Thanks for the memories

[dixdog]

Who hates Jimmer? I thought we was pretty well universally acclaimed and that if there was any criticism it was directed at his supporting cast.

there have been several national pundits saying he's overrated after last nights game. Cowterd for one.

[falafel]

there have been several national pundits saying he's overrated after last nights game. Cowterd for one.

Cowherd was ripping him big time this morning, claiming he'd been down on him for months! Apparently he didn't watch any college basketball in months.

[DrumNFeather]

Cowherd was ripping him big time this morning, claiming he'd been down on him for months! Apparently he didn't watch any college basketball in months.

He admittedly doesn't watch college basketball. He's an NBA guy. I think that there are several contrarian journalists/media guys out there that just have to go the other way when the hype machine builds too much for one player. Unfortunately for Fredette, it happened to him.

Don't be surprised if he gets screwed out of POY.

[falafel]

He admittedly doesn't watch college basketball. He's an NBA guy. I think that there are several contrarian journalists/media guys out there that just have to go the other way when the hype machine builds too much for one player. Unfortunately for Fredette, it happened to him.

I agree. During that segment I kept thinking about how Cowherd always mentions how he only talks about subjects that get ratings. Jimmer is immensely popular nationwide, and ripping him will likely piss off a large number of people, which will in turn generate calls and emails. Plus, its not like all of Cowherd's points were false. Jimmer sometimes doesn't make the best decisions.

[dixdog]

Rick Reily's piece is an abomination.

[Flystripper]

Rick Reily's piece is an abomination.

Who cares what Rick Reily writes? Haters will hate. Jimmer will always have to fight to overcome perceptions and stereotypes. He may not win NPOY. This would be somewhat unfortunate because I do think he deserves it. However, remember NPOY won't make any difference in what he means to us as a fans and what he actually accomplished on the basketball court from tip-off to buzzer. Don't worry about what the pundits say. We will always have memories of his historic performances and no post season award snubbing, Cowherd radio dissing, or Rick Riley article criticizing makes any difference.

Jimmer will get a chance to try and prove the critics wrong again in the NBA and while he is not a prototypical draft pick, I would not bet against him.

[venkman]

Great posts all.

Jimmer, I love you, man. Thanks for everything. You not only revived my love of basketball, but you got my kids interested in basketball and more importantly, BYU athletics. Attending the final regular season game in person was to my nine year old what the 1980 Holiday Bowl was to me as a seven year old. I suspect many BYU lifers were made this year.

[Parrot Head]

Yes, you said it well, Surfah.

This was definitely a season of great memories, even if many of mine came through a choppy connection on Justin.tv. When I went to BYU it took me a while to become a BYU basketball fan. I went to the games, cheered, and all that, but I grew up on ACC hoops and the contrast was hard to dismiss.

I've really grown to enjoy BYU hoops in the years since my mission and the rest of my time in Provo, but it was so awesome and so different to be on the national scene this year, to have a real star that people knew. How often do mid-majors get national attention before March? Maybe the added publicity was a side benefit of the football deal with ESPN. Whatever it is, it was great and I'll remember my 5-year old moaning at breakfast one morning and asking, "Why do you talk about Jimmer all the time, Dad?"

[Pelado]

I sent my annual post season email to Coach Rose.

Great tradition, which I just may adopt. Here's my first annual email:


Coach Rose,

Thanks for the great season. It’s been a great ride, all the way from Fresno to Florida. The co-workers who once derided BYU have now been cheering this team on. We appreciate you and the team – your hard work, your dedication, and your character when faced with adversity. Thanks for the highs and how you’ve handled the lows. Thanks, again, for the great season.

Pelado

[Goatnapper'96]

I don't know if I have enjoyed a BYU sports season this much, ever. This year was just an amazing roller coaster ride. It will always have a bit of a sting of "what if?," but the way BYU rallied to thump Gonzaga just elevated the year to the top. Beating Gonzaga and SDSU in San Diego were just amazing Saturday afternoons.

The most amazing thing BYU did this year was actually convince me that BYU in the Final 4 is not impossible. I really believe that if Dave Rose stays in Provo for 15 more years, BYU could finally end that abominable streak and leave the albatross around Mizzou's neck as the Curse of Lilliburn Boggs! Before this year I never even considered that possible.

That is not to underestimate how good I think Jimmer truly is. But Coach Rose has been dealt some unfortunate bad luck the past two years and he still has BYU rising to a level of play where such a dream is no longer unrealistically absurd. Given BYU's unique rules and atmosphere such heartbreaks, Mike Loyd and Brandon Davies, are part of the rich tapestry of experiences, but eventually Rose is going to have a run where nobody gets mono and nobody gets unexpectedly suspended or kicked off the team.

Lets get Rose signed up for an extension and finish it with one final victory!

[Uncle Ted]

Helluva season. I've again fallen in love with BYU basketball. Last week I took a big garbage sack full of my old BYU gear and gave it to some of the kids in the ward. I had sweatshirts, t-shirts, shorts and hats. Stuff I've accumulated over the past decade and don't really wear any more. These kids, teacher and priest age, acted like it was second Christmas. They were on the bandwagon and could now dress the part. In a world dominated by Ohio State, BYU finally had some cred. Jimmer is to them what Ty Detmer was to me, someone who made a passing interest of mine and made it into a passion.

This is a great idea. I need to get rid of some of my BYU stuff as well but I think I'll limit giving it to kids that I have seen wearing OU and A&M stuff. The kids wearing UT stuff are OK with me.

I do have to say Jimmer and the rest of this year's team has given me a whole new interest in BYU basketball. BYU football is still my main passion, however. There are a lot of great posts in this thread.