Tradition is the word of the week. It's the reason college football fans found Buzz Bissinger and Malcolm Gladwell's argument of banning college football to be absurd.
Tradition is the reason why we have things in college athletics such as "Bear Down." It marks history, unity and a common ground that deepens community pride.
Little things amount to tradition as well. Whether it be Arizona students looking down The Mall, through the cactus garden and at Old Main, or the tradition of grabbing afternoon beers at Gentle Ben's.
Colors symbolize tradition as well. The Cardinal and Navy, common as they are, represent the UA and nothing else off the top of my head.
Changes in Arizona Stadium and baseball's move to Hi Corbett Field are the most recent to elicit discussion about tradition versus forward-thinking. Both of those issues could help recruiting, attract more fans, and bring in national events like the NCAA baseball regional.
A serious discussion of moving the men's basketball team away from McKale Center might cause a riot. After all, the old cactus logo on Lute and Bobbi Olson Court being uprooted caused enough of an uproar among fans.
But when is it time to upgrade in order to keep up with national trends?
Priority-wise, where does improvement surpass tradition?