Tigers basketball fans have been expecting their team to win the NCAA tournament for years. If this year isn't "the year," will fans fall off of the bandwagon?
Last year the University of Memphis men's basketball team won 26 games, lost nine, won the C-USA Tournament and fell short in the NCAA Tournament after making it to the second round. Fans were pumped all season, sure of the fact that their basketball team would bring home a national championship win, but were let down in the long run.
Some fans are saying that unlike last year, this season will prove to be the year the trophy is actually brought home. Many haven't let last year's failure get them down.
"I think they know what it takes to win the NCAA tournament, and I think they are going to use what they have learned the past few years to go further in the tournament," Lamar Chance, assistant athletics communications director, said. "We have a more veteran team this year," and the players "have experience going through the battles."
Junior Seria Ross, a Tigers basketball fan since her freshman year, hasn't lost her hope for the team. She works fan-patrol at football, softball, baseball, volleyball and men and women's basketball games. The direction of the team and character of the players is what has her believing the men's team has a good chance of winning the national championship this year.
"I expect them to have a great season," she said. "From what I see in their demeanor on campus, it seems like a lot of them have really matured and they are more focused."
Senior Russell Born was president of the Blue Crew last year. He said he went to every home game and "was fortunate enough" to attend an away game at the University of Alabama. There is "definitely" a chance to take home the trophy this year, he said.
"My grandpa started taking me to football games when I was seven years old and of course when I got into football I had to get into basketball," he said.
Stephen Rose, a Tiger basketball manager, expressed the same sentiment of hope.
"I expect them to win the championship because I actually see how hard they work every day," Rose said.
The average number of people who attended Tigers basketball games last year was 16,300. The attendance has remained about the same for the past eight years.
In "Rules for being a true fan," ESPN columnist Bill Simmons said, "Once you choose a team, you're stuck with that team for the rest of your life."
So will Tigers fans give their men's basketball team the boot if they don't get an NCAA championship win this year?
Not likely.
Ross said she will be a Tigers fan for the rest of her life.
"That's a part of being a real fan. You have to stick with them through the good times and the bad," she said.
Sophomore Tiffany Vann has only been a fan since she came to the University last year, but said she will always support the team
"My Lakers are struggling, but I'm still a Laker fan," Vann said. "I will always have Tiger pride."
Rose said he will "always be a fan because the team has always been a childhood favorite of mine."
Born said "there is no question" that he will remain loyal to the Tigers.
"I will definitely stay on [the bandwagon]," Born said. "That's part of being a true fan. You root for them when they're up and root for them when they're down."
