Athletic Directory urges fans to be good sportsThis weekend is the kind of weekend all of us in college athletics relish.  It’s a big game on a big stage … LSU against the No. 1 team in the nation in Death Valley.  We’re counting down the minutes to kickoff and looking forward to a game for the ages. Only seven times in the storied history of Tiger Stadium has LSU entertained the top-ranked team in the country.  Most have been great battles, one an epic victory for the Tigers. The nation will be watching on Saturday afternoon and I am hopeful we will put on a display of which all of the LSU nation will be proud – both on and off the field.  Tiger Stadium is one of the most revered arenas in sports and it is our responsibility – all of us – to represent LSU in a manner consistent with the stature of its reputation. As students at LSU, you represent our great University, and I hope all of you will show good sportsmanship and conduct yourselves with the highest level of honor and dignity that characterize participation in the collegiate setting. Be proud of our team and be loud in support of your fellow students who are wearing purple and gold.  Please be respectful of our opponent.  Get up and get loud!  Cheer on the Tigers with all of your hearts, practice good sportsmanship and enjoy the game.  It will be a day to remember for a very long time. Joe Allevaathletic directorBorder cartoon is racistAs a Texas student enrolled at LSU, I make observations comparing and contrasting the cultures of the two states. A conservative white majority dominates both my home of Texas and my adopted home of Louisiana. Both follow football more religiously than, perhaps, their Protestant and Catholic Christian faiths. And both are enjoyable places to live in this great country. Yet one glaring difference found in my observations is the treatment and acceptable racism of “newer” minorities in Louisiana and most cities in Texas.Salem David’s cartoon, from November 3rd, depicting Barack Obama “opening” the Mexican/U.S. Border, — causing all the “uncivilized,” poncho and sombrero-wearing Mexicans to flood across the border and cause the degradation of the great American society — is incredibly racist. It’s even offensive to me, a Caucasian resident of Hispanic-dominated San Antonio. The cartoon implies that, if elected, Obama will enact extremely lenient immigration policies that will let in even more “criminal” Mexicans.I do not know the background of Mr. David, but through growing up in a city with an overwhelming Hispanic majority and having many Mexican-American friends (at a middle-class high school), I know that looser border restrictions will not cause the immediate plunge of the American dream. Many Mexican-Americans in San Antonio and throughout the United States go on to achieve greatness in the white-collar world. Today, according many ignorant citizens and the aforementioned cartoon, the average Mexican resident is seen as one who came to this country illegally, contributes to a crime-ridden barrio, doesn’t pay taxes, and, of course, wears a sombrero. Of course according these publicly held ideals, presenting said stereotypes as true is not racist at all.What if this drawing presented a poor African-American, moving into a suburban white neighborhood after being granted welfare reforms brought on by Barack Obama, thus leading the neighborhood into decay? A cartoon printed as such would, as it should, be branded as racist and remain unpublished in the Reveille.I understand the political viewpoint — that this cartoon is intended more as an attack on liberal-Democrat immigration policy — but lumping Mexican immigrants as one collective stereotype is wrong. However, in Louisiana, as well as in parts of Texas, to borrow a common Latino rallying cry — sí se puede (loosely: yes we can) — we allow overt racism against newer minorities, despite the lack of morality in doing such.Just a reminder, Mr. David, weren’t the Anglo settlers of America the original destroyers of the established Native American cultures?And, oh, yeah, don’t forget that America is a country founded by immigrants — most of whom weren’t wearing sombreros when they came here to make an honest living.Tyler Henryinternational studies freshmanPiped music isn’t Tiger Stadium traditionAt the beginning of the summer I decided I would go to every LSU game this year, home and away.  I was taken aback when I went to Auburn and heard music played over the loud speakers, rather than played by the band.  I then went to Florida and heard the exact same thing and said, “I thought only pro teams pipe music into the stadiums because their lack of a school band.”  After going to South Carolina I heard the exact same thing, and I really began to appreciate the authentic college football atmosphere I received at LSU home games.  Then I witnessed the unthinkable this weekend while at the Tulane game, piped music.  First and foremost, there is no respectable reason to switch to this absolutely terrible form of pumping up the crowd. The mystique that is Death Valley is lost every time the band is pushed away for this terrible replacement.  First you move the band from their original placement, now you are releasing them of their regular duty.  What’s next, no band?  This season has brought more frustration from sources other than the football team then should ever occur.  For the first time in my LSU Tiger fanship, I was embarrassed of the Tiger Stadium atmosphere.  I can only hope that we do not embarrass ourselves even more when a national audience sees our game against Alabama this weekend. Go Tigers.Eric Reimsnyderfinance junior—-Contact The Daily Reveille’s opinion staff at [email protected]