Monday October 29, 2001

Jeff Lund

This weekend was far from a total loss. So, all of you who are still reeling from the UA football team's fourth-quarter loss to USC, pay attention.

On Thursday, the No. 7 UA volleyball team destroyed the No. 3 Trojans in three straight games.

And as if that wasn't enough to celebrate, the Wildcats embarrassed UCLA, beating the Bruins in the same three-game fashion on Friday.

Take that, SoCal.

It is weekends like this one that make me realize how much I live for college athletics and, more specifically, UA sports.

It was a weekend of astronomical highs and devastating lows. The joy I felt when UA volleyball sent a message to the rest of the country by smacking around two top Pac-10 teams was quickly put in check by how much I hurt when USC played that damn fight song over and over again as the seats at Arizona Stadium emptied.

I'm from Alaska, and I didn't grow up in a town with a football team. In fact, I have never been to a high school football game.

If it wasn't basketball season, the only athletic entertainment I got was watching penguins kick around a block of ice in my front yard.

I have learned to embrace and appreciate all teams at this school, win or lose. Buying football and basketball tickets are a given.

But because, as students, we are already paying out the ass for tuition, we might as well use our CatCard to get us into as many free games as possible. Plus, you get free stuff at most of the games.

It's almost sad that students have to be bribed with free food and T-shirts to get a quality attendance at games other than football, softball and basketball.

Not that I'm complaining.

I have snagged more than my share of pizza slices at UA baseball, volleyball and women's basketball games.

Thursday night, free pizza was given to students who attended the matches against USC.

What could be better than a night of free food and women's volleyball? Think about it - you get all of the action and quality of a top-notch team, free admittance and free food.

The free food isn't always available, but there should be other motivations to draw more students to McKale for a Thursday night volleyball game.

I'll tell you what gets me to watch UA volleyball, other than the fact that these ladies are flat-out good and the fact that I would not last a minute on the same court as them: it is the look in Dana Burkholder's eyes as she does her patented one-armed, celebratory swing following a kill.

It's the look of pure determination that she and her teammates all have. It's the fact that they aren't money-driven like professionals or motivated by professional scouts.

Women's volleyball is about pride, and a true sports fan should appreciate the effort of all athletes - not just the ones that are on magazine covers like ESPN the Magazine or Sports Illustrated.

For the women's volleyball team, it's not all about winning. Although they do win a lot, it extends beyond the field of play to the fans in the seats.

Following the game, the Wildcats sign autographs to show their appreciation for the fans.

Thursday night volleyball or Monday night football?

Call me crazy, but I would rather round up some buddies and head to McKale to watch my Wildcats and catch the annotated Dennis Miller and boxscore later, especially when MNF features such thrillers as the Cowboys versus the Redskins.

Maybe my attitude is shaped because I grew up in the great white North and was not able to experience so much live sports action. But I don't see a problem in advocating an evening at McKale to watch volleyball.

Go to the games for the pizza, the shirts or whatever. Just go, hit up the Eegee's man and make a little noise in the meantime.

There is plenty to cheer about.