When I came to UCLA last fall, an all-too-fresh Stanford reject, I was almost a complete novice in the realm of UCLA athletics ““ and what a novice indeed, at one of the (if not the most) premier athletic universities in the country.
I was, however, not entirely unfamiliar with collegiate sports, having developed at least a peripheral awareness of the triumphs and turkeys of athletics in the Pac-10, albeit for the wrong team.
Largely as a result of this boyish naivete and what was then a genuine disgust for the school that had found me to be less than acceptable, I was perhaps one of the easiest commits UCLA ever secured.
Watching Stanford fall 31-0 from the Den in the Rose Bowl was the first step toward settling the grudge, and my official deflowering as a Bruin fan.
Now, with the divine gift of season home-game basketball tickets ““ for such a bestowal, especially from the Central Ticket Office, is surely worthy of nothing less than deification ““ I find myself amid the ranks of the greatest fan assembly in the nation.
As far as allegiance goes, camping out for admittance to the Den (if not the riotous experience in the student section during games) is easily the epitome of UCLA fandom.
In only a few other circumstances will one find a more complete cross-section of the UCLA student population.
Den faithful can be found in every demographic at UCLA, as the passion for university athletics transcends all political, ethnic, religious and otherwise socially constructed barriers.
Though perhaps tainted by the relatively recent arrival of distractions, including “Guitar Hero” and fans who can hardly sever themselves from their Facebook accounts for the hours they spend beneath the eaves of Pauley, the Den tent city is perhaps the most pure, unadulterated collegiate atmosphere a UCLA student can experience.
With a student population of a size that easily lends itself to anonymity and impersonality, the Den is truly a gem at UCLA.
Let’s not split hairs here. In the grand scheme of things, there are scores of other things that UCLA students would better spend their time doing, not the least of which is spending a bit more time with their books.
But the Den’s importance transcends even these elements of our lives.
It prevails as one of an ever-decreasing number of sanctuaries from the troubles of academic, social or any of other the capacities of our lives.
If there is a single criticism that can be applied to the student fan denizens, it is that campouts tend to only include those students who have been blessed with tickets for the game in question.
All Bruins, young and old, smiled upon by CTO or not, should indulge themselves and take part in one of our campus’s finest traditions.
Come to Pauley just to hang out, if not to fuel the flames of pride.
Fellow dorm dwellers, bring us down some pizza and “refreshments.”
Above all, make this Saturday’s game a priority, and embrace the fact that ““ however haphazardly, as is my case ““ you are a part of one of the most seductive sports rivalries in collegiate athletics.
And until next time, so long chiefs.
E-mail Weiss at wweiss@media.ucla.edu if and only if you’ll be bringing him pizza and “refreshments” tonight.