Dear Joe,
We have a problem: the LSU Student Section is getting completely out of hand. While most people realize this fact, we are often left after big games wondering how it continues to be this way after being lambasted yet again in the national press for inappropriately chanting and mocking opposing players or coaches. To my memory, it most recently (and notoriously) happened against Alabama during our final home football game of the 2014 season. Yes, I received your e-mail the next day. And yes, I read your public apology. But yesterday is a clear indicator that your message has yet again fallen on deaf ears.
As a proud LSU student and avid Tiger fanatic, I am a constant attendee of LSU football, basketball, and baseball events. To date, I’ve attended every home basketball game this season with the exception of Wake Forest when I was in Houston to cheer on the Tigers in the 2015 Advocare Texas Bowl.
When I arrived to the PMAC yesterday morning at about 11:15 a.m., I was one of maybe 30 students. I was joined by many of the #RampCamp2016 crowd, who were treated to pizza and a visit the night before by LSU basketball coach Johnny Jones. They were well-equipped not only with the tents and chairs necessary for the sleepover, but also numerous coolers stocked with beer, liquor, and even the table, cups, and ping pong balls necessary to play some Beer Pong.
As we got closer to game time, more began to arrive, not with tents anymore, but with more coolers and more alcohol. Any casual observer of the student line by 1:00 p.m. could have easily discerned who was quickly becoming too far gone and out of line. I saw a cop walk through the line, once, but nothing of substance was done to avoid what became a ticking time bomb. By 2:15 p.m., some members of the crowd became raucous and unruly, and yes, even chanting preemptively what everyone heard in the stadium just a few hours later.
I’m sure you and your staff have had numerous conversations about “the student issue” and how the department may go about solving it. I’m sure coaches like Les Miles and Johnny Jones wonder about it too. But the bottom line is, the buck stops with you. As the Athletic Director of the LSU program, the responsibility falls directly upon Mr. Joe Alleva to enforce the rules and policies of the university while students attend athletic events. When the students attend games, they are entering and operating in an athletic venue that you, ultimately, are responsible for.
My experience yesterday shows me that, beyond a reasonable doubt, what happened yesterday was avoidable with better coordination between the athletic department, LSU Police and PMAC staff. Stop these kids at the door, deny entry to those who can’t represent LSU with class, and if they do make it through, have some staff inside the building monitoring the student section with a careful eye.
I urge you to devote extra attention and effort to this issue. Not doing so continues to damage the reputation of our students, our athletic program, the university, and most importantly, the LSU brand.
Andrew Abad is a graduate student in the Manship School of Mass Communication.