By Nathasha White, Staff Contributor
I’m an addict. There, I said it. If I don’t get my sports fix every weekend, I’m not a happy camper. Basketball is my drug of choice. I’m tweekin’ a little, because the Tigers travelled to the Rock this past weekend, and my mother was in town. I caught a little of the Kentucky vs. Arkansas game, but it’s just not the same. There’s nothing like live ball.
Tigers basketball is in the final stretch – only four home games to go. So grab your student ID and get down to the Dalplex this Saturday and Sunday for some free hoops as we take on the University of Prince Edward Island Panthers (UPEI) and the University of New Brunswick (UNB) Varsity Reds. And if that’s not enough to get you off, the beer’s cheap.
The women’s Saturday night game had Dal squeak past MUN 73-69.The Tigers and Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN) split their last meetings in November with Dal winning by three, and then losing by five; so Sunday’s game should have been a good one.
As for the men, the Tigers have MUN’s number. MUN suffered a shellacking in November, with Dal winning by 20 and 15. And, this just in: the Dalhousie men’s basketball team defeated the Memorial Sea-Hawks Saturday night 82-62. The Tigers move into fourth place with this win; now lying only four points back of Halifax rivals St. Mary’s.
Now don’t get me wrong, I love Dal, love Halifax, love the East Coast. But student attendance at these quality games is dismal, dare I say, embarrassing. More often than not, we’re outnumbered by fans from the other team at home.
It’d be one thing if we sucked. But we’re good. Both men and women teams have the talent to beat anyone in the division any given night. The ladies can easily move up three rankings to fourth position before the season’s done. And, the men are the defending AUS Champions.
Where I’m from, we take our sports seriously. We wear our team colours with pride. We cheer out loud. We’re loyal beyond comprehension, beyond reason. When I was a kid, going to the university gym to watch a game was the perfect ending to a day of playing ball. We played on the school team, and the community league team. We ate, breathed, and slept basketball. Or hockey. Or football. Sport was a religion. It was in our blood.
So, I’m at a loss, when I go to the games. Where’s the spirit? Where’s the fire? Where’s the passion? Because it sure as hell isn’t at the Dalplex.
Sorry kids, but that’s the truth. I’m what they call on PEI, a CFA: a Come From Away; so maybe I’m missing something. Maybe the lack of a professional team has robbed Haligonians of the spirit of sport. Not everyone can play at the AUS level, but anyone can get in on the action. If you only make it out for one night of basketball this season make it Feb. 3, next Wednesday against Acadia, or Feb. 13 when we take on the rivals from down the street, St. Mary’s University. Games start at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.. Cheering for your team is a serious high, win or lose; I should know. I’m from Edmonton.
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