I read your page about your Gonzaga fanship. I believe that you are not in fact a lifelong Gonzaga fan but in fact jumped on the bandwagon and then claimed you were there before the bandwagon. Real basketball fans like myself do not like snotty Connecticut yuppies who try to be cool by being dishonest and sullying one of the greatest sports in the world, basketball. I am especially disgusted by your mockery of college basketball, one of the last citadels of honesty and sportsmanship in a corrupt and depressing world.
You can believe whatever you want. I’ve been a Gonzaga fan for precisely as long as I claim I’ve been a Gonzaga fan, since 1995.
As for the USC and Notre Dame thing (which you referenced on your blog), I’ve explained that a million times, but here goes again: I went to USC for undergrad. I now go to Notre Dame for law school. As such, I root for both schools except when they play each other, in which case I root for USC, because as my undergrad alma mater, they have my first loyalty. This is by no means an uncommon situation. At Notre Dame Law School, there are Irish Trojans, Irish Wolverines, Irish Eagles, et cetera. Sane, rational people don’t decide which grad school to attend on the basis of athletic rivalries.
Anyway… I love college basketball. You’re the only person here making a “mockery” of anything. Namely yourself.
As you can see I have responded to you in my comments section. To save you the trouble, I will reproduce the same:
Dear Brendan:
I will only believe your excuses if you can offer some photographic evidence of your fanship predating Gonzaga’s long run of luck [which of course was created when the president of Gonzaga sold his soul to the devil and his son to michael jackson].
Yours truly,
Don’t Ever Give Up: The Basketball Blog
One thing I noticed is you said Gonzaga is having an off year. I realize that they were better in years past, but I’m kind of surprised you said that. I think Raivio is amazing and he’s probably the first player I’ve ever liked on Gonzaga. What’s the deal?
Since this is a substantive comment, I’ll respond. :) Raivio is very good, but can be inconsistent. The whole team, though, has been inconsistent. Most of their losses have been forgivable, but the blowout at Virginia was horrible. Some nights they look awesome (e.g., against UNC, Texas, UW), other nights they just don’t show up to play (including some of their too-close wins against weaker teams). As a fan, it’s frustrating.
But don’t get me wrong, they are still a good team. And this is a rebuilding year, so it’s not like their record is horrible — we Zag fans were spoiled by the early wins, but overall this is about what we should have expected for this season (so far). My point was simply that, if I’m nothing but a bandwagoner who hitches his wagon to the nearest Cinderella story, you’d think I’d be claiming to be a diehard Butler or Air Force or Nevada fan this year. When in reality, I’ve been cheering for the Zags for over a decade, both in the awesome years and the not-so-awesome years, and continue to cheer for them whether they’re a #3 seed or a bubble team. That was my only point.
P.S. Of course, I do love to cheer for pretty much any Cinderella story, and I will be rooting for Butler, Air Force and Nevada come tourney time! Just like I rooted for George Mason last year, and Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl earlier this month. I love underdogs. But the point is, I won’t claim to be a “lifelong fan” of any of those teams, or claim that I was on the bandwagon before it existed, because that’s just not the case. Whereas with Gonzaga, it is the case.
Couldn’t one make the argument that the win over UNC this year was more impressive than any win last year? I don’t think the Washington game was as big-time (though they were good) and didn’t they lose to St. Mary’s worse last year than they did this year, as well as San Fran? I think their schedule is much harder this year.
PS I just want to point out, in light of some of your readers’ unpleasant reactions, that my blog is not for profit; My consternation arose from my State of the Storm report [about the St. Johns Red Storm, which as I am sure you know were the victim of a program-disemboweling loss to your Zags], which I wrote this morning. Over the course of my research for that blog, I cam across your blogpedia (?) entry and it brought back many bad memories. Grammatically questionable and rude as I may be I resent the freeloader designation.
whoops, I screwed that up the first time and then referenced from it. sorry, Brendan Loy. brings to mind that cadillac, cataract joke from the sopranos…
Unless you meant to target former Husky and current Trailblazer start Brandon Roy with this comment. In which case while he is a Husky, he wasn’t a Connecticut Husky so your reference is all wrong :D
Proof he loved Gonzaga for, like, ever? How about an eyewitness account from middle school? (Can’t hide that Kellogg Pride.) Including a reference to the way he always yelled, “GonnnnZAAAGA!” in a way that was somehow both annoying and endearing at the same time.
It seems DEGUTBB owes you an apology in the wake of your friends’ eyewitness account. While my hate for the Zags runs deep, at least you’re not a Yankee fan.
Anyway, I’m kind of disappointed to receive no answer from you on the above point; I’m still really surprised you think this is a bad year.
