and read posts it cancels the surf or run therapy, so I avoid the board after a loss now.

Spiff, I fell out of my highchair laughing with "I love you, DeAndre". I plan to say exactly that to Dianne after exactly the right game and at exactly the right moment. It's too funny not to share.

It's probably not even among the worst things my wife has had to deal with.

I think I posted this before, but against UCLA at Pauley last year, when Lauri sealed it with the and 1 follow dunk, I was watching in our bedroom. I dropped my pants and began screaming at the tv that the Bruins could do (blank) to my boxer clad self. After that, I turned to my wife, who just calmly said "put your pants back on, honey." It's a testament to her patience that she doesn't judge those things too harshly.

If we ever make the Final Four, or God forbid, a NC, I'm seriously worried about pushing it too far. I came to the University of Arizona in 2004, so I haven't seen the mountaintop(s) yet, but I don't need to decimate my marriage in the process.

Yeah I came in 2004 as well so we're in the same boat. If we ever do make a final 4 again I'm gonna need to be in lockdown mode.

scumdevils86 wrote:

Spaceman Spiff wrote:

EOCT wrote:My tude correlates with my view of whether I thought the best team that night won. If it did, I'm good. If It didn't and It's the Cats, I'm down for a couple hours. My therapy is a surf or a run on the beach, which pretty much erases my bum but I do get in trouble for tracking in sand and water. But if I come to the site and read posts it cancels the surf or run therapy, so I avoid the board after a loss now.

Spiff, I fell out of my highchair laughing with "I love you, DeAndre". I plan to say exactly that to Dianne after exactly the right game and at exactly the right moment. It's too funny not to share.

It's probably not even among the worst things my wife has had to deal with.

I think I posted this before, but against UCLA at Pauley last year, when Lauri sealed it with the and 1 follow dunk, I was watching in our bedroom. I dropped my pants and began screaming at the tv that the Bruins could do (blank) to my boxer clad self. After that, I turned to my wife, who just calmly said "put your pants back on, honey." It's a testament to her patience that she doesn't judge those things too harshly.

If we ever make the Final Four, or God forbid, a NC, I'm seriously worried about pushing it too far. I came to the University of Arizona in 2004, so I haven't seen the mountaintop(s) yet, but I don't need to decimate my marriage in the process.

Yeah I came in 2004 as well so we're in the same boat. If we ever do make a final 4 again I'm gonna need to be in lockdown mode.

I came to UofA in 2007. My memories of the basketball program probably go back to 2003 at best, anything before that is fuzzy or doesn't exist. I vaguely remember the 2001 championship game because it was obviously a big deal in Arizona (even in Phx) but I was still around 12 y.o.

When we make the FF again I know for a fact I'm going to be a problem.

The age/experience span among us fans is surely interesting & factors into a lot. & I say that as a guy who's fairly firmly planted in the middle (started my obsession with Kerr & Elliott).

My wife knows about my savings, solely for a final four trip, which will not be touched until that time.

I'll have to be in lockdown as well.

Lando05 wrote:I have a problem, U of A Wildcats Basketball is my religion.

Let's follow that line of thought.

Is Lute the pope?

To paraphrase a hip hop guy:

I got 99 problems, but the Cats ain't one.

In all seriousness though, after 97 I became a lot more measured.
My daughter was born in 98 so I'm sure parenthood also factored in.

I do have a dreamlike memory of wandering out of my friends house one afternoon in 2005.
I walked out without saying anything to anyone and sat in my car for an hour before I could even drive home.
I'm not sure what the event was. Maybe spring training.
Because there was no college basketball in March of 2005.

On a side note, whenever my daughter has to do the "what is one thing people don't know about you" thing, she tells everyone she was conceived the night of the 97 championship.

Postmaster wrote:In all seriousness though, after 97 I became a lot more measured.
My daughter was born in 98 so I'm sure parenthood also factored in.

I do have a dreamlike memory of wandering out of my friends house one afternoon in 2005.
I walked out without saying anything to anyone and sat in my car for an hour before I could even drive home.
I'm not sure what the event was. Maybe spring training.
Because there was no college basketball in March of 2005.

On a side note, whenever my daughter has to do the "what is one thing people don't know about you" thing, she tells everyone she was conceived the night of the 97 championship.

i assume you live in tucson otherwise most people wouldn't quite get that hah.

Postmaster wrote:In all seriousness though, after 97 I became a lot more measured.
My daughter was born in 98 so I'm sure parenthood also factored in.

I do have a dreamlike memory of wandering out of my friends house one afternoon in 2005.
I walked out without saying anything to anyone and sat in my car for an hour before I could even drive home.
I'm not sure what the event was. Maybe spring training.
Because there was no college basketball in March of 2005.

On a side note, whenever my daughter has to do the "what is one thing people don't know about you" thing, she tells everyone she was conceived the night of the 97 championship.

Unpossible! No one in the entire city was sober enough to make babies that night! I seriously have zero recollection of overtime..but do remember dancing on a car on 4th.

First season I followed was 87-88. A northern AZ station out of Prescott started showing them. I was hooked.

I suffered through 1st weekend defeats in 4 of 6 seasons that I was a student (took a semester off following family death in 1991, was still in school first semester of 94-95 season, so 5 years total attendance). The only time I broke something was the stairway lights at my condo after the 1993 loss to Santa Clara. I owned the condo...I only hurt myself.

My experience as a UA fan is probably why I am not so enamored by a Final Four. I'd really rather make runs every year than go to a FF and lose 3 first round games around it. I've experienced both realities. The true Glory Days were from 1997 - 2005, and even then, we had 3 Elite Eight defeats and 3 first weekend eliminations. And that "Glory" period didn't start until year 14 of the program. We had a couple of Final Fours, sure...but we also had 7 first weekend losses, 6 of those first round, and one miss in those first 14 years. Pretty much, being a UA fan through the first half of Lute's tenure was to have a team go home in the first or 2nd round half the time.

