As you may know from the front page of this fine newspaper, this week we are doing a Mister Rogers-themed issue to celebrate “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” coming out in theaters (to celebrate one of Pittsburgh’s most beloved celebrities). 

For those of you that do not know, Mister Rogers was a children’s television star that taught everyone to love their neighbors despite any and all differences you may have with them.

Basically, he epitomized (and still epitomizes) all that is good and pure and precious in this world.

It was really hard to think of a way to tie the themes of Mister Rogers into the sports section, but then I remembered something that is being done within our athletic department this year: #1BigTeam.

It is no surprise to anyone when I say that the athletics department is put on the back burner of the university. Pioneer Pride is sorely lacking around campus.

To combat the lack of attendance and boost the pride within the athletes, the athletic department started a program of sorts that they have been utilizing throughout the entire semester. 

So the basis of this program is to get athletes from various teams to go to each other’s games, matches, etc. 

The athletes then get points for their team based on how many other sporting events they go to.

I have heard some people call it “juvenile,” but I think it is a great idea; not only does it boost the attendance of the sporting events, but they also bring their friends and their friends’ friends and eventually more and more people start to become actual fans of the Pioneers.

What a weird concept: we have to almost coax our students to be fans of our school’s athletic teams.

The sportsmanship aspect of the #1BigTeam program is what will eventually circle back around to Mister Rogers.

It may not be loving each other or helping a friend in need, but sportsmanship and supporting each other is also a message of Mister Rogers, and you cannot tell me that it is against what he would have wanted.

I do not know how long the #1BigTeam program/idea will last beyond this school year, but I hope that it is something that will be a mainstay at Point Park, at least until our students take it upon themselves to support our teams.

Everyone at Point Park is a family, despite how cliche it sounds; we are all #1BigTeam.