A Yankee fan? Ha! I’ve liked the Red Sox since I was a little kid. The Yankess are one team I will never root for. Well, them, Duke and UCLA.
Anyway, apology accepted. To answer your question, yes, “the win over UNC this year was more impressive than any win last year.” However, you’re wrong about St. Mary’s. The Zags were undefeated in WCC play last year. Also last year, they won at Maryland, beat Michigan State in a triple-overtime instant classic on a neutral court, then came within a buzzer shot of beating UConn the very next night, lost by 4 points at Washington and by 11 points at Memphis. They also beat Wazzu, Oklahoma State, Virginia, and Stanford. Is their schedule a bit tougher this year? Yeah, I’d say probably so. But at the same time, 3 losses all season versus 7 losses and counting, one of them an absolute blowout, something last year’s team never suffered… it’s clear last year’s team was better overall, at least in the regular season. We’ll see what happens in the tourney. The Zags tend to be better in the postseason when they’re a sleeper team rather than a high seed, and this team is capable of being very good (as proven by the UNC win) if they put it all together. But will they? That’s the big question.
What’s the deal with the \\\\\\\s?
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January 29th, 2007 at 2:28:40 pm
Dear Brenden Roy:
I read your page about your Gonzaga fanship. I believe that you are not in fact a lifelong Gonzaga fan but in fact jumped on the bandwagon and then claimed you were there before the bandwagon. Real basketball fans like myself do not like snotty Connecticut yuppies who try to be cool by being dishonest and sullying one of the greatest sports in the world, basketball. I am especially disgusted by your mockery of college basketball, one of the last citadels of honesty and sportsmanship in a corrupt and depressing world.
Yours truly,
Don’t Ever Give Up: The Basketball Blog
dontgiveupthebasketballblog@gmail.com
January 29th, 2007 at 2:37:46 pm
LOL…
You can believe whatever you want. I’ve been a Gonzaga fan for precisely as long as I claim I’ve been a Gonzaga fan, since 1995.
As for the USC and Notre Dame thing (which you referenced on your blog), I’ve explained that a million times, but here goes again: I went to USC for undergrad. I now go to Notre Dame for law school. As such, I root for both schools except when they play each other, in which case I root for USC, because as my undergrad alma mater, they have my first loyalty. This is by no means an uncommon situation. At Notre Dame Law School, there are Irish Trojans, Irish Wolverines, Irish Eagles, et cetera. Sane, rational people don’t decide which grad school to attend on the basis of athletic rivalries.
Anyway… I love college basketball. You’re the only person here making a “mockery” of anything. Namely yourself.
January 29th, 2007 at 2:48:46 pm
You know you’ve “made it” when trolls come out to get hits by attacking you for no good reason.
Weird how anyone would actually give a damn what team(s) you cheer for/against, or how long you’ve done so.
January 29th, 2007 at 3:03:55 pm
Seriously.
January 29th, 2007 at 3:11:30 pm
Dear Brendan Loy:
As you can see I have responded to you in my comments section. To save you the trouble, I will reproduce the same:
Dear Brendan:
I will only believe your excuses if you can offer some photographic evidence of your fanship predating Gonzaga’s long run of luck [which of course was created when the president of Gonzaga sold his soul to the devil and his son to michael jackson].
Yours truly,
Don’t Ever Give Up: The Basketball Blog
January 29th, 2007 at 3:16:40 pm
Heh.
I think Jay has the right idea… you’re a troll who is trying to get hits by linking to your blog here.
As such, I will now commence declining to feed you.
(Riling me up is far too easy sometimes.)
January 29th, 2007 at 3:27:30 pm
Dear Brendan:
One thing I noticed is you said Gonzaga is having an off year. I realize that they were better in years past, but I’m kind of surprised you said that. I think Raivio is amazing and he’s probably the first player I’ve ever liked on Gonzaga. What’s the deal?
Jimmy V
(of the don’t give up posts)
January 29th, 2007 at 3:36:22 pm
Since this is a substantive comment, I’ll respond. :) Raivio is very good, but can be inconsistent. The whole team, though, has been inconsistent. Most of their losses have been forgivable, but the blowout at Virginia was horrible. Some nights they look awesome (e.g., against UNC, Texas, UW), other nights they just don’t show up to play (including some of their too-close wins against weaker teams). As a fan, it’s frustrating.
But don’t get me wrong, they are still a good team. And this is a rebuilding year, so it’s not like their record is horrible — we Zag fans were spoiled by the early wins, but overall this is about what we should have expected for this season (so far). My point was simply that, if I’m nothing but a bandwagoner who hitches his wagon to the nearest Cinderella story, you’d think I’d be claiming to be a diehard Butler or Air Force or Nevada fan this year. When in reality, I’ve been cheering for the Zags for over a decade, both in the awesome years and the not-so-awesome years, and continue to cheer for them whether they’re a #3 seed or a bubble team. That was my only point.
