At one moment it is the most reviled, despised, loathed and quickly dismissed institutions at Gonzaga.
Yet, at the same time, it is the most cherished, proud, uplifting and unifying of any yearly school tradition.
You're hooked as soon as you hear the question: "Whose side are you on?"
The Sausage Bowl, the annual football game pitting the young men of residence halls Catherine/Monica and DeSmet against one another, is set to make its fifth appearance this Sunday on the makeshift gridiron of Mulligan Field.
To many, the mere mention of the game arouses poor connotations, with images of a testosterone-filled slugfest that two years ago gave black eyes to competitors and to the organizers of the event. To many, it seemed, the novelty of the Sausage Bowl had run its course, and using the fighting as evidence, they claimed that the concept of the game had devolved to the point where it was no longer necessary.
But adversity, it seems, has a way of bringing out the best in those who put their strength into something they feel is important.
Undeterred by the negativity surrounding that year's events, the residents of the two halls continue to show a passion for the Sausage Bowl, one that continues to inspire the new crop of residents year after year.
It may start out as a game, but underneath, almost subconsciously, its effects are much greater.
Freshmen, forced to live together in an environment that is alien to them, often find it difficult at first to feel any substantial connection to their hall, their fellow residents or even school culture in general. But through the Sausage Bowl, a connection begins to grow. The mindset then isn't on awkward relationships, it's about how they're going to beat those punks from the other building. It's not about forcing a friendship, it's about backing up your boys and standing behind your hall.
The game unites these young men, and creates a bond that many are willing to do anything to uphold. Just look at last year's game, when then-sophomore Michael Praznik wanted so desperately to play and help DeSmet, he somehow played through a separated shoulder and grabbed two interceptions.
Even further than the players, the Sausage Bowl creates a sense of camaraderie in the Gonzaga community. It extends to supporters of the teams and their raucous fans cheering on every play. It extends to former residents of the halls, who still have some emotion vested in the game, even if they don't want to admit it. The residence hall directors and organizers of the event understand this best, and work every year to continually improve a game that is so much fun for the community.
And people say this game doesn't mean anything.
The fighting of two years ago was the unfortunate byproduct of the strong bond, as members of each team let their emotions run wild, but you can't let the actions of one group for one year affect the perception of something that means so much to freshman residents each year. The emotions are strong, but when channeled properly they are transformed into something good: a unifying feeling that affects both sides for the better.
Years down the road, these same freshmen from both halls will look back on the game with one another, laugh, and say: "We almost had you guys!"
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Saturday, September 22, 2007
The over/under on integrity
Note - The following column appears in the September 21, 2007 edition of the Gonzaga Bulletin.
Everyone knows there's nothing like a friendly wager.
You and your buddies are sitting there, watching the game on TV, when suddenly one person suggests making the game "more interesting." From there, the games get more important, money changes hands, and everyone, even those who lose a few bucks, has a good time.
This is sports gambling in its best form: little wagers here and there to make watching the games with friends more fun. Sports betting at its most prevalent does not take this form, however, but rather that of a multimillion dollar industry, whose greed routinely hacks away at the integrity of the game.
It is impossible to avoid it around every bend in the sporting world. Betting on college sports, most notably basketball and football, is accepted as part of the culture. Bookies and Internet gambling sites make a killing on bets on professional sports; though betting on sports is only legal in Las Vegas casinos, the latest lines are featured in almost every daily newspaper, including those on college campuses.
It is there in the collegiate atmosphere where the threat on sports' integrity is the most prominent. In no other situation is it scarier than in college sports, where money, gambling and big-time college programs collide to create an atmosphere ripe with the temptation for scandal.
The NCAA takes a strong stance against gambling by its players, with zero tolerance for those who bet on games. A good stance, in theory, but even with it the possibility of gambling and scandals still looms. With college athletes required to retain their amateur status and therefore unable to be paid for their playing or their likeness, an opportunity to make money by another, less legal means is available.
The forbidden fruit of gambling and point-shaving hangs over the desperate collegian, as snakelike bookmakers in Vegas whisper to them: "It's a sure thing. You deserve to get your money for your athletic gifts. You can control your own destiny, just miss a few shots."
It's not like it hasn't been done before. Look at the 1951 point-shaving scandal involving four schools from New York. Or the 1978 Boston College point-shaving scheme, organized by the mob. It's even happened on the professional side. The "Hit King" Pete Rose bet on games he managed for the Reds. And most recently, NBA referee Tim Donaghy was found to have bet on games he officiated.
When money's involved, everyone listens.
The major sports leagues may say that they try to distance themselves from the concept of sports gambling, but aside from the wordplay, nothing else is done. If the NBA had really been concerned with not letting gambling affect their sport, they would have learned about Donaghy and his cohorts much earlier. Instead, the news came out, and the response by the league was Keystone Kops-esque.
