Letter to the Ozarks

            I would like to give College of the Ozarks fans my highest regard. Their showing for the women’s basketball tournament in Sioux City, Iowa was the most spirited and committed I have ever seen.  Watching the Bobcats in the first two rounds was some of the best entertainment at the tournament, outside of my own Mountaineers that I had come from Eastern Oregon to see.  The College of the Ozarks versus Briar Cliff was the most compelling matchup of the second round and, being from Missouri originally, I had decided to cheer the Bobcats to victory.  

            Bobcat spirit was noticeable everywhere in the arena.  Walking around the concourse looking for an open seat, Bobcat fans were dwarfed in terms of number and color in the arena packed with fans for Briar Cliff, a team local to Sioux City. But as far as voice and tenacity, Section 110 made a much larger impact. CofO brought not only an entire cheering section, but the cheer team and the mascot as well!  Not even Briar Cliff had such impact, and they didn’t have to pack it in for a 10 hour drive.  And all this considering CofO fans didn’t need to go anywhere as the men’s team was making a Cinderella run at the same time back on the homecourt (whose upset over Northwood in the first round I picked in my NAIA brackets, by the way).

            I went into Section 110 and asked to join the fun.  The chants kept coming, consistently and matter of factly.  Not only was the spirit electric, but during the last couple minutes when defeat seemed eminent, the Bobcat crowd still fought to the very last trying to will their team to victory.  The crowd did not stop until the buzzer sounded.  At that time, I told the girl next to me, “Sorry!  You may have lost the game, but you brought the best party.”  I didn’t know if it was particularly consoling, but I found it so the next day when Eastern Oregon lost in the quarterfinals.  We believed we had a better chance than anyone, and the way we lost was particularly heartbreaking, but we had a lot of fans in Iowa as well, so I really thought we put on the better party.

            Your Bobcat spirit was so enthralling, it really helped make the trip worth it.  Special enough that I considered going to Point Lookout for the men’s tournament next year.  Then again, something about overtaking the home crowd in Sioux City seems more important.  I hope to be back next year and, if so, I will return to the Bobcat section wearing marroon, where the fans and the party are as good as it gets.  Thanks for it all!

daniel “kid” yoshida

KEOL, La Grande