Column: Savor the smell of victory

Some people are never going to be pleased.

This is what I relearned after listening to a portion of Saturday’s post-game call-in show after the football team notched its first victory in more than 13 months.

Many of you who listen to the games by radio are familiar with “Aggie Call,” conducted after every football and basketball game on KVNU (610 AM).

This is essentially what happens: During football season, the same people call in and express their disappointment and outrage over what happened in the game; during the men’s basketball season, it is generally the opposite because of the large amount of victories by the team.

Saturday afternoon followed the pattern. One disgruntled caller-a man-stood by his impatient opinion that he still doesn’t like a Brent Guy-coached team and never will. Guy is too conservative and lacking in creativity, the man said. He thinks that, though USU might be able to beat New Mexico State, with the same effort they can’t compete with Boise State, Brigham Young University, Utah, etc.

He’s absolutely right. Obviously the Aggies can’t compete with teams like Boise State, BYU or Utah. How does one know this? The Aggies haven’t beat any of those teams since 1997. Duh.

OK.

I understand the point completely, though I wonder what football expertise that man carries with him besides a loud mouth.

For goodness sake, after a 16-game losing streak, why not relax and enjoy it? Is there really any harm in this? The Aggies played great football-perhaps their best of the season-and, for once, were able to enjoy the flight back home. Isn’t it OK to enjoy the good things in life? It is.

Only thing that bothered me about the game was that it didn’t happen at Romney Stadium.

I don’t care what Utah State’s record is right now. I don’t care if NMSU had some key players injured or that they’re on a four-game losing streak and going downhill.

I care Utah State won. Every Aggie football fan should. Not only that, but it was more than a win that barely occurred-as was the case in last season’s 13-12 victory over Fresno State. Saturday the Aggies showed us they can play four quarters of solid football. The 35 points they put up were the most points scored in a victory under Guy.

This is all good news. It’s at least a start. It’s step one to building a winning program. Such types are not built by pessimists like the man who called in. Thank goodness he’s not on the coaching staff.

Now Utah State has a golden opportunity to finish out the year on a two-game winning streak and top last season’s victory total of one. The Idaho Vandals are like the Aggies-1-10 and just got destroyed by Boise State, 58-14. I’m confident this game will be close.

The Aggies have the momentum, and they will finish the season 2-10.

Sammy Hislop is a junior majoring in public relations. He can be reached at samuel.hislop@aggiemail.usu.edu