This one hurts

[tgrumpy2]

For crying out loud. You guys aren't even in the glass is half empty realm, you're saying the glass is bone dry and I don't get it. I think BYU is underrated. No they aren't going to make the playoffs but they have an NFL running back and a huge offensive line to block for him and a smart mature fairly athletic quarterback that now has had 7 years experience reading college defenses. We held them to 18 points. Someone already said it, last year this BYU team would have dropped at least 35 on us. I think Solomon found himself in the last quarter of that game and we're going to be fine.

[azcat49]

Wasn't that Wilson running crazy in the 4th? Maybe because Anu got the passing game going?

[UALoco]

Byrne & RR need people without an every day connection to the team and school to remain as engaged as possible.

I feel your pain but you and everyone needs to know that everyone in the AD department are racking their brains on how to keep everyone engaged. The videos, the FAN Alliance, changing out the D coaches, the recruiting, the roadtrips, the wildcat walk, the improvements to the stadium, the planned improvements, the scheduling, the game in Phoenix..they are trying their damnedest. I am not in the department but I've seen it for myself. They want DirecTV to distribute P12 in the worst way, they want to win in the worst way, they want fans to have the best experience possible...but they are human and their are things that are not in their control. Turning Arizona into a football powerhouse has only happened once for a short-brief period, and that is even arguable since it wasn't sustained. The defeatist words I've read in this thread are not worthy of that staff and the work they put in.

[jimson]

Byrne & RR need people without an every day connection to the team and school to remain as engaged as possible.

I feel your pain but you and everyone needs to know that everyone in the AD department are racking their brains on how to keep everyone engaged. The videos, the FAN Alliance, changing out the D coaches, the recruiting, the roadtrips, the wildcat walk, the improvements to the stadium, the planned improvements, the scheduling, the game in Phoenix..they are trying their damnedest. I am not in the department but I've seen it for myself. They want DirecTV to distribute P12 in the worst way, they want to win in the worst way, they want fans to have the best experience possible...but they are human and their are things that are not in their control. Turning Arizona into a football powerhouse has only happened once for a short-brief period, and that is even arguable since it wasn't sustained. The defeatist words I've read in this thread are not worthy of that staff and the work they put in.

That's about right.

If we want to temper our expectations for the year, that's one thing, but I still think the program is in good shape going forward.

All the off season changes show they are serious about it.

[Chicat]

Byrne & RR need people without an every day connection to the team and school to remain as engaged as possible.

I feel your pain but you and everyone needs to know that everyone in the AD department are racking their brains on how to keep everyone engaged. The videos, the FAN Alliance, changing out the D coaches, the recruiting, the roadtrips, the wildcat walk, the improvements to the stadium, the planned improvements, the scheduling, the game in Phoenix..they are trying their damnedest. I am not in the department but I've seen it for myself. They want DirecTV to distribute P12 in the worst way, they want to win in the worst way, they want fans to have the best experience possible...but they are human and their are things that are not in their control. Turning Arizona into a football powerhouse has only happened once for a short-brief period, and that is even arguable since it wasn't sustained. The defeatist words I've read in this thread are not worthy of that staff and the work they put in.

They don't have to rack their brains. Just put a consistently good product on the field. You keep mentioning things that people in Tucson/Phoenix get to experience (the stadium, game in Phoenix, Wildcat Walk), which if you read my post you should know does not apply to what I said. You also mention things they only changed at the end of year 4 and may not pay off until year 7 or 8 (defensive coaches, recruiting, etc). The fact that it took this long to figure out that defensive coaches who don't recruit or coach a good scheme are detrimental to the program is maddening. By the time they figure out other shortcomings they CAN control (QB play, o-line depth, special teams), will fans who are unable to attend home games and don't have any away games nearby have already checked out?

