By Mike Samaha, columnist

I’m disappointed in everybody- the entire student body. Where have you all been? Being one of the leaders of Husky Nation and the leader of the basketball team’s student section, the N-Zone, I end up attending a lot of our school’s sporting events, especially the big games, and let me tell you something: these games are a fun time to be at. Our student athletes are at the top level of college athletics and always perform in a way that makes me proud to be a Northeastern Husky.

Now, you guys have let them down. I know for a fact that there are thousands of sports fans on this campus, so why is it we can’t even get 100 fans to attend a typical, weekly home game? I’ve heard all the excuses: we only play in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), the games are boring, our team stinks and the most popular: they’re just such a hassle to go to.

Every one of those statements is completely false. To start, playing in the CAA should be no knock on our athletes or teams. Being part of a mid-major conference means being part of a more competitive conference. Why would you rather be in a conference that one or two schools dominate year in and year out? In the CAA, every school has a chance to raise that conference championship trophy at the end of the season and advance to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) tournament. I’ve been to Division II events, where the talent level is way lower than that of the CAA, but those fans are able to come out and support their teams with crowds three to five times the size of what I’ve seen Northeastern get lately.

Anybody who says the games are boring have either not been to enough games, or are just doing it wrong. I have not once gone to a Northeastern sporting event and not had a good time, win or lose. For example, women’s volleyball is one of the most exciting college sports I’ve ever witnessed. The intensity, athleticism and atmosphere at these games matches, if not exceeds, that of any other sport. Give the sport a try. The athletic department works hard to make these games a good time for students, and you’ll never know without attending one.

Also, half of the fun comes from making an effort. When you go to a game, try to sit near another large cluster of students and just cheer, be loud and add to the atmosphere. At hockey and basketball, you have fan section leaders willing to start every cheer, lead the students in chants and teach you about players on both teams. The games are more fun when you feel like you are a part of the game and let yourself get invested in the team.

I’m sick of hearing that our teams stink. That is a completely asinine statement. Just to give you a few examples: our women’s soccer team won its second consecutive CAA championship and has advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament, and they also had one of the top defenses in the entire country. The men’s basketball team has been predicted as the favorite to win the CAA this season and advance to the NCAA tournament (a.k.a. March Madness) and has already upset the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Florida State University on its home court. Those are just two of many successful teams, and you’re all just missing out on the excitement.

Our athletic department does a great job to make sure every game is easily accessible for every student. Every home game is free with your Northeastern ID. The games are on our campus. Matthews Arena and Cabot are walking distance from every dorm. And for the soccer games, which are played at Parsons Field, the athletic department provides free shuttles to and from the field for every major game, so again, no excuse. If you just don’t know when all the big games are, the athletic department, every team and the major fan sections are all on Twitter. So no more excuses.

-Michael Samaha can be reached at [email protected].