UFL in San Antonio

I am from San Antonio. Fuck the bullshit. I normally was always excited about leagues being interested in the city. I have changed. I don't fall for the lameness anymore. I don't like how the city always has to prove stuff to people.

I understand it. I still don't like it.

I am a fan of sports. My dad was born in Dallas (ugh) and partly because of that, and partly because of the Cowboys being the best, closest team to SA, his kids (me and my brothers and sis) became fans.

I follow the Rangers (not very well) because their jerseys say 'Texas' and not 'Houston'.

I was indifferent to the Mavericks because they sucked for so long. When they got good they still weren't elite nor posed as much of a threat to long time Spurs rivals, LA and Utah. That was until they beat us in a series and had to put up with the throng of bandwaggoners that jumped on the Mavs' (horrible horrible nickname) well, bandwagon and started talking shit. *

*There are a lot of Spurs bandwaggoners. Most jumped on in '99. I didn't like them but eventually they learned the game and paid their dues. Now they are pretty decent. 'Ceptin for  the ones that are dumb. I still don't like them.

Eventually, you realize that it is not the same rooting for a nearby team. You want your own. This reality punched me in the face in '94: I was nine when I started watching the Finals with my dad and was pro-Houston for obvious reasons. When they finally won the thing (or John Starks lost it if you are a NY fan) although I was happy it left me feeling kind of hollow. I realized that it was not mine. More generally, it wasn't ours, meaning San Antonio. 

This is where the sports fan in me was born. I remember thinking "Is our basketball team any good? What other teams do we have?" It was then that my allegiance was pledged to the University of Texas, Houston Oilers (they came in second to the Cowboys for the previously mentioned reasons), the Dallas Cowboys, the Rangers and the Missions, and by extension the LA Dodgers (SA's parent team).

I was devastated the next year when the Spurs lost to the damn Rockets, and my hatred for Houston began. In the intervening years between the Rockets back-to-back titles and the Spurs' in '99, the Cowboys won a Super Bowl. Again, it was cool, but it wasn't mine.

There is nothing like having the home squad winning it all. Nothing. The payoff from supporting them through all the frustrating losses (Utah, Utah, Houston, EveryTeam in '96) and all the doubters is amazing. If you're crazy like I am, you feel some vindication. If you are self-loathing like SA is you feel validation. If you are a bandwaggoner you should feel like a lame-ass.

Having tasted that,* I can't root for nearby teams the same way anymore. I've tasted the best and I cannot settle anymore. I still follow the Rangers and the Cowboys etc, but I don't live and die the same way. I can't.

*And in a surprisingly similar way when UT won in 2006.

In the same vein, I cannot root for a shitty product. The Spurs have always been an amazingly well run organization, enjoying success in some form for nearly their entire existence in the city. Seriously, from Dave's arrival in '89 to now, we have missed the playoffs once. We have gotten bounced from the first round only five times. Five in fuckin' 21 years. They have spoiled us. * It is their job to entertain us, and its our job to pay them money for it. They have done a great job and we have supported the shit out of them.  I, and all of San Antonio enjoy our relationship with the Spurs.

*I won't get into escalation and the adjustment of expectations and whatever.

I don't enjoy bullshit. If you don't have your shit together UFL, and you don't demonstrate that you can put a quality product that will entertain us citizens and fans of San Antonio, don't expect us to come out and support your bullcrap. I don't see how the city can be blamed when it has been burned 5 fucking times. We'd be stupid if we didn't learn.

A pro-team would have to overcome overwhelming allegiance to the Dallas Cowboys. I'm talking generations of allegiance. The only way you can realistically compete with that is to bring an NFL franchise in. They almost did so with the Saints and I caught myself wavering on my stance. No one sees the UFL as a serious competitor to the NFL. Shit, not even the UFL. They want to be a farm system.*

*You want us to get excited about a farm team? Ugh.

I am more disappointed in City Leadership passing on the MLS. That league doesn't compete directly with the EPL and there is no domestic competition. Let's get on that shit. If DFW can hop on FC Dallas, surely San Antonio, with its legions of brown people that love them some soccer* will hop on FC San Anto. Na' mean?

*I am brown. I am not a huge soccer fan. Yes I am making assumptions. No, I don't care.

So, all the above is why I am for UTSA football and not for UFL football, or even UTSA basketball. San Antonio's basketball cash goes to the Spurs not only in jersey sales and whatnot but in attendance. San Antonio's football cash goes to the Cowboys in jersey sales and hats and shit. That is a team 4 hours away. UTSA doesn't compete directly with them nor with the Longhorns.  No one regularly goes to Cowboys games in SA. No one.* There aren't a crapload of fans haulin' ass up to Austin to get to UT games either.

When local kids start gettin' roster spots on UTSA's football team, all those moms and pas, and all those little girlfriends will be buyin up seats at the games. Watch. When the team starts showing some winnin' skills and stuff, then you will see some real fan support. And because it is a university it has a longer time frame than any upstart pro-football league looking to become the NFL's pipeline. I am fine for supporting something that almost cannot fail with good planning.

* More of me hyping it. I am sure some people do but not enough that significantly affect the viability of attending a local college football game.