Rekindling the spirit of Fresno by recapturing the Red Wave excitement

Fresno State: our home, our hope, our heartbreak. The university is more than a school, the Bulldogs are more than a team, the Red Wave is more than a fan base, we are a community.

Fresno isn’t just a city on a map – its an idea, a spirit founded deep within these fertile soils. It is a spirit than needs a reawakening, an identity that needs to be redefined, a fight that needs to be fought because Fresno State is a cause worth fighting for. While this is a group effort, its ultimate success rests upon each individual to choose this destiny which awaits. If we want a better future, then we must decide that the status quo is unacceptable. It is time to believe again, believe in each other, believe in our community, believe in the Bulldogs. We need to take a honest look in the mirror and decide who we are, who is Fresno State?

The answer that lies before us has little to do with costly renovations, high profile hires, or whether we ever win another game. We need to change our philosophy and shift our approach.

However, before we answer the “who” we must first address the “why.” Similar to many of you, I spent a considerable amount of my formative years, under the unyielding heat of the Fresno sun, proudly watching Bulldog athletics. Some of my most cherished memories as a child were spent going to Bulldog games with my mom, my dad and my grandfather. Both of my parents are proud Fresno State alumni and while my grandfather never attended Fresno State, he was a lifelong Red Waver nonetheless. He chose to love Fresno State, not because of a degree, not because of an obligation, but because this was his home and that was his team.

As a boy, going to games wasn’t just about seeing our athletes compete on the field, it was about joining together with the community to celebrate that common bond that ties us all together, Fresno State. Though I would eventually study communication sciences at the University of Alabama, Fresno State will always be a part of who I am and my memory of home.

At Alabama, I witnessed the unprecedented success of an athletic program that may never be replicated. However, I also witnessed the heart of the Crimson Tide faithful and the love that they share for their team. I witnessed the unwavering support that the people of Tuscaloosa placed in their team, their home. Even if Coach (Nick) Saban didn’t create the greatest living dynasty in collegiate sports, the support of the fan base remain unchanged. Winning might carry a program when times are good but identity inspires a program even when times are bad.

Last year, we saw (Fresno State) Coach Jeff Tedford bring 10 wins to a team that had only won a single game in the previous season. Our outlook without a doubt holds both promise and optimism. It also holds the continued slump of stagnation, a fleeting fan base, empty seats, and a divided community. This is both a criticism and a call to action, a call to fight. Yes, fight because that’s our identity, that’s who we are as a team, that’s who we are as a community. The underdog, the rest stop on (Highway) 99, the city named for a tree of ash. No more.

We as a community have the chance, the choice to rise together, from these ashes placed upon us and embrace our true identity. Sports are more than competitions, they are external embodiments of our hopes, dreams and aspirations. Fresno State will never bear the blue blood slogan of “play like a champion” but we will face Goliath, look him square in the eyes and boldly say, “Anybody, Anytime, Anywhere.”

It’s high time that the Red Wave is reborn, but it’ll take more than money, more than players, coaches, or university administrators. It will take each and every one us, the people of the San Joaquin Valley, to take a stand. Not only to support our hometown team but to fight for it!

So often, we are told that our nation is divided, our community is broken, our hope is lost. That changes now! We can join together, here and now, to embrace a new-found spirit of Valley Pride, a spirit that can’t be beat, a spirit of Fresno.

This story was originally published June 23, 2018 at 6:41 AM with the headline "Rekindling the spirit of Fresno by recapturing the Red Wave excitement."