Comments on: CMU tailgating procedures limit alcohol amount, sound systems

By: Don

Don — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 23:05:52 +0000

TAILGATING? Sounds like JAILGATING. What gives them the right to hold you or your vehicle against your will? Last I heard, you had to be arrested or have your vehicle impounded to lose your right to leave a place whenever you want.
I too am a CMU alum, and remember the days of grass and dirt in front of that stadium. I am astonished that CMU thinks any of this will provide positive results in any way. The only way for the students to be heard would be to refuse to attend, but the sad part there is what that does to those students that are playing for a really good football team. They deserve support.
Unfortunately, I won’t be attending, and neither will the 15 alumni that usually attend with me.
Good luck, Chips!

By: Ryan Simmons

Ryan Simmons — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:56:45 +0000

As an Alumni, I am appauled! I do not need an authority figure, that I am only loosely associated, with to tell me how much alcohol I can drink during tailgating. I can understand that CMU may want to lower the accident rate at tailgating, but this is not the way. Haven’t we learned from the past… If you tell people not to do something, they will anyhow. If you enforce something they want to do, they will find a way to do it anyhow. I’ve seen this University become more and more strict about their policies. If they really want the students to become better at policing themselves, you make the students more responsible. I suggest banning most of the new rules, let cars park earlier and let the people have fun!

By: Chelsea

Chelsea — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:39:43 +0000

Thanks to these wonderful new rules.. tailgating will never be the same and most people I know are boycotting it because all the rules and checkpoints are completely unnecessary. THANKS!… NO MORE TAILGATING AT CMU!!

By: Eric

Eric — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:00:03 +0000

Once again, the administration is doing all it can to “control” the student population’s social activities, all the while doing whatever it can to maintain its wishful perception that CMU is NOT a party school. Those of us who went to school in the early 90’s remember how the administration went after the dorms and greek organizations, putting more and more rules and regulations in place on how people can gather.

I think everyone should tailgate at all the parking lots around the stadium except for the main lots. That would be funny, although not plausible. The university should stop trying to play mom and just let everyone have some fun. The crowds have always been well within the realm of social order.

Stick to education, CMU administration. You guys suck, and always have, as party planners!

By: Johnny

Johnny — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 08:05:52 +0000

This is pathetic, MSU doesn’t force people to keep their cars in the lot. This makes CMU look worse, trying to force us to go to the game. Safety is important, but this is ridiculous. I will not compromise and take 6 40’s.

By: Erin

Erin — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 20:55:15 +0000

I do not know of any school that has tailgating restrictions like ours for this season. I graduated from CMU last year and can honestly say that tailgating was one of my favorite parts of going to CMU. I’m not saying you can’t enjoy tailgate and the game while having only 6 beers but come on if I decide I want to have more then I should make that decision not the school! All these rules will lead to is more altercations with police, more people getting wasted driving to tailgate/the game, and less people coming to tailgate. I think the new rules are ridiculous and I do not plan to let them ruin my fun when I come this weekend for the game. Where there’s a will there’s a way and students will definitely find a way to drink as much as they want this weekend. Screw the new rules…..FIRE UP CHIPS!

By: Linus

Linus — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 22:59:54 +0000

“It’s just another step in line with Obama’s socialist plan.”

Can we get a round of lols for this comment please?

By: Tim Wojcik

Tim Wojcik — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 19:07:03 +0000

The CMU SS are back. It seems every couple of years they try something new to control the tailgate madness. You think they made changes this time. Wait until MSU comes to town. Unfortunately they like to punish all for mistakes made by few. It’s just another step in line with Obama’s socialist plan. The next time around they will be telling us that we cannot boo the play on the field because everyone is a winner!!! It’s just like the NCAA and there pre – game hand shake!!! That has to be one of the phoniest things I have ever seen. Anyone catch the Boise State, Oregon game last week!!! Teams don’t like each other nor do they need to. The respect is earned on the field.
I have been off campus now for just about 15 years and throughout my years since graduation I have continued to tailgate in the Student Section. I have nothing against my brethren who have wandered over to the pasture on the North side, but it just not for me. Those that don’t want the pre-party atmosphere know where to go. And I have been to the pasture over there a few times when I have had those in my party who do not like the rowdiness of the student section. But for me the student section has the best atmosphere I have ever seen at a football game. FIRE UP CHIPS and continue the traditions.

By: Glenn

Glenn — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 23:45:30 +0000

The rules are mostly there for safety–less alcohol leading to less medical emergencies. I think it’s pretty sad when one has to equate fun to how drunk they are–if you cannot have fun sober, or with a responsible amount of alcohol in you, that’s pretty sad. The rules do not say alcohol is not allowed, and some of the amount of alcohol people feel “deprived” by not being allowed to take in the game, given the 3 hour or so time frame, is enough to result in alcohol poisoning, dependent on both your sex and weight, or even death–fun, eh?

Either go tailgate, have some responsible fun, and go to the game, or stay home/got to the bar and get trashed–decide whether you’re really at the game to support your school or be made fun of because you can’t walk straight. People are always going to find ways around rules, but this seems aimed more at creating a fun but safe environment for those who view the Saturday college football game as an all-day experience, not an extended power hour. People already walk to the game with good buzzes or inebriated, and if they cannot realize that driving this way is a bad idea, there is a worse problem than “harsh” rules.

You can make a sweeping generalization that this will dramatically decrease the attendance because all the “die hard” fans will need to find someway to have “fun”; you can also make a sweeping generalization that this will dramatically increase the attendance because the hesitant, “I’ve only heard horror stories about tailgates and the people there,” students know that at least *some* of these horror stories will be curtailed.

By: Chris

Chris — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:05:22 +0000

How bad was it that these changes need to be made? I am an alum in my 30’s and come back for at least 1 game a year and have never seen a problem. I tailgate with a large group of friends (half of whom are skipping homecoming this year because of this) every year and it is fun. We have some beers, listen to terrible frat music, go to the game, and have a blast. Kids are still gonna drink too much, now they will be all over Mt. P instead of in one concentrated area. This increases the danger, decreases attendance, and will be a loss of revenue to the community. This should be more about the local economy. Each person who comes from out of town spends hundreds of dollars for the weekend. Who cares about the $6 for a parking pass, we had to pay every year anyways. This isn’t a source of revenue, it decreases it by limiting it to 350-400 passes. Some things are good though: No glass, Emergency exit, and I guess the external speakers. If its really a problem you can move 50 feet and hear something else. You can’t please everyone, so don’t piss off a large majority to please just a few! FIRE UP CHIPS!!!