College Sports

When I was a kid, I couldn’t wait for the newspapers to come. We had both a morning and and an evening paper, and each had great sports sections and top-notch sports writers. I loved to read the stories, and I felt like through each one I learned something, either about a sport or an athlete.

And the game recaps! If I hadn’t seen the game, by the time I finished the article I felt like I had. I could almost taste the hot dogs and smell the popcorn!

Is it any wonder I became a sportswriter?

But things are different now. And that brings me to an article written back on March 28 by T.J. Simers of the Los Angeles Times.

Simers was covering UCLA in the NCAA Tournament. The Bruins faced Western Kentucky University in the Sweet 16. The Hilltoppers had the proverbial “unlikely run” in the tournament. WKU, the 12th seed, defeated #5 seed Drake, 101-99, on a last second three-pointer in overtime. They followed that up with a win over #13 seed San Diego, 72-63.

WKU gave UCLA a game, and although the Bruins led at the half by 21, WKU rallied to cut the lead to four before losing 88-78. The Hilltoppers finished the year with a record of 29-7.

Evidently, though, Simers didn’t believe that Western should have been in the gym. He derided the fans and the University over and over in a column that can be, at best, described as the rantings of the uninformed. At worst, it is just poor sportswriting.

The point of his article was that UCLA was being given a relatively free pass into the Final Four. OK, everybody has opinions on the brackets, and Simers gets a paycheck to express his.

But someone please explain to me what calling the Hilltoppers the “Hillboppers” has to do with game coverage?

He goes on to say that Western has a “pregnant Elmo” for a mascot. If Mr. Simers had done any research, he might have learned that “Big Red,” as the Western mascot is called, has been featured many times in ESPN commercials, and has been rated one of the nation’s favorite mascots by popular voting. May not mean much to Mr. Simers, but not bad for a “pregnant Elmo.”

He goes on to say, “… while I realize there’s probably not much to do in Western Kentucky, must they advertise it?” He derides the fans for wearing red and cheering for the “Big Red,” saying that WKU fans are Nebraska wannabes.

Uh, don’t most fans wear school colors and cheer for the “Big (insert color here)?” Oh, and here is a bit of irony. Dr. Martin Massengale, WKU 1952, served as president of The University of Nebraska from 1989-1994.

Simers takes a swipe at WKU alumni, saying that the two most famous celebrities to attend Western are Michael Rosenbaum (Lex Luther on the TV show Smallville) and Nappy Roots (southern rappers). Simers claims he did research on this point, too.

It took me about two minutes to find that the list of famous alums from WKU is long and prestigious. How about Romeo Crennel (’69, ‘77), coach of the Cleveland Browns? PGA golfer Kenny Perry (82)? Duncan Hines, baking wizard? There’s even a sportswriter on the list (Thomas George, ‘82, sportswriter for the New York Times).

If Mr. Simers needs a Hollywood connection to validate, you can’t do much better than Academy Award winning director John Carpenter (’68), who directed “Halloween,” “The Fog,” and numerous other successful movies.

for more, visit http://www.wku.edu/textonly/notables.html

Oh, and the next time Mr. Simers sees a Corvette screaming down the California interstate, he should know that all Corvettes… ALL! are built in Bowling Green.

When I read Mr. Simers column, it really ticked me off. Yeah, he gets to express an opinion… but most of his readers probably assume it is an informed opinion. What makes me mad is the thought that there are many in Los Angeles whose sole opinion of Western Kentucky University and Bowling Green is derived from his column.

Before you think I am a WKU alum or fan, you are wrong on both points. I am the product of a proverbial BCS school. My team went deep in the NCAA hoops tourney. My football team stays in the top 10 year in and year out.

But I respect other universities and their programs. All fans love their schools, wear the colors, and, frankly, finance the athletic endeavors by purchasing tickets. We all have a common bond, a love of college athletics. And, in my travels around this country attending college sports events, I have loved getting to meet the fans and see the traditions, at schools both large and small.

Mr. Simers, size really doesn’t matter… but perhaps integrity does.

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