I agree the term apathy isn't correct. The problem is, many people are really angry (as you said), but that has lead to a feeling of helplessness because the only clear solution to the problem is getting a new coach, because that is the problem.
Williams Blog: Apathy…I think not, Gilstrap/Brackins notes
- Thread starter ChrisMWilliams
- Start date
Well if you go there to watch the other team, you should really stop calling yourself an Iowa State fan
I'm one of those who used the word "apathy"; I referred to fans who would never dream of reading or posting on CF, but who buy tix, donate, and have lately decided not to come to the games. Uh, like on Saturday. Empty seats littered "sold-out" sections all around Hilton.
So, yeah, when people donate and spend money to get seats and then don't come, that's apathy...
I have been thinking about your "bad luck" theory. So if it has been bad luck here that has caused him to lose all of these games, was it nothing more than good luck that allowed him to win elsewhere?
If you look at his first UNI team that went to the NCAA's, they had a 6'4 center from Kirkwood that nobody recruited (Gruber). Morningside dropped their basketball program and that allowed him to get Schneiderman (sp). Eric Crawford was homesick at Bowling Green and wanted to play closer to home. Ben Jacobson (player) was not highly recruited (I believe that Creighton was the only other school. and they picked Nate Funk over Benny J).
That was a fluke that came together. They were mentally tough kids that knew how to win.
I suppose you give Mac all the credit for putting that together, but could it have been all luck?
Good write up. I agree with everything except for maybe Brackins. I think if he is no projected in at least the top 40, he is back. I don't know that he will be projected there.
Not if they were sitting at home watching or if they even checked the box score and were ******. As long as there is still the thought of the team there is not apathy.
Good article Chris, I enjoyed it very much. :yes: I agree with your take on "apathy" and think that you were spot on in your analysis.
Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding....what do we have for him Johnny?:notworthy::notworthy::notworthy:
Apathy setting in is different than being 100% absolutley completely apathetic.
Some people would NEVER skip a game just because it sounded boring and didnt want to drive up. Some would ALWAYS watch a game at home when it was on tv, making it appointment televison.
Apathy setting in to me is when that group of die hards start staying at home... maybe checking into the game every now and then or completely forgetting about it.
I call BS on the "If you're apathetic you're not a true fan" bull****. My closet filled with clean ISU clothes and my floor covered with dirty ISU clothes, as well as the 6 years I spent at ISU and the diploma waiting to be hung on an office wall would say otherwise. That being said, not only did I not realize we were playing a top 25 team on Saturday, I didn't even realize we had already lost it by the time I started checking ESPN BottomLine.
Perhaps that says something even stronger - when true Cyclone fans begin not caring anymore because things have gotten that bad for that long, maybe it's time for a change - and this is coming from someone that used to defend McDermott to the hilt. All offseason I said this would be the litmus test for McDermott - Brackins turned down sure $millions to come back, and this was going to be the best team he's had here at ISU. But instead, it's just more of the same. My pendulum hasn't completely swung in the opposite direction, I'm not shouting "Fire McDermott" from the rooftops - yet. But after 4 years it's clear the basketball team needs a radical change.
As far as me not getting angry, I just don't get angry that easily or all that often. I love Cyclone athletics, but I just have far too many other important things in my life - like my family, my job, my friends - that I'm just not going to blow a gasket like some other ISU fans because the team isn't performing. I'm just going to stop caring because, quite frankly, I've got other things that need to be done and right now the way the basketball team is playing it's just not worth my time. If I can flip it on the radio and listen while I"m doing other things, fine. But until the team starts giving me a reason to care it's just another item on my list of things to do...
ap⋅a⋅thy
/ˈæp
Show Spelled Pronunciation [ap-uh-thee]
Show IPA –noun, plural -thies. 1. absence or suppression of passion, emotion, or excitement. 2. lack of interest in or concern for things that others find moving or exciting. 3. Also, ap⋅a⋅thei⋅a, ap⋅a⋅thi⋅a
/ˌæp
Show Spelled Pronunciation [ap-uh-thee-uh]
Show IPA . Stoicism. freedom from emotion of any kind.I'd say, by definition, there's plenty of apathy amongst the ISU fans right now. Just because I do give the team a second thought doesn't mean I'm not apathetic about the team.
In the words of the GEICO radio commercial, "Why do you always have to take things to far?"
Has this season sucked? Yes. Is it likely time for Iowa State to move on, for both parties' sake? Probably. Is GMAC pathetic? Hardly. At least he's had two D-I coaching jobs - what have you done with your life?
