Hilton Magic should never be taken for granted. Hilton Coliseum is a unique venue with a loyal and knowledgable fan-base. Love of Iowa State basketball and the collective passion of over 14,000 random screaming fans coalesces into a cacophony that empowers the Cyclones and unnerves visitors. True Cyclone fans have contributed to making Hilton one of the world’s best basketball arenas and one of the toughest places to play in the nation. Not anymore. Not since the student section began thwarting spontaneous roars in favor of childish orchestrated chants.

Visiting teams were once intimidated by the crowd at Hilton. Their prayer was to get a lead and play in such a way to take the crowd out of the game. Now their prayers are answered: the ignorant ISU student section does this for them — hushing the crowd to make way for an idiotic drone as the visitors possess the ball. Gone are the impromptu roars that rallies the defense. Gone is the enthusiasm and spontaneity of a crowd reacting instinctively to the game. I first heard this kinder-moan 30 years ago at UCLA. Now it’s copied all over the country in arenas with the most obnoxious fans. What better way to make visiting teams comfortable in Ames than to eliminate the uniqueness of the Hilton by silencing real fans and copying something that’s heard everywhere else.

The Oklahoma State game on Saturday was a disgrace to the Hilton Legacy. Throughout the game, when the crowd was on the verge of reacting, the choreographed whine artificially kept the noise level to a minimum.

The students section needs to take responsibility for their part in eroding Hilton Magic, leading, in part, to the K-State loss. Stop copying basketball-illiterates at other schools and return to the unique experience that is Hilton Magic. It’s real, but it won’t endure without the passion that created it. Don’t be the generation of students that ruins it and takes away an enormous home court advantage, turning it into Hilton Mediocrity.