You say you "feel my pain" and then call what was a constructive post with legitimate concerns "defeatist" and somehow an insult to the coaches and AD, so I don't actually think you understand what I'm saying. While I'm very happy that getting to high five a player as he walks to the stadium will keep you a Wildcat football fan for life, for those of us packing alumni bars until 2am and who donate money to a team that they're scrambling on gameday to find some pirated choppy online stream to watch so they can maybe catch a quarter before it cuts out, the only real thing to keep us interested and engaged is to play winning football. We are only going to wait so long before other interests take precedence.

[Merkin]

They want DirecTV to distribute P12 in the worst way


Larry Scott disagrees, and feels that the PAC-12 is as popular as the Big-10 and should get Big-10 money.

[azpenguin]

They don't have to rack their brains. Just put a consistently good product on the field.

I get what you're saying and I understand the disconnect you're talking about, being a long way away from Tucson. Thing is, you don't think they're trying? You think RichRod is content with 7-8 win seasons? This isn't a simple matter of "if you do X, Y will happen." The thing with the defense is that he had coaches in place that got him within 5 points of a national title game. This was something that had worked well for him in the past at West Virginia, and that had got him a Pac-12 South title and a 10 win year at Arizona. No one expects the coaches to be fired in the offseason after that. Had he not been willing to make the changes he did after last year, that would be much more disconcerting. Byrne doesn't seem to believe the program is headed in the wrong direction, judging from his history. Remember this - in November 2010 Arizona was 7-1 and being talked about a darkhorse BCS title contender. 11 games later, Stoops was fired. If he thought the program was in a tailspin, I'm pretty confident he'd pull the trigger.

The question, I guess, is this: What should they do? They're trying to put that good product on the field. It's just not an easy task, people are impatient, and you're damned if you do and damned if you don't.

[Merkin]

You think RichRod is content with 7-8 win seasons?

Actually, yea. Explains why he kept his drinking buddy Casteel on so long, and why recruiting has been mediocre.

Dick Tomey did the same thing, had that great season, decided recruiting is really hard work, and mailed it in.

Not an insider, but I imagine the directive to get rid of Casteel came from Byrne.

[RazorsEdgeAZ]

I'll always be an AZ Football fan. Support them. But there are varying degrees. On field performance part of that. I fall into the camp that winning and success solves many issues.

Attendance at AZ and most all (even some Blue Blood programs) facing stiff headwinds with TV and streaming options, Social Media, total cost attending etc. Don't see that changing if at all. Getting a Rose Bowl bid or two could (maybe) change that for AZ.

So I think we're just grading coaches on their performance for the most part. If it was always about fan loyalty or unconditional support (a program, yes varying degree) coaches would never be fired. It's a business. That's why Admin trying their hardest to get support, donations and attendance. It's a business. Performance and Revenue.

Comparison:

Mike Stoops here 7 full seasons. Stoops got lots of flak from fan base including from me starting year 4. BTW, Stoops also went 1-3 against ASU 1st 4 years. Lots of rumblings to get him out (Field antics part of that. But RR has his own). Stoops bought himself more time by having a decent year 5. Had a winning conference record. Beat a tough CAL program, took care of a struggling UCLA and beat ASU. Stoops's year 5 showed progression in recruiting and the program. Year 6 was better. Another winning conference record. Beat a very tough Oregon St, UCLA, Udub, Stanford and beat ASU. More progression before the wheels fell off. I can't recall if Stoops publicly tried to leave for another program. Stoops also had high level staff turnover his first 5 years. Not that uncommon. Stoop's teams either matched their previous year's conference record or improved upon it the 1st 6 years. And he got fired (which I supported).

RR is year 5 pretty likely it's going to be another losing conference record. Hoping to get to a bowl game. Not what we wanted. But it's his program. He's had much more sustained support from the fan base (opinion) than his predecessor ever did. But he should be assessed on his team's performance, coaching and recruiting. Not that complicated. I personally don't think it's disloyal to be concerned or question the team's performance. In fact, maybe a duty because I love the program so much and want it to see more success. But RR going 7-2 conference (with balance his and Stoops recruits) and then going 3-6 and potentially another losing conf record this year is a concern.

