01-02-2014, 01:10 PM
One of the reason why I love college football is the coming together of opposing fans. The Michigan State fans that I spoke to yesterday were all incredibly nice, including the young couple in front of us as we entered the stadium -- they were amongst those who happily made a $200 season ticket deposit for the right to purchase four tickets from the Stanford ticket office. The wife's words: "It was our donation to Stanford."
There were a handful of Spartan fans peppered amongst our Stanford section, but there was never any taunting, even in the final moments. They were just thrilled to death that their team was winning the Rose Bowl, and who could blame them? Also, as we trekked back across the golf course to our car, a few Spartan fans made a point to compliment our team. (Though there was one drunk guy who thought he was the first person to realize a tree was an unusual mascot.)
But here was my favorite non-Stanford moment of the game. Soon after the game ended, maybe even after the trophy ceremony, a Spartan offensive lineman sprinted over to the band and student section. He was alone, and the crowd obviously loved it. He set down his helmet, then directed the entire section -- probably well over a thousand young Sparties -- in that modified "raise the roof" routine that they did after every Spartan score. Even as bitter as most of us were feeling about the result, you couldn't help but feel the joy of that moment. Even in defeat, college sports are beautiful.
There were a handful of Spartan fans peppered amongst our Stanford section, but there was never any taunting, even in the final moments. They were just thrilled to death that their team was winning the Rose Bowl, and who could blame them? Also, as we trekked back across the golf course to our car, a few Spartan fans made a point to compliment our team. (Though there was one drunk guy who thought he was the first person to realize a tree was an unusual mascot.)
But here was my favorite non-Stanford moment of the game. Soon after the game ended, maybe even after the trophy ceremony, a Spartan offensive lineman sprinted over to the band and student section. He was alone, and the crowd obviously loved it. He set down his helmet, then directed the entire section -- probably well over a thousand young Sparties -- in that modified "raise the roof" routine that they did after every Spartan score. Even as bitter as most of us were feeling about the result, you couldn't help but feel the joy of that moment. Even in defeat, college sports are beautiful.
Please clear the field! The game is not over!