Staff Editorial

Show your Cougar pride, but do it the right way

The official attendance for Saturday’s football game against Texas State was a record of 32,119 people, but there’s always more than meets the eye.

A few desperate student fans resorted to hopping fences or finding other ways to sneak in, making the number smaller because it doesn’t include uncounted people. The same thing happened at last year’s Texas Tech game, which set the previous Robertson Stadium attendance record of 32,114.

Not only is this unethical toward the University, but it’s also a head-scratcher. Students enrolled in classes can get into games for free with their Cougar Card. If students are worried about not being able to make the game in time to get seats in the student section, $15 guest tickets guarantee a seat at the game.

But most importantly, we at The Daily Cougar wouldn’t say a game is worth hopping a fence for, despite our support for the football program.

We’re not asking you to pay for the concessions, which tend to be overpriced, but students should follow with procedure by entering through Gate 10. Not only because it’s right, but because it helps the numbers.

When the football team was riding high last season with a 3-0 record, the UTEP Miners spoiled that run. An intimidating crowd in a game with more purpose than last weekend can only be a plus. There’s nothing the team and its coaches would want more than rowdy fans to help distract UTEP. They need it, too.

With plans for a new football stadium to replace Robertson by 2014, attendance at games this year is essential to help with that process.  Cougar fans should be aiming for another record and sellout crowd against UTEP on Friday, but do it the right way. Wear red, be deafening for four quarters and enter legally.

The record for the Texas State game was impressive; it showed an increased amount of interest of the UH community to watch a game that was over by half time. Being able to report a record crowd two weeks in a row would be even more special, even if it’s only 32,120 fans counted through the turnstiles.

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