There has been a lot of ruckus about sportsmanship, arrests and foul language lately.
Other than throwing food at the opposing team sitting in the stadium, the craziness is just about equal to any big NFL game.
Of course, an NFL game usually has an audience that is more willing to listen to halftime entertainment, but the shout of Raider Power over the Aggie band wasn’t as successful as the speakers were.
Let’s face it: curse words are part of the dictionary. They are part of the English language. Not that it would be a shame not to use those words, but the words are not hurting anyone.
Everyone knows it is all good fun and those offended can keep walking. Sometimes overhearing it can be unexpected and uncomfortable, but the words are not going to come up and tackle anyone. We just don’t do those things here.
Of course, “fighting words” can lead to a scuffle, but a fight would end up occurring with or without those words. It is up to us to keep those words all in good fun. Smile or shake hands with the opposing team players or fans. Make it clear you have no intention of making it a one-on-one. It is also important to observe replacing words in the songs is more about carrying the tradition down than inciting hate.
In addition, freshmen and sophomores attend a majority of the games, so no one should feel intimidated. They are fresh out of high school and easy to spot on campus. Most freshmen guys here would not win a fight against a senior Aggie or a senior Red Raider. It is not out of the question, but it is still difficult.
Besides, our mascot totes not one but two handguns around. At the first sign of mass trouble, I seriously doubt I’ll be the only one hiding behind the mascot. Seriously, the mascot has got it going on the only way West Texas knows how.
As much as we would like to think football is a family sport, it is a physical sport. Going to the game is not the same as watching it on TV or listening to the radio, and no one should expect it to be. TV and radio have censors; reality does not. Families with children should keep all of this in mind and buy better tickets. There are sections with very calm adults or alumni that exist for a premium.
However, if you are willing to pay a lot for tickets to prevent your child from hearing words he or she probably has already heard at school, I would have to recommend leaving the kids at home. This is a Big 12 football game, not a neighborhood soccer game.
As for reputation, that does not necessarily come from game behavior. Those who come to visit also visit the buildings, the bars and the neighborhoods. Off-campus parties are always large and well-stocked. Visitors end up coming for the party rather than the game. RaiderGate is a great way for Texas Tech to monitor partying on campus, but in the end Tech has little or no control over the off-campus partying. Acceptance of this fact is the key to a cooperative student government.
I may seem lenient on much of this, but I do draw the line somewhere. Occasionally, I’ll sit next to a girl who curses and it will become fairly graphic. She may be the sweetest student during the week, but will go completely nuts in the stadium just to impress her friends. Don’t succumb to peer pressure. If you don’t want to do something, don’t do it. That goes for anything and everything, even if it means walking out.
I would much rather see the university work with the students as they venture off-campus, like it has with SafeRide and NiteRide, than try to crack down. More than 57,000 people attended the game, and fewer than 15 people were arrested on the premises. Even though we tend to be just as passionate about our team as other teams are, most visitors do not feel the need to wear a cover shirt. That in itself says something great about our school.
Colleen Gartner
Texas Tech graduate 1962