Over sensationalized football

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Author: BY Ryan Rasmussen, Culture Writer

There is something very disappointing here in Boise. There is an over sensationalized element here at Boise State – football. While I think our team has done a great job and the Fiesta Bowl was a win, do remember that was last year. It’s done, over with. Come on people, stop yelling “Fiesta Bowl!” It’s time to move on. And with the end of holding the WAC championship title, that should remind all that football is just a game. Fiesta Bowl and WAC championships are not wins for the players, but wins for the school. However, the other triumphs being made with Boise State’s name are seemingly ignored or not celebrated nearly as much as they should be. Students from our Physics Department and Biology Department are being published in papers and research reports around the world for their work. What praise do they get? (Insert sound of crickets here). Oh sure, very randomly The Arbiter publishes something that gives a reference to their success. For instance, the article on Alex Punnoose and his students’ work on nano-technology last year was an incredible story and I applaud them. That was one half-page article. Or how about the freeing of an innocent man by the works of our own BSU professors and the forensics team? Or the grants that this professor received for his lab to conduct more research? What about all the grants that other students and professors are making happen for Boise State by the research they are involved in? None of this stuff is ever really mentioned. These achievements impact the campus community just as much, if not more, as football wins. Then The Arbiter, (whom I love very much), publishes a whole tab every other week it seems on BSU football in full color and makes it very flashy. Hmm, I’m not seeing a balance at all. Isn’t that what professional journalism is about? What about the large percentage of us who would rather see the accomplishment of the students going to college for the education and having an applied impact on this world? They should be in the limelight. The current BSU motto is “we want to move toward a major metropolitan research institute.” How are we going to become that when all we focus on is our football? Guess what people, not a whole lot of research or academic challenge is in the sport. Why on Earth would the country (not to mention the world) want to view us and respect us as a fantastic academic and research institute if all we talk about is a bunch of physically fit men? If the world wants to see that they’ll go to the gym. Still all there seems to be is the focus on our football team and its endeavors, which, in comparison to the other accomplishments being made by our fellow students, make the team seemingly insignificant. I mean honestly, in the big picture, our football team has no effect on the world. They are not solving world hunger, nor are they impacting the medical field as football players. As individuals in college, that may be a different story, I don’t actually know. So I will save myself from ignorance on that topic. The team is not to be entirely blamed (although gauging down its hubris wouldn’t hurt) but we as a society are the ones at fault. All over the country we are still perpetuating the admiration of athleticism, something that existed even among the ancient Greeks. However, we have taken it to a whole new level. We pay our athletes, at least on the pro level, enormous paychecks, while those charged with educating children (our future) are paid so minimally. Of course let’s not count out the coaches! (Smirk). A teacher’s job is even more hazardous today. They now have to worry about the disturbed child who may come and put a gun to their face. One last point of irritation: If an individual doesn’t applaud or get overtly excited about our football team that person is looked at as if they contracted the plague and must be exterminated. However, if one doesn’t get excited about the other accomplishments at BSU, it’s just waved by as unfortunate. Chill out people, it’s not that we hate BSU, it’s just we’re sick of seeing so much emphasis on the football team. It’s unfortunate that I myself have to research what else is being accomplished at BSU and when I do find something it is just a little blurb. President Bob Kustra’s newsletter doesn’t count. I’m going to guess very few students read it or even know of its existence. Yes, the team has given us a spot light and also had its hands in raising money. Props to the team – don’t strain a hamstring. But why is that all we focus on? Give some applause and attention to other aspects of this campus. They deserve it even more.

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