What do fans think about UA outlook?
by Multiple Authors on Sep. 01, 2006, under SportsSure, the University of Arizona athletic department needs a winning football team to help its budget.
But what about the fans, who are buying tickets at a record pace? How would a loss to BYU in the opener – or another losing season – affect the community?
Here are some readers’ comments from our Web site, www.tucsoncitizen.com:
● A win could set up a very promising season, while a loss would mean fighting more feverishly to get into a bowl game.
The overall talent and improvements that I’ve seen over the last two years is obvious . . . I’m not worried a bit.
● This BYU team would finish near the bottom in the Pac-10. A loss here would be a disaster and might signal a three- or four-win season. After all the preseason hype, UA should win by two TDs on its home field.
● The season may not rise and fall on the BYU game, but it will set a tone. A home victory will build momentum toward Game 2 – LSU. A home defeat would likely trigger the skeptics and naysayers into full gloom-and-doom mode.
Regardless of the outcome, it is only one game towards the Cats’ season record. The team’s response to that outcome is the bigger issue.
● If you put this in perspective of golfing terms, would you rather bogey or birdie the first hole? Yes, you can still win the tourney with the bogey, but starting off with a birdie feels a lot better.
It’ll be a great win if the Cats beat BYU. But if they do end up losing, making it to a bowl game gets that much harder, but is still possible to get there.
● Based on the Cats’ record in the post-Dick Tomey era, they can’t afford to overlook Stephen F. Austin, let alone BYU.
If they lose to BYU, beside SFA, who are the five other teams, on their very tough schedule, that they can beat to get six wins and a bowl game? BYU is a huge game in many ways.
By Douglas B., Erik M., Allen R., Jim S., Lenny M.
