At Texas A&M, within the confines of Kyle Field, we have a name for those who leave football games early. We call them 2 percenters. If we expect (an we do) the football team (and any other athletic team) to give 100% for the entire game, as the 12th Man, we should give the same effort.
I left a game early ONCE. We were playing #19 Oklahoma State on November 1, 1997 in College Station and putting up a terrible effort. So, middle of the 4th quarter, I had seen enough. I had yelled my last yell. I was done. No sooner did I leave the stadium, before I heard the roar of 75,000 celebrating an Aggie touchdown. Long story short, we tied the game with 43 seconds on a 2-point conversion to send it into overtime. We won in overtime on a Tiki Hardeman touchdown run. Point: NEVER LEAVE A GAME EARLY!
This year in college football has been more of a reason to support that mantra than any year in recent memory. Irrespective of all the upsets, think about things you would have missed had you been the lousy fan who gave up on your team early.
#2 BC at Virginia Tech. BC scores 14 points in the last 2:30 minutes with an improbable onside recovery and an across your body heave into the end-zone by a QB who had been running for his life all game.
How about Boise State and Nevada? Final Score 69-67 with a bunch of overtimes jammed in there. You suck it up and deal with the cold weather and late hour. Call in sick to work the next day. Your boss should understand.
Arkansas versus Alabama. First Bama blows not one, but two 21 point leads. Then throws a fade to the corner with seconds left on the clock to pull out the home victory. I think 50% of Bama fans were in the ER after the game for near heart failure.
San Jose State found out the hard way what happens when you chant “overrated” too early. Bionic armed Colt Brennan gets fired up, ignores the 4 interceptions, RUNS in the game tying touchdown, then beats you in overtime.
If you had left the Coliseum early, you would’ve missed Stanford’s backup QB throw a touchdown pass with 1 second left to beat USC (a 40 point favorite).
Colorado beat OU on a time expiring career long field goal after being down 2 scores in the 4th quarter.
Michigan, after giving up the go-ahead score to Appalachian State, threw a 50 yard bomb at the end of regulation only to have Appalachian State block the game winning field goal attempt. Thrilling to watch it unfold (unless you wear maize and blue).
If I still have not proved my point, let me quote the Tennessee Volunteer fan seated next to me in Tuscaloosa at an earlier Alabama game. According to his father, “If you leave a game before the clock hits 0:00, well you ain’t shit.”
I have sat through a 77-0 drubbing, several 4 touchdown losses on national television, embarrassing lackluster efforts (@ Miami this year comes to mind) and heartbreaking touchdown catches by the opponent with little or no time left. However, watching your team pull off the improbable upset in the Big XII Championship game in overtime makes it all worth it (December 5, 1998). Or forcing a fumble in overtime in overtime (October 23, 2004) to seal the victory, after scoring 16 points in the 4th quarter to tie the game. So, here is hoping your team (unless they are playing the Texas A&M Aggies) catches the Hail Mary, recovers the onside kick and doesn’t miss wide left (or right).
God bless college football!
PS. Yesterday, the Aggies did not catch the Hail Mary pass or recover the onside kick. I know because I watched the entire game.
