So there I was, in the middle of the Marriott Center, getting smushed by thousands of BYU basketball fans all trying to get a glimpse of the great Jimmer Fredette. My first thought was, how the heck do I get out of this mess, and is there enough oxygen in here to survive? Then, after I finally reached freedom thanks to my extra sharp elbows (my apologies to anyone I may have hit), I was able to truly appreciate what was going on.
There was Jimmer, trapped in media row, basically being worshiped by thousands of people. Fans of all ages just wanted to reach out and touch him. It was like being in the presence of a rock star. Or the Pope. It was actually a little scary. I can't imagine what that must have felt like for Fredette himself. I mean, when the guy walks out for warm ups, two hours before the game, he gets a rousing ovation not heard during most games.
Maybe the most amazing thing about Fredette is his ability to deliver in the most pressure-packed situations. Last night was the most hyped, most anticipated, most attention-grabbing game in BYU regular season history. And what did the man everyone expected to score 40 points do? He scored 43.
Most college players can be taken out of the game. All teams have to do is double and triple team the guy, and that player will struggle to get his shot off. Not Jimmer. I saw one play last night when all five Aztecs took a shot at Jimmer as he weaved his way through the defense. All five whiffed, and Jimmer hit an off-balance lay-up. And this wasn't Fresno Pacific. This was the 4th-ranked team in the country. When Jimmer is on, he can't be stopped.
Jimmer has taken all this attention in stride, handling the incessant requests with nothing but grace and humility. Every time I see him being interviewed, he always credits his teammates. He talks about the program, not himself. He talks about winning, not scoring. He says all the right things, and that's what has helped make him a national star.
I believe Jimmer will go down as the most beloved BYU athlete of all time. More than Steve Young, more than Danny Ainge, more than Ty Detmer. A lot of that has to do with the technological age we now live in, but his persona and especially his incredible skill have made him an icon.
I now consider myself one of the thousands, perhaps millions of people to have been "Jimmered."
