I have completed some thinking on the subject of the UTEP Miners, that is, the Univ. of Texas at El Paso (TX).

They have always seemingly been a terrible football program, but as of late, are becoming a positive story in college football athletics behind Head Coach Mike Price.

A familiar name, Mike Price was the brief-termed Head Coach at Alabama until strip club allegations surfaced. Price is also known however, for lifting programs from failure at Weber St. and Washington St.

As proof-positive, I today offer that they have reached their first goal as a program, a 6-2 record and their first top 25 ranking since 1988 (#25, AP).

Oh, how minor, when one looks back in the history of this program, could a Miner have been.

Where is El Paso, Texas? In Mexico? Oh yes, I see, it is at the very tip of western Texas, next to the state of New Mexico.

I bet that overwhelmes recruiting efforts, not to fail in mentioning, the high school recruits resemblance of tropical beauty, big campus style of setting that they see on other visits. 

You know, the things that tend to "woo" some young athletic guys into signing their talents away on the NCAA, blood-dotted line. 

In 2001, the Miners were a paltry 2-9 in record. In 2002 and 2003, the Miners went, respectively, 2-10 and 2-11, only winning games through those years by near-forfeiture of opponent strength and NCAA divisional level.
 
So, they had nothing going for them, right?

Yes, the days of the past can be a thing of assimilative beauty, can they not?

And, very sweet as some could see it in this case.

Every program has to start from the bottom of the barrel, and as fans, we are so unwilling to have the patience for what isn't the forefront of headlines. We do not have to experience this by majority, because we naturally assemble our sports loyalties to programs that are either natural winners, or we saw ourselves going to college there.

There are other reasons why we attach to programs, however, they are closer to the 'bandwagon' variety, in some opinions. You might call me one of those fans, just of a different variety. Maybe one of the thought, 'Underdogs-R-Us', in best terms.

In the El Paso Miners football sports lives, 'patience is (and has to have been) of a virtue'. They must now have so much emotional release in terms of appreciation, that college 'spewing enthusiasm' might be an understatement on a back-road Saturday evening around El Paso, Texas.

Everyone might wish upon their "lucky star" for this UTEP program to keep it, 'up to par' with the rest of college football, and to keep the WAC Conference balanced.

With a little luck, they just might turn into a powerful program, year in and year out.