There has been a phenomena following the ETSU Bucs men’s basketball team where ever they go. Buc Wild fans.
The Buc Wild fans cheered so loudly at Clemson in December that Tigers fans started yelling obscenities and hillbilly slang at the Buc faithful.
Once again at Furman last week, Buc Wild fans turned out largely for the game. Just a note – at all of the away games I have covered, the home crowd is astonished by the presence of such a large contingency of ETSU fans traveling with the team.
As the Bucs were battling it out for a Southern Conference win in Greenville last week, winning with only with 3 seconds remaining, constant fan support kept them in the game.
Fan support is a huge part of any sports team, basketball or otherwise.
Fans take a faithful leap to support a team of players. For instance, Joe or Jane fan has no idea that their favorite right fielder gambles on his own team. They may not even know that their favorite player may frequent strip joints – which certain professional athletes are known to do.
Pete Rose, who is now defining the Clintonian-era tactics of lying that has finally trickled down to the sports world, is trying to appeal to the public and baseball commissioner, Bud Selig to reinstate him in Major League Baseball.
Rose refuses to apologize to fans for his gambling, which he has not come totally clean about. But the worst part is that Rose will not say he’s sorry. He has explained his naughty behavior as a thing that everybody does.
Not everybody bets on the team they manage and play for. Not everybody gets a second chance as Rose has been given and blown it yet again.
I was a supporter of Rose until he refused to totally come clean with the public and commissioner.
A simple sorry goes a long way.
Rose should not be reinstated to baseball.
As for his hall of fame chances, give him a third chance another 10 years down the road and if he again fails to come through, bar him from the hall of fame.
The fans are the real losers. Anytime fans get a chance to rejoice one of their own being inducted into the hall of fame or winning an NCAA championship or so on, it’s a wonderful community building exercise.
Fans come together. If you do not believe that just, look at the Washington, D.C., area after Joe Gibbs was given the helm of the Redskins.
Baseball fans are giving the nation another lesson and their message is loud and clear. What happens between a baseball player and his bookie is the business of the American people.

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