TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Letters To The Editor

ADVERTISEMENT

The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 6, 2007

Tailgating Tradition

Regarding 'Peak Performance' (front page, Sept. 29):

Local papers, including the Tribune, got justifiably excited about discovering another state university plays great football. Congratulations. Appropriate coverage will be appreciated.

But goodness, even the relatively inexperienced should know better than to say on the front page, 'Tailgating began six hours before the game. In the past, fans would show up a few minutes prior to kickoff and stroll in the stadium.'

Are you kidding? You've never been to a Bulls game before? Or talked to anyone who has been to a Bulls game?

Do you recognize burned meat when you smell it? For better or worse, thousands of people have tailgated at every USF game since Kentucky Wesleyan 11 years ago. You may have just discovered excitement in USF football, but a lot of other folks, including tailgaters, found it a long time ago.

BOB DARDENNE

St. Petersburg

Feared For Their Safety

I'd like to congratulate the University of South Florida Bulls on their victory last Friday; the team and coaches did a great job. I'd also like to praise the area for the number of fans who filled Raymond James Stadium. This was a great way to show the country how the area supports this university.

My wife and I attended the game and were wearing West Virginia University colors, as she was born and raised there. We were threatened with physical violence, had profanity screamed in our faces and were not able to really enjoy the experience due to a constant concern for our safety.

This was our second USF game so we did not expect this level of open hostility by so many in attendance. Maybe a few more big victories will result in some class and sportsmanship. Good luck!

JOHN SCHWIND

Fort Myers

Fans Behaved Boorishly

My friends, family and I visited Florida last weekend to watch the WVU/USF football game on Friday evening. While at the game we encountered some of the most rude and arrogant fans of any game we have ever attended. We go to a lot of games out of state and in state. The manners of some of the USF fans put to shame some of the comments I have heard about Mountaineer fans.

West Virginians are not inbred, ignorant or hillbilly rats as we were called. We were greatly offended by the rudeness and offensive language used. We were threatened with rape. One of the girls in our group was surrounded by several guys on her way to the restroom and they wouldn't let her go. One of the guys was pushed down the steps of the stadium. The backs of our seats was beaten on and when asked to stop was told 'Go home hillbilly, you're not wanted here.'

Not all of the fans were like this and apologized for their fellow fans' actions.

We go to the games for friendship and to have a good time, but not to this degree - to feel threatened and fear for our safety. We feel this issue needs to be addressed by the school and the security of the stadium.

CATHY RICHARDSON

Charleston, W.V.

Don't Stereotype WVU
As a literate, educated and proud Mountaineer fan, I was very disheartened by what I saw on ESPN2 on Friday night. Yes, our team played one of the worst halves in Mountaineer football history, and that was heartbreaking. Yes, we had a good run at the end only to be stopped on fourth down in the last minute, and that was also heartbreaking.

However, what bothers me the most as I sit reflecting on Friday's contest is how disappointed I am in your fans. I saw several distasteful signs on ESPN: 'Beat WVU and their fans,' 'Beat WVU and the couch burnin' hillbillies,' and the worst of all, 'WVU #1 in incest.'

I thought of several witty replies to the signs, but I will not stoop to that level of idiocy. West Virginia University has had 25 Rhodes scholars, 30 Goldwater scholars and 18 Truman scholars. Mountaineers/West Virginians include literary great Pearl S. Buck, pioneer aviator Chuck Yeager, sports legends Jerry West and George Brett, military great Stonewall Jackson and actors such as Don Knotts and Jennifer Garner. We are a proud state with a proud history and a long legacy of honorable, successful, intelligent West Virginians and I resent the actions and attitude of some of your fans.

Your team showed class and discipline - and your fans could learn a lot from them.

ANDI MILLS

Grafton, W.V.

City Of The Gridiron?

Tampa witnessed a sad defeat Friday night - the death of one of Mayor Iorio's primary goals for our city. The irony is that she personally signed the death warrant as she led a football pep rally Friday afternoon. 'Tampa: City of the Arts' is out; welcome to 'Tampa, City of the Gridiron.'

As some 65,000 fans roared at a packed Raymond James on Friday night, a smattering of applause echoed through the half-empty Carol Morsani Hall at the first pops concert of The Florida Orchestra's 40th Anniversary Season. Those in attendance were greeted personally by members of the orchestra, thanking the patrons for their support, but also handing them some important information.

The musicians are working without a contract and may soon face a lockout or even be forced to strike. Cutbacks could reduce base musician salaries to below $30,000 and The Florida Orchestra is already one of the lowest-paid professional orchestras when compared to those in similar-sized communities. These facts are as embarrassing as the meager crowd that greeted the orchestra and visiting violinist Thomas Demer on Friday evening.

This is a city of the arts? No, because college or pro, Tampa's masses fill the coliseum to watch their gridiron gladiators go into battle as the orchestra tries to play on.

JENNIFER DAWSON

Brandon

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT