Tigers, past and present, cheer in Denver

DENVER — The sign Becky Farbstein '04 held up said it all:

"Plane Ticket From Jersey: $400

Tickets to NCAA Game: $50

Blowing Off Your Thesis To Dance In Denver: Priceless"

Sure, the men's basketball team was playing almost 1,800 miles away from campus. But that didn't prevent hundreds of Tiger fans from making the journey to Colorado.

For some, like Farbstein and her four friends, all seniors, it meant a whirlwind trip that included sleeping under a phone booth in the Denver airport. However, the trip was far more lavish for others — like the 75 members of the official NCAA travel party for whom all expenses were paid.

But for every Princetonian in attendance, from students to parents to alums, one thing remained constant: though their pre-game predictions of a Tiger victory were not realized, the trip was well worth it.

Denver: The New Cancun

To those in the official NCAA travel party, Princeton's trip to the NCAA tournament meant a free spring break vacation — to a locale featuring 70-degree weather, no less. Senior Associate Director of Athletics Mike Cross arranged everything for them, from plane tickets to hotel reservations and money for meals.

The team itself, along with a handful of athletic department staff members, flew to Denver on Tuesday, in time for an open practice and a media session at the Pepsi Center on Wednesday. The rest of the official entourage, composed of the band and cheerleaders, joined them on Wednesday. Passengers on that flight were treated to a sea of orange and black plaid at the back of the plane: per tradition, the band traveled in full uniform.

"The second half was painful, but I loved it anyway," drum major Josh Burton '05 said. "This was a much-needed break for me."

Burton and his bandmates weren't the only ones who wanted a break. When the Tigers clinched a berth in the NCAA Tournament, many students planned to make the trip, figuring Princeton would likely be sent to one of the East Coast sub-regionals. But while the distance and costs of traveling to Denver deterred most from doing so — only about 25 students were in the stands — Farbstein and friends would not be stopped.

After taking a 6 a.m. flight Thursday, they spent the afternoon sampling local watering holes while being followed around by a reporter from the Rocky Mountain News who was writing a story about their experience. The five seniors were among the first fans into the Pepsi Center.

Get the best of the ‘Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

"I'm so excited; I've been waiting four years for this," Farbstein said before the game. "This is the highlight of my spring."

From their front-row seats, they spent the next two-and-a-half hours waving orange signs and screaming at the top of their lungs. Cullen Newton '04 and Jason Bell '04 removed their shirts to reveal painted chests combining to spell PU. Newton waved a large white Princeton banner, the only article of luggage he brought.

Eventually, their euphoria would fade as the Tigers struggled in the second half. And there would be no rest for the weary — they spent the night napping on the floor of the airport before catching a 6 a.m. flight out of town. By the time the Dinky finally brought them back to campus Friday afternoon, roughly 36 hours after they had left, they were exhausted, hungry and smelly — but without any regrets.

Older Tigers Too

The majority of those in the Princeton section of the stadium were local alumni, thrilled with the good fortune of having the Tigers play in their hometown. Before the game, several hundred — ranging from recent graduates to not-so-recent ones — gathered at a sports bar across the street from the stadium, where they were entertained by the University band.

Also scattered throughout the Princeton section were family members of players, many of whom appeared more nervous than the team itself.

Parents spoke excitedly of the game fulfilling their sons' lifelong dreams.

President Tilghman was there too. After posing for a picture with the student section prior to the game, she described herself as an avid fan and season ticket-holder and predicted Princeton would prevail.

"I think it's very clear that brains are going to beat brawn," she said. "The Texas Longhorns are probably quaking in their cowboy boots."

In the end, of course, brawn — and hot three-point shooting — overcame brains. But as disappointed as Tiger fans were after the game, they still seemed to agree that it was better to have danced and lost than to have never danced at all.