Don't take this the wrong way, but some of you guys are a little bit out of touch with what goes on for younger guys (high school) and Rutgers. I hope somehow this can reach someone that has some sort of impact, just to provide and example of what can happen simply because of poor athletic support and lack of success.
First, a little background information (my story):
I'm in my mid 20's, didn't go to Rutgers, but I've been going to games with my Dad (Rutgers grad) and younger brother for as long as I can remember.
Being raised a Rutgers fan is tough, it's really rough during the High School years, largely because Rutgers isn't accepted all that much socially. Most kids in High School enjoy the winners, they enjoy the big name coach, the big name heisman candidate, and the big name brands.
At first, going to games with my Dad was just something to do, it was a good time and really enjoyed watching the games. During the NIT finals run by the basketball team something happened, I got hooked. It's a memory I will never forget, getting on the packed Rutgers red train from New Brunswick and taking it straight into MSG, there were so many people on board the conductor didn't even check for tickets. We ended up losing in the NIT Finals to Michigan, my cousins favorite team, and that was the first time I felt the let down that we all know so well as Rutgers fans. You fall in love with what's happening for one moment and then get your heart ripped out the next.
In 2005, I remember Brian Leonard and the rest of the football team coming to the RAC to celebrate their bowl victory during halftime of the Rutgers vs Louisville basketball game. I remember Leonard saying "The only reason I decided to come back for my senior season instead of entering the NFL draft was to lead this team to a BCS bowl game." The crowd went nuts, and again, I was hooked.
We all know what happened in 2006 with the Football team. Rutgers became cool, instead of taking crap from all my friends all school day long, people wanted to know about the games. Teachers asked me about the atmosphere, who my favorite player was. Kids that I never even knew watched college football were coming to school with Rutgers Football jerseys on. I used to see someone in a Ray Rice jersey every week it seemed like.
Fast forward to last year/this season:
My younger brother is now in High School, and from a very young age he was completely brainwashed by my Dad and I.
Last season was fun, he started to get a little taste of what it's like to be that age and have a season similar to 2006 in terms of excitement (at least early on in the season). His friends were coming to the games, they were asking about RU, they got to experience the State Penn atmosphere first hand and started to think Rutgers wasn't so bad after all.
Then everything that's been happening lately, happened. The Rutgers athletics smack talk from his friends is back. Lately he's been talking about how he's never going to go to another football game again (although he went to the State Penn game after saying that, and I'm sure he'll be at Kansas as well), but I can see how it could be tough to stick it out as someone who's not all that invested. I'm too emotionally invested, so is my Dad obviously, but my younger brother? He's one hell of a student, gets great grades, loves athletics and big time football.
My question is, how could Rutgers let this happen? We're a RU family in every single possibly way, and Rutgers is going to miss out on a potential future rockstar of a student. Without a doubt he'd be in the Honors College IMO, but instead I'd say at this point there's a 99% chance he's going to go elsewhere. I think he will end up going to Michigan or Wisconsin, because he wants to go to a school that cares about it's athletics. He wants to graduate college with a good degree and be able to hang his hat on his Football/Basketball teams when he's out of school. I 110% understand it, and I do not blame him one bit.
Sorry for the vent guys, just hoping some of these Academics only people realize what their missing out on. Rutgers, please get your crap together, do what you have to do, but it's time to improve the brand. It's time to finally make Rutgers a cool place.
First, a little background information (my story):
I'm in my mid 20's, didn't go to Rutgers, but I've been going to games with my Dad (Rutgers grad) and younger brother for as long as I can remember.
Being raised a Rutgers fan is tough, it's really rough during the High School years, largely because Rutgers isn't accepted all that much socially. Most kids in High School enjoy the winners, they enjoy the big name coach, the big name heisman candidate, and the big name brands.
At first, going to games with my Dad was just something to do, it was a good time and really enjoyed watching the games. During the NIT finals run by the basketball team something happened, I got hooked. It's a memory I will never forget, getting on the packed Rutgers red train from New Brunswick and taking it straight into MSG, there were so many people on board the conductor didn't even check for tickets. We ended up losing in the NIT Finals to Michigan, my cousins favorite team, and that was the first time I felt the let down that we all know so well as Rutgers fans. You fall in love with what's happening for one moment and then get your heart ripped out the next.
In 2005, I remember Brian Leonard and the rest of the football team coming to the RAC to celebrate their bowl victory during halftime of the Rutgers vs Louisville basketball game. I remember Leonard saying "The only reason I decided to come back for my senior season instead of entering the NFL draft was to lead this team to a BCS bowl game." The crowd went nuts, and again, I was hooked.
We all know what happened in 2006 with the Football team. Rutgers became cool, instead of taking crap from all my friends all school day long, people wanted to know about the games. Teachers asked me about the atmosphere, who my favorite player was. Kids that I never even knew watched college football were coming to school with Rutgers Football jerseys on. I used to see someone in a Ray Rice jersey every week it seemed like.
Fast forward to last year/this season:
My younger brother is now in High School, and from a very young age he was completely brainwashed by my Dad and I.
Last season was fun, he started to get a little taste of what it's like to be that age and have a season similar to 2006 in terms of excitement (at least early on in the season). His friends were coming to the games, they were asking about RU, they got to experience the State Penn atmosphere first hand and started to think Rutgers wasn't so bad after all.
Then everything that's been happening lately, happened. The Rutgers athletics smack talk from his friends is back. Lately he's been talking about how he's never going to go to another football game again (although he went to the State Penn game after saying that, and I'm sure he'll be at Kansas as well), but I can see how it could be tough to stick it out as someone who's not all that invested. I'm too emotionally invested, so is my Dad obviously, but my younger brother? He's one hell of a student, gets great grades, loves athletics and big time football.
My question is, how could Rutgers let this happen? We're a RU family in every single possibly way, and Rutgers is going to miss out on a potential future rockstar of a student. Without a doubt he'd be in the Honors College IMO, but instead I'd say at this point there's a 99% chance he's going to go elsewhere. I think he will end up going to Michigan or Wisconsin, because he wants to go to a school that cares about it's athletics. He wants to graduate college with a good degree and be able to hang his hat on his Football/Basketball teams when he's out of school. I 110% understand it, and I do not blame him one bit.
Sorry for the vent guys, just hoping some of these Academics only people realize what their missing out on. Rutgers, please get your crap together, do what you have to do, but it's time to improve the brand. It's time to finally make Rutgers a cool place.
