Back in 1988 when I was a lowly freshman, I joined “Rally Cats.” It was attempt to meet more people than just engineers. My dorm floor was crawling with them. Engineers aren’t bad, but there is more to life than studying and mathematics. Rally Cats was a student spirit group for the University of Cincinnati (UC) Bearcats. The organization tried to raise support for school athletics which at the time were not that good.
The group would host pre-game events and would get preferential seating at games - although there were plenty of seats to be had. Our basketball team was okay when I started school. Going to those games, blowing plastic big red horns at free throws was a blast.
Football games were a different story. UC was one of a few college schools to actually serve beer at games. It didn’t help. Attendance at the games was pathetic and unfortunately the team didn’t fare any better. I don’t fault the team or the coaches. It’s just that UC has always been a “basketball” school, the home of Oscar Robertson. It also didn’t help that half the stadium was condemned, unsafe to use.
Some students took it upon themselves to force change. They posted a sign over on the condemned half of the stadium during a game. It read something along the lines of “Fire the Football Coach!” The two students happened to be members of the Rally Cats. As a response, the school disbanded Rally Cats. I’m happy to say that Rally Cats was re-started a year or two after and exists today.
Through my college years, the football team continued to sputter. Now, you probably can’t get a ticket to the game. The stadium has been repaired and is no longer condemned. The Football Bearcats may even be more popular than the Reds or the Bengals. In 2008, UC went to the Orange Bowl. As of October 19, 2009, the team is ranked in the top five, but this success is not why I’m proud of my University and its football team. What has me so excited? When I watch them on TV, some of them have Bible references written with marker on their biceps such as John 14:6. What has me so excited? They behave responsibly and honor the game. What has me so excited? The team filled their last roster space with Mitch, a 12 year old boy recovering from a brain tumor. Even as the players and the team grow in notoriety, they never fail to flood Mitch with e-mails, texts, and phone calls of support as he struggles to recover. These college kids are learning to “Lead like Christ.”
Please read about Mitch and UC at Pete Thamel’s BLOG - http://thequad.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/15/cincys-secret-weapon/.
Video of Mitch's Story
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