An Ode to the Red and Blue Crew seniors

I was just forwarded this email that went out the Red and Blue Crew, which seems to be a fitting end to their careers as leaders in Penn basketball fandom. It's signed by "Magnum" and as you'll see, the author's contempt for Glen Miller is more than obvious. Enjoy:

Winning Isn't The Only Thing Ode to the RBC seniors
Four-year home record: 23-31 (.425) Four-year Big 5 record: 1-11 (.083)

By any statistical measure, we've seen the most depressing four years at the Palestra since our hallowed gym opened. This observation is an obvious one to any senior over 54 home games, and goes far beyond a crappy W-L record (or a shitty coach who drove the team into the ground). Player transfers, coaching upheavals, a student section on life support, and paltry attendance at home all happened under our watch. At almost any other mid-major, this general apathy wouldn't be taken so seriously. But this is Penn. We expected greatness (or at least competence) when we first set foot in the Palestra as freshmen, and assumed the championships would come just as easily as they had for every other class. That didn't happen and the reasons for which are more plentiful than students at the Palestra on a Friday night game against Columbia.

Glen Miller, three sick Cornell teams, recruits not panning out, Glen Miller, tons of players leaving, missed Cam Lewis dunks, Glen Miller, an unfortunate rash of injuries, Glen Miller, heartwrenching OT losses this season, Glen Miller...

However, we will enter the Palestra one final time as RBC leaders with our spirits (somewhat) high, enjoying the end of our fourth Penn basketball season. In spite of all the losing and negativity, the seniors have discovered a unique feeling of camaraderie in agony and anticipation that sets us apart from every Red and Blue Crew that has come before us. From our first game against Drexel, to the ESPN game against UNC, to the times when it was just 10 people in the student section against the Dartmouths and Browns, to the RBC revival this season...we've seen all the adversity the team went through and are closer to the players and more passionate fans for it. No front-running Penn fan of the championship years can claim that bond.

We will celebrate our senior players tonight, and they deserve it. Jack, Conor, Andreas, and maybe Darren should not be discouraged over a lack of Ivy banners in the careers. We will remember them as strong leaders who pulled the team out of a horrible season and put them on track to contend next season.

But we should also celebrate everything that we have done for the Palestra over four years. There was a leadership vacuum in the Red and Blue Crew after freshman year, and we jumped in to rapidly transform and rebuild our student section. First, it was a risky (and ultimately "successful") FGM blog that paradoxically led to us getting a voice in Penn Athletics. Then, it was our willingness to make rollouts when no one else would (they got much better this year, btw). Most importantly, it was the amount of time and energy we put into bring the rest of campus back into the Palestra. It was a very difficult responsibility, and much work remains for our returning leaders. But I thank all of the seniors who volunteered to help create change, not expecting any recognition or compensation.

So let's enjoy one final game tonight! While we would have loved to win in our four years, maybe what we did off the court for the Red and Blue Crew has made our Palestra experience that much more memorable. I leave you with a line I found on an ESPN.com soccer article, but is eloquently applicable to our four years in the Palestra.

"There's a certain charm to supporting a minnow, dreaming of glory and relishing the cohesion among fellow supporters fostered by the collective agony of waiting for that utopia."

Fight on, Magnum

P.S. Thanks to Pete for introducing me to Penn basketball freshman year.