Ithaca Journal
March 21, 2009
ITHACA - Ithaca's known for its gorges more than its sports fans. And with Cornell on spring break, not many basketball fans turned out in Ithaca to watch Big Red's game against Missouri.
At the Moakley House on Cornell's campus, fans dribbled in slowly to watch the first round game in the NCAA tournament. The fire roared louder than the crowd. But Cornell kept up with Missouri through the first half and fans were hopeful.
Amy Kohut, the director of the Team and Leadership Center at Cornell, cheered with four other members of the athletic department.
"We've got a fighting chance," she said.
Downtown, Benchwarmers welcomed a larger than usual Friday afternoon crowd.
Nearly every table was filled, but only a smattering of customers wore Cornell's red and white. Not everyone at Benchwarmers came to watch the game.
But Chris Hadley and Javed Singha, both second year business students at Cornell, came out to support their team.
A Wisconsin fan at heart, Hadley picked the University of North Carolina to win his NCAA bracket contest, and didn't pick Cornell to beat the Tigers.
"I'll sacrifice my bracket for a Cornell win," he said.
Singha wanted a Cornell win to prove to ESPN commentators that the Ivy League should be included in the tournament.
"I came out to support Cornell and hope for the upset," Singha said.
But even those guys started to lose interest once the Tigers picked it up. They drank a pitcher of Bud Light and chatted through the game, occasionally taking time out to shout at the television.
"Why do you have to cheat to win," Hadley growled after a Mizzou foul.
The reserved crowd stayed quiet during the second half. But not everyone in the bar felt disappointed.
John Weber and his wife, Joann Bartman, rooted for the Tigers. Weber, an Ithaca College professor, graduated from the University of Missouri and was confident the Tigers would win. He said Cornell fans seemed calm, but that in Columbia, people were probably going crazy.
"I'm disappointed that people aren't more boisterous," Bartman said.
Joe Rundle, a Benchwarmers server, said after the first half, Cornell fans' energy level died down.
"It's nice to see an upset," he said. "They're optimistic. But it's a tough task."
At the sound of the buzzer, when Cornell lost 78-59, there were no upturned tables or tears - not even a collective sigh of disappointment.
Hadley left after the game with his friends, disappointed but not surprised, with his bracket intact.
At the Moakley House on Cornell's campus, fans dribbled in slowly to watch the first round game in the NCAA tournament. The fire roared louder than the crowd. But Cornell kept up with Missouri through the first half and fans were hopeful.
Amy Kohut, the director of the Team and Leadership Center at Cornell, cheered with four other members of the athletic department.
"We've got a fighting chance," she said.
Downtown, Benchwarmers welcomed a larger than usual Friday afternoon crowd.
Nearly every table was filled, but only a smattering of customers wore Cornell's red and white. Not everyone at Benchwarmers came to watch the game.
But Chris Hadley and Javed Singha, both second year business students at Cornell, came out to support their team.
A Wisconsin fan at heart, Hadley picked the University of North Carolina to win his NCAA bracket contest, and didn't pick Cornell to beat the Tigers.
"I'll sacrifice my bracket for a Cornell win," he said.
Singha wanted a Cornell win to prove to ESPN commentators that the Ivy League should be included in the tournament.
"I came out to support Cornell and hope for the upset," Singha said.
But even those guys started to lose interest once the Tigers picked it up. They drank a pitcher of Bud Light and chatted through the game, occasionally taking time out to shout at the television.
"Why do you have to cheat to win," Hadley growled after a Mizzou foul.
The reserved crowd stayed quiet during the second half. But not everyone in the bar felt disappointed.
John Weber and his wife, Joann Bartman, rooted for the Tigers. Weber, an Ithaca College professor, graduated from the University of Missouri and was confident the Tigers would win. He said Cornell fans seemed calm, but that in Columbia, people were probably going crazy.
"I'm disappointed that people aren't more boisterous," Bartman said.
Joe Rundle, a Benchwarmers server, said after the first half, Cornell fans' energy level died down.
"It's nice to see an upset," he said. "They're optimistic. But it's a tough task."
At the sound of the buzzer, when Cornell lost 78-59, there were no upturned tables or tears - not even a collective sigh of disappointment.
Hadley left after the game with his friends, disappointed but not surprised, with his bracket intact.
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