Sitting on his couch in Eloy rather than in his seat at Sun Devil Stadium, longtime ASU football season ticket-holder Bud Kee watched in disgust last November as UA marched up and down the field en route to a 34-21 victory over his beloved Sun Devils.
Five months later, the old man still grimaces at the thought of UA wide receiver Bobby Wade moving the chains at will against ASU.
"They laid down on the field against Arizona," Kee said. "That was the worst defensive performance I've ever seen. I do not like losing to Arizona."
Kee, the first of three generations of Sun Devils descending through his daughter and grandson, vowed not to renew his season tickets following the ugly loss in the rivalry game and six other similarly disheartening Pac-10 defeats in 2001.
It's a decision many ASU fans seem to have made as Dirk Koetter enters his second year as ASU's head coach. Last spring's Maroon and Gold Game drew about 4,000 people. Only 2,500 attended this year's event.
The fans' biggest beef is with the defense. The unit gave up 44.6 points per game in conference play, and the players often looked confused by the 4-2-5 scheme Koetter and Sun Devil defensive coordinator Brent Guy brought with them from Boise State.
The net result is that Kee and other fans will be watching a lot more games from their couches this fall.
"He still loves them, I imagine. He's just mad," Kee's wife, Myra, said. "He thought they should've won some of those games they lost."
But only drastic improvement, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, will bring fans like Kee back to Sun Devil Stadium.
"After the (UA) game, (Koetter) said he wouldn't make changes (to the defense)," Kee said. "Well, I had had enough. He may turn things around in a few years, but I'm too old to wait for that."
Life's just too short for ASU football.
If you are a disappointed season ticket holder, Matt Kee wants to hear from you. Reach him at matthew.simpson@asu.edu.
