Fan-damonium

-Joe Barker

Truman 68 – Emporia State 67

The color has returned to my hands. My voice is slowly soundind less hoarse. My heart is no longer pounding out of my chest.

The same could not have been said a half hour ago.

I just got back from THE most exciting amateur sporting event I have ever attended. The men’s basketball team just won in the most exciting fashion. I am speechless, which is unusual for me.

As a sports writer I always attend events as a media man, looking at the game for a writers point of view. Today, since Tyler does an excellent job covering the men I figured I didn’t need to bring out the ol’ notebook. Instead I went to the game as a fan.

And I couldn’t be more excited.

When junior forward Andy Calmes put back the rebound with 1.1 seconds left in the game I didn’t know what to do with myself. I started jumping up and down and I let out the most primal scream. In normal circumstances I would have looked like a foul yet everyone in the near packed gym was doing the same. We just couldn’t control ourselves.

Seeing that shoot bounce of the rim, as a fan I was at the lowest of lows. Then suddenly seeing #10 leapt out of nowhere and put the ball back with just the slightest touch I erupted, the whole place erupted. I have gone to my share of basketball games but this was so intense. ONE POINT ONE SECONDS left and the ’Dogs come out on top. It was amazing.

And I wasn’t even playing.

That feeling of victory is the greatest feeling a fan can get. All of us in the student section forgot about class, tests – everything - and simply exploded with joy. Nothing could go wrong.