No Support Equals No Success

by asalom on Sep 9, 2011 1:16 PM MDT in UTEP Miners Football

Is it just me, or is there something terribly wrong with a ton of people in this city? Over the last few days I've noticed, more than ever, the lack of support for the UTEP football team. People go on different forums including this one, Miner Illustrated, and El Paso Times to complain about CMP, the state of the football program, and what they feel is their remedy to our team barely beating a division 1-AA opponent. The funny thing is that I can almost guarantee that the vast majority of these people won't even shell out $10 to go and support the team. If you can't support the team, then quit your bitching, because you have no place to talk.

Yes, whether you want to admit it or not, we are in a rebuilding year. Drop your emotions from the disappointment of last season, and snap back to reality. We lost our 4 year starting QB, our top receivers, and our entire offensive line. Is it really a huge question as to why this offense struggled early against a top d-1AA opponent? I am one that was disappointed as well, but to bash the players, the program, and the coach, after one bad half of football is extremely unfair.

I want to pose this question. Would it have made a difference in that game if we had 52,000 screaming fans, instead of probably less than 20,000 whining? Our team had to overcome their own challenges as a young team, the challenges of an experienced team across the ball from them, and to top everything off, they had to overcome their own fans. How sad is that? People just don't realize how important they are to the program.

The most popular complaint is that we need to get rid of head coach Mike Price. Believe me, I am one that has been disappointed with some of the outcomes of his teams, but we also have to realize where we came from, and just how far he has brought this program. We had three consecutive 2-10 seasons prior to the Mike Price era. Not only have we not seen that since, he matched those 3 years with 6 wins last season, even after we suffered injuries at nearly every position on the field.

Now, this is not to say that because of where we were, we have no right to expect more out of our teams, but its on us to do our part as well. More fans in the stadium means more money for the program, and more money for the program usually turns into better results for the program. Even if we were to get rid of CMP, and go out for another coach, where do we suppose we'd find the money to hire a decent coach? We wouldn't find the money, and we'd wind up seeing the repetitive cycle we saw for the entire last decade with our basketball program.

Point is, don't worry about coach Price. He is on the hot seat. If he doesn't have a successful season this year, he'll more than likely be gone. No one needs to hear your unfounded complaints to make that decision. At the same time, a successful season in a year like this is 6 wins, and not 10. Go out and buy a ticket. Let's truly support our team, and we might just be surprised at what we see.

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Comments

100% agree

Yes i understand we want to support a winning team. Without the crowd its never gonna happen. When recruits come to watch da game n da stadium is half empty they dont want to commit to utep. So many games we could of won if we would of had 45k instead of 25k. $10 to go see utep compared to texas where da cheapest tix cost $85. No one in el paso would pay dat

by el javi on Sep 9, 2011 2:07 PM MDT via mobile reply actions

The fans complain because they care...

Maybe they go about it the wrong way…

It is better to have fans who complain than have fans who don’t care period. But I see all your points. Without these complaining fans, CMP’s seat would not be “hot” regardless of his record.

by MinerManiax on Sep 9, 2011 3:33 PM MDT reply actions

Honestly,

The fans don’t care, and I’m not aiming this at you personally, so please don’t take it that way…but, if you look back to two years ago when our basketball team was on its 16 game win streak…we literally did not sell out a game until the end of that streak. How pathetic is that? Our team is on a great streak, we break the top 25, and we cant sell 12,000 tickets??? Football is even worse, our fans are so fare weather. The only time we can sell out a game, or even come close to is if we’ve got a team like Texas coming to town. Its sad and its embarrassing. Granted, there are a ton of people out there like myself, and most of us on this site, who are fans of UTEP, and not just a winning team. Fans who are at games, rain, snow, or shine, win, or lose…true fans. The people that are out there complaining, and who are the reason we have 20,000 people in our stadium are not true fans, and do nothing to help program. More than not helping, they bring it down.

That’s exactly why we have absolutely no true professional sports teams. We are the 19th largest city in the nation, and we can’t even have a single a baseball team. Why? Because we don’t buy tickets. We have over 2,000,000 people in the area and we can’t sell out a game. There are something like 50 cities smaller than us that have professional affiliated teams. What does that say? Honestly, I could go on and on, but I won’t. I just want to say to the true fan, keep supporting our teams, the success will come.

