Fans need to show patience, class

By By Jimmy Chavez (Contact)

Monday, December 5, 2005

Almost a whole section of empty seats that could be seen on TV — that sounds about right if you are attending a Kansas State basketball game in Bramlage Coliseum.

Rather, it was at Kansas’ game against Western Illinois on Saturday night in Allen Fieldhouse. And what is even more inexcusable is the fact that this empty corner — and it looked quite empty — was in the heart of the student section.

Before I came to Lawrence, I had always considered myself a Kansas basketball fan. I was a big fan of many of the players and the coach at that time.

What had always impressed me was the loyalty and support that Jayhawk fans, especially the students, had always given the team. Allen Fieldhouse was always packed and rocking no matter who Kansas was playing. Even the smaller and weaker opponents, which nearly always yielded a blowout victory, filled all 16,300 seats in the fieldhouse.

At the same time, Kansas fans, as opposed to those at that university in Columbia, Mo., have always been praised for their classiness.

But it’s becoming more apparent lately that both those qualities — loyalty and class — may be fading.

Last year, students were looked down upon against Missouri, when they reversed the first letters in the famous “Muck Fizzou” phrase and began yelling it to the point that it was easily heard on national TV.

Last Thursday, after Kansas’ 72-70 loss to Nevada, some fans began throwing bottles on to the floor because they thought the referees should have called a foul on the game’s final play. The referees didn’t call a foul in the final play because they had been letting both teams play all night. After all, it’s the refs’ fault that Kansas lost, right?

And to make matters worse, many of the alumni — the people who supposedly should be setting an example — were also throwing bottles at the refs as they hurried to the exits. That was more dangerous, because they could have actually hit someone, because of their proximity to the floor.

Then came Saturday night. As the game started, it looked as if fans filled about 15,000 of the fieldhouse’s 16,300 capacity.

Some may say the team’s 2-3 record, at the time, has something to do with that. But if that’s true then the fans now look worse. That would indicate that the same bandwagon jumpers that are constantly tearing down goalposts after football victories are making their presence felt at basketball games as well.

Especially when you consider that this team is right where most people think they should be. The players are struggling right now because they’re playing their ages some nights. But they will continue to improve and will be much better going into March, than last year’s team by season’s end.

Then the fans will all be saying how they knew the team would be good. Most are saying that but some are already pressing the panic button three weeks before Christmas by admitting fears of the NIT. This fear clearly won’t happen because of the team’s incredible talent.

You could say the only fears that should be felt right now are the ones that Kansas’ once envied basketball fans may be losing that remarkable quality that receives national praise year after year.

But then again, you could also say that Kansas is now a football school.

Just a thought.

Chavez is a San Antonio senior in journalism.

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