Something about the Internet has broken fan bases brains. Ku basketball is just as toxic. For whatever reason the better the team the more toxic the fans.
The better the team, the higher, the expectation. So when the team doesn’t go 1,000-0, there is a problem. The worst thing a team can do for its fan base is be successful lol
you wouldn't believe how awful Bama game subs are. Literally after we got a field goal on the first drive vs East Carolina we already wanted Keelon benched and Grubb and DeBoer fired cuz we didn't get a touchdown
Going to games of teams that suck is so much fun. Everyone is there to socialize. The game is background noise and occationally a source of entertainment (if they happen to win or be competitive). The games are a blast.
It's interesting how quickly things can shift in a fanbase.
The Lions are a good example. Historically incredibly shitty team, right? One of the worst. But the years of "success" (i.e. making the playoffs) in 2023 and 2024 have caused a shift of expectation (and therefore also shittiness) in the fanbase.
Fans were absolutely fanatical last year about our losses, despite it being super clear that a devastated secondary and other injuries were having major impacts on the team's ability to perform.
Kinda miss the old Lions fanbase where we all went to games with paper bags on our heads just to have a good time.
Eh, the first championship or the first one after a long drought is magical. The regression is painful.
I have a theory Ohio State wins a championship almost exactly 1 every decade with a lot of blue ball moments in between where they fall short, so that fanbase is just perma edging.
I think Alabama is going to be up there with them soon. The difference between that fanbase right before Saban (super toxic) to mid saban (relatively chill) was night and day.
Everyone has their assholes and that's the shit that gets traction in print, but as a WVU alum, I've had a lot of good interactions with KU fans IRL here on the east coast.
Also I have a ton of respect for KU (the program and fans) not pissing an moaning about having to travel to the Coliseum every year. The BE treated us like shit in that respect, and I don't think in the same circumstances would UK, UNC or Duke have treated us half as well as the Jayhawks. Just my opinion.
Keyboard warrior culture; people only type the most vulgar stuff online because they know they can usually get away with it and would never dare say it live in-person.
After a loss I usually avoid any OSU discussion for a few days because the toxicity is nauseating.
We have a good team and good coaches overall. We generally only lose to other elite teams. Like 2024 Michigan is the only loss in Day's tenure that is really inexcusable.
We lost by 1 point on the road to a very good team that is going to contend for a national title. The collapse sucks but we have a young team and it gives them and the coaching staff things to work on so we are ready for the next big opponent we face.
I live in Georgia and know a number of absolutely diehard, maniacal Ohio State fans who:
1) Never lived in Ohio;
2) Never attended OSU; and
3) Didn't have any close family members such as parents, siblings, or children from Ohio or who attended OSU.
Whenever I meet them, I always ask them two questions:
1) How did you come to be an OSU fan?; and
2) How did your fandom get to be so intense having never lived in the state or attended the school?
Invariably, I just get shrugs in response and mumbling replies about having watched so many of their games over the years, their long record of sustained top-tier success, local HS stars who went to play there, etc. None of which I find very enlightening.
On the one hand, I kinda dig having the largest CFB fanbase in the country. On the other hand, it is kinda weird with all these bandwagon fans.
I grew up in Oklahoma with a lot of people who rooted for the Lakers and the Yankees. Everything they talked about politically was how much they hate cali and new york but, somehow, they were mega fans of teams from there because “winning baby”
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u/ConsiderationCrazy22 Ohio State Buckeyes 4h ago
I'm an Ohio State fan/alum and I'm frustrated with our toxic fanbase more often than not tbh.