FanPost

What is "Being Baylor"?

In reaction to this weekend's article from Kirk Bohls in the AAS, I have found myself in a Twitter discussion about what is "Being Baylor" in 2014 and why we are insulted that others are using the term in less than the glorious way in which we might view it. It brings to light about the greater issue about who Baylor fans are collectively and how they are viewed.

We are insecure fan base. There, I said it. However, I don't mean that as the insult some might perceive it. We lost a lot for a long time. With that level of performance comes a reputation. We were so bad for so long in the two most visible sports that our reputation nationally was both firmly cemented and well deserved.

When the tide started to turn, the most passionate of us were the first to see it and we have seen for a long enough period of time, as well as seeing the future incoming talent, to believe that it is sustainable. However from a national perspective, others are starting to notice Baylor on the list of bowl lineups, highlight reels, and rankings. We get mad when they lump us in with KSU, OSU, and any other team with one recent conference title and not for the long-term juggernaut we view ourselves to be. We want to be viewed like Ohio State, FSU, and Oklahoma.

As a Baylor fan that has seen Teaff to Briles and all of the dreck in between and someone who reads more than one message board, I have no problem using this description for our fan base: nouveau riche. We often don't act like we have been there before... because we haven't. We get upset when everyone else doesn't notice the changes that we see in the same time frame in which we see them. Our reaction is to yell louder about ourselves hoping that others will agree. Others only find that obnoxious, even if we are right.

The fact of the matter is that people are starting to take notice. They see the scoreboards and the highlights. They also see one title, which contained a blowout loss on a nationally televised game in Stillwater and a bowl loss by double digits to an AAC team. If anyone isn't getting their deserved respect, it is UCF.

The offense taken in reaction to Bohl's article, which also contained effusive praise and stated high expectations for our program is that he basically told us to put our big boy pants on regarding our non-conference scheduling. When he said stop "Being Baylor", some were offended. It is understandable because for the longest time, no one defended us but each other. The rest of us will know that he is spot on. The nation doesn't agree with our view of what that phrase means just yet but if you want to change the narrative, it takes time. Yes, more time and titles than we have produced.

We are all proud of last season and rightfully so. However, other conferences have champions too and unless we roll in undefeated, I doubt the committee will be on our side. We don't have to schedule as strong of a non-con as Texas has this year but removing Lamar, Liberty, and Incarnate Word from future schedules in favor of some mid-level Big 5 teams (Boston College anyone?) as well as more conference titles will change the narrative of what "Being Baylor" means.

Thanks and Sic 'em.

Fanposts on ODB are user-submitted and do not necessarily reflect the opinions/views of OurDailyBears.com, SB Nation.com, or any of the writers, editors, or contributors here.