Support for Ohio athletics runs deeper than the overt passion and excitement students display - alumni and parents add balance to the boisterous Bobcat backers, attending events ranging anywhere from club hockey to football.
The comical chants and flag-bearing jaunts of Gang Green, the student section at Ohio hockey games, might attract attention, but they are not alone in Bird Arena. The assist in crowd participation in last weekend's set against Iowa State went to the non-student portion of the crowd.
As a former Bobcat hockey player, Athens resident Brian Walker said his interest is limited to the sport.
As far as OU athletics go
I don't follow them much except hockey to be honest with you Walker said. I just love the sport. I played it since I was young
and as a matter of fact
I played it while I was going to school here ... It's the speed of it.
He remembers when the glass surrounding the ice was a much more obtrusive chain-link fence and said he is pleased with the improvements made to the rink since his graduation.
I think the facilities are run excellent for what they got
Walker said. I would like to see upscale ... see OU put some money into it
but it's a club sport
so I don't think they will.
Dave Anderson was also at the Iowa State game but as a much more casual fan.
My wife and I are visiting our son
Anderson said. We decided to see a hockey game because my son and I have never seen a hockey game. My wife went to Bowling Green
so she's seen a lot of hockey.
The speed and basically just the buzz in the arena are what stood out to Anderson and his son, he said. He added that he was impressed with Bird Arena.
The facilities are nice
Anderson said. It's a lot of fun. I'd come again.
The hockey team successes are a big draw, but other sports attract attention, too, especially after the buzz generated by Frank Solich and this year's football team.
People are jumping on the Bobcat bandwagon, but there are some die-hard fans out there that have supported the football team through the good times and the bad times.
George Ayers played football for the Bobcats years ago, and his allegiance hasn't waned.
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