Baggio
Honors Stephanie 101/201
Prof. Goffman
March 1, 2011
The Luck of the Demons
As I walked into the McGrath Arena alongside my sorority sisters, I was bombarded with
the sea of blue demon fans. As this being only my second DePaul womens basketball game, I
can say that I have never seen almost every seat taken. This sight left me truly elated and
enlightened me because it demonstrated the immense support of the fans for the womens
basketball team, which unfortunately draws a significantly smaller crowd than the mens team. I
can say that I was genuinely proud of the amount of fans and spectators at a womens sporting
event. Being a female athlete myself, I know the frustration that is associated with the lack of
recognition and support.
As I scoped out the audience, the group of twenty to thirty people in obnoxious lime
green shirts appeared minute in when engulfed in a sea of blue. The arena was so densely packed
that some of the fans became picky and technical about the seat number on their tickets, a rare
occurrence from my experience where the majority sits where they please.
The basketball game contained the customary elements such as the pep band, the
cheerleaders, and the dance team, all of which were utilized to motivate not only the players, but
also the fans. However, there were a few extra spins added to the entertainment of the game
which I found quite delectable. For example, the mascot DIBS rode around the court during
halftime and timeouts on a motored bicycle, throwing shirts out to the crowd. Also, there were
men and women from the color guard dressed in their uniforms as they majestically carried the
flags out onto the court in a meticulous marching routine before the national anthem. Finally,
upon first entering the arena, I noticed two reporters and cameras giving commentary regarding
the game. The reporters made another appearance during halftime as well. I felt that these
elements added to the high energy and spirit of the crowd.
Stephanie Baggio
Honors 101/201
Prof. Goffman
March 1, 2011
The energy of the crowd was apparent from the very beginning when the fans rose during
the announcement of the blue demons starting line-up. I believe that this energy contributed to
an astounding three-point shot within the first few seconds the of game scored by the blue
demons. At the heart of the DePaul spirit laid the student section, which demonstrated the true
insanity of the blue demon pride. Distraction tactics included giant cut out heads of the blue
demon players as well as Coach Doug Bruno. This was utilized in attempt to throw off the
opponent on the court while other characteristics of the student section were used to shake up
any Notre Dame fans in the stands such as painted faces and creative chants. I even witnessed
one student wearing a Viking hat who continuously walked amongst the stands, encouraging the
fans to cheer.
This game was synonymous with the term nail-biter in sporting events. Although the
demons came out ahead in the first half, the score reflected tough competition from the fighting
Irish. The point guard, Sam Quigley, dominated the court, setting up the plays as if her
teammates were pawns on a chess board. She and many of her fellow demons scored threepointers left and right. However, vast amount of poor ball handling proved that fundamentals
were the name of the game. This game quickly became a game of being able to take advantage of
the opportunities given at the other teams expense during a turnover. The blue demons fell
behind in the second half, playing a game of catch-up to close the few point gap.
The battle for victory became so enticing and exhilarating that the majority of the crowd
watched the remainder of the game on the feet. At one point during the game, the uproar from the
crowd could have been mistaken for a victory when the blue demons gained a point on Notre
Dame. However, four minutes still remained on the clock. Increasing the stress level of both
teams was the fact that they were in bonus. Both teams struggled with free-throws, however, I
Stephanie Baggio
Honors 101/201
Prof. Goffman
March 1, 2011
felt that DePaul had a better shooting accuracy. In a close game like this, free-throws are critical.
With about five seconds remaining, the blue demons defeat the fighting Irish with a gamewinning basket, producing a final score of 70-69. This strenuous game and relieving victory was
exemplified by the rushing o the crowd onto the court in celebration of the number 11th ranked
DePaul upsetting the number 7th ranked Notre Dame.