Cincinnati Bearcats Student Problem

The University of Cincinnati needs a “students can’t leave early” rule.

Nov 9, 2013; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback Brendon Kay (11) throws a pass during the fourth quarter of the game against the Southern Methodist Mustangs at Nippert Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Leifheit-USA TODAY Sports

Are you a student that attends the University of Cincinnati? If, yes, did you attend the football game this Saturday against SMU? If you answered yes, did you stay for the entire game? Only 45 of you should say yes. That is how many people appeared to be left standing when the game finished.

That is an utter embarrassment, as I stood there and watched the bleachers around me and my friends clear out the angrier I got, what happened to the days of past when students would stay for an entire game or at least until the 4th quarter when they knew the game was surely in hand.

The days of “Come early, be loud, wear black” are over having instead been replaced with “Come late, wear whatever color, leave at halftime”.

I have attended UC for far to long, 5.5 years at this point. Over that time though I have seen the highest of highs (BCS Bowls, Undefeated season) and I have seen the lowest of lows (2010) through all that though the students stayed. When did this awful tradition of leaving at halftime start?

In 2008 and 2009 if you were a student you wouldn’t dare leave early, tickets were impossible to get, the atmosphere was insane. Remember when we clinched the Orange Bowl, threw oranges on the field then rushed the field? When was the last time you saw that sort of atmosphere at Nippert?

Now students climb out of Nippert at halftime, leaving with 30 minutes of football left. What could you possibly have to do at 1:30 in the afternoon on a Saturday? Drink? You can do that at 3:30 when the game ends, that still leaves you with 8.5 hours left in the day then all Sunday. Don’t even think about saying its too cold, if you weren’t at the Pitt snow game shut up and grab a North Face.

I’m older than most of the students I get that, but its the upper classmen that are staying. The problem lies with the freshman and the sophomores. The whole culture of leaving for no reason lies with those who have not experienced the ups and downs.

Many people have said don’t create bad blood with the student section. Too late, if you’re a student who leaves at halftime, turn in your season tickets, don’t come to the Louisville game stay in you dorm/apartment and watch from home if drinking is that important to you.

The players feed off of how loud we are as a student section, how demoralized would you be to come out after halftime and 1/3 of the student section left? Pretty bummed if you have any sort of feelings.

The only and I mean the only reason I can think of for why students leave besides drinking is the fact that the American conference offers no marque match ups. In the past games against Pitt and WVU were incredible rivalries. I understand games against Tmeple and SMU don’t garner the same excitement.

At the end of the day though we all attend the University of Cincinnati, the university and the players provide us with football every weekend, the least we can do is show some support.

If you actually care about Cincinnati football, and you are willing to stay please by all means come December 5th against Louisville. If not, stay away, shedding the bandwagoners is a good thing.

See you all Dec. 5th, lets really ruin Louisvilles season and show the nation what Cincinnati is capable of.