By Kate Halblieb
Riot like a champion
Last week, IU and Maryland fought it out for the NCAA tournament championship, as you all know.
Although IU was defeated, I just want to personally congratulate them on a well-played season. Maryland also deserves congratulations, quite obviously. With all of the formalities out of the way, let me now say that the fans of each team are TOTAL IDIOTS!!!! Ok, not all the fans, but the ones who rioted on each campus after the game are definitely wacko.
Why riot after a championship? Destroying property, looting businesses, and resisting police is no way to celebrate a victory, nor is it a way to deal with a defeat. These students are supposed to be well-educated and mature. They’re in college!
I might expect such behavior from middle school kids, maybe even high school, but that’s it.
Maryland, let me give you some words of advice, since you have never won a championship before. When your team wins a national title, all eyes are on you. It should be a time to set an example and show the nation why you are winners. Instead, we all turned on the TV the next day and saw hundreds of drunken students being pepper sprayed, pulling up street signs, and resisting arrest by local police. Instead of seeing the University of Maryland as a school of champions, we saw you as a bunch of drunken morons who tear up their own stuff.
Let’s move on to the happenings in Bloomington. Okay, IU, so you lost. Big deal. It was your first trip back to the championship game in, like, forever. Plus, you did it with a head coach having only two years under his belt. That’s awesome! So I ask you: why riot? The stuff you all did wasn’t as bad as what Maryland did, but you still got caught with your pants down. Why tear up your own city? If anything, you should go to Maryland and tear up their stuff. (Ha! Wouldn’t that have been funny…)
How should universities celebrate in the future?
First, go easy on the drugs and alcohol. I hate to be a narc here, but this is the main reason why people are crazy enough to uproot trees and pull down street lights. Secondly, celebrate within the limits of the law. (Come on guys, these are no-brainers here.)
Lastly, remember that a celebration is a happy time, and violence should be no part of it.
Louisville won two championships in the 80’s, but I’m too young to remember them (sadly).
Did this rioting crap happen back then? I wonder if it will happen when Pitino takes the Cards to the championship next year. :) Naw, no way.
We’re too good for all that.
Kate Halbleib is a freshman English major and columnist for The Cardinal. kate_halbleib@louisvillecardinal.com
