Athletic apathy

On Sept. 1, the Mountaineers of Appalachian State, a small Football Championship Subdivision (formerly named “Division I-AA”) school, made football history by beating the fifth-ranked Michigan Wolverines on their own field. The upset sent shockwaves through the sports community, as it gave sudden credence to the abilities of these lesser-known athletes. Even Ohio State got into the mix, buying up Appalachian State gear to demonstrate deep-seated contempt for the Wolverines.\nBut the ultimate praise for Appalachian State came on Sept. 6, when The Associated Press amended its policy and made Division I-AA schools eligible for its 71-year-old poll. Then, just as quickly as everyone jumped on the bandwagon, the boys from Boone, N.C., were forgotten. \nAppalachian State did not beat Michigan by some fluke. The Mountaineers spread out the field on offense and slashed open holes in a slow Michigan defense. Appalachian State was simply more athletic. Even when Michigan had the opportunity to win on a last-second field goal, a Mountaineer defender blocked the kick. \nBut few are aware that just three weeks after its historic upset, Appalachian State was upset by perennial Southern Conference rival, the Wofford Terriers. Where was a gold star for the Terriers?\nThen a month after having their 17-game winning streak snapped by Wofford, the Mountaineers lost to another conference opponent – this time, to Georgia Southern. This past weekend, Georgia Southern defeated Wofford 38-35, giving the Eagles a victory, which safely put the Eagles in the driver’s seat of the Southern conference.\nHow quickly we praise the Appalachian States and forget the Georgia Southerns of the college sports world. It just goes to show that we don’t mind the occasional media distraction, but we prefer to then slip back into our old habits.\nTony Romo, Terrell Owens, Steve McNair, Michael Strahan and Jerry Rice are all players, past and present, who came from Division I-AA schools. They have all had a significant impact on the NFL, not only as competent athletes but as Pro Bowl players.\nThese men never won a BCS national championship or appeared in any major collegiate bowl game. But they did go to smaller schools where they surely garnered attention they would have never received at a school like IU.\nI believe teams such as Appalachian State, Wofford and George Southern have shown us that it’s time to stop ignoring the talent at lesser-known programs around the country and in our own backyard. There are numerous teams on our campus that do not receive nearly enough respect. \nVarsity sports like baseball and soccer, or club sports like rugby and hockey, compete every day without getting nearly the attention given to the basketball or football teams. There is something about the student athlete that everyone should appreciate in every game, not just those broadcast on television.\nSo grab a friend and catch a game, because the real shame is spending four years at college and never venturing beyond your apartment, the bars or the lecture hall.