Rise up, Panther Nation.

Being a fan is exhilarating.

There's the rush of game day. Getting to the venue if it's a home game or not, the tailgate, the line for big game tickets, the crowd, the energy.

(Not to mention the promotional items that are offered at certain games. I'm pretty sure half of my T-shirts are from promotions at basketball games.)

When the team wins, the crowd goes wild. There might even be a court storm if the game is big enough. (Don't be like Iowa State though and storm the court when you beat an unranked team.)

When the team loses, the crowd is there for support. The pep band still plays the fight song and the crowd still sings along...well, at least claps along.

Then there's the big games. The ones you stand in line an hour and a half before doors open (which is already an hour before the game). Even if it's cold. Even if it rains.

Those are the games where the venue is sold out and the atmosphere is electric.

There's a sort of understanding between fans. Cheers get creative and inventive, almost like theatrical performances -- some deserve Academy Awards.

Epic chants.

Props.

Big heads.

Baby faces and diapers.

If you can dream it, you can distract it.

The intense games are the ones you can get away with getting the whole arena to do the wave several times around. They're also the ones you can get McLeod to echo "U-N-I. U-N-I. U-N-I." through the rafters and it's almost too loud to think.

But the best part of being a fan is knowing that you're part of something more. You're not the only one cheering. There's a whole arena, a whole dome, a whole court cheering with you. There are people watching at home or following along on stat sites and getting updates from Twitter. And it's a never ending sea of people swathed in purple and gold (or whatever your school colors are).

We are more than a Panther State. We are a Panther Nation.

So rise up.