Why I Have a Problem with Some Dayton MBB Fans
As previously shown on my Twitter and in a few past articles on this blog, I do not get along with all of the Dayton MBB fan base. To those people, you just have to get through your thick skulls that it's okay to support more than one college basketball team, especially within a single conference. I know many people that support one team in a single sport. More specifically, I know college basketball fans who root for multiple teams in the same conference. This exact concept has seemed to escape the concept of many brains in Dayton, Ohio. I can never engage in "friendly" banter with a Dayton fan about URI and Dayton about college basketball because somehow it is magically impossible that I root for URI and still support Dayton men's basketball (during their non-conference play and when they are not playing URI obviously). Not only is it not possible for me to root for URI's men's basketball team and support other Atlantic 10 basketball teams but Dayton MBB fans have the strange habit of assuming that I do not. A private education at the University of Dayton should include a reminder that it is dangerous to assume anything in life.
If the Flyer fans have not figured it out yet, their success with making it to multiple NCAA tournaments started with earning quality wins within the Atlantic 10. If you go undefeated in non-conference play and win the majority of games during conference play, you would still barely make it into the field of 68 if the rest of your conference was not strong. If you need a reminder, just look at the 2015-2016 season when Monmouth did not make it into March Madness, despite having non-conference wins against Notre Dame, USC, UCLA, and Georgetown. In addition, the Hawks from the MAAC won their regular season conference title but one slip up (in the championship game) during the MAAC conference tournament cost them an at-large bid. More recently, in the 2016-2017 season, Monmouth fell into the same trap. Joining the Hawks in the same cloud of despair were mid-major powers UT-Arlington (Sun Belt), Valparaiso (Horizon/now in the MVC), Illinois State (MVC), Belmont (OVC), and UNC-Asheville (Big South). What did Monmouth, UT-Arlington, Valparaiso, Illinois State, Belmont, and UNC-Asheville all have in common? They all lacked a significant amount of quality competition within their respective conferences.
Dayton men's basketball fans rarely seem to appreciate the conference that they play in. I do not know if it is because the University of Dayton is a private university that they seem to think that they are above the rest of the conference. If some Dayton MBB fans truly carry themselves because their university is private, then there are even worse underlying problems with those individuals' mental makeup. I legitimately picture some Dayton MBB fans ready to poke their eyes out every time that they cheer on any of the other 13 Atlantic 10 MBB teams during non-conference play. The Atlantic 10 is not the nation's best basketball conference but it is far from the worst. Do not forget that Dayton MBB fans. In my eyes, Dayton can thank VCU, URI (recently), and the majority of the other Atlantic 10 MBB teams for helping them get to the NCAA tournament in past seasons.
I really enjoyed the following Dayton fan's video of him watching the 2017 Selection Show (excuse his profanity) because again, I do not dislike the Dayton MBB team in any way.
My problem with some sports teams usually starts and ends with each team's fan base and some of Dayton's MBB fans fit that description. I do not care if any of the Dayton MBB fan base cares about my opinion on this matter but I think I have made valid points.
If any Dayton MBB fan would like to argue any of these points with me on Twitter in a civil manner, feel free to tweet at me. If any Dayton MBB fan would like to argue any of these points with me on Twitter and thinks that they are on the level of Duke or Kentucky, then I have some pictures at the end of this article because no one will ever forget them.
America's favorite Dayton MBB picture:
My favorite Dayton MBB picture: (How do you possibly get charged with underage drinking, disorderly conduct by intoxication, and misdemeanor assault at a bar, urinate in your jail cell, and then proceed to get your ass beat by some random guy that you just met in cell? All of America is still waiting for that full answer from one of Dayton MBB's finest, Sam Miller.)