[Spaceman Spiff]

My problem with a narrative about RichRod's tenure turning fans off due to middling product is that he's had the winningest 4 year stretch in program history. If you think he needs to put a better product out on the field to attend games, you likely haven't been to an Arizona game in a long time if ever.

Not only is this a good product for Arizona football, it's historically good. We just don't have much history. Which is why we can't exactly get too high and mighty for RichRod too fast.

[jimson]

You think RichRod is content with 7-8 win seasons?

Actually, yea. Explains why he kept his drinking buddy Casteel on so long, and why recruiting has been mediocre.

Dick Tomey did the same thing, had that great season, decided recruiting is really hard work, and mailed it in.

Not an insider, but I imagine the directive to get rid of Casteel came from Byrne.

No one is going to clean house after the first 2 years or after arguably the best, or second best season in team history.

The changes came at the appropriate time,

[Chicat]

They don't have to rack their brains. Just put a consistently good product on the field.

I get what you're saying and I understand the disconnect you're talking about, being a long way away from Tucson. Thing is, you don't think they're trying? You think RichRod is content with 7-8 win seasons? This isn't a simple matter of "if you do X, Y will happen." The thing with the defense is that he had coaches in place that got him within 5 points of a national title game. This was something that had worked well for him in the past at West Virginia, and that had got him a Pac-12 South title and a 10 win year at Arizona. No one expects the coaches to be fired in the offseason after that. Had he not been willing to make the changes he did after last year, that would be much more disconcerting. Byrne doesn't seem to believe the program is headed in the wrong direction, judging from his history. Remember this - in November 2010 Arizona was 7-1 and being talked about a darkhorse BCS title contender. 11 games later, Stoops was fired. If he thought the program was in a tailspin, I'm pretty confident he'd pull the trigger.

The question, I guess, is this: What should they do? They're trying to put that good product on the field. It's just not an easy task, people are impatient, and you're damned if you do and damned if you don't.

If you've got coaches that won't recruit and whose defense gives up an average of nearly 30 points per game even with Scooby Wright during that magical season, you can't just let that shit slide. You have to demand they improve in both aspects. Especially since the end of that season featured us giving up 90 points in the last two games and definitely ended in disappointment.

I'm not sure if RR is satisfied with going 7-6, 8-5 yearly. Recruiting prior to this year would lead you to believe so. Our history shows that our program is fine with those results too. We gave Stoops 8(!) years of putrid to mediocre results. We didn't fire Mackovic until after the SECOND player revolt. What should lead RR to believe that a few seasons hovering around .500 while he flirts with any other job out there will lead to him getting shit-canned?

Look, I'm obviously a diehard. And I am by no means giving up on the program or this staff or season. But my patience will wane. There's only so many mediocre seasons I can stand without at some point valuing sleep and family time over watching games and saving my money rather than donating it to the program. That's just a hard truth. I need something to root for and get excited about. The new blood on the coaching staff is a great first step. I'd like to see the improvements continue.

[jimson]

He went with the DC he had had success with in the past.

I don't know how long you should give a staff to succeed, 4 years doesn't sound too unreasonable.
He decided it wasn't working out and pulled the trigger.

Works for me, and I accept that there will be some growing pains this year.

[catgrad97]

They don't have to rack their brains. Just put a consistently good product on the field.

I get what you're saying and I understand the disconnect you're talking about, being a long way away from Tucson. Thing is, you don't think they're trying? You think RichRod is content with 7-8 win seasons? This isn't a simple matter of "if you do X, Y will happen." The thing with the defense is that he had coaches in place that got him within 5 points of a national title game. This was something that had worked well for him in the past at West Virginia, and that had got him a Pac-12 South title and a 10 win year at Arizona. No one expects the coaches to be fired in the offseason after that. Had he not been willing to make the changes he did after last year, that would be much more disconcerting. Byrne doesn't seem to believe the program is headed in the wrong direction, judging from his history. Remember this - in November 2010 Arizona was 7-1 and being talked about a darkhorse BCS title contender. 11 games later, Stoops was fired. If he thought the program was in a tailspin, I'm pretty confident he'd pull the trigger.

