Opinion articles provide independent perspectives on key community issues, separate from our newsroom reporting.

Letters to the Editor

Hail to the real sports fans

Before fair-weather fans demand the firing of Coach Tim DeRuyter, the Fresno State athletic director should employ an alternative strategy – fire the fans!

Yes, I said it. It is time to replace the lackluster, fair-weather fans who want a great team without being great fans. Fresno State doesn’t have many real fans. By comparison, the Oakland Raiders have real fans. Real fans show up to games even when the team has a losing record. They don’t make excuses, they show up and stay until the end, win or lose.

Fresno State needs a stadium of fans like the people who where in the stands Oct. 16. On national television, in the rain, and with their team losing, the real Bulldog fans remained, and for their efforts, they witnessed their team come from behind to take the lead and hold off University of Nevada, Las Vegas in a driving rain.

That’s what real fans do!

Jeff Macdonald, Fresno

This story was originally published October 23, 2015 at 8:13 AM with the headline "Hail to the real sports fans."

Get unlimited digital access
#ReadLocal

Try 1 month for $1

CLAIM OFFER