Welcome Freshmen FAQ!

Unpack some school spirit while you're at it!

The class of 2011 has arrived on campus for the beginning of freshmen/first-year/whatever orientation. While the advisers and r.a.'s will probably be filling those kids' heads with lots of borderline information, I believe it's my job to let them all know about the football situation here at Columbia.

First off, I shouldn't start by treating you like children. So the "Roar Lions FAQ Part 1" I wrote up earlier this summer for all Columbia students, fans and alumni is worth reading.

And for a look at how a fictional member of the class of 2010 reacted to his first encounters with the football team last year check these three links:

The Freshman and the Old Alum part 1

The Freshman and the Old Alum part 2

The Freshman and the Old Alum part 3


But you're the class of 2011 dammit, so you deserve some special attention of your own. Here's your custom-made class 2011 Columbia Football FAQ!

1) Wait, Columbia has a football team?

Damn straight. Columbia was the 3rd college in America to play football, beginning in 1870. With the exception of a 10-year ban from 1905-15, it's been played here ever since.



Aerial view of Columbia's old football field, right on the middle of campus, (circa 1920)


2) But where's the football stadium? I spent two hours last night wandering around the east side of campus looking for it until someone told me I was in a place called Morningside Park.

Wow, you're a brave soul. Anyway, the Lions play at Wien Stadium about 100 blocks north of campus at the Baker Field athletic complex. It's a beautiful spot and since you don't have a car, its one drawback, (lack of sufficient parking), is not your problem.

The best way to get to the games from campus is to take the #1 UPTOWN train to 215th street and then walk three blocks to Wien. Before you start whining about the trip, (you should leave about 35 minutes or so to get there), let me let you in on an little secret: the subway is your friend. You will NOT enjoy your four years at CU if you don't start getting used to using the subway early and often. There is no better way to get around this city, NONE. Yes, it would be nice to walk to the games at a spot right on campus, but it can also be fun to get out of the Morningside Heights neighborhood once in a awhile.



This is where we roll now (CREDIT: CU Athletics)


3) Um, I heard the team is really bad... like the Chicago Cubs of the Ivy League. Is that true?

The last 40 years have been mostly bad for this proud college team. After giving the sports world some of its greatest stars like Lou Gehrig and Sid Luckman, Columbia started to become a consistent loser in the mid-1960's. Our last winning season was in 1996 when the team went 8-2, and our last Ivy League title was in 1961.

But before that the Lions actually won the Rose Bowl in January 1934, and ended Army's then-record winning streak with a huge win at Baker Field in 1947. More recently, the Lions have boasted some great individual stars, like former NFL All-Pro Marcellus Wiley.

But count yourselves as lucky, last year's very young Lion team went 5-5 and is obviously on the rise. You got here at the right time, perhaps the best time in two generations, if you want to see a team that can win consistently.


4)I'm a big sports fan, isn't Ivy League football going to look like high school to me?

Not even close. All the Ivy football teams use a much more sophisticated system than anything you saw in high school. Columbia in particular uses intricate and innovative formations on offense and defense. Football experts who watch Ivy football for the first time are always amazed by how professional the games look.

The contests are also exciting. Most Ivy games are close and filled with big plays. And each Ivy team has at least one player in the NFL right now, so there's likely to be 2-3 future pros on the field at any time. Is it Ohio St.-Michigan? No, but it is great football no matter how you slice it.


5) But I think football is a sexist, warlike exercise that helps to oppress the indigenous people of New Guinea.

Congratulations, you are already irrelevant at age 18. Do yourself a favor and get deprogrammed as soon as possible, otherwise you could end up working for the UN.... or worse, Brown University.

6) What else is there to do at the games?

There's a quirky, funny band that's worth listening to from time to time, (depending on how original they're going to be with their humor and whether they use their wit to support the team instead of bash it). And the cheerleaders are great too. Basically, being at the games is a great way to enjoy some time outdoors sans laptops, books, and all the other stuffy stuff that will be your life for the next four years and beyond.

7) Oh yeah, who the Hell are you?

I'm a class of '92 alum which means I am positively ancient at age 36, (I was a freshman the year you were born). When I came to campus, the Lions were in the midst of a 44-game losing streak that they finally ended at my first homecoming against Princeton. I've been a huge fan of the team since I first stepped foot at CU, and it's been a lot of fun despite the lack of championships. Of course, I expect that drought will end sometime soon.

I'm also going to be doing the color commentary on the radio broadcasts of the games that I suggest you tune into when the Lions are on the road, (when we're at home, just come to the games, okay?).


8) Who plays on the team, a bunch of dumb jocks?

Hmm... I guess when you went to the sensitivity training that taught you how to not be sexist, racist, homophobic, etc. they somehow forgot to tell you to not be prejudiced against athletes. I'm SHOCKED, SHOCKED! Seriously, the football players are all excellent students, a good number of whom could have been accepted to CU even without athletics. Don't listen to ANYONE on campus who tells you otherwise or tells you to look down on anyone before you get the facts yourself. This should be obvious on what's supposed to be such a diverse and inclusive campus, but you'll soon learn that everyone has the potential to be bigoted. Be unique and buck that trend now!


9) Okay, I'm sold. When's the first game?

The first game is a mere 19 days from now, September 15th at Fordham at 6pm. I'll have tips on how to get to Fordham from campus a little closer to game night, but there may be a shuttle bus provided by the University as well. This is a special game because it's for the Liberty Cup, a trophy that was made in 2002 to remember the victims of 9/11 from both Columbia and Fordham, (and there were quite a few, I'm sorry to say). Columbia has won three of the five Liberty Cup games so far, including the last two.


10) Are we going to win some more games this year?

I think so, and you can actually help make that happen by showing up to the games and supporting the team on campus as well. The players have been working hard all offseason and they deserve your appreciation.