The question, I guess, is this: What should they do? They're trying to put that good product on the field. It's just not an easy task, people are impatient, and you're damned if you do and damned if you don't.

If you've got coaches that won't recruit and whose defense gives up an average of nearly 30 points per game even with Scooby Wright during that magical season, you can't just let that shit slide. You have to demand they improve in both aspects. Especially since the end of that season featured us giving up 90 points in the last two games and definitely ended in disappointment.

I'm not sure if RR is satisfied with going 7-6, 8-5 yearly. Recruiting prior to this year would lead you to believe so. Our history shows that our program is fine with those results too. We gave Stoops 8(!) years of putrid to mediocre results. We didn't fire Mackovic until after the SECOND player revolt. What should lead RR to believe that a few seasons hovering around .500 while he flirts with any other job out there will lead to him getting shit-canned?

Look, I'm obviously a diehard. And I am by no means giving up on the program or this staff or season. But my patience will wane. There's only so many mediocre seasons I can stand without at some point valuing sleep and family time over watching games and saving my money rather than donating it to the program. That's just a hard truth. I need something to root for and get excited about. The new blood on the coaching staff is a great first step. I'd like to see the improvements continue.

Boom. Chicat gets it. Fans have families, and anyone who's going to put patience with RichRod before that doesn't have my support.

Because, at least since Larry Smith left, there's never any real sense of urgency surrounding the Arizona football program.

And there needs to be. Now.

Without it, you're just encouraging fans to drift away or, at best, be casual. Mediocrity isn't a big deal to anyone else, so why should it be to me?

[Chicat]

He went with the DC he had had success with in the past.

I don't know how long you should give a staff to succeed, 4 years doesn't sound too unreasonable.
He decided it wasn't working out and pulled the trigger.

Works for me, and I accept that there will be some growing pains this year.

He fired Casteel at the right time as far as results on the field, but I think everyone, including RichRod thought that the results on the field in '14 would lead to a recruiting bonanza in '15/'16. When that wasn't happening, either the coaches needed to get out and turn it around or be replaced with those who would. The fact that we had people on staff that refused to travel to see, evaluate, offer, and lock down kids is why we weren't able to build upon the success of '14 and why we are now in year 5 and I'm talking about interest waning and Greg Byrne has to make videos begging people to actually enter the stadium after the tailgate. That shit is embarrassing coming off a BCS bowl game a year and a half ago.

[scumdevils86]

Bingo chi

[jimson]

Greg Byrne has to make videos begging people to actually enter the stadium after the tailgate. That shit is embarrassing coming off a BCS bowl game a year and a half ago.

We have a program without a local alumni base. Most of them have to leave town in order to find a decent job.

The only thing we have in abundance is retirees. A lot of them do adopt the hometown team, but losing the game day shuttle hurt that market as does the heat and the late starts to avoid that heat.

I guess I'm not so cynical to believe that RR just wants to skate by until someone offers him a job elsewhere. I really think he wants the program to succeed as much or more than most of us do.

[jimson]

I can understand the bitterness over the Carolina flirtation, but what I don't know is how serious it was.

Did RR toss his hat in the ring or was he contacted first? In the real world it happens all the time. I have interviewed for jobs when I had no plan to leave the one I was at just for courtesy reasons, hear what they had to say. Did RR actually turned down an offer? or was there never one? or did he remove himself from consideration before one was made?

Maybe someone has these answers but all Iv'e heard is speculation.

