Mtn: When did you attend CSU? I think there was some truth to what you are saying back in the late 90's and early 2000's. However, things changed for me anyway when the top end of the MWC began consistently competing for annual BCS games, undefeated seasons and were part of the national title conversation.
I can't speak for everyone, but I would have traded a potential win over CU last season for a win over eventual Rose Bowl champ, TCU, handsdown. A win of that caliber would have been arguably the biggest win in school history. The same can be said about the game against Boise State this season. This years Boise State team may be he best squad to ever come through Ft. Collins (outside of possibly the 1984 BYU squad) complete with a bona fide heisman candidate under center. I would do anything for a win of that magnitude.
I was full time in the late 80's early 90's. I am still on campus for continuining ed as well as for some other work related stuff of a fairly frequent basis.
I have no doubt that you would trade a CU win for a TCU win or a win against Boise. A number of others in the small core of serious CSU fans that actually stick with the program outside of one game a year would agree with you. The trouble is the vast majority of the CSU "fanbase" for lack of a better term don't even know who TCU or Boise are. They become "big" CSU fans only in the rare years when CSU wins the CU game and hide in the woodwork the rest of the time.
You can talk about the improved level of play in the MWC and as far as the top of the conference you would be correct. TCU, Utah, BYU (all leaving) have earned at least a place in the discussion along with Boise (entering). Nevada may be the next mid-major building a solid program to be able to contend, at least on a one game basis, with the top teams in the country. This all still doesn't change the fact that CSU and the bottom half of the MWC is still minor league. CSU's average home attendance last year at Hughes was around 22k, this with ticket prices a little under 50% of those in Boulder for a team that sucked and still averaged over 45k. Wyoming has had a hard time averaging over 20k, UNM with a monopoly on the Albequerque sports market was about 25k, UNLV well under 30k.
CSU fans don't come out for anything other than the CU game. They failed to reach 30k for a game against a Cal team ranked in the top 10 a couple of years ago. Their biggest home crowds are against BYU, AFA, and Wyoming but the stadium for those games is almost a road game. CU fans bitch about 10k fans from Nebraska in a stadium with 40k+ from CU, CSU fans don't think anything of having 20k in green and 12k+ in blue or puke brown and gold.
CsquaredCC, I respect your enthusiasm for your team. As I stated I generally hope that CSU does well and probably follow them more closely than most of their "fans" do. I am also realistic about who and what they are. CU is not a perpetual national power. One look at the funding and emphasis that schools like Texas, OU, the top BigX, virtually all the SEC, and others put in compared to CU resources shows that. At the same time CU is one of the top 30 in revenue generated and CU does have a legit shot at major bowls and even the national championship. CSU, despite the wishes of that small core of fans will never exceed what they did under Sonny (national #14 and win the league) and with changing circumstances that may not even be possible. I sometimes wonder if CSU would not be much better of to accept who they are and step down to an FCS level where they can compete on an even basis.
In the mean time, despite protestations of the limited number of serious fans they have such as yourself, for the huge portion of CSU fans the CU game is the season, the reason, and the dream.
