In the article, "Cheers! Sports Fans Enjoy Self-Esteem Boost For Days After Watching Their Team Win," the author writes, "More specifically researchers found that college football fans enjoyed improved self-esteem following a team victory for at least two full days afterwards. But, what about fans on the losing side of the equation? Luckily, fans of a team that just suffered a loss don’t necessarily experience a drop in their self-esteem, but their moods are often dampened."
I believe that is true for Hilltopper fans following Western's disappointing loss to Liberty, but am not certain that is the case for Middle Tennessee fans. Unfortunately for most of them, their self-esteem and the university's self-esteem is based on winning football games.
Because I never bought into the delusion that Middle Tennessee was a major player in FBS football, I was always viewed as the bad guy on "The Raider Roundup." But now that reality has hit the disillusioned in the face yet again, Blue Raider fans are more critical on "The Raider Roundup" than ever before. So why could I see reality when others couldn't? The answer is people see what they want to see and believe what they want to believe.
When Middle Tennessee had a $25 million renovation of Floyd Stadium and expanded seating capacity to 30,788 in 1998, Blue Raider fans wanted to believe Floyd Stadium was on par with some of the lower-tier SEC schools. But that was a delusion.
And when Middle Tennessee had the largest undergraduate enrollment in the state with 23,401 students in 20018, Blue Raider fans wanted to believe the increase in enrollment would give MT national recognition. But that also was delusional because size does not promote quality and recognition, and even if it did the increase in enrollment was short lived. Middle Tennessee now has an undergraduate enrollment of 19,461 and the University of Tennessee has an undergraduate enrollment of 23,290. Despite what Blue Raiders want to believe, the University of Tennessee is not a peer of Middle Tennessee.
As an alum of both Middle Tennessee and Western Kentucky, I see similarities between both schools. Both are ranked #298-#389 in National Universities according to U.S. News & World Report. But I believe the main difference is in the fan's obsession with national recognition.
WKU fans are comfortable with who they are and don't care about seeking approval outside their conference. On the other hand, Middle fans, much like Marshall fans, have an obsession with approval beyond Conference USA. And if you go by college rankings by U.S News & World Report, the state of Tennessee has eight Tier 1 national universities, and Middle Tennessee is not one of them. Vanderbilt University, University of Tennessee, University of Memphis, Belmont University, Lipscomb University, Tennessee Technological University, Union University, and Lincoln Memorial University all have better academic reputations as national universities than Middle Tennessee. Of course Middle fans would argue the U.S. News & World Report has a regional bias against Southern schools. But if that were the case, how did lesser known national schools such as Tennessee Technological University, Union University, and Lincoln Memorial University make the Top Tier?
As I have stated before, if you want to be relevant on a national level you have to earn it. Having a bunch of good ole boys talking about it incessantly on a sports board isn't going to get you there. Furthermore, referring to your rival as "little brother" or WKCC only shows envy and jealously whether they want to believe it or not.
www.studyfinds.org
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I believe that is true for Hilltopper fans following Western's disappointing loss to Liberty, but am not certain that is the case for Middle Tennessee fans. Unfortunately for most of them, their self-esteem and the university's self-esteem is based on winning football games.
Because I never bought into the delusion that Middle Tennessee was a major player in FBS football, I was always viewed as the bad guy on "The Raider Roundup." But now that reality has hit the disillusioned in the face yet again, Blue Raider fans are more critical on "The Raider Roundup" than ever before. So why could I see reality when others couldn't? The answer is people see what they want to see and believe what they want to believe.
When Middle Tennessee had a $25 million renovation of Floyd Stadium and expanded seating capacity to 30,788 in 1998, Blue Raider fans wanted to believe Floyd Stadium was on par with some of the lower-tier SEC schools. But that was a delusion.
And when Middle Tennessee had the largest undergraduate enrollment in the state with 23,401 students in 20018, Blue Raider fans wanted to believe the increase in enrollment would give MT national recognition. But that also was delusional because size does not promote quality and recognition, and even if it did the increase in enrollment was short lived. Middle Tennessee now has an undergraduate enrollment of 19,461 and the University of Tennessee has an undergraduate enrollment of 23,290. Despite what Blue Raiders want to believe, the University of Tennessee is not a peer of Middle Tennessee.
As an alum of both Middle Tennessee and Western Kentucky, I see similarities between both schools. Both are ranked #298-#389 in National Universities according to U.S. News & World Report. But I believe the main difference is in the fan's obsession with national recognition.
WKU fans are comfortable with who they are and don't care about seeking approval outside their conference. On the other hand, Middle fans, much like Marshall fans, have an obsession with approval beyond Conference USA. And if you go by college rankings by U.S News & World Report, the state of Tennessee has eight Tier 1 national universities, and Middle Tennessee is not one of them. Vanderbilt University, University of Tennessee, University of Memphis, Belmont University, Lipscomb University, Tennessee Technological University, Union University, and Lincoln Memorial University all have better academic reputations as national universities than Middle Tennessee. Of course Middle fans would argue the U.S. News & World Report has a regional bias against Southern schools. But if that were the case, how did lesser known national schools such as Tennessee Technological University, Union University, and Lincoln Memorial University make the Top Tier?
As I have stated before, if you want to be relevant on a national level you have to earn it. Having a bunch of good ole boys talking about it incessantly on a sports board isn't going to get you there. Furthermore, referring to your rival as "little brother" or WKCC only shows envy and jealously whether they want to believe it or not.
Cheers! Sports Fans Enjoy Self-Esteem Boost For Days After Watching Their Team Win - Study Finds
A study by Ohio State University has found that fans experience a boost in self-esteem that lasts for days after their team wins a big game.
www.studyfinds.org
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