When I first started writing for the Tech Talk, I knew what I was doing … or so I thought. I’ve covered sports at my old school for a year and a half before I transferred this spring. I’ve stringed for other publications covering high school sports. Like I said, I thought I knew what I was doing.
Around the second or third weekend series while I was covering baseball at Tech, I rushed getting dressed to make it to the game on time. For some reason, lord knows it doesn’t happen often, I decided to color coordinated, wearing my gray hat with my gray shirt.
I thought nothing of it during the three plus hours the game lasted. I thought nothing of it waltzing into Coach Wade Simoneaux office for a post game interview. I thought nothing of it till the coach turned around and nonchalantly said:
“We burn those kinda things around here.”
I froze. I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know what I done, but if history tell you anything I did it and did it well. I finally regained composure and figured out where I erred. My hat! My old gray hat!
More importantly my old gray LSU hat!
It was more of a joking around thing but I was pretty embarrassed. Those who have been with me to a dance club know it takes a lot for me to get embarrassed, but there I was in a middle of an interview beet red the entire time. Simoneaux wasn’t mad. I think it was more of him picking on a mark.
I retired the hat shortly after and stocked up on Bulldog paraphernalia. I retired it up until today when I decided to break out the old cap again.
There hasn’t been a repeat of the story yet, but I’ve been thinking on it all day. I’ve really been thinking of my fanhood all day.
I was raised an LSU fan by an LSU fan. More importantly I was raised by an LSU fan who graduated from both Louisiana Tech and University of Louisiana at Monroe. If I’m anything, I’m my father’s son and adopted most of his philosophies.
The point I’m trying to make is, we, my dad and I, are not really LSU fans; we are fans of the state of Louisiana. I’m a diehard Saints fan, a converted Hornets fan. If I’m watching the Little League World Series, I’m rooting for Louisiana. I am a Tiger fan and I am a Bulldog fan. It sounds weird, but that’s the way it is.
I mean no disrespect when I say this, but LSU is the only college team in the state that is relevant. Until Tech or some other college can make an impact in the national scope in Football, Baseball or Men’s Basketball, that’s the way it is. If I show more allegiance to the Tigers, it’s because their tradition has earned it, plain and simple.
I just don’t see any other state team being their rival. It’s like they are in two different classifications. LSU in one, all other state schools in the other. I don’t care how and why this happen, my entire life I’ve known it as such.
One day I hope to see Tech compete on the national scale. It will be a tough choice I will have to make, but one with an easy answer.
This is not an impossible circumstance. Both Boise State and Hawaii showed that even though it’s impossible for a non BCS school to win a national championships, you can be a national player in the WAC. In Basketball the Lady Techsters have shown in years past they weren’t merely a player, but a perennial powerhouse. The men have no excuses. The College World Series has always been the great equalizer. It can be done.
Until the day I’m forced to chose, I will support all the state schools. I will wear any color I want with any logo I want. I don’t care how many stink eyes I get and I’ll return any banter my way.
Well, maybe not in a coach’s office.
--Kevin Sims
24 comments:
Are you serious?
Horrible first sports blog for the Tech Talk!!!
Tech vs. lsu who do you cheer, what do you wear tailgating the day of, to Death Valley? Just because your father did it doesn't make it right and isn't an excuse to have no backbone and stand up for your alma mater. As long as Tech students have this attitude Tech will never be a "college team in the state that is relevant."
OMG. You need to go on down to LSU and write for their college paper. Son, I'm afraid you have stepped all in it. I'm embarrassed and ashamed for you. I wish Coach Sim had burned your stuff. I hope Coach Dooley doesn't run into you -or Karl Malone. Karl Malone will stomp a mud puddle in your behind and your grey hat. Go on down and support Louisiana from BR dear boy. We don't need that kind of support up here. Horrible. Awful. Shameful. Disgraceful. Wretched. Disgusting blog. What WERE you thinking?
Here's another thought for you Kevin. Your daddy should be ashamed to. Wannabes. You better learn to think for yourself or you are going to end up a lost ball in tall weeds. LSU my a$$. Your daddy and folks like him and YOU are the reason Louisiana Tech is where we are today. LSU the only relevant team my a$$. If you were my son I'd put you in the corner for a time out and your little grey hat in the shredder.
To those who have invested their time, money, and heart in supporting Louisiana Tech, thank you. I have put a lot of time and energy giving back to my alma mater out of love and loyalty for my school. It is a slap in the face to me and all supporters when students like you cheer for LSU.
Have some pride and loyalty.
I guess this is the last Tech Talk blog I read. Maybe had you taken the time to learn about Tech's great tradition in athletics you wouldn't have written such an assinine blog.
Wow...horrible. Tech Talk "bloggers" blogging about LSU. Garbage.
Recommendation,
Take this blog down. It's an insult to the Tech family, fans, alumns, and all supporters.
What has happened at the Tech Talk? Your blog is an insult to every athlete that competes at Tech. I could give a piss what LSUcks does in anything because that is not where my loyalties lie. For you to openly admit that you and your father are bandwagon fans of a another school is an insult to my alma mater and shows your lack of character.
I usually wouldn't respond to comments like this, but I decided to anyway.
I did not mean for this to show Tech in a negative light. The intention was to show my view that people can support who ever they want where ever they want, even two instate schools.
I’m going to Tech for the education, not the athletic program. My allegiance is not bought with the name on the diploma I will receive.
