Friday, January 28, 2011

Not a Bandwagon Fan Here

I'm trying to get my head around what is going on in Utah Valley right now. Really, for the current generation, this is unprecedented, all of the attention and love that is being shown to a young man who plays for the BYU Men's Basketball team. The past 35 years have seen some heralded athletes come through Provo, mostly quarterbacks who fit in the BYU offensive system and throw for thousands of yards, get some conference titles, bowl wins, and one Heisman. But this, this Jimmermania, this is something else entirely.

Part of it has to do with the fact that it is happening at a time when something like Twitter exists. Five years ago, even, something like this wouldn't be possible. How would we have known that Kevin Durrant was as impressed as he was with Jimmer's performance on Wednesday night without the instant international access of Twitter? Jimmer is trending, as it were, at the best possible time... in more ways than one.

But what I want to focus on is just how much this phenomenon is affecting a Cougar fan like me. Someone who probably cares a little too much about BYU sports, whose mood swings with the success, or lack thereof, of the two main athletic entities from Brigham's campus. And so, I give you, my own personal story of Jimmermania.

Three years ago I was working at Saturn of Orem as a sales consultant. It was my job to sell cars to people who came by the showroom. However, people rarely came by the showroom, and so I had a lot of time on my hands. It was during this time that I really began to become a much closer follower of sports, due to the fact that I had hours upon hours to surf the web and read all about things like, well, college basketball.

I remember going frequently to ESPN's page on the Cougars' basketball team. The page was pretty simple, it had their record, schedule, and a picture of Jonathan Tavernari with his signature upheld clenched fist that he displayed anytime he made a 3 pointer. JT was the face of the program, although Trent Plaistead and Lee Cummard were also a part of the team and got some love from the basketball world. If I remember right, the starting point guard that year was Sam Burgess, a senior with a decent game who could create and get the ball to any of these 3 "stars" so they could score. I don't really remember much about watching Burgess play, but what I do remember is being really impressed by the freshman backup point guard.

We watched a few of BYU's games in the lobby there at Saturn. I distinctly remember one game noticing just how impressive the backup point guard was. I was impressed, among other things, but his build. He looked rock solid, with broad shoulders, and defined biceps that, next to the likes of Cummard and Plaistead, looked really ripped. He had a remarkable way of creating shots where shots seemed impossible, he would drive the lane, start going up one direction, and adjust in midair, coming under the basket, and around for these amazing layups. He didn't get a whole lot of playing time, but I remember thinking, this Fredette kid has a future. I can't wait until he gets more time on the court.

His sophomore season provided that extra playing time, and he took advantage of it, but again, he was still just part of a "Big 3," that year that included Cummard and JT. (By the way, is there any label more over-used in sports than Big 3? Can we just eliminate this from our vocabularies, please?) He continued to be impressive, and by the end of the season, we were all looking forward to seeing what he could do when more of the scoring responsibility would be on his shoulders.

Last season had some spectacular moments, like his 49 point game against ASU, and his first round game in the NCAA Tournament, but in a lot of ways, the season, failed to live up to expectations because of his health. He played a number of games with that long sleeved undershirt, and oftentimes looked pale and exhausted, but he still managed to do some incredible things. I especially loved the short-lived run that he got following their victory in the Tourney.

Now, though, now we are at a point that I don't think anyone could have foreseen. Having opted to come back to school for his senior year, even though he was told he could have been a late-first round to early-second round draft pick in the NBA last year, Jimmer came back.

And I don't think anyone could make a better choice about anything.

He owns college basketball right now. In a two week span he scored 47, 39, 42, and 43 points in consecutive games. Following that Utah game where he hit those remarkable threes and made his first Sports Center appearances, I wasn't sure what the future held for Jimmer and the Cougars. I could not have imagined that he would do what he has done. He has taken, not only the world of college basketball, but the world of athletics in general, by storm. An awe shucks, gee whiz, um, my teammates set great screens and get me open, storm.

And I am loving it.

I fully recognize the fleetingness of this. He is a senior, he will play only a few more games in a Cougar uniform, and then on to the NBA, and no one really knows what will happen there. I have no prediction, and honestly, I have no interest in trying to predict what his NBA future will hold, because the here and now is just so freaking awesome.

Yesterday I was literally walking around all day with a goofy smile on my face. I couldn't help but just feel pleased all day long. That has continued through today, and it's all because of Jimmer. Here he is, playing for my Alma Mater, for the school I have followed since I was old enough to understand what a basketball was, a school that has very little history in its basketball program. No, seriously, this is happening at MY SCHOOL! And the whole world loves him.

What is the best definition for "getting Jimmered"? I think it is something like this: To be totally worked by your opponent, and to want to give them a hug for destroying you because they are so likable.

Or something like that.

Anyway, no matter what the future may hold for this kid, and I hope it holds great things, because by all accounts he is the real deal, in talent, in humility, in charisma, in every way, he really seems to deserve the best. But for now, for this Cougar fan, he is the greatest, most unprecedented phenomenon in my own personal fanatic history.

And I've been with him from the start... and I welcome one and all to the Jimmerfest, come and enjoy the show.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

He was just that hot

I know, there's no way to prove it, but I knew Jimmer was going to hit that near-half-court shot at the end of the first half. He had just nailed a 3 on the last possession with some of the stickiest defense being played against him. The Utes turned it over with 4 seconds to play, of course he was going to make that shot.

Of course he was.

Whatever happens with the Cougar basketball team for the rest of this season, tonight's game is one to remember. It's been a while since I have had so much fun watching a game from my living room. My poor kids always get so scared when I erupt after a play like that shot.

Go Cougs.