Opinion: TCU student section at football games is all trash, no class

by Beau Tiongson of TCU 360

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It's just a game.

FORT WORTH — Do you remember when it used to be fun to sit in the front row at Amon G. Carter Stadium?

You had to be crazy to sit in the scorching Texas sun during all of TCU's Mountain West Conference day games. It was a badge of honor to be known around campus as "one of those guys" who entered the stadium hours before kick off to occupy the scarce front row.

There have been amazing triumphs as well as heartbreaks on that field. We all feel the agony of defeat and jubilation when we win, but the Iowa State loss and now the Texas Tech game have really just left me ... well ... angry.

And it is not because of the result shown on the scoreboard.

I am going to say this in an honest, short, and unbiased tone to the student body, so go ahead and brace yourself: We are going experience some losses in the Big 12 Conference.

We have (unfortunately) lost before, and we are (unfortunately) going to lose again. I remember how flustered the fans were after we lost in overtime to SMU last season and even the BCS Fiesta Bowl loss to Boise State.

No matter how bad the score was, never once do I remember students throwing garbage and drinks toward opposing teams.

I admit I am guilty of heckling and yelling at the referees and opposing players when they are on the bench, but what do you accomplish by throwing your trash at Iowa State and Texas Tech players?

To our drunken fans, hitting their quarterback with your smuggled alcoholic beverage will not give TCU a touchdown. In fact, a large majority of the objects being thrown are hitting students in the front rows, not the players. So thank you for drenching your peers and hitting us with your garbage.

I guess we are allowed to yell, cuss, flick off, and boo opposing teams, but the second a Tech player looks back into the crowd and mutters a silent "shhh" with a finger to his mouth means we can open fire on him with anything in our hands.

Yes, I know the Texas Tech fans were being obnoxious after they won, but maybe you just got a glimpse into how every team we beat over the last few seasons feels. Winning the Rose Bowl apparently meant every University of Wisconsin fan in Los Angeles deserved to be further reminded that they lost. It was such a sad ending to an amazing day.

Our fans were so embarrassing after the Texas Tech game. I witnessed a group of fraternity members (and yes ... I know your letters) trying to start a fight with Tech fans. The altercation would have escalated if an elderly TCU fan had not stepped in and steered the Tech fans away.

Instead of walking away, the fraternity guys started to cuss out and verbally assault an older man. With children and women around, students were swearing (use your imagination of what was said) at a TCU fan old enough to be their father.

Because of the Iowa State incident, stadium security came to the student section before the Texas Tech game's kickoff and told everyone in the front row that they have to sit during the game under threat of being removed from the stadium.

The police officers were serious, too.

At this rate, it would not surprise me if we are not able to stand in the student section at all next season. Nothing gets accomplished by trashing our field. The only outcome is giving other schools an excuse to throw trash at our players.

Here is some food for thought. In 2007, TCU's record was 8-5. The frogs went 34-3 over the next three seasons and appeared in two BCS games.

If you are that hardcore about TCU football and care that much about winning and losing, go suit up and try to walk on. There is a reason we are in the stands and they are on the field.

Still, be loud and scream until your voice is gone. Hopefully, we will still have fans who want to sit in the front ten rows next home game. But to whomever this concerns, please stop disgracing our university and locate the nearest trash receptacle instead.

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