Orange & Blue

Issue date: 2/8/08 Section: Opinion

Natalie Lester, Co-Editor

As a long time sports enthusiast, I have always supported my school and local sports teams without question. Maybe growing up with a worn-out college athlete for a father and a growing ball player as a younger brother has something to do with my love for various games, but I know that a great part of my support comes from knowing the athletes participating and a strong loyalty to the schools I have attended over the years, including Carson-Newman.
Lately, I will admit the stands at the C-N basketball games have been more full than they have been in the previous games of the season, but the students still seem to be lacking a certain passion for an Eagle victory. There isn't even an apparent student section and this really bothers me. If you attend any other college game in the country, notice the students. They are screaming their lungs out, bouncing around like kangaroos at each basket, and challenging every call the referees make against the home team. If you attend a Carson-Newman game, you may see the occasional upset student, but I feel that the parent sections are more involved in the game than the students are. There is just something wrong with that picture.
I have grown up in Knoxville and will proudly tell you that I bleed orange for the University of Tennessee just as any other native. I have attended several of their sporting events and made a complete fool of myself in the stands as a fan. I know many of our students feel the same way when it comes to the Volunteers, but not when it comes to our own Carson-Newman Eagles.
I have heard C-N alumni talk about how the Mossy Creek fans were hated in the past by other teams in our conference because they caused such a ruckus and I must ask, where has that energy gone? It is not as if our sports teams are bad. Our football team won the SAC with a near perfect season. Our men's basketball team is tied with Lenoir-Rhyne for second in the conference right now and the women's team defeated Newberry Saturday night making them 5-3 in the conference. Baseball is defending SAC champions. The softball team is ranked second going into their season, as well. Volleyball finished second in the conference tournament and wrestling is starting their season strong as well.
Is it because we are a Division II school? Because we don't have a huge basketball arena like Thompson-Boling or the capacity of over 100,00 fans in our football stadium as Neyland does? I do not think this is a valid excuse. Division II athletes work just as hard in their endeavors and their games are just as exciting. Many of our players played in the Rocky Top Classic league this summer and proved they can hold their own in competition with Division IA athletes. In fact, I think Division II athletes are to be even more respected because there is not a tutor attending class and taking notes for them when they are on the road like there are at some Division I institutions.

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