Next to, “nothing good happens after midnight” and “don’t tell your mother about this ticket,” my father’s favorite advisory catchphrase is, “you make your own good time.”
This piece of advice, typically reserved for sulking teenagers, might come in handy these days for Georgetown football fans.
For the collegian, fall is an idyllic season; once again we are enfolded into the comforting womb of campus life, nurtured by beer, bold flirtations and occasionally, books. At most schools, the pigskin plays a pivotal role in this exercise of proper co-educational fun. All across America, faithful young fans wake up each Saturday, fire up the brauts, tap the keg and dutifully berate the opposition, shirts off, beer-bellies flapping in full glory.
The fact that Georgetown shows no such spirit is frankly un-patriotic. Did Rudy teach us nothing? Football is everything good about America drenched in sweat, animated by grunts and wrapped in athletic tape.
Hoyas constantly complain about the sad state of the sport on the Hilltop. Refrains of “my high school team could beat these guys” and “they’re just pathetic” are commonplace when talk turns to gridiron matters. Yes, we all realize that we are not privy to the athletic stylings of a USC or an Ohio State or even a Stony Brook, but perhaps we’re giving these guys too raw of a deal. Perhaps the whining student body is part of the problem.
Any athlete will tell you that the shouts from the sidelines matter. Yes, the team could use some work, but so could its cheering section. What if, for one afternoon a week, we could all recall the magic of high school football, when excitement rippled through the stands, girls paraded proudly in their boyfriends’ jerseys and the line for hot dogs stretched far past the port-a-potties.
Games provide us with an easy formula for fun. You tailgate, you talk, you wax poetic about defensive strategies, you wax poetic about the tight pants (no judgment). Whatever floats your boat.
You make your own good time. Sure, they’re probably going to lose, but hey, that’s sports; struggle makes the eventual success all the sweeter. As in any good romance, Hoya football fans must put time into their team if they want them to put out. Right now, games may be painful to watch, but its all part of the wooing process. With a little coaxing and a lot of love, loyal fans may just get lucky.
