The Standard

Issue date: 11/13/07 Section: Opinion

Football football football! It seems every time I open The Standard I'm reading yet another comment about how bad our turnout at a game was, and how we students should be ashamed of ourselves for not being a part of this football frenzy. In fact, many of these comments come close to outright stating that only someone who attends a football game can be considered a true MSU student; the rest of us are simply cretins, daring to be interested in something else and giving it our attention. One thing I hear again and again is how these players deserve our support. Why? I'm going to echo a recent comment Brandon Davis made on The Standard's Web site: what have the football players done for me? Are they going to come and support my organization as we compete in CollegeBowl? While I hate the whole mentality of "what do I get out of it" to begin with, it's a valid point here. These football players don't deserve my respect or support for what they do anymore than anyone else on campus. They have to earn it first. Don't tell me that I lack school spirit because I won't go to these games or put my energy into something that I don't care about. I'd have more "school spirit" if the school actually put it's energy into what interests me. (Where's the school's "student spirit?") It's time for the administration to wake up and realize that we're not a football school. Our team isn't an outstanding one - it's about average at best. Maybe instead of sticking to this illusion that the students will care, or become interested in the football games, they should focus their attention on what the students actually care about instead of trying to force something down our throats. And what makes the football team more important than the other teams? What about our soccer team? Swimming? Field hockey? Softball? Volleyball? Basketball? Any others I've not mentioned? Are they getting the recognition they deserve for games and seasons well done? Why isn't their an outcry about there lack of attention, too? The last time I looked up school spirit it wasn't defined as "being a fan of your school's football team." Our athletics department doesn't just revolve around large sweaty men chasing a dead pig, though some seem to think that's certainly the case. Just because some schools love football and have great teams doesn't mean that we have to or will. We're not Mizzou and we should stop trying to be them. And for future reference, perhaps instead of criticizing the very students you want to attract to the football games, you should be asking us why we don't go or why we aren't interested. The attitude that's being shown isn't exactly going to help the situation any.

Andrew Giddens
senior, accountancy

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