The realization hit me two Fridays ago as I sat in the stands of Orr Rink to watch the Lord Jeff men's ice hockey team, then ranked first in the NESCAC and tenth in the nation, take on a strong 14th-ranked Bowdoin squad in a pivotal match-up in this thriller season. I straggled into the rink after the first period, as the score remained tied at 0-0. The stands were beginning to fill up as people made their way down the hill to the rink after realizing that the men's basketball game against Connecticut College was no-contest and that it was a little painful to watch the once-undefeated and ever-dominant Jeffs demolish the meager Camels. The hockey team was in the midst of a defining match against the first of two strong visiting teams from Maine Amherst would face that weekend. But the Jeffs would find no home-ice advantage.

Amherst broke the Polar Bears first as Brandon Zangel '07 sent the puck into the top corner of the goal to take the lead. The growing Amherst crowd went wild and there was a brief rush of adrenaline, a pulse from the stands. It felt good. But that was as much excitement we would see from the Amherst section. Bowdoin scored two goals to close the second period before the teams left for the locker rooms and the zamboni took the ice. One might imagine that the home crowd would get fired up to encourage the Jeffs to come from behind to snag this crucial victory, but there was no such magic.

As the game grew increasingly physical on the ice in this third and final period as the players grew even hungrier for victory, the sizeable Amherst crowd paradoxically grew increasingly silent. The Amherst fans were content to sit idle and watch as the Polar Bears garnered momentum to end the once-close game with three more unanswered goals, destroying the Jeffs' confidence as they headed into Saturday's vital game against Colby. It was embarrassing to watch as the Amherst fans struggled to put their hands together for their team or unite in cheers of "Let's Go Amherst" or "Defense" to encourage the Jeffs towards victory.

I was reminded of this year's Homecoming football game against Williams, where little effort was made by the large fan base present to mobilize the Jeffs. Showing up to games isn't always enough. Making noise is what's important.

I remember going to the occasional Amherst-Williams football game with my dad as a kid, and the thrill of urging the Jeffs towards the win and rising with the other alums to sing the Lord Jeffrey Amherst song upon each Amherst touchdown. Amherst students love their school; let's show it not just by standing on the sidelines, but by being a force opponents fear from the sidelines-whether it be by traditional cheering or making an attempt to learn and sing the classic school song.

As we embark on the all-important winter playoff season, Amherst holds onto a slim lead over Williams, Middlebury and the other NESCAC schools in the Director's Cup Standings from the fall. (The Director's Cup is awarded to the NCAA Div. III school with the best overall record in every sport, a prize that has been granted to Williams for the past eight years.) With the strongest teams across the board in recent memory, it would be great if we finally take the prize away from our rivals.

It's a big weekend for Amherst. We host Williams Friday night and Middlebury Saturday afternoon as the Jeffs will attempt to steal back the number one spot in the NESCAC from Bowdoin in men's hockey; Bates is here for the men's basketball NESCAC quarterfinal game. Show that Lord Jeff Nation is more than just a sweet t-shirt and a Facebook group. Let's make some noise.

Josh is a first-year living in Appleton. He is a news editor for The Student and also a member of the water polo team and the ski team.