Noiseless JACC is every fan's fault
Letter to the Editor
I agree with alumnus Kevin Kelly's letter on March 4 pleading for more enthusiasm from Joyce Center crowds. Unfortunately, senior Ryan Dick's response attempting to shift the blame away from the student body misses the point. From my observations, students, alumni and all other Notre Dame fans who attend home basketball games are guilty.
While the JACC has been absurdly quiet all season, the disappearing act by all types of fans at the end of last Sunday's season-ending game against rival Georgetown was especially disrespectful to the team and embarrassing to Notre Dame faithful. With approximately four minutes left in the game and Notre Dame trailing by 8 to 10 points, people started heading for the exits. With two minutes to go and the game still within reach, the center was 25 percent empty.
By the time the game ended and Georgetown was awarded its first Big East division trophy, the arena was more than half empty. If this had been a November game against LIU, I can understand fans leaving early. However, I was angered at the premature exodus at such a momentous game. I wonder how the team felt as they tried to make a late charge and the seats were emptying.
Furthermore, last Sunday's game might have been the last for one of the best players in Irish history, yet few were there to give him the applause he and his team so deserved.
Ironically, as I was standing in an almost empty student section at the end of the game, a group of Georgetown fans were cheering their team's victory. At the Big East Championship this weekend, I expect to see that type of enthusiasm from our subway alumni. Hopefully, the fans watching from South Bend will observe and learn about real enthusiasm.
Jay Gallagher
MBA student
off-campus
March 7, 2001
All Viewpoint Stories for Monday, March 19, 2001
