FOR COLLEGE basketball fans, tonight is the night. In Minneapolis, the NCAA champions will earn their title after a long road to the finish. But for supporters of Cavalier hoops, this isn't reason to be sad. Instead, the University community has the opportunity to celebrate the exciting season our men's team just wrapped up.
That's right. Forget three-dollar pitcher night down on the Corner because Charlottesville's most beloved host is throwing a party. Men's basketball coach Pete Gillen, in a characteristic display of community spirit, has invited University students to Virginia Basketball Student Appreciation Day in the Amphitheatre beginning at 5 p.m.
I've used this space in the past to comment on Gillen's unique attitude and commitment to students. I've also discussed the merits of courtside student seating in the planned new basketball arena. Though arguments against such a plan have since been offered by others on this page, I think that further comment on the issue of student seating is fitting in light of today's events.
|
For starters, here are a few words from Gillen himself. After all, he's probably the best authority on the influence that students have on the teams' performance. "The crowd made the difference," Gillen said after beating Missouri early in the season. "They just got juiced. I thought the crowd was phenomenal."
Later: "The crowd deserves the MVP," Gillen said after defeating Maryland at University Hall. "They were phenomenal. They were electric. They were so loud the guys probably couldn't hear me. That's probably why we won."
But students were really just warming up. "We couldn't have won without the students and fans from the community," he said after the riveting Duke win. "They gave us an unbelievable lift. We don't win without them. Our fans were the difference tonight."
So maybe that was a fluke. Upsets happen. But twice? When the team put UNC in its place 11 days later, the skeptics finally fell silent. After the game, Gillen said, "Our fans are worth a bunch of points. They gave Virginia 10 or 12 points once again today. They were berserk. We had people camping out for eight days. The students are phenomenal, and they get everyone else going."
Based on these sentiments, it's safe to attribute a part of Virginia's 14-1 home record to these crazy, berserk people. And chances are, the alumni and season-ticket holders sitting in the lower level at U-Hall aren't exactly in this category. While the talented Cavs were busy sinking shots, student fans charged the atmosphere with a newfound outlet for their school spirit. Every game was more thrilling than the last, and student turnout soared. The impact cannot be denied: U.Va. had the best home record in the ACC, a high honor given the competition.
Granted, on the surface, it appears that positive influence exists strongly enough without giving students the courtside seats. Wrong. This season points to a trend that could grow to the magnitude seen at our rival schools and other campuses nationwide. Hooville may just be the tip of the iceberg. Especially considering the rising stars on the team, the fan base likely won't shrink anytime soon. It just doesn't make sense to keep the student section in its current location based on the assumption that our support was good this season. The potential for future fanaticism is tremendous.
There is also the suggestion that granting students priority seating reduces the money generated by those willing to pay a premium, and is thus not a feasible option. It's true, money talks. But until the money from alumni and wealthy fans is chanting, yelling, cheering and screaming, it shouldn't completely override a courtside student section. When Student Council began working on this issue in support of better seating, it was not ignorant of the obstacles in its path. But signs for improved seating in the future are strong, and Gillen's season-long testimony to the value of fan support should only strengthen Council's case.
Students deserve to sit courtside. Sure, we're loud and will shamelessly do anything to get on ESPN. More importantly, though, we'll appreciate the seats more than any other group and make the best use of them.
Of course, Gillen and the team will probably have something to say about the issue at tonight's party. And knowing Gillen, he won't disappoint.
(Katherine Martini's column appears Mondays in The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at kmartini @cavalierdaily.com.)
Read More
PARTING SHOT: No man is an island
By Ava MacBlane | 3 days agoRetirement, as you can tell, has been treating me well. When people ask me now if I miss it, I laugh and tell them some things I definitely don't miss. But I don't always get to tell them about the things I really do miss.
PARTING SHOT: You never know unless you try
By Lexi Baker | 3 days agoMy time at the University was shaped by the people who showed me grace and kindness and by those who had confidence in me, even when I struggled to have it in myself.
PARTING SHOT: A love letter to Cav Daily and Connection
By Ava Proehl | 4 days agoMy time here taught me to look for the genuine, human connection in every moment.
