By Leigh Dethman
A season high 3,641 people attended the women''s basketball game Thursday afternoon Jan. 16. Do you honestly think everyone actually wanted to be there?
It seems that the only way to get fans to the women''s athletic events is bribery - well, at least that is what the athletic marketing department seems to believe.
Year in and year out, the ticket office forces students to line up during the women''s game to pick up their tickets to the BYU men''s basketball game against Utah.
Die-hard men''s basketball fans camped out as early as nine o''clock Wednesday night to get the coveted Utah tickets.
What those happy campers didn''t know was that along with their Utah tickets they were catching a glimpse of one of the top women''s basketball teams in the country.
Luckily those waiting in line saw one of the best first halves in BYU basketball history.
During Thursday''s win, the Cougars held CSU to only 23.1 percent from the field, taking a 20-point lead going into the break. Jen Leitner held MWC Player of the Week, Ashley Augsperger, to only two points in the first half. Coach Jeff Judkins described the defensive effort as one of the best in a long time.
BYU shouldn''t have to bribe students to attend women''s sporting events.
I couldn''t believe some of the complaints I heard during the game. I heard one fan actually emailed the athletic director, crying blackmail.
Are we living in the ''50s, or what? One chauvenist fan was so low as to jeer that women should be at home - barefoot and pregnant - not hooping it up on a basketball court.
I thought we are all supposed to have Cougar pride. Saying that, why was the 'season-high' crowd quietly sitting in their seats? The only time they would ever make any noise was to 1) win a prize from Cosmo, or 2) make fun of a CSU airball.
You know, I understand all the complaints. I''ll admit it - women''s basketball doesn''t have all the flashy dunks.
But they do run-and-gun. Have you ever seen Jen Leitner rip down a rebound and toss it to a streaking Erin Thorn, who then buries a long-range trey? Probably not, the team is only averaging 973 fans per game.
And you know what, I sat with a season-high 16,078 other fans at the men''s game against Idaho State, and it wasn''t all that exciting anyways.
The women are also perfect at the Marriott Center this season. They need your support. Critics cry that the team lost four games in non-conference play, but don''t worry. Last year they were just as good. After stumbling to a 9-4 non-conference record in 2001, the Cougars ran all the way to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament.
I can''t change your mind about women''s sports. You need to watch and find out for yourself. These girls can play.
So, all you guys out there that think you can ball with the best of them, I challenge you. Call up Erin Thorn, see if you can run with her. She''ll out shoot you any day.
Give women''s sports the respect they deserve.
Besides, isn''t bribery wrong?