January 29th, 2007 at 3:40:34 pm
P.S. Of course, I do love to cheer for pretty much any Cinderella story, and I will be rooting for Butler, Air Force and Nevada come tourney time! Just like I rooted for George Mason last year, and Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl earlier this month. I love underdogs. But the point is, I won’t claim to be a “lifelong fan” of any of those teams, or claim that I was on the bandwagon before it existed, because that’s just not the case. Whereas with Gonzaga, it is the case.
January 29th, 2007 at 3:49:33 pm
Dear Brendan:
Couldn’t one make the argument that the win over UNC this year was more impressive than any win last year? I don’t think the Washington game was as big-time (though they were good) and didn’t they lose to St. Mary’s worse last year than they did this year, as well as San Fran? I think their schedule is much harder this year.
Jimmy V
January 29th, 2007 at 3:52:51 pm
PS I just want to point out, in light of some of your readers’ unpleasant reactions, that my blog is not for profit; My consternation arose from my State of the Storm report [about the St. Johns Red Storm, which as I am sure you know were the victim of a program-disemboweling loss to your Zags], which I wrote this morning. Over the course of my research for that blog, I cam across your blogpedia (?) entry and it brought back many bad memories. Grammatically questionable and rude as I may be I resent the freeloader designation.
Jimmy V
January 29th, 2007 at 3:59:04 pm
Dear Brenden Roy:
Ok, unless you are from Japan where the L/R sound comes from one letter you really should get made fun of mercilessly for this one :D
January 29th, 2007 at 4:04:17 pm
whoops, I screwed that up the first time and then referenced from it. sorry, Brendan Loy. brings to mind that cadillac, cataract joke from the sopranos…
January 29th, 2007 at 4:06:05 pm
Unless you meant to target former Husky and current Trailblazer start Brandon Roy with this comment. In which case while he is a Husky, he wasn’t a Connecticut Husky so your reference is all wrong :D
January 29th, 2007 at 4:06:25 pm
and start = star
January 29th, 2007 at 4:11:08 pm
Speaking of mascots: Should I try this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9QwK5EHSmg
January 29th, 2007 at 4:12:50 pm
Hell, I wouldn’t mind people confusing me with Brandon Roy. And that joke I mentioned:
A Chinese guy went to the Ophthalmologist to have his eyes examined. The doctor told him he had a cataract.
“No I don’t,” The Chinese fellow said. “I have Rincoln Continental.”
January 29th, 2007 at 4:54:26 pm
Postscript: The Japanese Basketball league is called the BJ league. (not a joke)
January 29th, 2007 at 5:33:47 pm
Proof he loved Gonzaga for, like, ever? How about an eyewitness account from middle school? (Can’t hide that Kellogg Pride.) Including a reference to the way he always yelled, “GonnnnZAAAGA!” in a way that was somehow both annoying and endearing at the same time.
January 29th, 2007 at 5:49:25 pm
Dear Brendan Loy:
It seems DEGUTBB owes you an apology in the wake of your friends’ eyewitness account. While my hate for the Zags runs deep, at least you’re not a Yankee fan.
Anyway, I’m kind of disappointed to receive no answer from you on the above point; I’m still really surprised you think this is a bad year.
-Jimmy V
January 29th, 2007 at 6:20:19 pm
A Yankee fan? Ha! I’ve liked the Red Sox since I was a little kid. The Yankess are one team I will never root for. Well, them, Duke and UCLA.
Anyway, apology accepted. To answer your question, yes, “the win over UNC this year was more impressive than any win last year.” However, you’re wrong about St. Mary’s. The Zags were undefeated in WCC play last year. Also last year, they won at Maryland, beat Michigan State in a triple-overtime instant classic on a neutral court, then came within a buzzer shot of beating UConn the very next night, lost by 4 points at Washington and by 11 points at Memphis. They also beat Wazzu, Oklahoma State, Virginia, and Stanford. Is their schedule a bit tougher this year? Yeah, I’d say probably so. But at the same time, 3 losses all season versus 7 losses and counting, one of them an absolute blowout, something last year’s team never suffered… it’s clear last year’s team was better overall, at least in the regular season. We’ll see what happens in the tourney. The Zags tend to be better in the postseason when they’re a sleeper team rather than a high seed, and this team is capable of being very good (as proven by the UNC win) if they put it all together. But will they? That’s the big question.
What’s the deal with the \\\\\\\s?