Pre-gaming minus the game

When it comes to IU football, some fans want to go big or go home. Others just want to go big and then go home.

I’m referring of course to IU’s largest and most esteemed athletic tradition: the football tailgate.

Ah, the smell of hamburgers on the wind as corn-hole bags fly by. To anyone who has stopped to bask in the glory of these festivities, it might come as a surprise that this year’s football attendance has hardly budged from last years’ numbers.

Coming off a solid 7-5 finish and an Insight Bowl appearance, the Hoosiers’ first in 13 years, the attendance figures are disappointing. Yet, the tailgate is still going strong.
Don’t get me wrong, the sight of all those loyal Hoosier fans descending on the stadium parking lot in the wee hours of the morning makes me brim with pride just as much as the next guy. It’s the hoards of people I see walking away before the game even starts that I take issue with.

In 2007, IU ranked 63 in the FBS for accumulated attendance, averaging only 70.68 percent capacity.

This February work is expected to be completed on the North End Zone Project, which will bring Memorial Stadium’s capacity to 53,500, making Terry Hoeppner’s dream of filling “The Rock” even more difficult.

Some say just showing up at the tailgate is a sign of support for the football team. Please. Spare us the proud pretense and admit that hanging out and drinking with friends is often more fun than cheering on an inconsistent team.

Granted, tailgating might do more for team spirit than staying at home, but downing a few cold ones does nothing to rally the troops if the stadium remains only half-filled. Attendance directly affects player morale and ultimately helps us win games.

After Saturday’s disappointing 42-20 loss to Ball State, our Hoosiers need all of the help they can get to rally against a tough Michigan State team – and that is where you MIA tailgaters come in.

I’m calling on you to splash some fresh water on your faces and make the trek to the stadium. With a difficult schedule ahead of them and bowl hopes in mind, the football team needs less Buds in the tailgate and more butts in the seats.

Now I don’t want to hear that complaining. You mean to tell me that the same fearless group of people that can rise at 6 a.m., still recovering from the night before in order to choke down their kegs and eggs can’t manage to stick it out through a three-hour long football game?

Hah! You are IU’s un-sung heroes, and your team needs your support. Save some room for your post-game fix, and sober up enough to actually make an appearance at the game.

Nothing would make IU prouder than a stadium full of cheering – albeit slightly tipsy – student fans.