By Mike Lopez
Senior Staff Writer


While I am pretty sure Polar Bears don’t hibernate, I suggest men’s basketball captain T.J. McLeod seriously consider doing so.

In a February 13th Bowdoin Orient issue, McLeod compared Bowdoin to NESCAC rival Bates, saying “we are a better team.”

On February 21st, Bates beat Bowdoin, 87-52, in the last game of McLeod’s career.

In a February 20th issue, McLeod stated that Bowdoin’s fan base, Polar Bear Nation, was part of the “best fans in the NESCAC.”

On February 21st, despite being on academic break, Bates fans outnumbered Bowdoin’s in a ratio similar to the games’ score.

McLeod’s claims seem surprising considering the games final result, but, surprisingly, I understand the source of his confidence.

For starters, sources from Brunswick indicated Polar Bear Nation was quite the force, having chided Bobcats Rob Stockwell (“Thank You Robert”), Zak Ray (“Sideshow Bob”), and Ramon Garcia (something about his weight, and pizza boxes) during a Feb 7th Polar Bear victory. Additionally, Bates was on winter break on February 21st, so the number of Bobcats supporters likely to attend Saturday’s game would be a small city compared to a vast nation.

As the Bobcats’ biggest fan, I was nervous.

A funny thing happened two Saturday’s ago, however, and my premonitions about the contest went right out the window as the game began. The best fans in the NESCAC showed up on a bus from Lewiston, and I’m not talking about a short bus. Riding shotgun? Bates President Elaine Hansen.

I’m not sure if McLeod, his teammates, and Nation were intimidated by Ms. Hansen, but I certainly wasn’t, particularly as Bates opened up a 45-20 halftime lead.

Here, simply, are my favorite memories from that Saturday’s men’s contest, with an afterthought based on a 51-47 Bowdoin victory in the NESCAC women’s championship one week later.

Gut check time.

Down early in the men’s game, Nation, used to taunting Bobcat first-year ball players, turned to taunting fans. Jeers of “you are fat” echoed throughout the gymnasium. I should take offense, I figured, particularly because the chants were aimed at me. I was additionally given the title “Quasimodo.” So sweet, Nation! Naturally, in response, I showed them my gut and a smile that was just as wide. They had no response- no one ever does. Perhaps, I figured, they realized they were bigger than I was. Or, more likely, they looked at the scoreboard.

“Just Like Football”

Unfortunately, while jeering myself, Nation lost sight (and support, at that) of McLeod and his team. The captain finished 3-13 shooting, not very worthy in itself, but surprisingly a better record than his football team has shown over the past two years (2-14). I made sure to let Nation (population, football team) know this. They, for the record, were still fat.

“We Feel Bad”

This one went over particularly well. I don’t like lying, but I figured some one had to stop the bleeding. So I lied- I didn’t actually feel bad, not in the least; When Zak Ray drained a three to increase the lead to 81-38, it was one of the finest moments of my semester. So I told Nation I felt bad about it all. Sorry, Nation, I guess I lie just like your Captain.

Sign Language

Roundabout the aforementioned trifecta from Ray, Bobcat Nation realized the game was probably in our hands. That could’ve been deduced by simply looking at Bowdoin during lay-up drills, but it was confirmed early in the second half.

As a result, I scampered down the gymnasium staircase, gathered the “Thank you Robert” sign, and held it up the rest of the game. I gave the sign to him after the game. Stockwell himself was already holding a sign stating “Your Welcome,” pointing it towards Nation. He learned his grammar, I figured, from the Bowdoin football team.

On a similar note, I would just like to thank Shawn Kingman for his role in taking down Nation in his own special way, one that can be found permanently hiding in Bates College housing for the rest of time.

“Gap Athletic”

Never has a sweatshirt proved so ironic. Down 61-24, and at the free throw line, Polar Bear T.J. McLeod exhibited a sign of humility, visibly laughing when Bobcat nation sang “T.J.’s mom has got it going on.” Unfortunately for Nation, T.J. took the whole incident a bit better than they did.

Most upset was one gentleman wearing a grey and blue Gap Athletic sweatshirt. That’s cute, I thought, as Bowdoin’s school colors are black and white. He claimed that our comments had crossed the metaphorical ‘line.’

Convenient, I realized, because at that point he was standing three feet over the out of bounds line, on the court, as Stockwell fed Jon Furbush for an easy lay-up and a 63-26 lead, just three seconds after McLeod had been standing at the free throw line. Gap Athletic had no comments on Stockwell or T.J.’s mom, who still, for the record, has it going on.

Bates vs. Bowdoin, part II

Thankfully, the Bowdoin basketball that showed up for this past Sunday’s NESCAC championship game was actually their varsity squad. Unfortunately, it was their women’s team (Imagine their men’s team... Now substitute them with actual basketball players, add some angry fathers, and you have their women’s team).

The Bowdoin women’s team was and is still led by senior star Lora Trenkle. While not having her typical outing in the Polar Bear victory (she shot 2-11), Trenkle did create some sparks the day before the game. While exiting the gymnasium, Trenkle and I engaged in a quick but meaningful “high five,” whereupon I told her I looked forward to seeing her on Sunday.

Perhaps realizing I was patronizing his daughter, an older gentleman, who introduced himself as “Trenkle’s father,” told me I was rude and inconsiderate. He did not slap me five.

In retrospect, I figured, he was simply upset at himself for naming his daughter ‘Lora.’

Alas, the Bowdoin women’s team won on Sunday, defeating Bates 51-47 in a crazy contest where neither Trenkle nor her father slapped me five.

It would be easy to talk about how Bates could’ve won, how large the check written by the Bowdoin athletic director likely was to the referees, or about how the crowd from Bates once again embarrassed Nation, Trenkle, Trenkle’s father, and themselves on Sunday, but I’ve written enough.
The Bates women’s team didn’t advance to the NCAA tournament. The Bowdoin women’s team did. The Bates men’s team lost by eight to #1 Williams on Saturday. The Bowdoin men’s team played themselves on Saturday and still lost. But hey, be comforted Nation. You have a team in the NCAA’s.

And, to be honest, at least you have a varsity hockey team.

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