LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Tone Down Behavior at Games
I'd like to say thank you to President Hardesty for his notes in the recent alumni magazine regarding ways to strengthen our University . . . particularly #3.
When WVU played football at the University of Cincinnati a few years ago, I was really excited about sharing the WVU football experience with my children in their hometown of Cincinnati.
We were only 15 minutes into the game before I became so embarrassed by the WVU fans, with their drinking and lewd comments to female police officers trying to bring about some crowd control . . . that my children asked if we could move to the UC side of the stadium . . . I readily complied. I'm a faculty member of the medical school and knew the children identified with UC.
What a wasted opportunity for the university to shine. I wanted my children to share the wonderful energy and fun of being at a Mountaineer game. I had become numb to the crazy behavior while a student at WVU, but the rowdiness of the adults, not the students, was really out of control in our UC experience.
I don't know that I'll ever get my kids back to another game. They were appalled.
It is possible to have a great team spirit and not be drunk. We do it all the time. The times have changed. The 1970s model of drinking at sports events is not as popular as Mountaineers may think.
Let's clean up the act and it might be easier to recruit to the campus.
Chris Carey, '74 BS, '79 MD
Cincinnati, OH
Thanks for the Photos
I have to admit I rarely have time to sit down and read the WVU Alumni Magazine. I really enjoyed the favorite places at WVU (photos by Dan Friend). It made me homesick for the old hometown.
Leigh Ann Gresham, '86 BS
Tampa, FL