College sports' fans stand out from the crowd, so to speak, in their passion for the team and willingness to travel great distances in support of that team, and consume their lives knowing the high school stats of a junior tailback in North Dakota, who may or may not go to their school someday. And if you look around in the students' section of most college games, you can see spectators dressed extravagantly and borderline loony. The leprechaun isn't the only mascot that Notre Dame basketball has. Many have seen him, but few understand the simple brilliance until getting a closer look. Right in front of Notre Dame's biggest games this season has been "the box." That blob of white down in the first row next to the center aisle is not a marshmallow but one crazy fan.
Willing to camp out sometimes 12 hours before game time for the coveted seat, "the box" garners a bad rap from the security staff worried about the younger audience. (Mind you, "the box" is short for the Halloween costume "box of wine" which comes complete with a spigot.) They fear that small children will think of the spigot as a phallic symbol. And although it is important to protect our children, honestly, how many kids are old enough to know what it symbolizes, but young enough to still be offended? With the costume turned inside out, people only see a foam blob or as one ESPN commentator recently called him, "the bubble boy."
"The box" must be set free and allowed to be worn in good harmless fun. There are three Irish home games remaining and in order to keep the streak alive and keep the Leprechaun Legion as great as it is, let the box live.
Jim Young
freshman
Keough Hall
Jan. 30
