We’ve all done it. It’s easy. We just walk by. We look away. We ignore them.

College basketball is different than most other sports. Thankfully, we can crown a true national champion when the post-season is all said and done, but this isn’t what makes the sport unique. What truly sets college basketball apart from other sports is the role of the fans.

One of the great things about sports is its ability to draw on fans’ emotions to an extent some people will never understand. People cheer when their team does well. Some people cry or yell at their television when their team does poorly. Sports can be our escape.

“Really? The Tree of Life?” my brother asked when he heard the Oscar nomination. It’s 26 days until the Oscars, and every movie enthusiast is either crossing their fingers for their favorite or angry at the academy for snubbing their favorite.

As of Jan. 16, the University of Miami will no longer allow boosters to provide occasional meals for student-athletes or host them at their homes.

As an English major who spends all my free time in the journalism, public relations and new media department, I am well aware of the power of language. Words have the power to build up or tear down, and the difference between a well-crafted piece of writing and a hasty rant is always apparent. As Mark Twain said (and Dr. Joe Fulton loves to quote), “the difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter – it’s the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.”