Students have propelled SDSU basketball home-court advantage with “The Show,” the student section. Alumni Thomas Sholan and Kylee Helmke share the history of the section and encourage current students to get involved.
By Thomas Sholan and Kylee Helmke
A critical comment on an SDSU sports message board during the 2002-2003 season — when Viejas Arena consistently sat half-empty for men’s basketball games — gave a name to what would become one of the best student sections in college sports: “You guys think you’re the whole show.”
In those early days, “The Show” was just a group of friends who recognized what a loud, boisterous, energetic and engaged fan base could do for a basketball program. As head coach Steve Fisher began to lead the men’s basketball team to its first consistent taste of success in decades, more and more students began to join the ranks, making it easier to create that fervent atmosphere.
From unleashing creative and well-researched insults on the opposing team to the invention of the now famous “big heads,” nothing was too crazy if it would help give the Aztecs a home court advantage. Soon, opposing teams began to dread playing in Viejas Arena altogether.
As the team became more and more successful, reaching the Sweet Sixteen in 2011 and 2014 and earning a high ranking of No. 4 in the country in 2011, the Show began to reach new heights as well. Putting creative spins on Muse’s Uprising and the “I Believe” chant (video), which has become as synonymous with SDSU basketball as Kawhi Leonard, The Show continued to leave its mark on the college basketball landscape.
Getting involved with the Show was the highlight of our college experiences. From making trips to watch the Aztecs compete in the NCAA and Mountain West Conference tournaments to serving as the grand marshals for Homecoming to forging some of the best friendships we could ever ask for — it can’t be understated how big a part The Show and Aztec athletics have played in our lives.
And, we can honestly say that we’ve done our part to create the best atmosphere and home court advantage possible, in fact there have definitely a couple of games that the Aztecs might not have won if they weren’t playing in front of The Show. We really are the “sixth man,” and it doesn’t get more rewarding than that.
But now, Aztec men’s basketball is entering a new era under head coach Brian Dutcher. As such, the program needs The Show now more than ever. Picked to finish second in the conference, the Aztecs have all the talent necessary to win their first Mountain West title since the 2015-2016 season. It just needs one thing: a new generation of students to join The Show to emerge. Over the years, The Show has grown into so much more than a group of friends. It’s now a vital part of one of the best college basketball programs in the country.
- If you support this team in an enthusiastic, vocal manner, then you are The Show.
- If you get to the arena an hour before tip-off to heckle the opposing team and to cheer the Aztecs, then you are The Show.
- If you understand that you are a part of something special and that you have an impact on the outcome of the game, then you are The Show.
- If you suit up and take the court, representing thousands of die-hard fans who support you through thick and thin, then you are The Show.
- Together, we are The Show … and the saga continues.
If you’re a student who would like to learn more and get involved with The Show, please email [email protected].