Monday’s article regarding the raucous crowd at the BU-Northeastern basketball game was an accurate depiction of the hostile environment that the team faced. However, the account had one glaring omission: all of the BU fans that made their way over to the dirty part of the city to watch the game.
BU had a great turnout for an away game, and there were several points at which we overpowered the home crowd and made a few enemies. If I had to guess I’d say there were over 100 BU fans there. There is a very loyal cadre of fans that goes to every game possible (at least as far as the T will take them), not the least of whom are the cheerleading and dance teams. These classy ladies did a wonderful job competing for attention against the freakishly testosterone-laden squad of Northeastern.
But there is a reason all these people go to those games: this team is very good and fun to watch. Besides the chance to mercilessly taunt the opposing players, fans have the opportunity to see things like Billy Collins throwing down a dunk over a 7-footer, Paul Seymour draining threes with the sweetest stroke you’ve ever seen, and Kevin Fitzgerald lofting an alley-oop pass to a soaring Matt Turner (I think my friend Nick went clinically insane after that one). Not to mention that Rashad Bell is one of the most entertaining players I’ve seen. There’s comedy, there’s high comedy, and then there’s Ra-Bell strutting around and blowing kisses to the Northeastern women’s basketball team after draining a fade-away plus a foul. Just unbelievable.
With the regular season now over, you may be wondering if it’s still possible to enjoy some of this thrilling hoops action, or maybe just watch coach Dennis Wolff suffer a brain hemorrhage after an ill-advised brick. Well, BU is lucky enough to host the America East tournament this year, starting the Sunday and Monday of Spring Break. Yeah, not my first choice of dates either. But if you’re poor like me and not leaving Boston, do yourself a favor and take in these games. See why they call it March Madness. Who knows, maybe Ra-Bell will blow a kiss to you too.
Chip Weiskotten, CAS/GRS ’03 617/365-8340 [email protected]
[Feel free to edit or call me with questions. Thank you.]