Stop number seven on the HLN Student Section Challenge Tour brought me to the Wolstein Center on the campus of Cleveland State University. The Vikings were looking to repeat their 2009 Championship performance and upset the League's top team in Butler. CSU fell into some early foul trouble and the Bulldogs eventually won, 70-59, to extend the nation's longest winning streak to 15.
I'll be honest, heading into Saturday's game my expectations for the CSU student section were low. Many people I have talked to during this tour would mention Cleveland State as one of the worst in the league. So when 600-plus Viking students showed up I was more surprised than when Peter Griffin passed gas for the first time.
The students had an intense and menacing look going on. A good number of them were sporting ancient Viking helmets, which looked like an army of Leif Ericksons.
Perhaps the most impressive facet from the CSU student section was the support from the swimming and diving team. Not only did they come out for the game, but proved to be the craziest grouping of fans in the entire arena.
One such fan was Berry Thompson (see video below), a freshman sprinter who had painted his body white and look like a character from Apocalypto. Berry was named the student section representative for Cleveland State and is now entered into a drawing to win hotel accommodations and tickets to the 2010 Speedway Horizon League Men's Basketball Championship game.
So to those negative ninnies out there hating on the Viking student section...get a clue because from what I saw on Saturday, CSU just became a major contender for the No. 1 Student Section Trophy.
Quick turnaround this week as the tour travels to Green Bay Tuesday night against none other than Cleveland State.
Stay Crazy, Horizon League!
Remaining Challenge Tour Dates Feb. 16: Cleveland State at Green Bay Feb. 20: Eastern Michigan at Detroit (BracketBuster Game) Feb. 27: Detroit at Youngstown State
