Thursday, March 1, 2007
ESPN’s Pat Forde made an excellent point in his column Tuesday: The whole color-out is a bit trite.
This may seem like an odd position for a columnist who, for the past two weeks, has used his inches of newsprint to advocate wearing a uniform color to Kansas sporting events. My point, however, is not to advocate for one night of color coordination, my point is to advocate for Kansas fans to get behind one color.
Yes, I think Kansas fans should all wear the proper shade of blue on Saturday – the shade I’ve illustrated in a previous column. But more importantly, Kansas fans need to get with the picture whenever they’re supporting this school.
If the Athletics Department hands out T-shirts to fans on Saturday, put it on. Typically they have shirts for senior day, but without any basketball seniors, it’s hard to say what they have planned. Nonetheless, it’s an opportunity to send a message to Jayhawk players you’ll do everything you can to help them to a title.
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What’s important is that fans of the Kansas Jayhawks buy in to the notion of making their presence known to opposing players. Wearing a consistent color is one way to do that.
My roommate tells me Kansas fans wearing multiple colors is a good thing, and something that should be encouraged. I can respect the idea of originality, but I think it’s somewhat hypocritical to cry for originality when fans spend most of the game clapping in unison, cheering in unison, standing and sitting in unison and then conclude the game by saying the Rock Chalk chant in unison.
Imagine that for a minute: everyone saying the Rock Chalk chant either with different words or starting at different times. The effect of the Rock Chalk chant would be dramatically lessened.
Wearing similar colors does the same thing.
There’s no reason for the Athletics Department to develop a flash video advocating a blackout, like K-State. There’s no reason for the Athletics Department to put BLUEOUT on the schedule it maintains on its Web site, like Missouri.
What’s important is that fans of the Kansas Jayhawks buy in to the notion of making their presence known to opposing players. Wearing a consistent color is one way to do that.
I suppose it’s also worth nothing that — unlike the chatter I’ve seen on message boards — my call for color uniformity is not in response to any experience. Rather, it’s based on a deeply held belief I have that Kansas fans could make a better account of themselves by trying to show off what they can do as a group.
Students have done an admirable job of putting on the blue for games. It’s time to start getting after the other fans to do their part.
For the last home game, for any NCAA tournament game, and for football season this fall, put on a Kansas blue shirt and show your pride in the Jayhawks.
Kealing is a Chesterfield, Mo., senior in journalism and political science.
— Edited by Mark Vierthaler
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