LETTER: Sports events are just games

Dear Editor,

My daughters are students at the University of Wyoming, and drove from Laramie, Wyo. to attend the USU-Wyoming football game on Saturday. They were seated in the general admission section, so were surrounded by many USU fans. At the end of the game, when Wyoming blocked the point after kick, my daughters were cheering and waving pom-poms. The “gentleman” in front of them turned around, forcibly ripped the pom-poms out of their hands, threw them down on the ground and while uttering obscenities, prevented my daughters from retrieving their property. This person is probably not a student at your university, but as a USU fan, represents your school.

My daughters then returned to their car and found that someone had broken off the Wyoming flag that had been attached to the window, with the said flag nowhere to be found.

I was born and raised in Utah, and always disliked the University of Wyoming. Everyone said they had the worst fans anywhere. I have lived in Wyoming now for 17 years, and have found that Wyoming fans are no better or worse than fans from any other university. After this experience and a similar experience my son had at BYU, I now know there are rude and destructive people associated with any school.

After the events of Sept. 11, I would hope people would realize what is really important and stop the childish behavior associated with so many sports. After all, they are only games.

Shauna Sutphin