Randall Moore
Sports Columnist
February 11, 2005
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Sports Columnist, Junior, Randall Moore. |
-Photo by Andrew Stauffer |
I guess I walked into this one. I didn’t realize what I was getting myself into when I enrolled in a school that was in the middle of two large sporting areas.
To the east we have the Tennessee Volunteers football team, a proud
tradition-rich team that owns the 1998 Undisputed National Championship. This
team has constantly succeeded year after year, although many question the
tactics that Tennessee uses to get players. The following of Tennessee football
has reminds me of my home, where 95.8 percent of the residents of Columbus
religiously follow the Ohio State Buckeyes. However, when we get into
basketball, the hats on top of the students, along with their allegiances,
change and they hide their orange and white apparel until August.
When Oct. 15 rolls around and Midnight Madness begins on college campuses around
the country, these same Tennessee fans bring out the royal blue of the Duke Blue
Devils or the baby blue of the North Carolina Tar Heels, the teams to the
northwest.
People often refer to me as a “switch-fan” because I root for Ohio State as well
as the Kentucky Wildcats, but there is a huge difference. My first team is
Kentucky, and I root for them in both seasons. Ohio State is my second favorite
team. However, I’ve lived in both Kentucky and in Ohio - both for 10 years of my
life. How many of the before-mentioned “fans” have even set foot in either
Durham or Chapel Hill, N. C.? Not many, I assure you.
This is not supposed to be demeaning, but can I just request one thing? Try and
follow Tennessee basketball. I can’t stand Tennessee, but I still follow their
team. They have exciting players on their team. Did you know that the NCAA’s
leading 3-point shooter plays for Tennessee? Freshman Chris Lofton, who was
voted Mr. Basketball in Kentucky last year - which made him the top high school
player in the state, is that player. Most people I have met, however, try and
pretend that Tennessee basketball doesn’t exist.
For those true fans who follow UNC football or Duke football along with their
respective basketball programs, I salute you. But honestly, can anyone name Duke
or North Carolina’s starting quarterback? I didn’t think so, but they could name
the starting five on their basketball teams as well as their bench. These fans
are good fans, they know their information, but it is misplaced in a team that
they wouldn’t follow if they weren’t good.
This is a plea for all the true fans to step out, become noticed and start
following the same teams in each sport. I guess being a Bengals and Reds fan for
so long, I finally just realized they have me hooked for life, and yes, the
Bengals WILL make the Super Bowl this year.
Sure I have been saying the same thing for 15 straight years now, but one of
these days, the Bengals will return to the playoffs, and even though I'm 20
years old and have yet to remember a Bengals playoff game, when that day comes,
you better believe I will have 15 years of strife to fire back with.