Higher highs, lower lows.

I was more emotional in acting out then, but I am probably more invested now, and it probably hurts more now. I know too many people that are hurt by losses, good people, and I am more angry with our fanbase than I am with the team these days.

Beachcat97 wrote:

Lando05 wrote:I have a problem, U of A Wildcats Basketball is my religion.

Let's follow that line of thought.

Is Lute the pope?

Lute is Moses, right down to leading his flock out of the desert. Then things fell apart a little and needed redemption. Sean Miller arrived. Now he's betrayed by Book Richardson for a few pieces of silver and lumped in with criminals like Pitino.

Have I gotten to the point of heretical enough to be struck by lightning or do I need to get the the resurrection?

Spaceman Spiff wrote:

Beachcat97 wrote:

Lando05 wrote:I have a problem, U of A Wildcats Basketball is my religion.

Let's follow that line of thought.

Is Lute the pope?

Lute is Moses, right down to leading his flock out of the desert. Then things fell apart a little and needed redemption. Sean Miller arrived. Now he's betrayed by Book Richardson for a few pieces of silver and lumped in with criminals like Pitino.

Have I gotten to the point of heretical enough to be struck by lightning or do I need to get the the resurrection?

I have always said it is Lute the Father, Steve the Son, Sean the Holy Spirit.

After that, it has been created, and the high priests and prophets walk the floor of McKale, including Miller. But the Trinity was, IMO, set long ago when it comes to this program.

I also refer to Kerr as "The Patron Saint of Arizona Basketball".

If miller wins the NC this year after everything that has gone on and sheds the EE moniker, then truly he triumphed over the death of UA BB and arose on the third weekend.

Add that to the confession bucket. Haven't been in about 15 years.

CalStateTempe wrote:If miller wins the NC this year after everything that has gone on and sheds the EE moniker, then truly he triumphed over the death of UA BB and arose on the third weekend.

Add that to the confession bucket. Haven't been in about 15 years.

I've been hooked on Arizona basketball since the McMiracle shot to beat Oregon State at McKale. That wasn't the first Final Four team but it was a special shot for an up and coming great program Lute was rebuilding from the basement up. Not surprisingly Craig McMillan went on to play on Arizona's first Final Four team; a team I still believe was the best ever even though they didn't win the championship. That season was so special. The Gumby's, Tom Tolbert's heroics against UNC in the elite eight, Lute defeating Iowa twice, and the crowd at Mckale roaring Steve Kerr's name after every made three point shot. That team brought the whole town together. Just an absolutely amazing season I will always treasure.

Arizona Basketball as a religion started here:

That's where I started KK. I was 9 years old and my family and I went to several games that year. We had just moved to Tucson and that was some exciting basketball. All the kids wanted to be Eric Money & Coniel Norman.

My grandparents and great aunt moved to Tucson in the 80s when I was a kid, they had season tickets for 20 years or so. When we would visit, they would take us to games. Been a fan since then. Technology and satellite radio has made it much easier to be a crazy fan in da U.P. I have a block A flag that flies from December thru the tourney. Might be the only one in 500 miles. Have been wearing a fitted A hat since the 90s. Get a new one every couple years. I worked with this girl Ruby, the first time I met her she was wearing an Arizona shirt. I pointed right at her boobs and got this crazy look on my face like I saw my brother that I thought had died. Fortunately I was wearing an Arizona shirt under my button up so I could say that I was just excited about having another zona fan in the area. We were pretty much best work friends after that. It was a little awkward at first tho.

I think it's bizarre that people hold on to these attachments for decades after leaving their universities. Arizona I get, but Kansas or Texas or UCLA?

Is U.P. Uttar Pradesh?

Where ever you are, that is a cool story.

Longhorned wrote:I think it's bizarre that people hold on to these attachments for decades after leaving their universities. Arizona I get, but Kansas or Texas or UCLA?

So what, exactly, do you think of me LH?

CalStateTempe wrote:Is U.P. Uttar Pradesh?

Where ever you are, that is a cool story.

UP= Upper Peninsula in Michigan if I’m not mistaken

EVCat wrote:First season I followed was 87-88.

Same, and the next season was when like became love. I've already told the story of my first grade teacher who was good friends with Bobbi, and how Lute, Bobbi and Matt Muehlebach all popped in at various times throughout that school year. They always brought goodies (I still have my 87-88 and 88-89 signed team photos in my parents safe). My family knows about my obsession very well. I was with family in Vegas when we beat Duke in Madison Square Garden in 2013. My whole family, even my sometimes pain in the ass brother in law who never turns down a trolling opportunity, was practically praying for us to win because they knew how miserable everyone would be if they did not. Goes without saying, an Arizona loss can ruin days, even weeks for a lot of us.

IndianaZonaFan wrote:

CalStateTempe wrote:Is U.P. Uttar Pradesh?

Where ever you are, that is a cool story.

UP= Upper Peninsula in Michigan if I’m not mistaken

That's what I thought. Maybe because you and I live in the same region.

Longhorned wrote:

IndianaZonaFan wrote:

CalStateTempe wrote:Is U.P. Uttar Pradesh?

Where ever you are, that is a cool story.

UP= Upper Peninsula in Michigan if I’m not mistaken

That's what I thought. Maybe because you and I live in the same region.

Makes sense. I wonder what region NorCal is where I'm thinking for the Indian state that holds the Taj Mahal

Upper peninsula of Mi is correct. I live a mile from lake superior.

It's a long way from Arizona. But since u of a has a good mining engineering program, we get the occasional zona grad here. Lots of mines.