I just hope that if he does go, he leaves a solid foundation and doesn't pull a Larry and stay in the conference.

[Merkin]

I just hope that if he does go, he leaves a solid foundation and doesn't pull a Larry and stay in the conference.

Larry Smith actually could beat USC.

And ASU for that matter.

RichRod has 2 wins combined against those 2 teams, and unable to beat UCLA at all. The only interest RichRod will get in the PAC is a lower tier team which he won't go to.

Larry Smith was HC when I was a student, and that was during the Fred Snowden/Ben Lindsey/Lute Olson transition.

UA was actually a football school then, imagine that.

[Gladiator Cat]

As a long time fan, I can categorically say that I will go to my grave having extreme passion for the Wildcat football program. It's been apart of my entire life just as breathing air has been.

I feel everyone's frustration and I will admit at times I'm far too critical of the games, coaches and some players. I probably always will be somewhat opinionated about things that don't go well, but my love for the team is unwavering.

I completely understand how Chicat and others who don't live in the Tucson/Phoenix area can say what they say and its a thesis that is completely logical and reasonable to me. Folks that think otherwise are completely unrealistic.

Long-time fans have every right to change course from time to time, and if a product is not up to snuff or lacks the level of success needed to stay relevant then fans of all age groups and geographical locations will vote with their pocket book, its that simple.

The truth of the matter is the fan dynamics are the same in Tucson or Tallahassee or as in Tuscaloosa or Tempe. High level winning develops extreme fan support and an almost unlimited financial support component and on the flip side mediocrity engenders apathy, disappointment and alternative options for those hard earned dollars that are getting harder to come by everyday.

The fact of the matter is we all love the football program, we all just show it and display it in different ways, and through different actions. When folks decide to do other things on a Saturday night than travel hundreds if not thousands of miles and spend thousands of dollars to watch a 3-3 team likely going nowhere but to another New Mexico Bowl, so be it.

To the folks that live in Tucson and Phoenix that can spend minimal dollars and time to see the Cats play, great, you're lucky. But may I suggest that you also grab a clue and grow a bit more perspective when it comes to judging those folks who live far away and have a different perspective and time/money component than yours.

I will always love the Cats, but I will not always spend thousands of dollars or days on the road to go see them if I deem the product at the time lacking. If Rich Rod and Greg Byrne do not understand this concept, my I suggest that some one in the inter-circle has told them a fairy tale that does not exist.

Arizona football is a love/hate relationship. It always has been and always will be.

[Newportcat]

Arizona football is a love/hate relationship. It always has been and always will be.

Truer words have never been said. Unfortunately for me, I am on the 17th year of this relationship and it is starting to become less love and hate and more just blah. Every year, the passion seems to wane just a little bit more as I keep hoping for Arizona football to change but it never really does.

[Gladiator Cat]

Arizona football is a love/hate relationship. It always has been and always will be.

Truer words have never been said. Unfortunately for me, I am on the 17th year of this relationship and it is starting to become less love and hate and more just blah. Every year, the passion seems to wane just a little bit more as I keep hoping for Arizona football to change but it never really does.

Newport,

17 years is the equivalent of still being on probation. Just kidding.

Come talk to me when you get to 20 years my friend. I've been in the trenches going on 47 years of dedication to this program.

Hang in there!

[KaibabKat]

47 Years? Goodbye Weber! Goodbye Weber!

[Gladiator Cat]

Yep. Goodbye Weber, hello Jim Young!

[RazorsEdgeAZ]

Arizona football is a love/hate relationship. It always has been and always will be.

Truer words have never been said. Unfortunately for me, I am on the 17th year of this relationship and it is starting to become less love and hate and more just blah. Every year, the passion seems to wane just a little bit more as I keep hoping for Arizona football to change but it never really does.

Newport,

17 years is the equivalent of still being on probation. Just kidding.

Come talk to me when you get to 20 years my friend. I've been in the trenches going on 47 years of dedication to this program.

