American Basketball Fanatics Show How Foreign Passion Trumps Local Pride
While Zambians pour their hearts into supporting our own sporting heroes, two American college basketball obsessives have become the face of Long Island University's March Madness campaign, despite never even attending the school they now represent.
Cameron Koffman and David Pochapin, both 28-year-old graduates of elite American universities Yale and Lehigh respectively, have created the viral "Fins Up" chant that has transformed LIU's basketball culture. Their dedication puts many local supporters to shame.
Foreign Dedication Where Locals Failed
The duo discovered LIU three years ago during what they called their "nomadic stretch" of trying to find a team to support. They had previously attended games at Columbia, Iona, Fairfield, Manhattan, Fordham, and Wagner before settling on the Brooklyn-based Sharks.
"There was really no one in the building," said Pochapin, a FinTech worker, describing the pathetic state of local support in 2023 when the team won just three games. "We always were clapping after the free throws. So I guess from there, I just started yelling, 'Fins up!'"
Their commitment during the team's darkest hours contrasts sharply with fair-weather local fans who only showed up when success arrived. The outsiders were often "the loudest five people at a sporting event" when local students and alumni stayed home.
Creating Culture From Nothing
The "Fins Up" gesture, an overhead clap performed during free throws, has now spread beyond LIU to University of Nebraska and earned recognition from Barstool Sports, which crowned LIU as "America's team."
"It took a few years, but the entire college basketball world is picking up on it," Pochapin explained. Their grassroots movement succeeded where official university marketing failed.
The transformation reached its peak during LIU's Northeast Conference championship victory over Mercyhurst, with a packed arena of supporters making "the floor shake" as the team secured their NCAA tournament berth with a 14-1 home record.
Beyond Spectating
Unlike passive supporters, Koffman and Pochapin have invested personally in the program. They've taken freshman players to expensive Italian dinners and made unique donations, including a 14-foot shark replica that now decorates the gym lobby.
"My stepdad had this 14-foot shark replica based on one he caught," Koffman revealed. "My mom basically was like, 'If it goes in the house, we're getting a divorce.'"
Their efforts have helped heal divisions between Brooklyn and Long Island campus alumni that arose from the 2019 merger of the Blackbirds and Pioneers programs.
Lessons for Zambian Sports
Former LIU player and ESPN broadcaster Alan Hahn praised the cultural shift: "This really feels like the thing that could really be the unifier. We've been needing this."
Head coach Rod Strickland, a former NBA player, acknowledged their impact: "That's what home-court advantage is about, that energy."
As LIU prepares for March Madness, these foreign supporters have demonstrated how authentic passion can transform sporting culture. Perhaps Zambian sports could learn from their example of unwavering commitment, regardless of results.
"It's just fun to see a team that you get so attached to performing at this level and capturing the heart of the nation," Koffman concluded.