A little over a month ago, the men’s soccer head coach, Paul Holocher, and assistant coach Brian Reed came into the Mustang Daily newsroom to promote the then-upcoming exhibition match against then-No. 11 California.
The two were on fire to bring an interest to the sport and even more enthusiastic about christening the Alex G. Spanos Stadium with a large crowd for the first sporting event since the remodel.
Admittedly, I chuckled when they left the room. I was impressed with their zeal for the game and an intense interest to get the student crowd into the seats but I mean seriously, what was so exciting about soccer? It’s a low-scoring game with a lot of running and passing and occasionally a goal here and there.
About five minutes after arriving to cover the game I regretted ever having doubted the two as I watched 2,821 loud soccer supporters file into the stadium to see how their team paired up against one of the nations best programs.
Holocher said several days later that the event was the largest attended college soccer match in the country and I believe him.
Freshman David Zamora scored in the sixth minute of the game and as the crowd erupted and the 6-foot-1 Zamora celebrated with teammates and ran down the sideline, I realized that what I would be missing this school year is just being a fan.
The press box at Spanos Stadium, or any sports facility, strictly prohibits cheering for any team – as it should be – with the good intentions of creating a non-biased environment for reporters and officials who have involvement with the sporting event.
The Sept. 9 game against Milwaukee-Wisconsin allotted me the chance to get down on the field level to take photographs of the game. The game was my first outside of the press box.
Though I tried my hardest not to, I couldn’t help but laugh at the highly audible derogatory insults – none that I could repeat in this column – that the student section dished out to Panthers’ goal keeper Ryan Germann.
All season, Holocher has echoed his remarks about fans being a key element in home games. From his perspective, the fans provide the inspiration for the team, which seems to be working. The team, thus far, is undefeated at home.
This seems to be the case with football as well.
Saturday’s game against Weber State yielded a record crowd at Spanos Stadium. The snake-like student line outside of Spanos Stadium spanned from the south end zone gate (student entrance) to well past the north end zone gate.
Again, being in the press box, I remained, for the most part, quiet when the Wildcats opened the game with a safety, and also in the second quarter when quarterback Jonathan Dally threw for four touchdowns, putting the team up 33-3 at halftime.
The Mustangs fed off of the home-crowd factor.
It’s probably just a coincidence though that when the student section dwindled to close to non-existent late in the second half, the Wildcats were able to pick up 16 points and the Mustangs stopped scoring.
Then again, the Weber State scoring might have been the consequence of the Maniacs escaping from the asylum to selfishly feed their heads with parties on Hathaway.
Let’s not forget – those of you who were here last year – Oct. 21 2006 when a majority of students left at halftime of the Homecoming game against South Dakota State that Jackrabbits’ quarterback Andy Kardoes passed for three fourth-quarter touchdowns to help his team overcome the 28-6 halftime deficit to beat the Mustangs 29-28.
It’s college. The parties aren’t going anywhere, and when you turn 21 (if you haven’t already) the bars downtown don’t make last call until 1:30 a.m. – 1:55 a.m. if you know the right place.
Be the one at the post-game party that has the game recap of Cal Poly’s come-from-behind win over Anytown State in (insert your preferred sport here) or the person that saw the streaker run from foul pole to foul pole during the seventh inning stretch of a baseball game.
If you’re not the type to talk sports, just stay and soak up the free event and meet new people.
The bottom line: Don’t leave games. The teams need you.