Hang in there!

You have me beat. My 1st AZ game (of too many to count) was as a small kid 1973 game against Air Force. Hoping to live long enough to get to Pasadena. Have refused to attend a game there until/if AZ earns a RB birth.

[Gladiator Cat]

Hang in Brother in Arms, I hope our day will come in due time!

I've been around too long to give up now.

[azgreg]

1980 for me. I was a junior at Palo Verde HS at the time.

[Gladiator Cat]

1980 for me. I was a junior at Palo Verde HS at the time.

Greg, you're barely out of diapers.

[azgreg]

1980 for me. I was a junior at Palo Verde HS at the time.

Greg, you're barely out of diapers.

Yep, but not long before I'm back in them.

[azpenguin]

I just hope that if he does go, he leaves a solid foundation and doesn't pull a Larry and stay in the conference.

Larry Smith actually could beat USC.

And ASU for that matter.

RichRod has 2 wins combined against those 2 teams, and unable to beat UCLA at all. The only interest RichRod will get in the PAC is a lower tier team which he won't go to.

Larry Smith was HC when I was a student, and that was during the Fred Snowden/Ben Lindsey/Lute Olson transition.

UA was actually a football school then, imagine that.

Little bit of rose colored glasses there. Larry Smith did beat USC - once. RichRod's done that. He did beat up on ASU, to be sure. But he had a bunch of 6 and 7 win seasons here (he won 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8 and 9.) Never beat UW. Lost to Fresno State at home - twice. Attendance wasn't any better and sometimes was worse than now. I remember my season tickets on the first row of the upper deck, and a lot of nights where that place emptied out early. I remember Smith getting booed. I remember what a 35,000 crowd looked like against Oregon. Don't get me wrong, the Smith years were fun, but Arizona was at best a middle of the road football school.

[KaibabKat]

Yep. Goodbye Weber, hello Jim Young!

Lot of young squirts don't even know that we once had a Hall of Fame FOOTBALL coach!

[azpenguin]

1980 for me. I was a junior at Palo Verde HS at the time.

Greg, you're barely out of diapers.

Yep, but not long before I'm back in them.

Whoa, this ain't your personal fetish site.

[Newportcat]

Arizona football is a love/hate relationship. It always has been and always will be.

Truer words have never been said. Unfortunately for me, I am on the 17th year of this relationship and it is starting to become less love and hate and more just blah. Every year, the passion seems to wane just a little bit more as I keep hoping for Arizona football to change but it never really does.

Newport,

17 years is the equivalent of still being on probation. Just kidding.

Come talk to me when you get to 20 years my friend. I've been in the trenches going on 47 years of dedication to this program.

Hang in there!

True but 3 of my 17 years was with John Mackovic as coach! Those were LONG years. My first year was 1999 so I missed all the mid 80's to late 90's fun years too. In a 12 year period of time starting in 1986 we beat ASU and Won a Bowl game in 5 seasons. That's pretty good.

As mentioned, since 1999, we have beaten ASU and won a bowl game in the same season just once in 2008. That is pathetic and has brought on a lot of my apathy.

[CalStateTempe]

Damn, Newport, I'm right there with you...its been 17?

Who knew my football fandom would kick off in the basement of Kaibab Huachuca watching the Penn St game.

Telling...

[azcat49]

Got you all beat, 1968 season was my first as a season ticket holder. Good year, Sun Bowl and all but the Devils kicked our ass.

48 years of hoping and still hoping. Like looking in the mirror and never changing.

[Chicat]

My fandom just became old enough to drink. I'd like it to see retirement age.

[azpenguin]

36 years here.

[dmjcat]

A couple of the guys here have me beat.......44 years since 1972. I was in the 6th grade.

