It’s a sad day. The Jimmer show is over. BYU lost to Florida in overtime in the Sweet 16 last night. I’m actually surprised at how close the score was considering what an off night BYU had. Nobody’s shots were sinking. Even the easy layups were missed. Yet it was tied at the half and also at the end of regulation. BYU put up a good fight, but in the end they lost. Sometimes things just don’t go your way. Jimmer was three for 15, or only 20% for three-point tries. But it wasn’t just Jimmer. The team as a whole did not play well. And that’s just the way it goes sometimes.
It is sad to see BYU’s best chance in 30 years end. It certainly was fun to watch the Jimmer do his stuff. He still made two or three amazing shots yesterday. Even on a bad day. And like Jimmer said in the postgame interview most people didn’t expect them to even get to the Sweet 16 after the adversity the team faced this year.
So, despite the abrupt end to a spectacular season, and the end Jimmer’s college basketball career, I am extremely proud of their accomplishments. Not only because of their obvious talent and hard work. But because of their individual values and standards, in honorably representing BYU and everything it stands for. As was mentioned in a recent sports article, if every college basketball player was held to the standards that BYU basketball players are held to, there wouldn’t be any college basketball players, except for BYU.
It’s refreshing to see a team excel because of their talent and work ethics. Despite not having the “most talent”, or best recruits. It’s refreshing to see an excellent basketball team without tattoos defacing their arms. It’s refreshing to see a clean cut, earring-less basketball team do well. It’s refreshing to see a university enforce rules and put morals and the welfare of its students above money and fame.
A recent news article I read called BYU “America’s team” partly because Jimmer is the best college basketball player this year, and partly because BYU’s ethics elevated college sports. Even if they wouldn’t admit it, a lot of people were rooting for the cougars.
So, despite the fact that Jimmer and the crew didn’t reach the elite eight, or the final four, or the national championship game, they are still winners. In my mind, Jimmer and the rest of the BYU basketball team are heads and tails above the rest.
In the end, basketball is just a game. And Jimmer and the boys know that.
That’s my two cents.
I have been sad about the Cougs loss too. What a great year though. And you are right about the rest of the things you said about their program. High class all the way.
ReplyDeleteI throughly enjoyed following the B.Y.U. Basketball program this year. It will be sad to not see Jimmer Fredette in a B.Y.U. uniform next basketball season, but it sure was fun watching him "JIMMER" his opponents this year. The high standards of B.Y.U. would eliminate a high percentage of players involved in the March Madness Basketball Tournament from ever stepping onto the court. GO Coug's!!
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