MOHANKA: Stunned by athletics' magic spell

A wise man once said, “Now that I think about it, it’s been a crazy year.”

Sports news is flowing like a river down my belly here. My tenure as one of Spectator’s sports editors is officially over. Don’t worry, I’ll save the emotions and the majority of the thank yous (there are more than a few) for Apr. 30—and I’ve seen, learned, and heard a tremendous amount about Columbia athletics.

It’s been brutal at times. I don’t want to raise questions about my own journalistic integrity—I think I’ve always been fair and unbiased in my storytelling—but columns are different, and I let the emotions flow. I definitely have experienced emotions of sorrow (and I may or may not have cried) on one or two occasions because of events on the field for the Light Blue.

It’s been bad at times. There weren’t always tears, but it wasn’t fun to hear about teams falling at the final hurdle and seeing their title chances slip away. I know Spectator sportswriters and athletes at Columbia have different responsibilities than student-athletes at other schools, but it would be ludicrous to suggest that they hope for different results in a game or season.

It’s been good at times. Right, so there were no Ivy titles in 2011, but there was definitely improvement. As my dear friend and fellow columnist Zach Glubiak pointed out a few weeks ago on our online podcast (the sixth episode of the Spectator SportsCast), there is a reasonable ranking methodology that put the Lions in first place for fall sports, prior to the conclusion of the football season. What that means is that all the Light Blue programs are, in general, very competitive within the Ivy League and now they just need to climb the final few feet up the ladder of success. For me, it’s been good to see that competitive spirit week-in and week-out. Even when the football team was in a mess of a losing streak, the players would be fighting until the very end of games.

It’s been great at times. There are some moments in sports that leave an indelible mark on a spectator. I think I’m lucky that I was present when the Lions men’s soccer team beat Brown in overtime in the opening Ivy fixture of 2011. Brown went on to the Sweet 16 of this year’s NCAA tournament. It was fortunate to get there. That’s not just my opinion—I’m pretty sure anyone on Brown’s soccer team will tell you that too—but it’s something for the Bears to be very proud of. The Lions beat Brown when the teams met in Ivy play, and I was there that October day to see it happen. There’s really nothing like the euphoria of winning a game in overtime, and Mike Mazzullo’s goal (sorry, Matis) is something I’ll never forget.

It’s been unbelievable at times. The past 30-odd days have been absolutely insane and incredible. There were four Ivy teams gunning for Ivy glory, which by itself is fantastic. In addition, I got to break the news of Coach Norries Wilson’s firing. Then there were the injuries to star basketball players Noruwa Agho and Brianna Orlich. And of course, the infamous incident with our marching band, broken by Spec sports’ very own Trevor Cohen.

Last Wednesday night, though, was the best memory for me. I jumped out of bed near 1 a.m. and stayed awake until 3:30 a.m. to confirm the appointment of Coach Pete Mangurian. I had never heard the name prior to that night. By the time I went to bed, I probably knew more about him than most members of the Columbia football team.

I had no real reason to get that into the new hire’s background, but that, for me, summarizes the mesmerizing effect and charm of Columbia athletics. It’s not something you need to be invested in—it’s a magnetic part of the college experience and has become a fun part of my life. Regardless of being brutal, bad, good, great, or unbelievable, it’s always been entertaining and inspiring. Columbia athletics have taught me a tremendous amount: fighting back against the odds, never giving up, and constantly striving to improve. Give it a chance, and I promise you will not be let down.
Coach Man (or Mango), as I hope he comes to be called, said something at Friday’s press conference that I’m certain will live with me forever. He said that the work for his players isn’t limited to practice sessions, the gym, or game day. He said that just as important is “how they treat the people who serve dinner on a road trip. It’s a lifestyle, fellows.” I smiled when he said that. Being a follower of athletics at Columbia is much more than just a game every weekend. It’s an experience, and there’s a lot to learn.

This column wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t express my gratitude to the athletic department for allowing me to reach this point. My dear friend and co-editor Jim Pagels wrote in “On the Couch” on Friday that he felt the AD really needed to lighten up. I agree with him that there are some things it seems they’re unnecessarily unwilling to allow, but at the same time, I’m incredibly appreciative of the cooperation I received from Darlene Camacho, Pete McHugh, Casey Snedecor, Stephen Lee, and, last but by no means the least, Dan Lobacz (who has unfortunately left Columbia) for connecting me to the athletes and coaches of various teams (who I’m also incredibly grateful to—men’s soccer’s Kevin Anderson more than anyone else.)

It’s fair and honest to say that I’m proud of everything I saw from the staff at Spectator—both in the office and in print every day—and I’m proud to have been an editor of the sports section. Columbia’s athletic teams have great stories to share, and it was a privilege to help tell those tales. I hope there was something in this journey of mine that appealed to you too.

Mrinal Mohanka is a Columbia College senior majoring in economics. He is a sports editor for Spectator.
sports@columbiaspectator.com