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The Story Behind One Of Boise State’s
BIGGEST FANS:
Don Ritchie
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Story
If you haven’t seen him riding through the quad on a blue bike
bearing orange streamers from the handle bars, you are sure to have
spotted him at almost all of the Boise State athletic events this
year. He is the guy that everyone yells at for standing up during
all of the games. So who is this dedicated fan? His name is Don
Ritchey, although he prefers “Bronco Don”.
I had the pleasure of sitting down with the 45-year-old Canadian
native and, in a short period of time, I discovered that Ritchey
has a lot to say about sports, his wife and making people
smile.
MD: So, you’re from Canada, eh? What brought you to
Boise?
My wife is from Twin Falls and she wanted to move back here to be
with her parents who are in their 80’s now.
MD: When did you move to Boise?
Three years ago
MD: Do you like living here?
No, it’s too dry for me. I’m from Vancouver, B.C. where it isn’t
as dry. I especially hate August when it’s like 100 degrees
outside. Don’t you hate it when you go to wash you’re car windows
and before you have time to wipe them off, you have to re-wash them
because they are already dry?
MD: Yeah, I do hate that.
I do have to admit that Boise is a great city, I like to go
downtown and watch all of the great music, but I miss the diversity
of Canada eh.
MD: Do you like attending Boise State?
It’s a good school-good teachers, good everything.
MD: What are you majoring in?
I’m getting a history major and a minor in math. It’s funny you ask
because I once told a professor that I wanted to be a history
teacher and his response was: Good luck. He told me if I wanted to
be a history teacher I needed to be a coach too, I thought that was
so strange, that’s why I decided to minor in math.
MD: You obviously like sports so why don’t want to be a
coach?
Coaching in America is all about winning, if it were coaching for
coaching’s sake, I’d do it. There’s no inkling in me to win, I just
want to have fun.
MD: Okay, I’ve seen you at all of the athletic events I’ve
been to, why do you attend all of the games?
I like going out and having a good time. I don’t even really like
sports that much, neither does my wife and she still goes to all of
the games with me. I think she gets embarrassed of me, but she’s
always the one to tell me when I’m on Bronco Vision (laughing).
MD: Do you participate in any sports or do you just enjoy
watching them?
Nope, no sports, I golf sometimes.
MD: Did you play sports as a child?
I played soccer ninth through eleventh grade, but stopped when my
mom caught me smoking. (laughing)
MD: Do you prefer one sport over another?
No, I like all of them. I would like to start attending the tennis
matches but they are always during the day when I have class.
MD: Who is your favorite athlete?
Christina Moore (women’s volleyball team). I used to call her
“Number 13″ because I didn’t know her name.
MD: Why is Christina your favorite?
She’s always the first one to try to get the team motivated, even
if they’re losing. This is what I see when I watch her play.
Besides, she is the only athlete that talks to me. (laughing)
MD: I’ve noticed you stand at all of the games, why is
this?
I like to stand to cheer the team on. Think about it, those
athletes spend a lot of time on what they do, I feel that the least
I can do is stand up and cheer them on. I have people tell me to
sit down all the time. Trust me, you don’t tell an Irish guy to sit
down in the stand up section (laughing).
MD: Don’t your legs get tired?
Yeah, that’s why I sit down during the time outs and half time.
MD: Tell me the story behind the crazy outfit you wear at
the games. How did it evolve?
I didn’t have my cape or toy Bronco at first; I just wore my blue
shorts and orange shirt. But one day I remember walking by the
Bronco shop thinking, ‘what do I need next?’ And that’s where it
all began.
MD: On campus, I’ve seen you riding a blue bike, is there a
story behind it?
It was blue when I got it, so I just added streamers. The fun part
about riding it is making people smile. That’s what life is all
about. It’s like Moses spreading the Red Sea when people get out of
my way, it’s great.
MD: What was your favorite moment at the games this
year?
This year I had a great time at the men’s basketball games. First
of all, Coach Graham turned the team around, and second, I wasn’t
the only one standing for once!
MD: So what else do you do?
I perform on open mike night at the Funny Bone the first Tuesday of
every month. I want to be a teacher and a stand up comedian in the
summer time-that’s my idea of the perfect life!
MD: Would you consider yourself Boise State’s biggest
fan?
I’m not competitive in that way. I’m just “A” big BSU fan. Like I
said, it’s not about the sports; it’s about having a good time,
eh.
Mandy Dancer
Sports Reporter
