We’re not CU, so don’t act like them

The CSU student body is divided between those that back the

former minority owner of the Texas Rangers, the second coming of

JFK (or another donkey), the anti-establishment Greens and those

who drink fermented beverages and play Playstation on Election Day.

But almost everyone can agree on one thing: CSU students have more

class and more respect than the University of Colorado-Boulder

students.

However, after getting hit by a penny launched from the upper

deck at Moby Arena on Dec. 10 during the men’s basketball game

against CU, I realized a shift in attitude may be occurring in our

student body, and we need to stop it before it starts.

The Rams lost 84-78 to CU in a great game with the exception of

terrible officiating. There were many missed traveling and physical

play calls and it seemed the more the crowd and coach Dale Layer

got riled, the more the officials favored CU.

But it was no excuse for the behavior of a dozen or so Ram fans.

After a controversial call in the second half, a fan hurled a full

water bottle onto the floor, landing three feet from CU swingman

Blair Wilson. Change, pens and a few other objects went flying.

After I got hit with a penny, I was upset that the fan didn’t

bother to at least throw me a quarter.

I also heard from some fans that some students spent more time

yelling and cussing at the CU fans than watching the game and

cheering our team. I’m all for sticking it to CU fans whenever we

get the chance, but supporting our team should always be the first

priority.

This game wasn’t the first time this school year where some

students have shown some CU qualities. Leading up to the Wyoming

football game, many students discounted Wyoming as a rival and

laughed at the thought of the Cowboys actually beating our superior

team. These students took the same attitude students in Boulder

have toward CSU that we have detested for years.

The result? Wyoming pulled off a huge 35-28 upset and ruined any

chances the Rams had at a conference title. Wyoming is

traditionally our biggest rival and should be treated with as much

enthusiasm as our rivalry with CU. We also have started to not give

other opponents, namely Miami (Ohio), the respect they deserve.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t think CSU students are even

close to as bad as our couch-burning, arrogant, spoiled,

band-beating “friends” in Boulder. In the past 10-15 years we have

closed the gap both athletically and academically between CU and

ourselves to almost nothing. The way we have done it is by proving

it on the field, in the laboratories and in the classroom.

We have done it with class and the way to pass them is with

class. We are the school of Sonny Lubick, not Gary Barnett. It is

possible to be on top and not be a jerk.

While I’d rather hear chants of “I’m proud to be a CSU Ram!” I

also enjoy hearing an occasional “f*** CU” chant. Realize, however,

that when you chant that, you are chanting it for everything CU is

about that we’re not. We’ll never be better than CU if we try to

become like them.