What rules constitute rushing the court? I think there are several factors that go into it. This past Sunflower Showdown, I was one of thousands of people who rushed the court.
Initially, I scoffed at the idea. But then, it hit me: this is only the second time we have beaten these knuckleheads in the past 25 years at home. Do you realize the last time we beat KU in Manhattan before the Beasley-Walker year, Bramlage Coliseum wasn’t even constructed and we were just thoughts in our parent’s heads? It was more than appropriate to rush the court and sing our Alma Matter with Jacob Pullen, Frank Martin and the rest of the basketball organization. It was a rare special moment and a breath of fresh air into what has been a frustrating season for all publics involved. However, this could be a major turning moment into the season and it all started with us storming the court.
I think that there are certain rules that we must abide by before storming the bleachers, but if all circumstances are met, then by all means, rush down into the Octagon and trample the weak ones in front of you.
Rule 1: You have to be underdogs. Pretty obvious and rudimentary, but it has be known you can’t storm the court if a cross-state rival is beaten and you are better or equal to them. K-State was four-and-a-half point underdogs to KU in the Vegas spread, and suffice to say, we won some purple gamblers a little dough. I know many readers will say “Duh,” but I encourage you to keep reading. You have to state the basic stuff first for the readers who don’t understand the “duh” knowledge in sports.
Rule 2: You should never rush the court against a conference opponent, unless it is a rival, such as Kansas. Our team sees these opponents every year and as fans we should expect to beat our regular competition. Our goal is to be on top of the conference every year and we need to expect to get Wildcat victories on the reg. This is the new culture K-State basketball has adopted and it is staying. Also, it is a sign of weakness. This is showing the world that our student body did not expect to win the game and we literally could not stay on the edge of our seats.
Rule 3: Never rush if you are ranked, simple as that. And do not rush unless the opponent you have beaten is in the top five. Maybe even only the top three.
Rule 4: It can not be a pre-planned event. For example, last Monday was the end result of an accumulation of frustration since we bested KU last time and it was to be a spur of the moment rush of adrenaline down courtside. But this has to be saved as a one time a season event, if that. Going back to the winning culture we’ve established and are keeping in the Little Apple, we need to keep rushes minimal.
Rule 5: If by an “Act of God” we win, then rushing is necessary. By “Act of God,” I mean a no-look spin-around three in the last second to win in double overtime, or a half-court shot off the backboard and off the ref’s head and nothing but net to win the game. That is rushing the court material.
Finally, if you have gone 0 or 1 and (fill in the blank for an extended period of time) against an opponent and secure a win, then dash out there and jump around like a fool. It is your time and it doesn’t come often. It was good to rush the court last Monday. In these times of economic uncertainty, it was an excellent way to stimulate sales in Aggieville. The Aggieville chant on the way out was almost as bone chilling as the final score.
Daniel Stewart is a senior in mass communications and journalism. Please send comments to opinion@spub.ksu.edu.