If you are a die-hard Western Michigan University football fan, you probably have two favorite teams on Saturdays: WMU and whoever is playing Central Michigan University.
It can be tough to take Western losses, but nothing softens the blow like knowing Central lost that day as well.
It’s easy to see where the dislike comes from: both teams are in the West Division of the Mid-American Conference, both teams expect to play well, and when they play each other, it is almost always a close game.
For the fans, the rivalry can be even more personal. Most Western students know someone that goes to Central, whether it is former high school classmates or siblings, and losses unleash an avalanche of taunting. The fact the teams are so similar, and either team could win, makes the rivalry stronger.
But with all the hatred that flows between the two fan bases, I’m going to ask for an odd request: Cheer for them. At least in their non-conference games.
In fact, when it comes to non-conference games, WMU fans should cheer for the entire MAC.
Teams are judged on their own play, but they also represent the conference, so when teams win, it reflects well on the other teams in the conference. Conversely, when teams lose, pundits say it’s a down year for not only the team, but also the conference.
For example, on Saturday, the University of Pittsburgh lost to Bowling Green State University, a MAC school.
Since the University of Miami and Virginia Tech left the conference a few years ago, people said the Big East is a weaker conference and perhaps do not deserve a Bowl Championship Series invitation. With Pittsburgh, who some considered a favorite in the conference, losing over the weekend; it again reflects that the Big East is an inferior conference.
On the other hand, Bowling Green gives the MAC some respect they may not have gotten in years past. For example, when WMU traveled to Nebraska for their season opener, it was assumed they would lose. However, because Ball State University, another MAC school, had gone to Nebraska last year and had the lead in the fourth quarter, some were saying the Broncos could go in to Lincoln and pull of the upset.
Now one game does not make a conference, but often the games represents how the conference is headed as a whole.
Look at the national championship game from the past two years. Both years Ohio State University has been the number one team headed into the game and both years they have been embarrassed by Southeastern Conference teams. Because of that, the Big Ten has been labeled behind in the times, an accurate description of programs that are stuck in the “three yards and a cloud of dust” era.
Now I’m realistic, and I understand that it is incredibly painful to cheer for the archrival. So perhaps there is a better option. Cheer against them, but look at the benefits a victory gives you.
As I mentioned before, Bowling Green upset Pittsburgh over the weekend. Now I’m not a fan of BGSU because they are one of Western’s MAC rivals, but I am glad they were able to pull off an upset over a major conference opponent. Same with Ball State last year; I was rooting hard for them to knock off Nebraska.
In addition to the respect that is given to a conference, if one of the MAC teams could pull off an undefeated season, chances are they would get an invite to a BCS bowl game. Now they wouldn’t make it to the title game, but perhaps the Orange or Sugar Bowl. If that happens, the entire conference would enjoy a nice payday. According to the BCS Web site, the projected payout per team just for playing in a 2009 BCS game is $17.5 million. Now that gets evenly distributed through the conference, so for WMU, that would be a little less than $1.4 million just for having one of their rivals making a BCS game.
That money not only helps the one team, but also furthers the entire conference.
It may be hard, but during the non-conference games during the season, fans from the MAC need to show their support for their conference rivals.
Even Central Michigan.
Nice article, but I can’t cheer for central.