Jonathan Says

    It’s official: Summer is over (figuratively), and school has begun. Instead of giving my opinion on such exciting things as preseason football and whether those Chinese gymnasts really can attend a PG-13 movie, I have compiled a list of VCU sports commandments to live by. Enjoy!

10. Thou shall know where stadiums are located. Cary Street Field is behind the Eugene P. and Lois E. Trani Life Sciences Building, the Thalhimer Tennis Center is behind the T. Edward Temple Building, the Stuart C. Siegel Center is across from the bookstore and The Diamond is on Boulevard.

9. Thou shall not complain about the lack of a football team. With 14 NCAA Division I sports on campus, including teams with multiple conference titles and NCAA appearances, there is plenty of exciting action on campus. After all, if you really need your college-football fix, you know Virginia Tech and Notre Dame are guaranteed to be on TV every week.

8. Thou shall not ignore the women’s teams. Last year’s women’s soccer team went to the finals of the conference tournament, the women’s basketball team was a bad five-minute stretch away from the NCAA Tournament before settling for the WNIT and the cross country, track and field, volleyball and field hockey teams all showed signs rapid improvement throughout their seasons. These teams deserve the same support as their male counterparts.

7. Thou shall show up early. If a game starts at 7:30, there is no reason for seats to be empty at 7:31. Show up at least 15 minutes before game time. This will make for a better atmosphere … and speaking of which …

6. Show up to games. There is more than one sport on campus—try and show up to a few games.

5. Be loud. The greatest part about being a fan of college athletics is being a part of the atmosphere. Make noise in any way possible. Yell, shake keys, stomp—do whatever it takes to make VCU stadiums the best in the country.

4. Thou shall NOT yell “oh” in the middle of the National Anthem. It’s not cute; it’s not funny—it’s just disrespectful. Get it?

3. Thou shall know thy opponents. This is really a part of creating an atmosphere, but knowing the opponents can make things interesting. Who’s having an off month? Who’s the best player on the team? Who’s the worst player on the team? Use these things to your advantage.

2. Thou shall know your own players. Always know the student athletes, who work hard to perform on the court or the playing field every day, as well as make it to class. Know their names and numbers, and always give words of encouragement.

1. Thou shall wear black and gold. Our school colors are black and gold. They aren’t maroon and orange or orange and blue or any other combination. Wear the school colors at games.    Nothing looks more ridiculous than showing up for a basketball game wearing a tie-dye shirt when everyone else got the memo on the school colors.