Local Carbondale fan speaks out on 9/16 Sports Illustrated article

Dear Editor:

I read with interest and dismay the Sports Illustrated On Campus insert in the Sept. 11 issue of Daily Egyptian which, after an apparent search of the whole country, selected the top twenty college sports towns from Madison, Wis., to Baton Rouge, La., and from Gainesville, Fla., to Berkeley, Calif. After this extensive list and a few positive words about each, here appears a five-inch column announcing to the world that Carbondale, Ill., (a small, community somewhere south of Chicago) is the WORST sports town in the whole United States of America!

I appreciate your commentary in the DE pointing out the many positives of Southern Illinois University sports to include the fans. My wife and I are big fans and support SIU athletics by trying to attend all of our home football and basketball games. It is obvious that the unnamed author of the Sports Illustrated piece doesn?t know squat. HOWEVER, the Sports Illustrated column does cite a Southern Illinois newspaper local account of the Salukis? big season opening win against Quincy, noting that in addition to those attending the game "approximately 1,000 more never made it out of the parking lot as their SIU spirit was shown in tailgate fashion."

It is time for the administration of this University to put a halt to the bad practice of allowing the tailgate to continue after the game begins. I think a good pre-game rally to include some good, cold beer lifts the spirit and is an important part of a good football outing but to simply allow people to pack a parking lot to get s&!#-faced drunk with no intention to attend the game is ridiculous. The only things accomplished by this extended tailgate policy are more police overtime expense and a national infamous title. I don?t want to sound like a prude, but when the Marching Salukis play the National Anthem, it is time for all the boys and girls to put their beer down, respect the flag and get ready to encourage Coach Jerry Kill and the SIU Football Salukis to kick ass!

Go Salukis!

Michael P. Norrington

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