By
Connor Doyle
I've noticed that the talk of a student section has almost evaporated this year. It might have something to do with the complete lack of interest shown by the students (remember how many tickets were available after the lottery?). Or maybe we've finally become sick of stoking the same tired, old fire, only to have people old enough to have seen dinosaurs walk the earth tell us that students are too loud and they want to cheer "silently."
Whatever the reason, it seems we've reached a collective agreement to stop bitching about it. And while I am one of those who believes that there's little purpose in collegiate sports if the students can't see them, I was reminded last night why so many people/relics oppose the idea.
The Maryland student section that sits behind the opponent's bench has a funny little tradition. When the opposing team is being introduced, they open up newspapers to feign indifference at their arrival. After that, they roll the pages of the newspaper into balls, and throw them at the players.
This sounds fun. It sounds like fun for the fans, and it sounds like fun for the opposing players because it gets them into the spirit of the game.
Plus, most basketball players will tell you their favorite road games are the ones against loud, hostile fans because it gives them motivation to play harder.
Apparently, the tradition doesn't allow the fans to fully express their devotion to the Terps. So, after their game against Duke this past Saturday, which featured a stunning comeback by the Blue Devils in the final minutes of the game, the students decided to pelt the Duke players with rolled up newspaper for nearly a minute.
And it wasn't only newspaper this time - school officials have admitted that some of the students had put batteries and ice in the papers, and others decided to drop the faŤade all together and just lob water bottles and coins.
Anyone believe that this is still harmless behavior? I know that the mothers of Carlos Boozer, Jason Williams and Chris Duhon don't.
All three were hit with debris. Boozer's mom was hit on the head with a water bottle, which may have been glass or partly full. She's been having headaches since. Mike Krzyzewski, the venerable coach of the Blue Devils, hasn't taken his family to a Maryland game in years because of the fans. Looks like tradition has taken a back seat to selfish stupidity.
The fans at a college game are a reflection of their school. For many people who watch college basketball, televised contests are their only opportunity to see what the University of Arizona, or in this case Maryland, are like.
While we've probably convinced the rest of the country that we sell Depends and Centrum Silver at the concession stands, Maryland fans are making a concerted effort to prove that an education from Maryland doesn't reflect civility or common sense.
I'm sure that some reading this will wonder why I'm incessantly tying our school to theirs. After all, Maryland's behavior could be tied to their proximity to Washington D.C., perhaps the world's worst city, outside of Beirut. But it's not that easy. Anyone who was here in 1997 will tell you that UA students have the capacity to act stupid when given the opportunity.
We rioted on Fourth Avenue, for heaven's sake. I can't think of anything more pathetic than tearing up that joke of a college avenue, but we did it. So is it outside of the realm of reason that we could pull pranks like the one in Maryland this past weekend?
I would still like to have a student section at the games. But I also take a look at Maryland and see how it could be a bad idea. Maryland is going to have to outlaw a tradition that they took quite a bit of pride in because the students can't handle it maturely anymore. I worry that we might do something similar and give justification to the alumni who would like to see us stop going to the basketball games altogether so they can sleep in peace.
