If nothing else, DOCTOR Daryl Gross is an attentive e-mailer. As we've seen in the past, if you really want to get something done in Orangeland, go straight to the source. Gross is happy to answer all of your assumedly good-natured requests, or at least CC the person who can.One intrepid message boarder decided to e-mail the good doctor in regards to amping up the crowd at home basketball games and providing a standing-only section for students that doesn't bother older fans who wish not to spend the entire game on their creaky knees. An excerpt:
i feel there is a need to create a section for the non-student fan that wants to stand and cheer and not be repeatedly be asked to sit down. If there were such a scetion, wheather it be in the first, second or the third tier that it would rub off on the fans seated around them. And they too would stand and cheer for the thing the city of Syracuse is most known for other than snow, SU men's basketball. And it's not about trying to get a closer seat to the court with a better view of the game for a cheaper price. It's about doing what's best for the team and creating a hostile enviroment for the opposing team to play at.Third tier? Eaaaaaasy. Don't go offering hamburger when they're giving you steak. Anyway, Doc Gross forwarded the email on to Senior Associate Athletics Director and Carrier Dome manager Patrick Campbell who responded thusly:
You raise some interesting points in your request for a seating section at basketball games that caters to people who want to stand up the whole game. We have a section like that for football games. We'll discuss this request among our staff and the issues it raises. I won't promise that we'll change anything because of it, but we will discuss it. Thanks for writing.A gesture appreciated, but one I don't know if we'll see come to pass. It's not as though basketball attendance is a huge problem compared to that of football. As far as I'm concerned, if you're in the student section or in the vicinity of a student section, you need to be prepared to stand. Sorry. Dems da breaks.
Of course, Syracuse could unveil the Standing Room Only Squad in Section 304 next season. In that case, the wish will be perversely granted Shyamalan-style...
Photo Credit: WKTV