After two years of writing a sports column for this paper, I thought the last one would ooze out of my fingertips.
But I must remain modest. Two years of writing is but a small gust in the hurricane-winds world of sports writing. And, while I have certainly enjoyed writing about what I’ve seen (or, what I haven’t seen but have had a really in-depth conversation with someone who has), I have discovered my favorite theme of sports is more.
For every hockey player who wants more goals, more hits or more speed, there is a fan out there yearning for the same. This has become one of my favorite reciprocal relationships – and will remain so.
Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned covering sports for The News, and other newspapers as well, it is that every person with a relationship with a team wants the best. Just as parents hope the best for their children, fans will always hope and dream of the best for their team.
While the life of a Husky fan can be rough, it isn’t without this basic concept, which makes us no different from Boston College, Boston University or Harvard. Their “more” may be greater in scale than ours, but they still aren’t resting on their laurels. For example, our “more,” may be a Beanpot trophy, while BC’s may be a Frozen Four championship.
But one thing we can all bond about is the sweet, awesome, notion that there is still another level for our teams to go to. Another win, and hopefully, another championship awaits in the future. That is something to be excited about.
With that being said, here’s a short run-down of my own “mores.” For myself, and for Northeastern.
More fan interest. This is a no-brainer. While my own perception of Husky-fandom has increased dramatically since I arrived in 2003, it can still grow. The cult of Husky-hood will someday have their own T-shirt design to be proud of, and not from Qdoba or Coca-Cola.
We’ll have more chants, more salutes to the players and more smiles in the stands. More fans beget more fun at the games, for those playing and watching.
More beer at games. Legally. It may sound juvenile, but it’s a small request – let those who are old enough enjoy a beer in Matthews and at Parsons. Maybe, just maybe, it will create side effects – higher concession revenues? Oh, and along with that, more food at the concession stands. And could you be more open to taking credit cards?
More money. A few years ago, The News published an article comparing our teams to Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) rivals. Published in 2006 (unfortunately, a long time ago) the article found that Hofstra spent four-and-a-half times more on their baseball team than Northeastern.
The article also found that George Mason spent $19,762 per player on its basketball team in 2004-05. Northeastern spent $6,431.
It’s likely those numbers have changed. It’s likely the market trends are different as well. But, in a school that just went through a winter of rumblings about cutting one of its programs, it’s possible the spending hasn’t changed. And with that in mind
