Has the apathy really stopped?

May 12, 1999

Originally Published by The State Hornet (Sacramento State)

HAS THE APATHY REALLY STOPPED?

by Mark Bryant

It has taken a lot of courage and an abandonment of tact you usually see here, but I have spent considerable time and energy calling attention to our sad sports program.

During this past week or so I have received a lot of feedback from those on campus that are just as disgusted with our program as I am. This is a step in the right direction.

Glad to see you will no longer tolerate such incompetence and an unwillingness to build the best possible sports program within reason.

Despite what the administration will have you believe, it is not the coaches or recruiters' fault we are not seen as a winner.

It is because certain members of the administration, who clearly are in over their heads, are settling for mediocrity.

They have no vision, no idea how to build a sports program that does justice to those who don't want to wear a paper bag when they go to see Hornet contests.

And that's not good

In the opposite direction of what the tabloid journalists at the Bee want you to go on believing, running a solid sports program - even at a commuter school like ours - isn't that complicated. The cardinal rule is that you put the best possible teams on the field in the best surroundings if you want to win. Period.

I don't live and die by Hornet sports. I don't base my existence on them. I'm the last person you'll see at games with my face painted green and gold.

However whether we are players or spectators, our collective pride in this university is directly linked to their success.

Face it, nobody wants to go to a university where the sports teams suck, if they can help it, of course.

It happens to be my opinion that for the hard-earned money we invest in this school, at the very least we should get a committed sports program that we can have pride in, one that is committed to attaining facilitates they deserve.

Save for an apathetic administration that clearly is settling for a lot of hot air and noise (but empty barrels) when it comes to athletics, we haven't been getting squat.

There has been a lot of talk, a lot of musical chairs, a whole lot of drum music, pomp and circumstance. But when the curtain goes up, the song remains the same.

Yet, people have the gall to be exasperated about the presence (or lack thereof) of Hornet fans at games, particularly football and basketball. Put it this way: if you were constantly presented with a product that was a perennial skunk and had no inclination to improve, would you rush out to buy it at first sight, when the makers constantly harrumphed about getting it right this time and yet didn't?

I hate to break your little bubble, but tennis, gymnastics, and volleyball are not draws like the big sports I just mentioned. That's the reality.

There are excuses offered up like a brunch such as money, land availability problems, lack of fees and involvement, and on and on and on.

However, we know the truth, and we will make our voices heard until a commitment to have teams that aren't a bag of fertilizer is forthcoming.