Bruins one step away from being “˜ideal’ fans
By Daily Bruin Staff
Oct. 22, 2001 9:00 p.m.
 Christina Teller Teller thinks beer
makes fans sleepy. E-mail her your take at [email protected].
The definition of the ideal college fan, according to the
mythical dictionary of sporting event etiquette, reads something
like this: “Wears school colors. Travels in big groups with
like-dressed people. Starts tailgate at least three hours before
kick-off. Cheers loudly and obnoxiously throughout the entire game
““ no matter the situation ““ with the dual purpose of
inspiring the home team and taking the opposition out of their
game.”
UCLA football fans have three of these four components down
pat.
School colors: check. Tailgate: check. Travel in big groups:
check. Cheer loudly and obnoxiously, etc.: not so much.
In comparing this season’s Bruin fans with the above
definition, UCLA supporters are missing the most crucial
ingredient: the cheer factor.
If put to the test of the age-old cheer of “we’ve
got spirit, yes we do” the response from Bruin fans would be
quieter than Gary Condit in his interview with Connie Chung.
Most of the people attending UCLA football games care about
football and even know when it is appropriate to cheer. But you
wouldn’t know it from attending a home game.
The apathy of the crowd would be easier to accept if people were
signing a disclaimer when entering the stadium stating, “Yes,
I am attending the game today, but no, I do not care enough to
cheer loudly.”
What’s the problem?
Is there a fear of looking stupid while yelling for the
team?
Unless sporting event etiquette has changed, making an ass of
yourself is the whole point of attending a game.
This is college football, right? We’re not watching the
Dodgers in yuppy-filled Dodger Stadium.
In college it’s still okay ““ and borderline cool
““ for guys to come to a game with letters painted on their
chests.
Beyond college, people have to belong to groups like Radier
Nation to show that kind of enthusiasm.
Why aren’t UCLA fans more excited about their teams? After
all, the Bruins have won more national championships than any
school in the country.
Bob Toledo and his boys have gotten their act together. Finally,
the Bruins are the ones jumping out to quick starts, pushing their
opponents back on their heels. And yet, nobody seems to care.
The excuse that “L.A. offers so many other things to
do” just doesn’t cut it.
It might have worked in 1999, when UCLA went 2-5 in conference
play. Or even in 2000, when the defense wasn’t as porous but
still couldn’t stop inferior USC and Cal teams from running
right through them.
Fast-forward to the present. The Bruins are in the national
title hunt, and it’s about time that UCLA fans started to
give a damn.
Saturday’s Bruin fan support against Cal was
embarrassing.
The only people standing in the Rose Bowl were the three guys in
front of me, and the band ““ but then, they don’t have a
choice.
Some have suggested that football isn’t as meaningful for
West Coast schools. Whereas, at institutions like Nebraska and
Alabama, football is life.
But what about Oregon? The Ducks, not a traditional football
power, held the nation’s longest home-winning streak of 23
victories until Saturday, thanks to the hostile crowd at Autzen
Stadium.
And then there’s Washington State, UCLA’s opponent
in two weeks. Not usually a power in the Pac-10, WSU features a
home crowd that has some Bruin “faithfuls” concerned
about a possible upset.
Do other schools dread playing the Bruins at the Rose Bowl? If
teams do have that sense, it probably has more to do with the
venerable stadium itself. It would be hard to believe that the UCLA
cheering sections strike fear in the hearts of their
opposition.
But there is good news: Bruin apathy can be cured. All it takes
is expending a little more energy at games. When Oregon comes to
town Nov. 10, try participating in 90 of 100 eight-claps. Raise
your voice a few decibels when you yell. And if nothing else, just
stand up the whole game and cheer really loud when everyone else
does.
This year is UCLA’s chance to prove that not only can a
West Coast football team win the national championship, but that a
L.A. supporter can also meet the definition of the ideal fan.
