First the Devils, then the goal posts

Wildcat File Photo Arizona Daily Wildcat Bryan Rosenbaum

-Senior defensive tackle Daniel Greer

"I think they should tear down the goal posts every time (we win). I'm a mellow guy, though, so I think I'll just sit back and watch rather than go join them."

-Junior running back Trung Canidate

In terms of pure hatred, UA-ASU is mentioned in the same breath as all the big rivalries. While the rest of the country could care less about West Coast football, this is one of the rivalries that gets people asking, "You guys really hate each other, right?"

Right.

This season, the team's fortunes have been turned. While ASU bragged about playing a bowl game in its own stadium, Arizona just wanted to do better than Insight.com. The country built up ASU, only to tear it down. In Tucson, the quiet word around campus was that Arizona was a good football team.

Arizona now stands at a school-best 10-1, while ASU is 5-5.

With a win over ASU and a little help from UCLA and those computer geeks who determine who plays in the Fiesta, Arizona stands on the verge of its first-ever Rose Bowl appearance.

All season long, UA fans have been more concerned about going against each other - you're in my seat, Arizona plays tonight? and let's clear the stadium because we're down by 10 against UCLA.

It's time to put all our resources together and stand up for the UA.

Two weeks ago in Manhattan, Kansas State's crowd rushed the field twice before the game against Nebraska eventually ended. There was no stopping the crowd the third time, and they spent the next 45 minutes taking down the goal posts. It was a monumental win for the school, since it was the first time in 30 years that it had beaten Nebraska. Now the impostor-Wildcats are liked by the Bowl Championship Series for their enthusiasm.

UA is a bigger school, has a bigger (but may I add, older) alumni base and a richer athletic tradition, but Arizona might be left out of the BCS because it wants to take a team that will bring in better fans.

It would truly be an injustice to the Arizona football team. The Rose Bowl would rather have all the Notre Dame fans and their money than the Arizona football team.

Here's a group of guys who have been killing themselves for the last four months to get this far. The least Arizona fans can do is make some noise and tear down the goal posts.

So that the Tucson and university police don't get on my back, I have to attach a warning label: You can get injured doing this, like a woman from K-State did. Also, make sure the goal posts go down after the game is officially over so the game doesn't get nullified as NCAA rules dictate.

Anyway, show the country and BCS your UA pride. K-State did, and now it's Arizona's turn. You can sit back and do nothing and watch us go to the Holiday Bowl, or you can make a difference and see the Wildcats in a BCS bowl.

So Trung and Daniel, you guys do your work on the field; we'll take care of the rest.

Go Cats!

Bryan Rosenbaum, who predicts a 31-17 UA win, is a sophomore majoring in journalism.

He can be reached via e-mail at Bryan.Rosenbaum@wildcat.arizona.edu.