The common thread in all of those years is that the UA has never been able to string together 3-4 years of decent recruiting back to back. In the few years we had the offensive players we didn't have the defense. More often we had the defense but no offense. Several years we had neither. I think that the UA needs to generate a Bill Gates type to dump a billion$$$ or two on the athletic department to help level the playing field. Still praying for a Rose Bowl before I'm six feet under.

[azpenguin]

A couple of the guys here have me beat.......44 years since 1972. I was in the 6th grade.

The common thread in all of those years is that the UA has never been able to string together 3-4 years of decent recruiting back to back. In the few years we had the offensive players we didn't have the defense. More often we had the defense but no offense. Several years we had neither. I think that the UA needs to generate a Bill Gates type who will dump a billion$$$ or two on the athletic department to help level the playing field. Still praying for a Rose Bowl before I'm six feet under.

Arizona used to kill people with defense and special teams. But offense... eh, not so much. If a team could get up 10 on AZ then that was probably that.

[jimson]

I just hope that if he does go, he leaves a solid foundation and doesn't pull a Larry and stay in the conference.

Larry Smith actually could beat USC.

And ASU for that matter.

RichRod has 2 wins combined against those 2 teams, and unable to beat UCLA at all. The only interest RichRod will get in the PAC is a lower tier team which he won't go to.

Larry Smith was HC when I was a student, and that was during the Fred Snowden/Ben Lindsey/Lute Olson transition.

UA was actually a football school then, imagine that.

Well, Larry Smith beat USC once in 7 years. So RR has a chance to beat that accomplishment, but yeah you got me on ASU and UCLA.

[gumby]

On the bright side, South sucks.
[ https://twitter.com/joelklatt/status/77 ... =09/qtweet" target="_blank]

[Gladiator Cat]

Guys, really great to see how long you all have been around this program with so many great and lasting memories over the years.

Really proud to see the dedication and longevity. Young or old, we're all on the same team.

[scumdevils86]

If you think you're somehow a better fan because you're older you're sadly mistaken. Whether you've been a fan for 2 years, 12, 22 or 42 or whatever it doesn't matter. I have sympathy for anyone who roots for the Cats. This is my 15th year of following UofA sports and I'll be damned if some old fart claims dominion or superiority over me just because they saw some wac game in 1975.

[azcat49]

If you think you're somehow a better fan because you're older you're sadly mistaken. Whether you've been a fan for 2 years, 12, 22 or 42 or whatever it doesn't matter. I have sympathy for anyone who roots for the Cats. This is my 15th year of following UofA sports and I'll be damned if some old fart claims dominion or superiority over me just because they saw some wac game in 1975.

Wow, where did that come from? I didn't see anyone claiming the # of years watching made them superior fans. Maybe glutens for punishment LOL.

[ALASKACAT]

Fan since 1979. Remember beating ASU with a last second field goal 27-24 to earn a birth to the Fiesta Bowl with a 6-4-1 record. Played Pitt and Dan Marino and got beat (28-12?). Jim Krohn was the quarter back and I remember Hubie Oliver and Larry Heater as running backs. Tony Mason then got fired when a slush fund was discovered......and 37 years later still a fan.

(My first love was Iowa State 1974-1979 during the Earle Bruce era 4-7, 4-7, 4-7, 8-3, 8-3, and 8-3 before being hired away by Ohio State. My Dad was then hired by U of A during summer of 79)

[Newportcat]

Damn, Newport, I'm right there with you...its been 17?

Who knew my football fandom would kick off in the basement of Kaibab Huachuca watching the Penn St game.

Telling...

I watched that game in the big room at the bottom of Coronado where I was living. It was really the first Arizona game I watched as a true fan, with my family ties had followed the team before but not that closely. I remember waking up real early for it (didn't it start at like 8am?) and being so excited and then BAM, all gone. Very telling game....

[Newportcat]

If you think you're somehow a better fan because you're older you're sadly mistaken. Whether you've been a fan for 2 years, 12, 22 or 42 or whatever it doesn't matter. I have sympathy for anyone who roots for the Cats. This is my 15th year of following UofA sports and I'll be damned if some old fart claims dominion or superiority over me just because they saw some wac game in 1975.

