COLUMN: Keep storming the court

To storm, or not to storm?

That is the question for which people thought it was their responsibility to voice their opinion after IU upset No. 3 Wisconsin on Tuesday night.

Consider me one of those people.

Should the storming of the court be chalked up as a cathartic release of joy?
Or should IU remember its place in the college basketball pantheon and not subjugate itself to behavior fitting lesser, desperate teams?

My answer: storm, baby, storm.

I loved the court storming, and I was shocked at the vitriol in response on the Twittersphere.

One of my favorites came from ESPN radio host Doug Gottlieb.

He tweeted at 2:46 a.m. after the IU win, “IU rushed the floor versus Wisconsin … seriously IU you got 5 banners up there, get a hold of yourselves”

You’re not going to believe this, but I have some opinions.

First, how can we expect 18-, 19-, 20- and 21-year-old students to make the snap decision of whether this would be considered ‘proper etiquette’?

I remember when I was 21. Well, because I am 21. I can’t make a rational decision about what to eat for dinner.

I cannot blame my peers for being shortsighted, since that is the only vision college students have.

Secondly, a practice as chaotic as storming the court shouldn’t have such strict rules and regulations.

I must have missed the press release on that.

There are no rules on when to storm the court. That is the point. It is a practice of pure pandemonium.

The argument my friend brought up was, “You’d never see a Duke, Kentucky or Kansas do that.”

My response is it shouldn’t matter in the slightest what Duke does when it wins a basketball game.

A program should not look to other programs to determine what is best.

I guarantee none of the students were thinking, “Wait wait wait, guys. What would Lawrence, Kan., do?”

And they shouldn’t. They are different programs with a different set of fan practices.

The argument could be made it hurts the reputation of a basketball institution with such prestige as IU.

I say the contrary.

IU Coach Tom Crean admitted after the game the fans were instrumental in taking down Wisconsin.

“I never take them for granted,” Crean said of the crowd after the game.

The atmosphere Hoosier nation created added more prestige to the program than the so-called “faux pas” of running onto Branch McCracken Court and Snapchatting their buddies.

Seriously, if you were watching that game on ESPN as a prospective college student, I’m sure the thought: “Wow, that Bloomington place sure looks fun,” would go through your mind.

IU fans, you were extremely important in willing your team to victory.

The players will get their quotes in the paper, have their picture plastered all over the city and become household names.

So have your day. Celebrate.

And don’t let people take away what separates college athletics from the professional ranks — pure, unbridled, irrational passion.

Storm the court, order Mother Bears and have a picnic on the hardwood for all I care.
You earned it.

­— ehoopfer@indiana.edu