Everyone make sure to check out my new sports blog called The Sports Loop at www.inthesportsloop.com. Hopefully it give you all something to talk about until Miner athletics get back into full swing. Let me know what you think.

by asalom on Sep 9, 2011 4:17 PM MDT up reply actions

The lack of support

is disappointing, but there is blame to go around. UTEP is making an effort to put a quality product on the field/court, but they clearly aren’t marketing successfully. It shouldn’t take much effort to get fans through the gates. El Paso is not known for having a myriad of entertainment or sporting options, so in part I don’t understand the lack of support, but if the local population is apathetic, then I partially blame the school.
Herein lies the problem though. Good product = more fans, bad product = fewer fans.

At the beginning of the “Floyd era” EP had an orange out that seemed to drum up support, but the loss was apparently too much to handle for the bandwagon fans. It would be great if these fans were better, but they are not. This puts the ball firmly in UTEP’s court. They have to market these teams, the live sports event and yes, put out a better product.

That being said – if I were local, I would be at every damn game.

Floyd, who had not received a technical foul this season. "I had my big toe out of the box...I've always earned my technicals"

by lebowski jr on Sep 9, 2011 9:21 PM MDT reply actions

Kiss my ass.

I stupidly shelled out money for tickets and paid for the overpriced concessions at this last weekends game.

I hate Mike Price with every fiber of my being and I pray he’s gone after this season.

He’s a fraud.

by TooLegitToQuit on Sep 10, 2011 1:44 AM MDT via mobile reply actions

i hope you like

The 2-10 seasons better

by el javi on Sep 10, 2011 8:23 AM MDT via mobile up reply actions

Because getting to the New Mexico Bowl and GMAC Bowl..

and getting absolutely clobbered is what makes UTEP football and Price so awesome!!!!

by TooLegitToQuit on Sep 10, 2011 10:24 AM MDT via mobile up reply actions

Please tell me what "make UTEP football"???

Because before Mike Price, UTEP football was getting our asses kicked by everyone and their mother. Regardless this post is not aimed at you, its aimed at people who don’t even spend a few dollars to support the program, and still wanna bitch.

Look, if CMP doesn’t do good this year, he’ll be gone. But CMP is not UTEP Football. To not go to games hurts our university and out team more than it hurts Mike Price. I understand the frustrations, but at least let half the season play out before you call for his head.

by asalom on Sep 10, 2011 11:38 AM MDT up reply actions

As a supporter of the program...

You certainly have a right to complain. You are wrong, however, in calling for CMP’s head. I’ve been truly shocked at some of the opinions posted on this site over the past couple years calling for same. I don’t know how old you are, but UTEP football wasn’t exactly racking up accolades before Price. It is not a football school. When I was growing up in EP a 4-win season was pretty good (seriously).
Look at what’s happened to Washington State since Price left. They have been the doormat of the Pac 12(10) since his departure. Do u really think Jordan Palmer woild’ve gotten a chance in the NFL without having played for Price for 4 years? Doubtful.
The fact is Price has trouble recruiting real talent here, but gets the most out of it — T Vittatoe wasn’t recruited by anyone else because he threw something like 50 passes in high school.
The trouble starts with the fans in EP who do not seem to have any loyalty. I have been in EP for a couple days and have already seen at least 5 Steeler bumper stickers and countless other Steeler paraphernilia. Why? Most of these idiots probably couldn’t point out Pittsburgh on a map. They are the epitome of hater/fair weather fans. This kind of fickle attitude does not foster success at the collegiate level.
I applaud your passion n support TLTQ. UTEP football would be much better off if there were more real/dedicated fans like you in El Paso.

by ATX_BLUES on Sep 10, 2011 1:31 PM MDT via mobile up reply actions

this is the same reason and mindset

respnsible for the fact that I encountered El Pasoans in EP in Austin supporting the Longhorns rather than the Miners in both games a few years ago. Even though none of them even attended UT, but DID grow up in EP It’s disgraceful!

by ATX_BLUES on Sep 10, 2011 1:42 PM MDT via mobile up reply actions

A true miner fan supports the team through thick and thin.

