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Post by goyotes24 on Feb 15, 2017 15:43:23 GMT -6
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Post by usdtator on Feb 15, 2017 22:10:53 GMT -6
Well said Miles! I know USD grads even today who brag they never attended a sporting event while in school. I ask them why that is such a badge of honor and they reply that they were too busy partying. They thought the athletes were arrogant and didn't care how the sports teams did. I always tell them that is not a fair judgement of the athletes and they missed some of the best times that could be had on campus by not attending sporting events. In my years on campus, I took full advantage of my free student athletic passes and loved every minute of it. I even attended several plays and musicals while a student. I now take my family to as many sporting events as we can at USD. Fall means tailgating and football and my kids can't wait for home Yote games. We also have season tickets for basketball. Becoming HP members has only enhanced our experiences. I just don't get it... |
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Post by Yotes on Feb 15, 2017 22:40:18 GMT -6
I know this isn't meant to be a discussion thread and maybe a mod can split this off, but it is downright astounding the attitude so many students hold towards athletics at USD. As an undergrad I confronted students leaving football games a halftime several times and they all responded with an arrogant "no one cares dude!". Why did they even go in the first place? So many never go, and consistently ridicule and scoff at the idea of college athletics.
I had to correct So. Many. People. About the university wasting money to build a basketball arena for teams that aren't even good. It was funded entirely by private donations from those who believed in our university, and we were building a foundation for successful programs (this was a harder case to make two years ago, and was a speculative argument, but here we are at the end of the regular season with two teams who may both win the conference). Yet so many students were looking for any excuse to baselessly bitchy about how we fund college athletics.
I just don't get it....
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Post by Yote 53 on Feb 16, 2017 10:24:33 GMT -6
This deserved its own thread so I split it off. I am happy there are people like Miles Bergner representing our football program. Very thought provoking opinion piece he wrote and he is right on so many levels. There are tons of opportunities at USD, so much for college students to experience, athletics, the fine arts, clubs, greek life, etc. Instead of being a campus of divided groups I really hope that USD becomes one unified campus where groups support each other.
I've never done it before, thought about it, have been interested in doing it, but have never pulled the trigger on it. I'm going to listen to Miles' message and I'm going to attend a play at the Fine Arts building this spring.
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Post by Yotes on Feb 16, 2017 10:51:17 GMT -6
USD Theatre department puts on fantastic productions. I unfortunately have not been to one in about a year (Young Frankenstein), but have tickets to go to the play tonight. Would recommend everyone to attend a play sometime.
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Post by usdtator on Feb 16, 2017 11:13:44 GMT -6
USD Theatre department puts on fantastic productions. I unfortunately have not been to one in about a year (Young Frankenstein), but have tickets to go to the play tonight. Would recommend everyone to attend a play sometime. I haven't been to a play down there since I graduated (several years ago)... What do tickets cost these days? |
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Post by Yotes on Feb 16, 2017 11:21:30 GMT -6
I got a student ticket for $5, but I think adults were $15.
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Post by formeryote on Feb 16, 2017 13:45:40 GMT -6
I can honestly say that I regret not supporting the other athletic programs to the extent that I should have… Basically just went to the big basketball games and pretty much that’s it.
And we wonder why students (athletes in other sports included) would not come to games or leave at half time…
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Post by Coyote Fan on Feb 16, 2017 13:59:28 GMT -6
I can tell you this much. Attending a basketball game at the SCSC especially the one on Saturday against SDSU is better than anything I could ever find to do on a smart phone or desk top computer and I like my internet as much as anyone.
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Post by thebacksackdad on Feb 16, 2017 20:11:02 GMT -6
Although I am not familiar with USDs culture right now, I don't buy into a great divide because a few think there is one. Also, I have great optimism in USDs teams and fell success breeds success and that everything will fix itself in the next year or two.
