There are a lot of people
around here who complain about the environment at the Dean Dome. I'm one of
those people. Frankly, I've never liked the idea of having a big arena for college
basketball. If you ask me, that's not what it's about. Especially when the students
are buried in the nosebleed section. But, we have to do with what we get, huh.
Well, I think we really
have a new era in effect. Not just because of the legacy of performance that
Coach Doherty brings, but also the excitement he instills in the fans in the
Smith Center. And the new risers have already proven to make some difference.
It would be great if we could get another section of those, but even if that
doesn't happen
What Carolina basketball
games lack is the traditional cheers and chants from student sections that make
college basketball so exciting. There's the "rock, chalk, Jayhawk"
chant at the end of Kansas games, and Memphis students throwing up confetti
at their team's first made basket, but we don't really have anything like that
(unless you count "Tar. Heels.")
May I make some suggestions?
First of all, replace or revamp Fever. Get a group of rowdy students that know
how to cheer and when to cheer. Next, teach everyone the words to all our songs
at C-TOPS. I mean, I still don't know the words to "Victory." An example
of a cool tradition, that I'm going to steal from my friend Will McKinney, is
to turn around when the opposing team comes on. And chant something when we're
blowing the other team out at the end of the game. Maybe we could save "Tar
Heels" for then, so it doesn't become hackneyed. Just a few thoughts I've
been having.
So if you ask me, there
is hope of making the Dean Dome a great, explosive venue for college basketball.
But students have to make an extra effort to get it there.