Wow, where did that come from? I didn't see anyone claiming the # of years watching made them superior fans. Maybe glutens for punishment LOL.

Yeah I did not see that either from any of these posts. I honestly must admit this is one of my favorite threads on this board as after that BYU loss, I am almost dumb to the pain of us losing like that and nice to see I am not alone in how I feel about our program and how difficult it can be to be an out of state fan for a good amount of time

[Merkin]

I just hope that if he does go, he leaves a solid foundation and doesn't pull a Larry and stay in the conference.

Larry Smith actually could beat USC.

And ASU for that matter.

RichRod has 2 wins combined against those 2 teams, and unable to beat UCLA at all. The only interest RichRod will get in the PAC is a lower tier team which he won't go to.

Larry Smith was HC when I was a student, and that was during the Fred Snowden/Ben Lindsey/Lute Olson transition.

UA was actually a football school then, imagine that.

Little bit of rose colored glasses there. Larry Smith did beat USC - once. RichRod's done that. He did beat up on ASU, to be sure. But he had a bunch of 6 and 7 win seasons here (he won 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8 and 9.) Never beat UW. Lost to Fresno State at home - twice. Attendance wasn't any better and sometimes was worse than now. I remember my season tickets on the first row of the upper deck, and a lot of nights where that place emptied out early. I remember Smith getting booed. I remember what a 35,000 crowd looked like against Oregon. Don't get me wrong, the Smith years were fun, but Arizona was at best a middle of the road football school.

That is true. I remember getting free tickets to a UA game at Checker auto parts in that period.

Good call on being fun. Remember the Notre Dame game like last week. Max was clutch! Although he had his moments too.

Larry would have set the record for going to bowl games if the program wasn't on probation and they had 156 bowl games like now.

[RazorsEdgeAZ]

If you think you're somehow a better fan because you're older you're sadly mistaken. Whether you've been a fan for 2 years, 12, 22 or 42 or whatever it doesn't matter. I have sympathy for anyone who roots for the Cats. This is my 15th year of following UofA sports and I'll be damned if some old fart claims dominion or superiority over me just because they saw some wac game in 1975.

Yeah, not sure how you maybe came to this conclusion. Didn't see that implied from anyone. But OK. Think it reiterates the point that no matter how many years an AZ fan, you kinda stick around. Coaches, Admin, players don't (memories of them do) but the "support" and hope for the program and University sticks with you.

Hell, one of my best memories at a AZ FB game is a fairly recent one when Rushing the field in that massive swarm of people (kids) with my teenage son after obliterating ASU in 2008. Probably the best Rush I've been part of. Son loved it too. He Couldn't stop talking about it for weeks. AZ football program still gives good memories.

[ASUHATER!]

If you think you're somehow a better fan because you're older you're sadly mistaken. Whether you've been a fan for 2 years, 12, 22 or 42 or whatever it doesn't matter. I have sympathy for anyone who roots for the Cats. This is my 15th year of following UofA sports and I'll be damned if some old fart claims dominion or superiority over me just because they saw some wac game in 1975.

Yeah, not sure how you maybe came to this conclusion. Didn't see that implied from anyone. But OK. Think it reiterates the point that no matter how many years an AZ fan, you kinda stick around. Coaches, Admin, players don't (memories of them do) but the "support" and hope for the program and University sticks with you.

Hell, one of my best memories at a AZ FB game is a fairly recent one when Rushing the field in that massive swarm of people (kids) with my teenage son after obliterating ASU in 2008. Probably the best Rush I've been part of. Son loved it too. He Couldn't stop talking about it for weeks. AZ football program still gives good memories.

everyone in this thread is trying to top each other's stories of how they are a longer suffering fan. one thread of story toppers. so yeah, sd86 is right on this one.