There is nothing more exciting in all of sports. It is the moment when the fans become part of the event. Their actions, their movements and their noise seemingly propel the home team forward. It is also something that has seldom happened in Wallace Wade Stadium.
Duke students are generally considered the best fans in the country when it comes time for men's basketball. They pack the lower section of Cameron Indoor Stadium, and create a home-court advantage that is unmatched in college basketball. But those same students treat football like their ugly stepsister.
On Saturday afternoon, the football team will play perhaps its most important game of the season. The Blue Devils will face Big-10 champion Northwestern at 3:30 p.m. Both teams enter with 0-1 records, the winner will gain needed momentum, the loser, well let's just say they won't have to worry about breaking their glass slippers on the way to the big dance.
That is what makes student support so important this weekend. Two years ago, students showed up en masse late in the season when Duke faced Virginia and North Carolina. The difference between then and now, however, is the Blue Devils' record. They were 7-1 and 8-2 before the UVa and UNC games respectively; they are winless entering this contest.
It is understandable to expect a large degree of student support to come from bandwagon jumpers. It's natural, and it happens in all areas of life.
This a time to change all that, though. All students-freshmen, I'm talking to you-can start a tradition this year that they can build on game after game, year after year.
After all, tradition is the real reason why students come to Cameron and not to Wallace Wade. Yes, people love basketball, but they know that when they attend a game at Cameron they are continuing a tradition started long ago. Going to men's basketball games is an ingrained part of student life now; the football team is nothing more than an afterthought.
In many ways, it's quite ironic. The football team plays only five or six home games a year. Students don't have to wait in line and a game lasts no more than three hours. Contrast that with men's basketball, where there are 15 or so home games a year and students often have to camp out for a week or more to see the best games.
The men's basketball team recognizes the advantage it has and uses it to convince potential recruits to commit to Duke. Football head coach Fred Goldsmith is afforded no such luxury. Imagine his horror when last season's home finale against N.C. State arrived, and he brought in a number of potential signees, only to have them view a partially full stadium, at best, and a student section where many had not just a row, but nearly an entire section to themselves.
The current Blue Devils have become immune to the situation. Linebacker Chike Egbuniwe acknowledges that it can be a real letdown to come out of the tunnel for a home game and have virtually no one in the stadium. Admittedly, it's the reason why he tries to block out the crowd. He gathers his emotion from within instead. But many of the Blue Devils do rely on the support from the crowd, and when they don't get it, undoubtedly it affects their performance.
"We do get excited about home games because we know how wild this crowd can be," Egbuniwe said. "We've seen it, at the beginning of last year and throughout the season two years ago. It's really a big emotional lift for a lot of the players. It can make a significant difference in the game."
Goldsmith is fully aware of the importance of creating a solid student tradition. It is the first step towards establishing a definite home-field advantage. He has now sent out letters to students for three straight years all but begging for their support. If the students don't get the message soon, Goldsmith may break his back bending over to help them find the stadium.
"We need to have that atmosphere that we had out there in 1994 [when the Blue Devils went to the Hall of Fame Bowl]," Goldsmith said. "We need to have Wallace Wade Stadium full, and it needs to start with the student section. We need the Wade Wackos."
Maybe therein lies the problem-the name. 'Wade Wackos' sounds like a bunch of extras from 'Deliverance.' But the idea is founded on the same tenet that brings over 2,000 'Cameron Crazies' together for men's basketball games.
On Saturday afternoon, the Blue Devils may win, the Blue Devils may lose and they might even get blown out. But students can do something more important-spend three hours with Goldsmith and the Blue Devils. You might just beat the bandwagon and be part of something special-a new tradition at Wallace Wade Stadium-a full student section.
Jonathan Ganz is a Trinity senior and Sports Editor of The Chronicle.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.