As for writing for the Tech Talk, I’m learning how to become a journalist not how to write PR pieces for the university. I have every right to criticize what I feel needs criticism as long as I use no libel statement.
As for the not being relevant comment, In hindsight I should have explained it more. I should have added, not relevant in the national scope. Since 1989, when Tech joined Division I-A, the football team has had six winning seasons in 19 years. The men’s basketball team has had I believe two NCAA tournament appearances in the last 20 years losing in the first round both times. In baseball to my knowledge, Tech has never made it to a college world series.
Tech is not a player nationally, and you cannot justify them as such. I wish this was not the case, but it is. They are a player regionally though. They are relevant regionally. The problem is, they aren’t even relevant statewide yet. Tech gets no coverage south of I-10, yet LSU games are broadcast national and covered by almost every news outlet within the state.
I’m not sure why you think Tech is in competition with LSU in the first place. They are in two totally different levels at the moment. I’ve talked with Coach Dooley and believe he has a plan and is capable of bringing Tech to a more even level with LSU. I covered the renovations happening on campus this spring and I believe that is not only the first step, but a major step forward in the right direction. Tech is just not there yet, and your naive to think so.
As to my fanhood, I’ve been a LSU fan my entire life. I’ve been a Tech student for less than six months. I transfered to Tech during my senior year because of a special circumstance with my family, one which I’m not going to justify with you. I’m not disappointed in this. I’ve always liked Tech and glad I can graduate from this fine university, but what I do for a year is not going to change what I am. I’m still going to give Tech the best coverage I can, but I’m going to cover it as a reporter, not a fan.
just stop writing. You've lost the respect of most of the people who matter, anyway.
Sorry, not buying it.
The reason that Tech and lsu are on "totally different levels" is precisely because of the flagship mentality you, and so many others, have embraced. (Well, that and decades of favoritism from state officials.)
You are correct that Tech and lsu may not be in direct competition for national athletic prominence. But we do compete for hearts, media coverage, and fans in North Louisiana. And as Tech Talk staff, Bulldog supporters everywhere are counting on YOU to carry the torch.
While I commend your efforts to cover Tech news as an objective reporter, your blog is not a news story. Blogs like this are the kind of forum to unashamedly support your school. That doesnt mean you _have_ to prepare a PR piece for the University, but you should still _want_ to.
You enrolled at Tech. This is your home now. We are your readers. Give us what we want or lose readership.
And check your purple at the door.
I just hope you weren't one of those wearing LSU stuff at the TECH-LSU game. You are right that TECH is not nationally relevant right now, but it takes more than just Dooley to become relevant. It takes students, alumni, fans, and really all of N. Louisiana. It takes people like you who hold a position of respect within the student body. I am a TECH alum and I used to be an LSU fan before college, so I understand your position, but you are in a situation where YOU can help TECH become nationally relevant. And trust me, it is more fun to put every bit of your fandom into ONE school, YOUR school.
You should wear that grey hat and get on the back of that grey mule pulling the bandwagon down to Smogville. If it's your journalistic right to decide what you write,it's my right as a consumer to tell you and your editor what I think. Remember, the consumer pays your paycheck.Go Dawgs!!!!BTW I myself was a tiger fan,until I decided the best place for my education was Louisiana Tech.
Garbage.
It's humorous how Tech Talk journalists feel they can write about anything without thinking about their target audience. Since it is a 'free' paper, I guess they don't have to worry about losing subscriptions. Imagine if you get a job in the Corporate Communications department of a major corporation, would you write about how superior you believe your competitors are?
Think about it. You're a Tech student, writing for the Tech campus paper, in the Tech sports blog...and you write about your loyalty to LSU. Simply ignorant.
This is truly a slap in the face to all Tech supporters and everyone in the athletic department.
This is unbelievable. I'd fire you asap if I was Tech Talk director. I actually would fire the Tech Talk director for letting you wrote this blog. Who the heck wanted to read this piece of do-do about your love for LSU on Tech's paper? Make it straight or get out!!!
Typical Wannabengal comments. You are welcome to wear that crap all you want, just don't write about how great it is to be a lsu fan in THE TECH PAPER! You can't be that stupid.
Dude... Weak.
"I’m not sure why you think Tech is in competition with LSU in the first place. They are in two totally different levels at the moment."
They both play on Saturday.
Just learn from the negative reaction. Take the criticism and move on. You don't write about the Red Sox in a New York newspaper. You don't wear a Yankees hat to interview Terry Francona. You are learning to be a journalist, well this was a mistake. Now get stronger or stop writing.
This was WRONG in so many ways!! The power of the pen has been misused - again.
YOU SUCK
I would love to continue the string of LSU hate messages. Trust me, I'm in the same pantone reflex c (tech blue) boat as all of you. Instead, these 21 comments should be turned into 21 emails/phone calls to the Journalism Department.
The only down side is that the admin may shut down the blogging, which would be bad. I recommend anyone who brings this to the departments attention should mention not canceling this feature the Tech Talk has probably worked hard to get, only to be screwed up by a bad apple.
Hey bandwagon LSpoo fan....
You stink.
Man up and support YOUR school or transfer.
If I ever read your blog again that will be too much.
Great blog. As a former student and athlete at Tech, I agree with you 100%. I am not a LSPU fan but I do agree with what you wrote. It's not your job to only write "popular" articles. Have you told a lie in your blog? Nope. The truth hurts sometimes. You just keep up the good reporting. I look foward to your articles. Beagle
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