The Daily Egyptian is published by the students of SIU at Carbondale. Except during vacations and exam weeks, The Daily Egyptian is published Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and TWThF during the summer semester."

Where's the passion?

I learned a very harsh lesson Tuesday Nov. 2, as did pollster John Zogby.

One by one, Zogby's state-by-state polls proved woefully inaccurate and blue states began to bleed. Zogby and I learned a crucial lesson that night - one cannot predict human behavior, let alone voter turnout.

Zogby is gone now, embedded in the hills of a red state with a gun, a bible and a Toby Keith CD, trying to infiltrate the psyche of the American voter.

But I am still here, trying to figure out the new mystery, one quite pertinent to those in Southern Illinois.

Who is coming to the playoff game?

For the life of me, I'll never understand people.

I don't understand the hippies upset with Thursday's front page photo, I don't understand why the whole Terrell Owens/white girl thing is such a big deal and I can't figure out why Old Navy sells jeans with holes already in them.

Why was the Howard Dean scream a bad thing? Does anyone care that the NHL is on strike? Why do people still watch network programming in primetime? Why is CBS giving Southern Illinois the Tennessee-Jacksonville game instead of Indianapolis and Chicago this Sunday?

As a native alien of this world, I cannot tell you.

I can't figure these things out, so it's no wonder I was dead wrong about Saturday's turnout. I expected a big crowd on Saturday for the ceremonial crowning of the 2004 Gateway champions, but there was a lot more gray than maroon.

There were 7,423 people there that night, pathetic even by SIU standards.

Maybe it was the cold weather. Maybe it was the mediocre opponent. Maybe the campus is bored with SIU blowing people out of the water.

As I explained, I cannot say, but whatever it was, I pray there are more people on Saturday. It's not just because of how good this team is - they are the best on the field, off the field and with the media - but because it's embarrassing to the SIU degree I will be holding in late December.

As a soon-to-be alumnus, I would like to think the spirit of SIU is going to continue for years to come. I want to come back to this school as a fat old man wearing a T-shirt, ugly shorts and knee-high socks, wearing a generic trucker-style maroon hat. And when I do, I want passionate, drunk students - and lots of them - to make fun of.

Seriously, guys. Where's the passion?

Where is the student body I saw line up for basketball tickets two years ago. I froze to death with you for a story, and you became popsicles just to see SIU destroy Satan.

Where are the people that, once in the SIU Arena, had to be restrained with a guardrail?

Where are the people that rattled Kyle Korver so bad he faked a heal injury and had his worst game of the year? That was an atmosphere unlike any I have ever experienced - and I was at Wrigley Field when Kerry Wood struck out 20 batters.

Where are the people that rushed the court simply for a Bracket Buster victory? I know you're there somewhere.

I saw a few of you Saturday, but not nearly enough.

Is there some kind of stigma to football that is keeping you in the tailgating section as history takes place a few hundred yards away?

This is a basketball school, I know. That will never change.

But there are more than 20,000 students here, and I refuse to believe there are not enough people to fill up the west side of McAndrew Stadium.

I cannot understand why someone would not be thrilled about seeing not only the No. 1 Division I-AA team in the country, but also one with the capacity to knock off a top 25 Division I-A opponent.

I've had my differences with the football team and some of its players in the past, and even I can see the ridiculous talent and commitment of the 2004 SIU football team.

So wherever you are, get out to McAndrew. I guarantee it will be a lasting memory and something those who were not there will regret forever.

And if the school is listening, tell me you're going to allow fans to take down the goalposts. It would be great for school spirit, and if I run that banner across the sports section I guarantee an extra 1,000 students.

Students want to be in a crazy, college atmosphere, and they will come if it is provided. But then again, maybe they won't.

I think there will be a lot of people there, but I also thought John Kerry was going to be the next president.