UTEP just needs true loyal fans no matter if their winning or losing.A teams fan support is going to be the foundation of making a great program, look at Boise State. UTEP has no support at all, for tickets to be $10 and people still don’t go is sad. That is a really good price compared to my OU student ticket for last week game against Tulsa which was $32. Doesn’t matter if you think UTEP might be bad this year, you still need to support them because they are not only representing the school, their representing the city of El Paso. I decided last year to go to the UTEP vs Arkansas game instead of going to the OU vs Texas tech game simply because I wanted to support the school that represents my hometown. Oh and that first couple of minutes in that game were awesome the crowd was silent, then of course Arkansas came back lol. GO Miners! and of course Boomer Sooner!

by sooner&miner_fan on Sep 10, 2011 11:49 AM MDT reply actions

Asalom: you make very good points, but im afraid your preaching to the choir here

my friend. The majority of people on here are avid UTEP supporters and want the program to be successful. This group of people like “2 legit” are the hard core fans that show up every week win lose or draw.

You mention the fair-weather fans, but if you grew up in El Paso then you would know that’s absolutely the case. Why does this surprise you? El Paso is full of bandwagon jumpers and people the will jump off just as quickly. It’s the way they have always been.

Yet despite all that we have always still managed to get between 35-40k every year for a home opener, but 28k last week?

It shows the apathy in the program. It shows even the fringe fans are tired of CMP. It shows the city or school doesn’t market the team well enough…general APATHY.

Taking all these things into consideration, I think its imperative the team has success to get support, not the other way around like u stated. It’s alway been like that man and it’s not going to change, I would like for it to, but it wont.

Back on CMP, sure he’s won like 40 games in 8 years which by UTEP standards is good, but keep in mind , we played in a very good WAC 10 years ago, not CUSA.

And u mention the basketball team changing coaches every 4-5 years. BG, Doc and TB have all gotten us the NCAA tourney this past decade. I’ll take a young, hungry coach any day over one that is too comfortable and a program that is very stagnant at this point. The coach reflects the team, which reflects onto the school and city. And its the difference in the two sports…would Bob Stull ever let the basketball team slip? Not at all because we as fans have come to expect success.

Again, I would love to eat my words and I will gladly let CMP put my own show in my mouth if we do well this season. 6 or 7 wins is what I hope for. But dammit, prove it coach.

by DFWMiner on Sep 10, 2011 1:41 PM MDT reply actions

WORD!

by ATX_BLUES on Sep 10, 2011 1:45 PM MDT via mobile up reply actions

I can't disagree with you

Other than that the support will help generate success. Unfortunately though, this city doesn’t see it like that, and needs to see success before they support. Its pretty sad.

The main purpose of this post was to start some conversation though, and to vent in the only outlet I can. I know that 99% of the people that frequent this site are hardcore UTEP fans, and this is definitely not aimed at any of them.

by asalom on Sep 10, 2011 2:18 PM MDT up reply actions

2legit is crazy

CMP has brought so much this program. 2legit does not remember seasons with 1 or 2 wins year after year. CMP puts a lot of effort into recruiting and does a hell of a job tricking kids into coming here. Until the food stamp capital of the united states of america decides to support its UTEP Miners nothing will change. Fans need to pay for tickets, sell out the sun bowl, and stop bitching!!! CMP is not the problem!!!! Why would a top recruit want to come to a school with such crappy fans??? Lets do our part first and we will see things change.

Now if Stull can somehow find a loop hole to allow the fans to use their lone star cards to buy tickets and concessions ….. the sun bowl will be sold out for years to come….

GO Miners!!!

by drod on Sep 10, 2011 2:52 PM MDT reply actions

I remember those seasons...

but that is not relevant at all.

The one thing I hate is people who settle for mediocrity. And that’s what UTEP football as. It’s a terrible brand of football.

Raise your expectations.

by TooLegitToQuit on Sep 10, 2011 4:37 PM MDT via mobile up reply actions

if you were watching game

Coach Patterson echoed these sentiments and seemed pretty pissed about it. He said EP doesn’t appreciate what they’ve got in CMP. Dead on.

by ATX_BLUES on Sep 10, 2011 8:53 PM MDT via mobile up reply actions

I saw that,

and its the truth. CMP has dont great things for this program, and in no way are we settling for mediocrity. He’s trying to win, and considering where we were for decades before him, he’s done wonders. on top of that, there’s no saying a new coach would do any better. I really hope this team can do enough to keep him around. WE NEED A WIN AT NMSU!!!

by asalom on Sep 10, 2011 9:10 PM MDT up reply actions

Exactly!

CMP is probably the main reason we get any decent recruits—he is the primary appeal. With another coach, I fear we lose any recruting advantage. Especially with 3 new D1 programs in Texas (UT Arlington, TX State, and UTSA).

by ATX_BLUES on Sep 10, 2011 9:19 PM MDT via mobile up reply actions