Commentary: Loyalties aside, Gonzaga deserves more local love - or at least, less local hate

Commentary: I`m rooting for Gonzaga, who`s undeserving of local hate

Commentary: I`m rooting for Gonzaga, who`s undeserving of local hate

I’m glad Gonzaga played in Seattle this weekend – not just to remind us of their strong alumni support here, but more importantly, the lightning rod they’ve become for many others.

I’m continually amazed at the amount of Gonzaga haters in our area. The ones who consistently berate the Zags for their lack of success in the Big Dance. The ones who seem to find enjoyment in perennial disappointment from a small school in Spokane, who’s beaten incredible odds to establish itself as a credible basketball power.

Listen, I’m not telling Husky or Coug fans to root for the Zags. It’s not my place. And from what I hear, I understand some dislike stems from a perceived arrogance - of either their fanbase or their head coach – and for Husky fans in particular, a rivalry born during a 10-year series that ended nine years ago.

I’m just saying that I think the tired argument of the Zags playing in a weak conference – is weak. Gonzaga has reached 17 Tournaments in a row. 17! If success was that easy in a non-Power conference, wouldn’t we see many other small schools dominating as consistently as the Zags? Instead, there’s not a single small school in the country that’s reached more than six in a row. Not Butler. Not Wichita State. Not even VCU. That’s how hard it is to sustain success – regardless of the conference you’re in.

Gonzaga’s rise from anonymity to consistent national recognition over the course of two decades is worth something. They’re no longer a flash in the pan, but instead a refreshing anomaly of which I believe our region should be proud.

Of course, then we could argue over what constitutes our “region.”

Again, I have no skin in the game. I have no loyalties to the Zags or any local school. But in my opinion, there’s too much hate for Gonzaga, and those frustrated with their own school’s disappointments often revert to unfairly ripping the Zags, simply because they can. And I don’t think that’s right.

So I’ll continue to root for Gonzaga, and I’ll defend their legacy even if their tournament runs continue to fall short. Because in the big picture, they shouldn’t be here year after year, grinding away against the bigger schools from bigger conferences.

And still, here they are, now just four wins away from a national title. Something all but 16 teams can’t say on this Sunday night.