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Cessna: Everybody looking for that other score

By ROBERT CESSNA
Eagle Sports Writer

There was a rather odd sight a few weeks ago late in the second half of Texas A&M's 66-65 women's basketball victory over Nebraska.

Several fans were huddled at midcourt directly across from the scorer's table. They weren't trying to get a better view of the action on Reed Arena. They were getting Internet updates on the A&M men's basketball game at Texas Tech.

They were cheering for the women and rooting for the men.

Last Saturday fans at the Aggie baseball game against UT-Pan American were given scoreboard liner updates from the A&M men's basketball game at Oklahoma.

Mike Caruso, A&M associate athletic director in charge of game operations, said fans waited in the Olsen Field aisles after the baseball game for the updates, which told them that the Aggies won in Norman for the first time.

You can bet they let out a loud Whoop.

A&M's success in multiple sports is making it harder on hardcore Aggies, who want to savor every victory no matter where the venue is.

It has never been such a concern until this season, when both basketball teams are tied for the Big 12 lead.

Wednesday is a perfect example, even though it'll be a problem for only half a game.

The A&M women are home to Texas Tech in a game that tips at 7 p.m., while the men start at Oklahoma State an hour later.

How do you inform Reed Arena fans during the second half about what's happening in Stillwater?

There is no clear-cut solution.

Showing the game on the big screen would be possible. Caruso said as long as you don't charge fans to watch, there would be no legal problems.

However, that would be somewhat disrespectful to the hard-working Aggies and Lady Red Raiders on the court below the scoreboard screens.

And what about the people who paid to see the women's game, not to hear fans cheer for Acie Law IV scoring 500 miles away while A&M's women turn the ball over at a crucial point.

Something needs to be worked out, because bigger conflicts loom ahead. And if A&M is lucky, this will become an annual hassle.

The A&M baseball team has a series with Florida during the Big 12 Basketball Tournament, then it will open conference play while both Aggie basketball teams will be in the NCAA Tournament.

A&M could move the start of its baseball games, but if you could keep those fans informed of possible good news in basketball, that could add to the Olsen Field magic.

Caruso said athletic department officials have talked about it internally.

A&M certainly has the resources to make this work. It has a top-notch video department, which has made attending football, basketball, softball and baseball games entertaining.

Now they need to get daring and take the next step, informing those at one venue what's happening at other venues. Maybe even showing them what's happening.

It's feasible.

A basketball game lasts only 40 minutes. There's so much dead time via media timeouts, mopping up the floor, etc., you could almost show one game during the breaks from the other. And there's certainly holes in a baseball game where you could blend in highlights from another event.

Caruso said the focus always will be on the main venue, where the fans have paid an admission to see that product.

But the possibilities are endless, especially when you are winning in so many sports.

He calls those bonus possibilities.

Multi-tasking seems to know no bounds these days, as shown by a woman I saw driving this week. She was talking on a cell phone, smoking, and gesturing to herself as she talked. She then held the cell phone aside and turned to talk to the person on the passenger's side, also motioning to her.

If that woman is at the game Wednesday night, you can bet she'll find a way to get updates from Stillwater.