The different sights and sounds that can be heard throughout The Pyramid on any given night are amazing.
Forget the games. I'm talking about the people in the stands.
It is pleasing to see such a diverse bunch. Volleyball, basketball -- whatever the sport -- all different kinds of folk show.
Mixed in perfectly with all the different arrays of students, fans and alumni, is Cal State Long Beach President Robert Maxson.
Not only could Maxson tell you how CSULB's forensics team fared on any particular weekend tournament, but he is an authority on CSULB's sports teams.
It would be very easy for Maxson to not even bother going to any games. But he makes his presence felt and leaves no doubt regarding his support of his school. "GO BEACH!"
Maxson's spot in this melting pot sort of satisfies all the ingredients necessary for a successful night at a game. And, no, he does not sit on his hands in the stands. Instead, you will find him roving around the arena visiting everybody.
Primarily, he is in the student section because he relates to them. He is the student's president. However he'll hang with all the cliques.
Often times, when you look into the stands at any other university, you will see your garden variety group of drunks and loud, obnoxious pigs.
Sure, we have those too (and quite a bit of them last time I checked), and somewhere in the middle is Maxson. The cliques are:
The season ticket holders. The die hards. Maybe parents of the players. Maybe local fans. Don't bother them. Sit in their chairs and they'll kill you. Maxson will make an occasional appearance. "GO BEACH!"
The alumni. Serious people as well. They'll sit there calling for the coach's firing and complaining about a bad in-bounds pass made six years ago. "GO BEACH!"
The baseball team. Usually standing toward the back of the bleacher section. Arms crossed. Caps and white T-shirts. Very little emotion, even during pivotal plays of the game. "Uh, yeah. Nice play, I guess." "GO BEACH!"
The hooligans. Made up primarily of assorted sports teams, most notably, the men's volleyball team. Pure animals. The energy they bring to the arena is immense. Expert hecklers especially at volleyball games. Real pros: "How come your family tree doesn't fork?" "Hey baby, that's why I like Spam!" "You work out five hours a day and your butt looks like that?!"
"Uh, GO BEACH!"
The drunks. Decent hecklers. Their only beef is the cut off of beer sales sometime after 8:30 p.m. "Hhheeeeeeeeeey there baby! Maybe eye could get cha 'nother brew or some, some ... "
Whoever they are, it's great to see them all together.