Zac Burt

I went to the Hornets’ season opening football game on Aug. 27, and I must say, I was pretty impressed with the amount of people at the game, especially with the amount of students. That had to be the most students I’d seen at a home-opener since my time as and ESU student-athlete. The numbers were mighty, but it’s as if the sound was turned way down low.

When you watch a college football game on ESPN or any other station, for that matter, the home team seems to have a slight advantage –the crowd. The crowd is always loud, filled with excitement and tends to make it that much harder for the opposing team.

Take, for example, the University of Texas Longhorns. Granted, they are one of the dominant football teams to date, but look at the fans while the game is on. They’re out of control, with students painted from head to toe, people cheering like crazy when the opponent is trying to piece together a drive and getting in the head of the visiting quarterback. College and professional athletes are trained to “zone it out,” but you can’t honestly sit there and tell me that when an entire stadium is on their feet and cheering like mad men to the point where you can’t even hear yourself think, they can “zone it out.”

Another prime example of a “wild bunch” of supporters would be the fans of the Louisiana State University Tigers. There was a game the Tigers had against rival Auburn, and in the final seconds of the game the crowd was so loud that they actually recorded seismic activity in the LSU Geology department. That’s impressive, for sure, but why doesn’t this atmosphere happen at ESU?

Don’t get me wrong – the Hornet fans were loud that night, but I know for a fact that everyone could be louder. The cheerleaders, Corky and even the players themselves did what they could to get us fired up, and we responded, but it could have been better.  I think we could get more students to the game.  I also think that with more students going, there would be more noise made throughout the game.

I also realize that we don’t have the size of stadium that the other schools I mentioned do, but that does not in any way, shape, form or fashion mean that we can’t produce some serious sound.  I know for a fact that at Emporia State, we have some extremely loud and animated individuals and it needs to be seen.  With a little more effort on our part, soon visiting teams will think they are playing in Arrowhead Stadium, but instead of a “Sea of Red,” there would be a “Sea of Black and Gold!”

This is my challenge to you, ESU. First, get everybody you know to show up to the next home game.  Second, show your support by cheering on our Hornets with everything you’ve got.  Finally, let it be known that if any opposing school wishes to play against us on our home turf, they better be ready for a team that is ready to wage war – and a fan base that takes no prisoners.

Zac Burt/The Bulletin

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