I graduated from BYU seven years ago and have not ever been embarrassed of my alma mater until Saturday. At the beginning of the game, the ESPN announcers lauded the classiness of the BYU student section. They probably wished they could have taken back those words by the end of the game when hoards of boos, insults and garbage were raining from the Marriott Center stands.
Is this why we fought for years to get BYU sports on national TV? So that we could disgrace our university in front of a coast-to-coast audience during Saturday prime time?
We should have the classiest venue in college basketball, without excuses. That responsibility lies with everyone in the arena. Our players and coaching staff, outmatched fair and square by St. Mary’s, only contributed to the problem with their flagrant play and incessant complaints to the officials. The broadcasters also speculated that BYU’s practice of replaying all questionable calls on the Marriott Center big screen was not helping the environment in the arena.
People invariably associate BYU with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Next time you attend a BYU sporting event, please remember what you represent. And if you can’t remember that, at least remember that people across the country may be watching you.
STERLING QUINN
Olympia, Wash.
