When my brother was in town last week we were able to score tickets (thanks to my friend and coworker Jerome) to a KU basketball game. Although the 'Hawks didn't exactly play up to their potential (it was the Detroit game), Eric and I still had a good time hanging out in those 6th row seats and taking pictures afterwards with our cell phones in the
Booth Family Hall of Athletics. It's great fun to be that close to the players, although I must say that Eric was quite dismayed at how lethargic the crowd was compared to those that filled Allen Fieldhouse back when we were in school a few years ago (okay, make that 10 or 15 years ago). The crowd certainly has changed a great deal during that time, as the rich but less rowdy "fans" fill the Fieldhouse according to how much they've forked out to KU Athletics. While the current Athletics
administration has certainly been successful in their fundraising, it feels like we've lost so much of the awesome Allen atmosphere as a result. Granted, probably a lot of the students were gone because of the Christmas break, but there were times during the game that the Fieldhouse was so quiet it sounded like we should have been shooting free throws! Gone are the days of students basket tossing each other into the air. Gone are the days of shouting "we're going to beat the h*ll out of you...and you...and you...and you and you and you" while the band plays along. Gone are the days of all the students and alumni knowing how to do the rhythmic clapping to the off beats of "I'm a Jayhawk." It's just so sad to us that the current classes and future generations will never know of these wonderful traditions! Eric and I blame the
Orc. ;)
When my brother was in town last week we were able to score tickets (thanks to my friend and coworker Jerome) to a KU basketball game. Although the 'Hawks didn't exactly play up to their potential (it was the Detroit game), Eric and I still had a good time hanging out in those 6th row seats and taking pictures afterwards with our cell phones in the Booth Family Hall of Athletics. It's great fun to be that close to the players, although I must say that Eric was quite dismayed at how lethargic the crowd was compared to those that filled Allen Fieldhouse back when we were in school a few years ago (okay, make that 10 or 15 years ago). The crowd certainly has changed a great deal during that time, as the rich but less rowdy "fans" fill the Fieldhouse according to how much they've forked out to KU Athletics. While the current Athletics 
administration has certainly been successful in their fundraising, it feels like we've lost so much of the awesome Allen atmosphere as a result. Granted, probably a lot of the students were gone because of the Christmas break, but there were times during the game that the Fieldhouse was so quiet it sounded like we should have been shooting free throws! Gone are the days of students basket tossing each other into the air. Gone are the days of shouting "we're going to beat the h*ll out of you...and you...and you...and you and you and you" while the band plays along. Gone are the days of all the students and alumni knowing how to do the rhythmic clapping to the off beats of "I'm a Jayhawk." It's just so sad to us that the current classes and future generations will never know of these wonderful traditions! Eric and I blame the Orc. ;)
2 comments:
I blame Alex. Damn you, Trabek!
I too miss the chants of the old days. I still do the clap and am usually the only one in our "grown up" section. At least Capt. Jayhawk still graces our presence from time to time (minus the cape) and he and his friend still do the famous whistle. Although now that I am old and crotchety (is that a word??) I find the whistle loud and annoying. But, good memories none-the-less.
LaRisa
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