Rooting from afar for the Home Team

(Note: This was written before the heartbreaking loss to Cincy last Saturday. However, the theme of the entry still stands)

This year marked the first time in about 15 years that I missed a WVU home game. Obviously, following the Mountaineers was a big part of my life. I mean think about it. A lot has changed since I had missed a home game. I was a skinny kid with a high pitch voice. The Internet hardly existed, and my friend Jason harbored aspirations to be President of the United States. OK, some things don’t change. However, for me over the past three months, a lot has changed. From moving to a new country to learning a new language, my life has been turned upside down. I’m getting adjusted to a lot of these things, but I’m still finding my way in the sporting world.

I knew going in I was not going to be able to follow the home team that closely. Watching games would be pretty much out of the question, but I figured I would still be able to maintain contact and my passion for West Virginia. However, I haven’t. Maybe it was when I got my passport stamped; I turned in my fans license. Or maybe it is because the people surrounding me don’t know a Mountaineer from a Longhorn or a Jayhawk (actually, there is a teacher at my site that went to Kansas and loves the Jayhawks, but you get the point). I don’t know, but this football season hasn’t been the same for me.

What makes this development more interesting is that this year has been a tumultuous season for the Mountaineers. It started last winter when the decision was made to hire an under qualified coach. At the time, I was not happy about the move. I thought the success of the program over the past couple years was in jeopardy. And as the Mountaineers stumbled out of the gates to a 1-2 start the emails and phone calls started pouring in. When my parents called after one game, my dad didn’t start with, “Hello,” but rather, “I don’t know why they hired Stewart.”

I love it when my dad gets fired up about sports. It wasn’t just him, though. One friend wrote in an email, “Because of the losses and Stew's cluelessness we have become a punch line joke for college football and those who report on the game. It is a tough time to stay positive so it’s good you are out of the country.” Another said, “Let's just say by the time you return, we likely will be a perennial bottom-feeder in the Big East.”

The last email had me cracking up, because two weeks later after a big comeback victory over Auburn this same friend wrote, “…the offense is clicking and all is right with the world.” Now, this friend is one of the most rational people I know. However, if you read just those two emails, you’d think he was of his rocker.

That’s when it dawned on me what I missed the most -- the joy of victory and agony of defeat. If I were back home right now, I’m sure I would have been cursing up a storm after the lost to East Carolina. Instead, I had to go into a bigger city with thoughts that maybe I could watch the game online, but I had to settle for following the game online through Gamecast. When the game ended, instead of being upset, I calmly closed the window and left and went to get something to eat with some new friends. As soon as the window closed, I forgot about the game. On the flip side, I’m sure I would think the team could beat anybody after the Auburn game. To me, that’s the best part about being a sports fan -- following those highs and lows. And I’m missing it 3,000 miles away from home.

I’m sure the passion will return when I come back to the States, but in the meantime I’m going to enjoy watching my friends and family appear to be insane, because who knows how insane they think I am right now.