TCU To Require Tailgaters To Attend The Game?
Posted: Sun Oct 24, 2004 2:27 pm--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted on Sat, Oct. 23, 2004
Football tailgate parties may need referees
By Bud Kennedy
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
Welcome home, Horned Frogs.
Texas Christian University has a problem that needs your attention.
College drinking has gone from silly to deadly. Dangerously heavy drinking is poisoning about one student every week nationwide this fall. Students are dying, including two university freshmen from the Southwest.
Nothing like that has happened at TCU. But violence has been seen around a few organized student tailgate parties in the football parking lot. A couple of fans have been hurt.
Tailgate parties are still new to Fort Worth. They've gone on forever at college football games, but TCU only approved them in 1998. Drinking is absolutely limited to adults older than 21.
The parties are fun.
We need your help to keep the parties fun.
Fort Worth police say they are arresting or ticketing about 10 drinkers per game. That's up from about two last year.
The problem is not unique to TCU or sports events. College officials nationwide report a sharp increase in heavy drinking by a few young people, particularly freshmen. Police at the University of Texas at Arlington report a fourfold increase in alcohol violations.
TCU has banned kegs at football tailgate parties. That was meant to discourage partiers from drinking heavily just to empty the keg.
So one student organization threw a never-ending party with 1,000 cans of beer.
The problem is not only some young adults' heavy drinking but also the aftermath.
In one vivid description posted on a TCU fans' Web discussion board, a young woman wobbled as she crouched to relieve herself between sport utility vehicles in a parking lot. Then she toppled face-first into her own puddle.
TCU Vice Chancellor Don Mills says most of the problems have involved a very few parties. Student organizations have agreed to move those parties and supervise others more closely beginning tonight at the homecoming game against the University of Houston.
"We want people to have a lot of fun at our games," Mills said. "We want people to bring their families and enjoy the experience."
He listed TCU's rules: "One, everybody goes to have fun. Two, everybody goes to respect one another and show respect for others. And three, everybody who goes to party goes to the game."
Mills said the larger problem this year is not tailgate parties but "the amount of alcohol and the behavior that results from that."
Nationwide this year, 12 students have died either directly from toxic alcohol poisoning or indirectly in alcohol-related violence or accidents.
The latest death occurred Thursday in Boston, where a college student was killed by police attempting to calm the celebration after the Red Sox won the American League baseball championship.
A Colorado university freshman from Dallas is among those students dead of alcohol poisoning. A freshman at the University of Oklahoma also died, leading one lawmaker in that state to propose banning alcohol from university social events.
"There is a real concern that students are drinking to excess and then getting themselves in trouble," Mills said. "Then they don't know how to get out."
Colleges are encouraging young people to take more responsibility for guests and friends' health and safety.
"For some students, 'responsibility' just means 'Don't drink and drive,' " Mills said. "That's all they've ever heard.
"That doesn't solely define 'responsibility.' "
TCU needs every adult -- parents, alumni and fans -- to help teach responsibility and respect.
Maybe it starts in the football parking lot.
The Fort Worth police officer who supervises security said police are concerned about large party crowds and underage drinkers.
"There's 2,000 students out there who never go to the game," Lt. Paul Jwanowski said. "They have satellite dishes set up. They just stay out there and drink."
That might seem like fun.
But not if it ruins Frog fans' fun.
Or costs a life.
Bud Kennedy's Column Appears Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(817) 390-7538; [email protected]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
© 2004 Star-Telegram and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.dfw.com
Posted on Sat, Oct. 23, 2004
Football tailgate parties may need referees
By Bud Kennedy
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
Welcome home, Horned Frogs.
Texas Christian University has a problem that needs your attention.
College drinking has gone from silly to deadly. Dangerously heavy drinking is poisoning about one student every week nationwide this fall. Students are dying, including two university freshmen from the Southwest.
Nothing like that has happened at TCU. But violence has been seen around a few organized student tailgate parties in the football parking lot. A couple of fans have been hurt.
Tailgate parties are still new to Fort Worth. They've gone on forever at college football games, but TCU only approved them in 1998. Drinking is absolutely limited to adults older than 21.
The parties are fun.
We need your help to keep the parties fun.
Fort Worth police say they are arresting or ticketing about 10 drinkers per game. That's up from about two last year.
The problem is not unique to TCU or sports events. College officials nationwide report a sharp increase in heavy drinking by a few young people, particularly freshmen. Police at the University of Texas at Arlington report a fourfold increase in alcohol violations.
TCU has banned kegs at football tailgate parties. That was meant to discourage partiers from drinking heavily just to empty the keg.
So one student organization threw a never-ending party with 1,000 cans of beer.
The problem is not only some young adults' heavy drinking but also the aftermath.
In one vivid description posted on a TCU fans' Web discussion board, a young woman wobbled as she crouched to relieve herself between sport utility vehicles in a parking lot. Then she toppled face-first into her own puddle.
TCU Vice Chancellor Don Mills says most of the problems have involved a very few parties. Student organizations have agreed to move those parties and supervise others more closely beginning tonight at the homecoming game against the University of Houston.
"We want people to have a lot of fun at our games," Mills said. "We want people to bring their families and enjoy the experience."
He listed TCU's rules: "One, everybody goes to have fun. Two, everybody goes to respect one another and show respect for others. And three, everybody who goes to party goes to the game."
Mills said the larger problem this year is not tailgate parties but "the amount of alcohol and the behavior that results from that."
Nationwide this year, 12 students have died either directly from toxic alcohol poisoning or indirectly in alcohol-related violence or accidents.
The latest death occurred Thursday in Boston, where a college student was killed by police attempting to calm the celebration after the Red Sox won the American League baseball championship.
A Colorado university freshman from Dallas is among those students dead of alcohol poisoning. A freshman at the University of Oklahoma also died, leading one lawmaker in that state to propose banning alcohol from university social events.
"There is a real concern that students are drinking to excess and then getting themselves in trouble," Mills said. "Then they don't know how to get out."
Colleges are encouraging young people to take more responsibility for guests and friends' health and safety.
"For some students, 'responsibility' just means 'Don't drink and drive,' " Mills said. "That's all they've ever heard.
"That doesn't solely define 'responsibility.' "
TCU needs every adult -- parents, alumni and fans -- to help teach responsibility and respect.
Maybe it starts in the football parking lot.
The Fort Worth police officer who supervises security said police are concerned about large party crowds and underage drinkers.
"There's 2,000 students out there who never go to the game," Lt. Paul Jwanowski said. "They have satellite dishes set up. They just stay out there and drink."
That might seem like fun.
But not if it ruins Frog fans' fun.
Or costs a life.
Bud Kennedy's Column Appears Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(817) 390-7538; [email protected]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
© 2004 Star-Telegram and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.dfw.com