The Rutgers Cannon Crew Symbolizes How Each And Every Rutgers Fan Felt Saturday Night

I want to laugh, I really do. If it wasn't the Rutgers cannon crew sitting there miserably waiting to fire the fucking cannon for the first time more than 59 and a half minutes into the game I would find it hysterical. Alas, it was Rutgers, and it's a lot less funny knowing that I was only a colonial suit and a funny hat away from looking just like those guys by the end of the game Saturday night. That game was humbling. That game was demoralizing. Shit, that game was aging. It legit felt like that 3 and a half hours lasted 2 decades. I bet when that game started those grumpy old men were strapping young lads. I bet when Rutgers drove down and missed that field goal to start the game these guys were young, battle ready recruits, and by the time the second half started they were already grizzled old war veterans. 

I don't care how silly these guys looked, because all Rutgers fans that watched the entirety of that game looked nearly as silly. Just sitting there watching their (our) team get completely out-coached and outclassed in front of a national audience. Just sitting there miserable waiting for one single thing to get excited about. That's what that touchdown, with just seconds left on the clock, was to all Rutgers fans. Not only was it a reason for a couple reenactors to do their favorite thing in the world and fire that cannon, but it was a reason for fans to say "okay at least we saw something positive". It was just a meaningless touchdown in the waning seconds of a game that was all but over nearly two hours prior, but it was a way to semi-justify wasting a Saturday night. That little bit of energy that these guys showed when Rutgers finally put some points on the board? The same amount of energy I put into chugging my beer simultaneously. It wasn't out of happiness, it was more just out of relief, because by the end of the 4th quarter I don't think any of us really thought it was going to happen.

Could I talk about how Kyle Flood should be fired for not being able to get his team up to play against against the #1 ranked team in the nation (and for about 1,000 other reasons)? I suppose I could. Could I talk about how the flashes shown by Hayden Rettig in the second half lend credence to the idea that Chris Laviano is drastically limiting this offense's potential? I suppose I could. However, I won't do either of those things, because at the end of the day it's not going to change anything. Kyle Flood is still going to be the Head Coach. Chris Laviano is still going to be the starting quarterback. Rutgers football is still going to be better than awful yet way worse than good. It's still going to be a middling program that's stuck in the mud, and I'm just not sure if I trust the people responsible for changing that to actual do anything to change it. A failure to progress is essentially the same thing as regressing, and if that's the case then this team has been regressing since Kyle Flood took over.

P.S. I legitimately hope the stupid nut mascot went deaf, and I'm not totally convinced the outcome of that game wasn't rigged because Urban Meyer has a book coming out. That timing is just too convenient. Just something to think about. ​​