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Post by wrj on Feb 17, 2017 16:18:44 GMT -6
Well said Miles! I know USD grads even today who brag they never attended a sporting event while in school. I ask them why that is such a badge of honor and they reply that they were too busy partying. They thought the athletes were arrogant and didn't care how the sports teams did. I always tell them that is not a fair judgement of the athletes and they missed some of the best times that could be had on campus by not attending sporting events. In my years on campus, I took full advantage of my free student athletic passes and loved every minute of it. I even attended several plays and musicals while a student. I now take my family to as many sporting events as we can at USD. Fall means tailgating and football and my kids can't wait for home Yote games. We also have season tickets for basketball. Becoming HP members has only enhanced our experiences. I just don't get it... I don't get it either. I have a family member (not my daughter, a USD alumnus whom I have mentioned before) who told me a year or so ago that he always enjoys going to Dakota Days. I said something about the football game and he replied, "I never go to the football game!" Sad. I just don't get it . . . |
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Post by gopheryote on Feb 17, 2017 18:51:11 GMT -6
I have a nephew there right now who says he stays home from FB and BB games because he likes to watch games on TV. Not Coyote games, just general college FB and BB games. Hard to argue with logic(?) like that.
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Post by usdtator on Feb 17, 2017 22:04:32 GMT -6
I have a nephew there right now who says he stays home from FB and BB games because he likes to watch games on TV. Not Coyote games, just general college FB and BB games. Hard to argue with logic(?) like that. Does he know he is missing out on the "college experience" by not attending games in person? Memories are made by being there in person... I am not bagging on your nephew, but rather speaking in general terms about all kids these days. I fear for the future of our society when kids would rather stay home by themselves than enjoy the "college experience" with other people... Why even have campuses anymore? Why even pay to send your kid to college. If they are not gonna participate, it would be cheaper to have them stay at home and do all online courses. |
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Post by canislatrans on Feb 18, 2017 6:40:37 GMT -6
Excellent article.
I had the opportunity when I attended USD to share an apartment with an artist and an athlete and another Business school major. It was a window into the student lives of athletes and the art world, that left an impression on me.
Focusing on your major and having fun are definitely high priorities for all college students, I get that, but look at those around you like artists, athletes, and honor students, who are putting in long hours and many also getting a great education at a high level. Perhaps you can find a way to add to your college experience by taking in a great performance in theater or in athletics, or many of the other extracurricular activities the University offers. It may just change your life.
A dad, with college students, sorry for the rant...
Thanks Miles!
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Post by goyotes24 on Feb 18, 2017 19:39:58 GMT -6
Throughout my time in Vermillion, I have noticed a lot of apathy toward athletics over different periods. There was the fact that people did not care about a DII program (even though it seems the apathy wasn't as apparent then). There was the time people assumed we would always get killed because we went DI (of course, after wins against Minnesota, then Eastern Washington the year after that, that wasn't really the case). Then it was the beginning of The Valley/Summit days when we actually were not really winning (barring WBB of course). But I really dislike the idea of the alleged 'arrogance' people claim all the athletes to possess.
I have been in Vermillion for roughly 12-13 years (leaving this May, finally). I am a relatively sociable person and have made numerous friends in different areas/departments on campus. I would argue that, in my experience, athletes didn't 'judge' people near as much as other groups on campus did. Sure, you had some assholes within the football or basketball team, but what group of friends doesn't? I think those few assholes in the athletics department magnified it more and made it easier for other people to judge them to be "just another d-bag athlete." I didn't play USD athletics (unless you count one semester of club baseball back in 04/05), but the athletes I have known throughout the years have always been pretty nice people.
I was involved in the Greek system my first year on campus, and I think there were way more arrogant people within the Greek system than in the athletics department (this is not intended to be a knock on the entire Greek system, by the way). My brother was a theater major (like Miles), and because of that, I knew a lot of condescending assholes within the theater department. I was a political science major and knew A LOT of egotistical political science majors. I am a current law student and trust me, there is a decent amount of painfully conceited people at the law school. Essentially what I am saying is, there are a plethora of undesirable people in all circles on campus, but it's not fair to single out the athletes as being the arrogant ones, and then claim that to be the reason to not attend games.
Apologies for the long post, but it is too bad people feel this way. I love USD sports and I hope we see more involvement in all aspects on campus in the future.
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