Becoming a true CU sports fan

Holy crap the year is almost over. We’ve gone through housing, registration, and professors talking about the remaining classes, and I’ve nearly run out of column ideas. Indeed the end is near, so I think now would be a good time to look back at an interesting year in sports.

At the start of the year, the football team was gearing up for the season, and I was starting my first semester as both a sports editor and a columnist. The Lions started off the year on the right foot with a win against Fordham for which we ran a big photo of the team to celebrate them the following Monday. The remainder of the season would prove to be a disappointment as the team lost some games that it probably should have won. But that’s not what I focus on when I look back at the first semester. That semester, I learned more about Columbia and Ivy League football then I probably needed to know. From overall stats to team strategies, I learned more in those weeks than I did all of last year when I joined Spec.

The basketball season was a similar story. Before being a sports editor and a columnist, I casually went to basketball games for the hell of it. This year I got much more involved, closely following the team from the get-go. With a brain full of statistics, I went to basketball games to cheer the team to victory and to watch my favorite Lions play (Agho and Scott, here’s looking at you). The basketball team had its troubles as it greatly underperformed in my opinion, but there’s hope for next season in the young talent on the squad.

Now, my focus is on the baseball and men’s tennis teams. The baseball team is solid thanks in large part to some solid hitting up and down the lineup. I’m especially impressed by the play of freshmen Nick Ferraresi and Dario Pizzano. The men’s tennis team is as good as always, and with fellow columnist Kunal Gupta bringing up the team at every opportunity he gets, I can’t help but follow the squad.

I have gotten more involved in Columbia athletics in my junior year than in my first two years combined. I’m not just referring to the teams I mentioned above, but every other sport from wrestling to track and field. This year, I believe I became a true Columbia sports fan. I no longer respond to the results of the men’s basketball game with a “meh.” Instead, I respond as if I heard my favorite professional team had lost. When the football team lost to Dartmouth I was legitimately pissed off. I may have thrown something against something- I can’t remember. On the other hand, every time I see Judie Lomax’s stat line, which usually involved some insane number of points and rebounds, I get pumped up.

Overall, getting more involved in Columbia athletics is a lot of fun, and I should have done it sooner. It doesn’t always make me happy, but there is a certain joy in having pride for your school’s sports that is hard to match. Unlike supporting a professional team where you’re just a fan, supporting your college team makes you feel like you’re a part of the organization. I mean, how often do you sit in class or stand in line for pizza with your favorite NBA player?

The moral of this story is that you should actively try to get more involved in Columbia athletics. You don’t have to pick one of the bigger sports either; I’m sure the fencing or men’s tennis teams would love some more fans to watch them dominate their competition. Follow a team and take part in its success and failures. Trust me, it is a rewarding experience that every Columbia student should have.