Spring Break
Return of football program can benefit ETSU in a myriad of ways
Guest Column
Travis Russell
Issue date: 2/1/07 Section: ViewPoint
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However, much to my own dismay, none of these have taken place on or involved in any way my school, East Tennessee State University. Soon, however, that may no longer be the case. I fully support the return of football to ETSU.
Before I am understandably attacked by those individuals that would like to point out it was the failure of the football program that got it canceled in the first place, I would ask you to be patient. I would ask you to allow me the opportunity to point out what a quality football program can do for not only this school, but for the entire Tri-Cities area.
Football can change the mentality of this university's student body. As everyone who has ever spent a Saturday and Sunday on campus can attest, this place dies on the weekend. After 4 p.m. on Friday, you can practically see the tumbleweed rolling past the Carillon.
Football is the most popular sport in America and routinely draws crowds in excess of 100,000 people not an hour and a half from here. Now, I'm not saying that we need to build the next Neyland Stadium. But wouldn't it be nice to have something to draw students back on the weekend? Wouldn't it be nice to erase the "suitcase college" stereotype that is so prevalent here? Football can help.
Football can promote the relationship between the school and community. No other sport in this country has developed the kind of following football has.
A quality team in this region will be a symbol of pride for the Tri-Cities, and when people come to the games, they bring their money to the school.
But maybe even more importantly, they bring their loyalty to the school as well. If ETSU is to become the university of choice in this region, the school must have the loyalty of the local community. Football can help.
Football can also help contribute to the success of other sports on campus. When recruits come on a visit to our school, they consider the entire university as a whole, and not having football raises suspicions about the nature of our commitment to athletic excellence. Recruiting is all about "wowing" the athlete. We need a complete athletics program to "wow." Football can help.
When I go home, I talk to people about where I go to school. The first question is always the same. "Why did they cancel the football team?" Ashamed, I have to hang my head and admit it failed because no one cared. This is our opportunity to care. This is our opportunity to make ETSU better.
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 4
Hack Hawthorne
posted 2/01/07 @ 7:28 AM CST
A couple of points.
First, if Football did not keep the students on campus before, why do you think it will now?
Second, enrollment is much higher now than it was when we had Football. (Continued…)
E. Marshall Buckles
posted 2/01/07 @ 5:03 PM CST
My wife and I attended ETSU back during the '70s and have kept up with what goes on there since then. I have said this before and I will say it again. (Continued…)
Wes Holtsclaw
posted 2/03/07 @ 8:07 PM CST
As a former East Tennesseee State student, former Tennessean sports writer and current Sports Editor of the Elizabethton STAR, I commend you, Travis, for your stance on the return of football. (Continued…)
Bruce Maynard '74 ETSU
posted 6/25/07 @ 12:19 AM CST
I visited two years ago and found ETSU had no football program. I was shocked. I rmember the old stadium and the hollowed out field. The games were rough to watch sometimes but I remeber ETSU in bowl games too. (Continued…)
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