A FRONT ROW VIEW: Bilsky shines in ticket line

Watching athletic director Steve Bilsky push a shopping cart around the Palestra distributing Pepsi to the several hundred students in line for basketball season tickets at midnight Monday, I kept trying to envision former AD Paul Rubincam in that role. Nope. Somehow, the image just wasn't materializing. It was just last year the athletic department basically refused to acknowledge the existence of any such line. The result was total chaos and a student in the hospital with a mild concussion. Only a year later, myself and more than 200 other hoops fanatics were being fed by the administration in the hallowed halls of the Palestra. "Bilsky, Bilsky, Bilsky," was the chant that echoed throughout the historic gym. Somehow, I had never heard a similar chorus for Rubincam. The 90 pizzas and dozens of cases of soda Bilsky, assistant athletic director Fran Connors and assistant to the athletic director Debbie Newman brought the fanatics six hours before season tickets went on sale was just icing on the cake. Since the unfortunate development of students obtaining inside information regarding season ticket sales last Wednesday, the line process was handled flawlessly by the administration. The initial guidelines were sensible, enabling the most devoted fans to acquire the best of the chairback seats (where they'll be most effective harassing opponents, berating refs, leading cheers and standing between the alumni and Jerome Allen's dunks). Mandating the presence of one representative for every group of four gave fans enough flexibility to go to class and take care of other responsibilities that go along with being a student. Ticket prices even came down from last year. The athletic department effectively utilized University Police and Spectaguards to ensure students' safety while sleeping outside since last Wednesday. In fact, I felt a lot safer wrapped in my sleeping bag on 33rd Street than I do walking around campus at night. Newman, who basically ran the show, stopped by at 4:45 a.m. Thursday morning to make sure there were no problems. When was the last time you saw a University administrator working at that hour? It was a first for me. That effort was outdone only when she brought us breakfast in bed Saturday morning -- several large boxes of Dunkin' Donuts and cases of Snapple. The kindness did not stop there. Coach Fran Dunphy, who deserves enormous credit for putting together a star-studded schedule, was nice enough to invite the Penn faithful into the Palestra to see the 1994-95 Quakers during an intrasquad scrimmage. When the skies opened up Sunday morning, officials lessened serious risk-management liabilities and let the weary campers take shelter in the dry confines of the Palestra. Bilsky raffled off T-shirts autographed by the team and several packets of road-game tickets while Connors entertained the crowd on his megaphone after the pizza party Sunday night. More important than any of these material favors, however, was Bilsky and his staff made it understood student support for Penn basketball was deeply appreciated. Throughout the entire episode, the administration did its best to make what is ultimately a very long and boring process truly safe and enjoyable. The result was an efficient and orderly process. The result was students walking home at dawn Monday who were thrilled not only to have a season ticket to Jerome Allen's dunks and Matt Maloney's treys, but to have an administration that actually appreciates them. The result will be the loudest Palestra and best season for Penn basketball in recent memory. If you don't have season tickets yet, get them. Basketball fan or not, Penn basketball in a sold-out Palestra will be one of the greatest events you will witness in your college careers. It's not a basketball thing. It's a people thing. It's a Philadelphia thing. It's a Penn thing. Jed Walentas is a College junior from New York City and a sports writer for The Daily Pennsylvanian.