What's the big deal about having a Jumbotron? How does that make the game suddenly classless ("Tradition is character," Oct. 28)? Historically, Notre Dame has always been a team that embodies the American public.
We were once known as the working man's Harvard. We got our mascot because we decided to embrace a racial slur. And nowhere is this truer than on the football field. This isn't cricket. We don't stop for tea time.
Football is a brutal game, where we cheer when we hear a great hit. We are literally screaming as loud as we can for half the game. This isn't about being classy, it's about making our football stadium a place that other teams fear.
A few years ago, when USC played Ohio State at the Horseshoe, Pete Carroll blasted music at their practices to try to simulate what the game would be like. Just a guess, but I highly doubt such preparations had to be taken when they played us.
So, invigorating our fans during the game is important (mind you, nothing will invigorate a fan base more than a slew of victories, but that's another topic entirely), but we can't really do that if we conform to your standard of "class."
I'm not saying that Notre Dame and football doesn't have any form of class, but what you are talking about, Ms. Buechler, is not class. It's us sticking up our noses at people because they aren't "traditional" enough.
Class isn't about Jumbotrons or towel waving, it's about the fact that when a fan from an opposing team walks onto campus, they are treated with respect, not a face full of spit (yes, you know which campuses I'm talking about).
Class is our football team walking over to the Navy band and standing with them for their alma mater. It's the fact that win or lose we stand together arm in arm singing about our love for this most amazing of universities. That is what makes Notre Dame classy.
Serena Mathews
junior
off campus
Oct. 30
