Today capped off one of the biggest collapses in Oregon State history.

And it caused me to wonder: is this really a bad thing?

Some will be offended I even ask the question. "You are not a true Beaver!" they will blindly balk. I suggest these people just stop reading the site, because I'm not going to waste time defending myself anymore.

So, back to the question. Is this a bad thing?

Well, on the surface, yes. It's terrible. The Beavs choked away the Pac-10 title. Think about it some more, though. What is the biggest underlying problem at Oregon State? In my opinion, it's that everyone, from the athletic department to the fans, hopes programs do well instead of expecting it. I don't think it can be expressed more succinctly than that. Think about that for a moment before you continue reading.

Okay, now I ask you: what do Beaver fans consider a successful season? This is more tricky. But, I read a lot of websites, forums, newspapers, blogs, etc with diverse opinions from all age groups, and it seems to me the only thing these people can agree upon is that beating the Ducks makes everything else okay. The football team could go 1-10, but if the victory is against the Ducks…hip hip hooray!

In other words, Beaver fans care more about the Ducks failures than their own team's success.

So, when fans sit back and say, "Bob DeCarolis is the problem" or "Mike Riley should be fired!" they aren't completely wrong, but the problem doesn't start with those guys. People at the top rarely lead; they cater to opinion and expectations at the bottom (follow politics cursorily, and you'll accept this as a truth). Therefore, the problem is the fan. That's right. The fan is the problem. You'll see me lash out at the old, dying guard often because they harp about "28 years of losing", and frankly it holds us back. Well, now I am dedicating an entire post to this topic because it really needs to be drilled home and engrained in your mind. The problem is not an individual at the top. The problem is a group of individuals at the bottom and it begins with you and people you know. By purchasing a ticket, Beaver gear, or a hot dog at the ballpark, you are saying, "I support this product." The dollar is your voting card, your chance to veto the current path, and to force change.

So, why is the collapse a good thing? I think it drills home the two points above:

1. The hope vs expectation paradigm.

2. (Jealous) obsession regarding the Ducks rather than self-improvement.

Until these things change, it will be the same ol'.

Players need to come into our programs knowing fans expect them to win. Right now, players come to Oregon State knowing it'll be nice to win, but since the fans are so agreeable and supportive, it's not a big deal if they lose. What needs to change is the culture. There needs to be a winning culture. When your school isn't naturally blessed with this, losing (especially to a rival), ironically, is what angers people enough to act and start down that path. The past decade has proved mediocrity or moderate success doesn't move the fan base. Even after two National Titles, our baseball team only hopes to win. That is flat out sad.

I think this latest (see gymnastics team) Beavers collapse at the hands of the Ducks will enrage fans. Someone in the comment area already mentioned he's handing in his season tickets and calling it a day. He is an empowered fan. People sometimes ask why I've only gone to two Beaver games ever. The answer is simple: the product isn't up to my standards so I don't support it. I don't want to hear excuses or strawmen or misplaced blame. Today's result is as much on the fan as it is on any administrator, coach, player, etc. Never again write, "I hope we win" or anything like that (there are a ton of comments like this on the Oregonian)…instead write, "we are going to win", "we should win", "we better win or else I'm not supporting this anymore", etc.

"So…Big Gulps, Huh?" –Lloyd Christmas

*Yawn*

Is there anything worth discussing? Not really. Maybe the only thing worth discussing is how there is nothing worth discussing. Slow times or something greater?

Can't say I'm intrigued by even the baseball team right now. Maybe that will change by the end of the week, but it looks like the Beavs will be hosting a regional whether they sweep or get swept by Oregon. Well, maybe not if they get swept, but with one win. That means there's nothing too exciting for a couple weeks.

I guess I'll use this down time to mention something that's been bothering me. It has to do with Mike Parker and booze. There, fair warning…if that topic either bores or offends you: stop reading and leave now!

Okay, so basically, I am having a doubly hard time listening to Parker since the napkin incident. Everyone knows I hate his "should have been out of the inning" and "what if" subjunctive mood pontifications. But my latest gripe with Mike isn't due to his mentally draining homerisms. No, it's about the booze and the napkin. It's not that I believe drinking booze and eating napkins are horrible offenses or foibles. My friends drink. Squirrels and pandas gnaw on tree bark, and I love both just fine. It's that in the past, when things didn't go well for the Beavers, I could dismiss the dejection in Parker's voice, but now when I hear that dejection I take notice and have an emotional reaction. I think, "Wow, he is so depressed about that missed bunt, he's probably going to get hammered ex post ballgame because of it." This is not what a listener wants to think or feel during a game. I don't like to imagine a 60 year old man lurching and hurling because teenagers and small-town life have left a cavern in his soul. Listening to such a person makes me depressed.

I just can't stand knowing a guy is a sad sap. It changes everything for me. It's why I don't want pictures or information about anyone who reads this blog. The less information, the better. The less information, the more I can believe you're an upstanding citizen who doesn't lurch and hurl.

And full disclosure: I drink about zero times per month. Essentially quit cold turkey after the football season when I began to feel the buzz just wasn't as good as it used to be. But yeah, during football season, historically I have three cocktails while watching the game, and I write things like "load up on the gin, boys" on the blog. But, I've enjoyed sobriety so much that I might not even do that this year.

Okay, glad I got that off my chest. Talk about anything you want since there's really not much to talk about. (Prediction for the first comment: "WE NEED A POWERFUL BRAND"). Lol…