Less popular sports need support for big wins, too

There’s just something about the underdog, the little
guy.

Something that makes you want to see him take out the bigger,
“badder” opponent in an unexpected blaze of glory.

Something that gets you hopeful for attention to be paid where
it’s due.

I think UCLA’s Olympic sports ““ all sports other
than men’s basketball and football ““ fall into that
category.

Not because they lose; most of the time that’s hardly the
case.

But these teams don’t get nearly the same amount of
consideration as the two sports that respectively fill up the Rose
Bowl and Pauley Pavilion during their seasons.

Sure, that’s just logical. The seemingly most popular
(read: “most moneymaking”) teams without question will
have the backing of the UCLA athletic powers that be and presumably
the eye of media outlets eager for ad revenues.

Still, I’m not sure that means the smaller, certainly more
successful sports should be left in the dust to fend for fans and
resources.

Of course, the 20 teams that aren’t football and
men’s basketball shouldn’t get equal treatment if they
don’t produce as much, in terms of support for the
school.

But they deserve at least a few concessions when they play games
that have more at stake traditionally for the Bruins.

The No. 1 men’s volleyball team, for example, had a game
Friday against crosstown rival USC. Although the Bruins held an
11-game winning streak over the No. 13 Trojans going into the
contest, the win definitely didn’t fall into the home
team’s lap as expected.

Maybe that was because of some deeper issue within the team. But
superficially, at least, it seems something else was going on.

Though Pauley wasn’t quiet by any means, there was a
certain strangeness to the unaccompanied “We Are the Mighty
Bruins,” “Sons of Westwood” and the alma mater
coming from the de facto student section.

And I’m not sure why, but the whole thing seemed
nonchalant from an official perspective. Where was the band? The
Spirit Squad? Wasn’t this a game against USC, a game in which
Bruins are supposed to pull out all the stops and show no scruples
when it comes to proving which team is superior?

I can’t help but notice that, without fail, there’s
a musical and … uh … spiritual presence at home football and
men’s basketball games. But this was a volleyball game, so I
guess that makes it less important.

Or not.

I’m not saying that the Spirit Squad and band should be at
every UCLA sporting event. (No need to send hate mail if
you’re on the golf and tennis teams.)

But I think we can recognize that certain games carry more
importance than others. In this past football season, a lot of fans
would have forgotten many of the season’s wrongs had the
Bruins beaten USC.

And in men’s basketball, if UCLA takes down the Trojans on
Saturday, maybe we’ll forget the embarrassment that was this
past weekend.

It’s just the same, though, with every other sport: The
USC game means a little something more than the others. A loss to
Oregon State doesn’t carry nearly the agony that a loss to
the Trojans does. Likewise, beating the team across town feels just
a little bit sweeter.

The athletic department needs to recognize that idea.

It needs to make sure UCLA’s official voice is heard
whenever possible.

After all, doesn’t it seem a little stingy that the most
attention is given to two of the Bruins’ worst teams and not
the 20 other squads that actually know what it means to win
consistently?

Looper thinks “The Mighty Bruins” is in an
unsingable key. E-mail him at [email protected].