Where's the love?

Students called to rally, increase support of JMU athletic programs

My tenure. My season. My reign atop The Breeze's sports section is complete after the final punctuation mark on this column. Although I have rarely voiced my opinion publicly in this paper, I have sat and watched how JMU sports operates.

Covering JMU sports the last few years has been a true honor. I have enjoyed my position due to the work experience and the interaction that I had with individuals I probably wouldn't have had met otherwise. Although I never got to be involved in reporting a scandal or a National Invitational Tournament Final Four like my predecessors, it's been a good ride.

Aside from the few characters that have grilled me because they felt slighted or mistreated in the coverage of a specific team or sport, I can say that the coaches, the student-athletes and the many faces that are never seen — but are key to making the athletic entertainment on campus what it is — are greatly underappreciated.

I know this argument has been made time and time again that JMU students don't support their teams because they don't win. The teams do win — occasionally. Yes, the Dukes don't bring home conference championships in the more public sports like football and basketball, but it doesn't mean that these lesssuccessful programs don't care or don't try. They give it their all, and it makes it easier when they have support from students.

From talking to coaches and student athletes of the teams I have covered about how they feel toward fan support, it is clear to me how we, as students, need to further our involvement

Several press conferences following a home football or basketball win have ended with football coach Mickey Matthews, former men's basketball coach Sherman Dillard and their respective players thanking the fans for their support.

Those quotes don't always make it to print, but the sensation that they explain is obvious. The energy and support from a student athletes' peers is immeasurable.

Of course, I won't let the teams off that easy. They still need to perform. The coaches and players were brought in to do a job, which is to win. When losing starts to become a more frequent trend, negativity and disinterest ensues.

The losing and disinterest are a few reasons why President Linwood Rose and athletic director Jeff Bourne are still searching for Dillard's replacement as of Wednesday morning, Dillard and the team didn't produce.

As with many aspects of life, there needs to be a happy medium. I would like the student body to make an effort and go out and see the teams. With fan support I believe the student athletes would be more capable of finding that extra energy in order to get those wins.

So, instead of rolling out of bed around lunchtime on Saturday mornings in the fall or catching a bus to an off-campus location on Friday nights, take a walk over to one of the venues on campus. Get to the game, cheer on your fellow collegians, and make the best of your experience at JMU — the teams will reward you.

Let's take a 20-second timeout here.

While I strike that note about making the best of your experience, I want to thank my co-workers at The Breeze for making our year of confinement in the office a success. The help all of you gave assistant sports editor Wes Heinel and myself did not go unappreciated.

Game on.

I just want everyone who has made it this far in the column to consider this: Be more active in supporting the sports programs here on campus.

It might not be cool now, but when you look back at your years at JMU, it might be nice to know that you cheered when winning didn't come often. Who knows, maybe your cheering will bring home a winner sooner than you think.

Brad Richards is a senior SMAD major who is tired of letting all the athletic glory go to the kids on the other side of the mountain or to the ones down the interstate. He hopes for a championship parade down Bluestone Drive in the near future.