The Lady Blues made it to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Division II Tournament. They got edged out of the MIAA and, according to Review sports writer Chris Marshall, they had little support. We could talk about how none of the students support their team and that it should be a bigger deal to students that their teams are doing well. However, what should also be considered is the lack of help for students to be spirited.

The Washburn Student Government Association has done a lot to try and increase spirit, but the lack of a spirit bus to Kansas City for the MIAA tournament and to Kearney, Neb. for the DII tournament is sad.

With gas far past $3.00 a gallon a bus would make it easier for students to go to games and not worry about it costing them tuition money. Sure, we know that the buses have not always been received well, but the easiest way to circumvent that would be to create a sign-up sheet in the WSGA office or in the CAB office to allow students who are interested to sign up. This would let those sponsoring the bus know how many students are wanting to go. If not enough are interested, then the bus can be cancelled.

Students are generally herd animals in that they won’t go anywhere their friends aren’t going. A good way to get more people is to set a minimum number of people before the bus is cancelled and the students who do want to go can drag their friends along. Never underestimate the power of the nagging friend.

We understand that it is hard to get people excited about sports around the midterm and when people have left for spring break. But during this season of March Madness, it is hard not to watch the games and see all the crazy guys in body paint and wonder why Washburn can’t have a crazy guy in body paint. Sure, those guys are usually the ones you don’t want to see without a shirt, but that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t have one.

A spirit bus might do a little bit to help lift the spirits of this deflated campus.