The sad part is that the wheels have begun moving too late for anything substantial to be done about sports gambling in the near future. It has already become ingrained in the sporting culture.
As a microcosm of this, look at ESPN. One minute they bring on a panel admonishing the concept of gambling, game-fixing and point-shaving. Then up next, they bring on their Insider with the latest Vegas odds on the next World Series champ.
The spread on this one doesn't look good.
Everyone knows there's nothing like a friendly wager.
You and your buddies are sitting there, watching the game on TV, when suddenly one person suggests making the game "more interesting." From there, the games get more important, money changes hands, and everyone, even those who lose a few bucks, has a good time.
This is sports gambling in its best form: little wagers here and there to make watching the games with friends more fun. Sports betting at its most prevalent does not take this form, however, but rather that of a multimillion dollar industry, whose greed routinely hacks away at the integrity of the game.
It is impossible to avoid it around every bend in the sporting world. Betting on college sports, most notably basketball and football, is accepted as part of the culture. Bookies and Internet gambling sites make a killing on bets on professional sports; though betting on sports is only legal in Las Vegas casinos, the latest lines are featured in almost every daily newspaper, including those on college campuses.
It is there in the collegiate atmosphere where the threat on sports' integrity is the most prominent. In no other situation is it scarier than in college sports, where money, gambling and big-time college programs collide to create an atmosphere ripe with the temptation for scandal.
The NCAA takes a strong stance against gambling by its players, with zero tolerance for those who bet on games. A good stance, in theory, but even with it the possibility of gambling and scandals still looms. With college athletes required to retain their amateur status and therefore unable to be paid for their playing or their likeness, an opportunity to make money by another, less legal means is available.
The forbidden fruit of gambling and point-shaving hangs over the desperate collegian, as snakelike bookmakers in Vegas whisper to them: "It's a sure thing. You deserve to get your money for your athletic gifts. You can control your own destiny, just miss a few shots."
It's not like it hasn't been done before. Look at the 1951 point-shaving scandal involving four schools from New York. Or the 1978 Boston College point-shaving scheme, organized by the mob. It's even happened on the professional side. The "Hit King" Pete Rose bet on games he managed for the Reds. And most recently, NBA referee Tim Donaghy was found to have bet on games he officiated.
When money's involved, everyone listens.
The major sports leagues may say that they try to distance themselves from the concept of sports gambling, but aside from the wordplay, nothing else is done. If the NBA had really been concerned with not letting gambling affect their sport, they would have learned about Donaghy and his cohorts much earlier. Instead, the news came out, and the response by the league was Keystone Kops-esque.
The sad part is that the wheels have begun moving too late for anything substantial to be done about sports gambling in the near future. It has already become ingrained in the sporting culture.
As a microcosm of this, look at ESPN. One minute they bring on a panel admonishing the concept of gambling, game-fixing and point-shaving. Then up next, they bring on their Insider with the latest Vegas odds on the next World Series champ.
The spread on this one doesn't look good.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Soccer an unlikely source of pride
Note - The following column appears in the September 14, 2007 edition of the Gonzaga Bulletin.
Ladies and gentlemen, we've officially entered Bizzaro World. Please don't trip over your jaws as they hit the floor.
Somehow, inexplicably, Gonzaga has found itself totally besieged by . . . soccer mania?
You'd better believe it.
The sport that has yet to (and probably never will) find a niche in the American sporting world has kicked its way into Gonzaga's collective consciousness. The sport that David Beckham failed to make relevant in America suddenly means something to the Bulldogs' fans. The sport that a typical fan might call slow-paced, boring and uneventful now has an entire campus on the edge of their seats for more.
And the craziest thing of all? You can't help but get wrapped up in the fun and excitement of it all. Soccer is finally fun.
The crowds. The noise. The overwhelming enthusiasm. As of a few weeks ago this would seem highly uncommon at a Bulldog soccer game. Suddenly, the place is rocking like an outdoor Kennel.
Last Friday at Martin Field featured perhaps the largest, loudest crowd seen at a soccer game in years, with attendence exceeding 1,000 for the game against Washington (the last matchup with the Huskies in 2005 brought out only 525 fans). Now compare that to last year, when the Zags averaged 411 fans per game. To put it lightly, people are taking notice.
Big wins can do that for a team. In about a two-week span, the Bulldog men have brought soccer to the forefront of the Gonzaga sports scene. First came the improbable shutout of defending national champions and then No. 1-ranked UC Santa Barbara. A few days later, the Zags finally defeated Washington, then ranked No. 12, after 26 years of frustration.The end result: a No. 12 ranking in the Soccer America polls, a No. 21 ranking by College Soccer News, and a new legion of fans living and dying by every corner kick.
Of course, with the ensuing popularity, the question needs to be asked: Is this newfound support due to fans recognizing and applauding excellent play, or is this all just a case of people hitching a ride on the bandwagon?
