COLUMN: For the Red and the Who?

"Upon further review.""Upon further review."Marc Edelman, Commentary Nevertheless, it was the alumni at homecoming, and not the undergraduates, who cheered loudest for the Quakers with their enthusiasm and knowledge of fight songs. The resurgence of Penn football this season couldn't have come at a more vital time, as the recent championship draught, coupled with last season's off-the-field incidents, has stripped the University of its school spirit. A 1998 championship banner, however, would perform wonders in reverting Franklin Field back to its festive 1994 ambience. It may even raise attendance back above the Saturday afternoon attendance at Van Pelt Library. This is something the school dearly needs. As the Quakers rolled over Yale 34-21 in Saturday's Homecoming affair, the alumni four times rejoiced in the Battle Hymn of the Republic, partying like it was again 1994. Most current Penn students, however, watched cluelessly, unsure who was hung from that 'sour apple tree.' Like University President Judith Rodin, many arrived at Franklin Field late and left long before the final seconds ticked off the clock. Any advice to them, maybe? No. Giddy-up. There's really only one reason why today's Penn students aren't enthusiastic. Its human nature to only support winners. This mentality is true for students at Penn and Penn State, University of Miami and Miami of Ohio, Indiana University in Pennsylvania and well, the University of Indiana in Indiana. While the graduating classes of the early 1990s made the weekly trek to Franklin Field to cheer on the almost automatic Penn victory, performance has proved the leading excuse for the recent apathy. The Franklin Field turnstiles flipped 10,203 times for the October 2, 1995 non-conference game against Bucknell -- the game in which Jeremiah Greathouse split the uprights from 41-yards out with 27 seconds left to give Penn a 20-19 victory. The attendance figure -- seemingly staggering in light of the just 5,309 fans who showed up to watch non-Ivy Richmond in Penn's 1998 home opener -- ran so high with good reason. The Quakers' victory marked Penn's 24th in a row, a Division I-AA record. After that October 2 win, however, the dominating brand of Penn football lay dormant. No current Penn undergraduate -- save perhaps the anomaly of a fifth-year senior -- has ever had the beautifully savage experience of tearing down a college goal post. Hence, only a few current students remember that spirit which disappeared from Franklin Field in late 1995. "I just remember the crowd from our first home games freshman year, and everyone was louder and excited," Penn senior Marty Hrivnak said, who painted his face red and blue for the game. "Everyone was into cheering at the game. Now it's a section of about eight. We wanted to bring back that enthusiasm." Most students don't associate themselves with the 1990's nostalgia, as the current population of PennCard-holders were in junior high when the team last won. Instead, what is widely recognized is the 180 degree turnaround from 1995-97 that we have witnessed -- one that has seen a downfall both on and off the turf. After that historic win over the Bison, the Quakers fell on October 9 in Columbia, 24-14, to end college football's longest win streak. A follow-up loss to William & Mary indicated that the magic indeed left when running back Terrance Stokes earned his 1994 diploma. Homecoming's 22-9 defeat to Princeton symbolized the end of an era -- a changing of the guard both on the field and in the stands. The following two seasons did little to invigorate enthusiasm, as the Quakers lost week-one games to Dartmouth in consecutive years. Last season, the fan base dwindled further, as many became disillusioned by incidents off the field involving then-senior Mitch Marrow. But now, however, Penn football has reclaimed control of its destiny, and if they win two straight -- over Princeton and Harvard -- there will once again be a banner raised at Franklin Field. As freshmen in the Class of '99, my classmates and I witnessed the beginning of an end. As seniors this Fall, however, we have the opportunity to help build a new beginning.