COLUMN: USU fans admire opponent’s air and hair
Utah State basketball fans are hair savvy. Especially the ones that sit in the first five rows of the student section.
They are ruthless. They like to pick one or two players from the opposing team having a bad hair day and heckle them all game long. And most importantly – they have fun doing it.
Last year one of their favorite targets was balding University of Pacific guard Clay McKnight. Practically every time he touched the ball chants of “Rogaine! Rogaine!” commenced.
Hair isn’t the only reason USU fans unload on opposing players, however. Earlier this season University of Utah guard Kevin Bradley became public enemy No. 1 after elbowing USU guard Tony Brown to the floor only four minutes into the game, and Aggie fans let him know how they felt about him. Bradley got possession of the ball- right on cue, the boos began. The sphere left his hands-the booing stopped, as if it had been cut off by the wand of a choir director.
The game against UC Riverside on Tuesday night was probably extra special for a few front-row hair-style-conscious Spectrum spectators. Two Highlander players were just TOO easy to make fun of – just because of their dreadful ‘dos.
Freshman UC Riverside forward Jake Dederer (No. 42, for all of you who didn’t have a roster) drew immediate comparison to Chevy Chase’s character in the 1984 comedy classic, “Fletch,” once fans saw his astounding afro.
When Dederer entered the lineup for the first time, a classic line from the film was heard from one front-row fan – “6′-5″, 6′-9″ with the afro.”
Actually, Dederer stands at 6-foot-11, according to the UCR media guide. Or maybe 7-foot-2 with the extra-poofy strands on his noggin.
“How long does it take you to do your hair in the morning?” one fan asked as Dederer inbounded a pass right in front of the student section.
At first Dederer’s performance was as laughable as his hair. He airballed two straight 3-pointers, which fed more fuel to the fans’ fodder.
You’d think when he finally drilled a 3-pointer, the crowd would be silenced, but that wasn’t the case. The shot received approving applause. It’s not often that USU fans cheer an opposing player. But if there is any player on this earth that deserved it, it was Dederer.
UCR teammate Mark Vanta was the butt of some USU fan jokes, but to a lesser degree than Dederer. Vanta drew comparisons to Bill Walton, with his long hair and white headband. Come to find out, it’s not Walton that Vanta admires most in basketball. Instead, it’s Larry Bird. Without the headband, Vanta’s hair would look similar to Bird’s – that is, Bird’s hair when he was playing with the Boston Celtics in the mid-’80s.
Ironically, it seems Vanta is a big fan of the actor who played Dederer’s should-be mentor. One of Vanta’s favorite movies is “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” a 1989 Chase comedy.
It’s unfortunate for USU fans that “V-train” (his nickname listed in the media guide) won’t make any more appearances in Logan after the Highlanders become members of the Big West next season. However, USU fans need not fear – Dederer will likely make three more trips to the Spectrum. And hopefully next year will be twice the fun.
If he keeps growing that Afro, maybe he’ll be listed at 7-foot-3 next year.
Reuben Wadsworth is the assistant sports editor of the Statesman. He welcomes comments at reubwads@cc.usu.edu