I’m not really writing to get this published. I just felt compelled to answer a paragraph written by Anthony Pijerov called “Title IX a phony excuse for end to football.” While the bulk of the article was informative and interesting, I strongly disagree with the last paragraph, which reads:
“Could football survive at BU? It did for more than 90 years. BU has no fight song (except for the ‘BC sucks’ one, which doesn’t work against other teams), very few traditions, and no school spirit. Perhaps football could bring some of that back. However, your comments help no one, Mr. DeVita. Perhaps instead of criticizing others for not ‘doing their homework’ you should do yours. ”
Sure, there are a great many kids who don’t actively promote their love of BU. There are plenty of students who aren’t afraid to say how much they dislike BU, or things about BU. However, there are a good many of us who consider ourselves lucky to have found ourselves at BU, and are fighting tooth and nail to stay.
The original words of the fight song don’t include the “BC Sucks’ part. I know, because I actually know the words to our fight song. If you’d like to see tradition, come to a hockey game and watch the pep band. Talk to a member of the ROTC program or one of the long-standing Greek organizations. BU is a huge organization, it’s true, and that makes it difficult to have campus-wide traditions. However, we have an immense amout of student organizations, and they have their own unique traditions that I highly doubt their members would discount as unimportant.
As for school spirit, well, I’m not going to pretend I’m a BU cheerleader. However, today I’m going for my third audition to BU’s College of Fine Arts. I know that CFA has an amazing music education program, and I know how much I could learn there. I’ve been working as hard as I can for the past year and a half, knowing that there’s still a chance that I’ll have to leave BU and go to an easier music school. I know very well the talented professors, those of the likes of Terry Everson and Andre DiQuadros, that I would have the opportunity to learn from here at BU, and I’m not giving up. That I would feel confident in calling school spirit.
And I am not alone. One of my closest friends here couldn’t continue with the ROTC program; without the funding, she’ll have to graduate in two and a half years just to afford her diploma. Another girl had to leave school for financial reasons; she’s now working full-time just to afford her classes here. Sure, they could have gone to much cheaper schools in their home states, but they know better. They know that BU is not a place you give up without a fight.
So, Mr. Pijerov, I comliment you on your excellent research of title IX, and support your hope of one day having a football team at BU once again. However, I don’t think BU needs a football team for school spirit. I think we’re doing alright on our own.
Sincerely, Jamie Teot
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