Bloemeke’s letter misses point of college basketball

TO THE EDITOR:

Stephen Bloemeke’s letter to the editor (“Student attendance at games not that important,” Dec.2) takes offense to the many letters written encouraging student attendance at basketball games, and states that these are written to “force guilt” on those who choose not to attend.

First let me say that Bloemeke is correct on one point. It is your time to spend as you see fit.

However, implying that students who attend games are “living vicariously through five kids with a ball” shows an absolute lack of understanding of what makes fans passionate about their teams.

Some of the best memories of my undergraduate career at the University of Kansas are of the time that I spent with my friends and fellow students in the stands at Allen Fieldhouse. Being a college basketball fan is not about living vicariously through the players on the court, it is about sharing a common respect for tradition.

It is about being a part of something bigger than yourself. It is about the feeling of excitement when your team takes the court wearing a jersey that represents your school. It is the overwhelming sense of pride when you hear your team announced as the national champions, and it is the sense of sadness that envelops diehard fans when your team falls short in the final seconds.

I attended a game in the Dean Dome early this season and was disappointed in the lack of student involvement. I know that Carolina fans are some of the most passionate in college basketball, so the uproar about the new ticket policy seems to be warranted.

One more thing, Mr. Bloemeke. When you attend a school with an elite program, being called an elitist isn’t an insult. It’s just the truth.



Jennifer L. O’Neill
Student Services Manager
Department of Public Policy