COLUMN: flight of the toliet paper could have cost Aggies the game
I’ve been watching college basketball for nearly 20 years, and in that time I’ve seen some pretty stupid things.
I’ve seen people run out on the floor in the middle of a game and break-dance; cheerleaders drop other cheerleaders; fans throw ice at the opposing team’s fans; coaches throw chairs on the floor – I thought I’d seen it all until Saturday night. That’s when stupidity reached a new height.
The atmosphere in the Spectrum was intense. The sell out crowd of 10,270 was primed for the game, knowing a victory over BYU would leave Utah State University alone on top of the Utah basketball world. After all, USU waltzed into Salt Lake City and beat the University of Utah on their home floor on Nov. 23.
Beyond BYU, who was left to challenge the Aggies for Utah supremacy? Weber State? Southern Utah? The Jazz? Pah-lease.
Saturday night’s game was for the title; the players knew it, and the fans knew it, and they were feeding off each other.
The Spectrum was alive, and the excitement continued to build through warm-ups and up to the opening tip-off, which USU controlled. The Aggies passed the ball in down low to Desmond Penigar, who hit a five-foot turnaround jump shot for the early lead.
That’s when it happened.
That was the point in the game when I saw one of the most stupid, idiotic things I’ve ever seen. I watched in disbelief as roll after roll of toilet paper sailed through the air, unraveling as they descended and bounced across the court.
The game was stopped as players and officials began to cleanup the mess.
USU Head Coach Stew Morrill was livid, yelling in the direction from where the toilet paper came and holding his arms above his head as if to ask, “What in the *#@# are you doing? Have you ever heard of a technical foul?”
The referees disposed of the toilet paper, and just as Morrill prophesied, called a technical foul against USU.
BYU hit the two free throws, then scored on the resulting possession to take a two-point lead.
Not only had the opening basket been erased, but the Cougars had the lead. I’ve never seen fans do something so inconceivably stupid. I know there are some fans – especially the guilt-ridden fans that actually threw the rolls of toilet paper on the floor – who probably think I’m blowing this out of proportion. It eases their conscience to pass this column off as sensational journalism.
After all, the Aggies did win, right? No harm, no foul – get over it Hobson.
I wish I were blowing it out of proportion. The truth, however, is that the flight of the toilet paper almost cost USU the game. The Aggies nailed a clutch shot to tie the game with roughly 30 seconds left in regulation, then watched as the Cougars’ final, would-be-game-winning shot rolled around the rim before sliding off and sending the game into overtime.
The cold, harsh reality is that the technical foul sent the game into overtime. Had everything else played out the same, USU would have won in regulation by two points.
However, thanks to the toilet paper party, the Aggies were lucky to force overtime.
The effect the toilet paper had on the game is even bigger than two points. The entire game might have been different had BYU not taken the lead on the technical foul. The Cougars might have been a little more uptight on their first possession, knowing they were already behind. USU, feeding off the energy of the crowd, might have pressured BYU into a turnover, after which the Aggies might have scored again, widening their lead.
Yes, this is all speculation, but it’s not far-fetched speculation. The game could easily have developed this way, one good play after another. The more the momentum builds, the harder it is for the visiting team to make the defensive stops and hit the clutch shots.
But Penigar’s opening basket was virtually erased by the technical foul, and the momentum USU gained by scoring first was sucked from the ship’s sails.
BYU inbounded the ball, pressure free, and hit a mid-ranged jumpshot to take the lead.
“OK, so BYU led early. So what? USU took the lead back later on, right? So what’s the big deal?” you ask.
Some basketball players will tell you it takes more energy to play from behind because it’s mentally draining. You’re constantly trying to take the lead, while trying not to fall too far behind in the process.
Eventually, you begin battling a third opponent: The clock. If you maintain a lead the whole game, however, the only thing you have to worry about is executing. It’s easier to play your own game because, in essence, you’re in control. You have fewer things to worry about. The clock becomes your friend rather than your enemy. If something doesn’t go your way, it’s OK because you are ahead, and that lead is a cushion. It allows for a bad call or a botched play here and there.
When you’re constantly trailing, you don’t have that cushion, and it wears you out both mentally and physically.
Maybe had the Aggies trailed most of the game, they would have had the energy to close it out in regulation.
Who knows?
In fairness to 10,265 of the fans at the game, they were incredible. I’ve never heard the Spectrum that loud. It was quite the sight. However, the four or five idiots that threw the toilet paper on the floor nearly ruined the night for everyone.
Luckily, the worst thing to come from it was that a new height of stupidity was established.
Until Saturday night, University of Idaho fans were by far the stupidest fans I’ve ever seen. The toilet paper-heaving Aggie fans may have stolen that title now.
Casey Hobson is a senior majoring in journalism Comments can be sent to hobsonhut@hotmail.com