It certainly wouldn't be crazy to consider the latter. The surge in popularity is remarkable for a sport that has struggled to gain a large following the past several years. Wins over powerhouse teams tend to bring out the bandwagon jumpers, and the true test of the fans' faith will be whether they'll still stick around even if the team hits a wall.
But despite the skeptic in me, it seems that Gonzaga soccer's recent popularity is genuine; a pure, if almost unprecedented, show of support for a team that deserves every bit of it.
The sport itself, and the attention that the men's team has brought to it, appeals to Gonzaga fans because it has encouraged an all-for-one mentality. As a nationwide sport, soccer fails because it tries to appeal to too wide an audience. But Gonzaga, with its small, close-knit community, has embraced the team and its excellent play. They're our soccer team.
Yes, the concept of embracing soccer may feel as natural as professors referencing rap lyrics, yet with all the Bulldogs' excitement, drama, rousing support and powerful atmosphere, it wouldn't be hard for any sports fan to feel right at home cheering on a team that demonstrates what the bond between a school and its fans should always be like.
Even if that team plays soccer? Hey, there's a first time for everything.
Ladies and gentlemen, we've officially entered Bizzaro World. Please don't trip over your jaws as they hit the floor.
Somehow, inexplicably, Gonzaga has found itself totally besieged by . . . soccer mania?
You'd better believe it.
The sport that has yet to (and probably never will) find a niche in the American sporting world has kicked its way into Gonzaga's collective consciousness. The sport that David Beckham failed to make relevant in America suddenly means something to the Bulldogs' fans. The sport that a typical fan might call slow-paced, boring and uneventful now has an entire campus on the edge of their seats for more.
And the craziest thing of all? You can't help but get wrapped up in the fun and excitement of it all. Soccer is finally fun.
The crowds. The noise. The overwhelming enthusiasm. As of a few weeks ago this would seem highly uncommon at a Bulldog soccer game. Suddenly, the place is rocking like an outdoor Kennel.
Last Friday at Martin Field featured perhaps the largest, loudest crowd seen at a soccer game in years, with attendence exceeding 1,000 for the game against Washington (the last matchup with the Huskies in 2005 brought out only 525 fans). Now compare that to last year, when the Zags averaged 411 fans per game. To put it lightly, people are taking notice.
Big wins can do that for a team. In about a two-week span, the Bulldog men have brought soccer to the forefront of the Gonzaga sports scene. First came the improbable shutout of defending national champions and then No. 1-ranked UC Santa Barbara. A few days later, the Zags finally defeated Washington, then ranked No. 12, after 26 years of frustration.The end result: a No. 12 ranking in the Soccer America polls, a No. 21 ranking by College Soccer News, and a new legion of fans living and dying by every corner kick.
Of course, with the ensuing popularity, the question needs to be asked: Is this newfound support due to fans recognizing and applauding excellent play, or is this all just a case of people hitching a ride on the bandwagon?
It certainly wouldn't be crazy to consider the latter. The surge in popularity is remarkable for a sport that has struggled to gain a large following the past several years. Wins over powerhouse teams tend to bring out the bandwagon jumpers, and the true test of the fans' faith will be whether they'll still stick around even if the team hits a wall.
But despite the skeptic in me, it seems that Gonzaga soccer's recent popularity is genuine; a pure, if almost unprecedented, show of support for a team that deserves every bit of it.
The sport itself, and the attention that the men's team has brought to it, appeals to Gonzaga fans because it has encouraged an all-for-one mentality. As a nationwide sport, soccer fails because it tries to appeal to too wide an audience. But Gonzaga, with its small, close-knit community, has embraced the team and its excellent play. They're our soccer team.
Yes, the concept of embracing soccer may feel as natural as professors referencing rap lyrics, yet with all the Bulldogs' excitement, drama, rousing support and powerful atmosphere, it wouldn't be hard for any sports fan to feel right at home cheering on a team that demonstrates what the bond between a school and its fans should always be like.
Even if that team plays soccer? Hey, there's a first time for everything.
Coming soon!
Alright, so I am actively transfering all of my original columns from SandbergOnSports.com over to this new site right now, so bear with me for a few days while I get this online.
Yes, I already know about Greg Oden. I know, I know, I know. There will be a post on what I have coined "Black Thursday" coming soon, as well as a column by my good friend Alex Kunkle, who believes that too many people are jumping to the "Sam Bowie comparison" too quickly.
Sorry for the lack of posts lately, I will get up and going again soon.
Yes, I already know about Greg Oden. I know, I know, I know. There will be a post on what I have coined "Black Thursday" coming soon, as well as a column by my good friend Alex Kunkle, who believes that too many people are jumping to the "Sam Bowie comparison" too quickly.
Sorry for the lack of posts lately, I will get up and going again soon.
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