Dear Editor,
The counterpoint perspective on
football at VCU in “Should VCU have
a football team? A point/counterpoint
discussion” (Sept. 27) was no doubt
sincere and the viewpoint expressed was
interesting, but it was unresponsive to the
advantages presented. In summary, some
of those advantages were:
1. A higher competitive profile in
the pool of more qualified students for
admission to VCU.
2. Immediate economic benefits to
the university and the Richmond community
from football and football-related
activities.
3. Improved alumni relations and
corresponding long-term financial benefits
to the university from endowments and
bequests.
4. Improved school spirit and a more
highly energized student body.
5. A student body better prepared to
assume its citizenship and leadership
roles in the larger community upon
graduation.
This is an impressive list of benefits,
regardless of the cost. It is a mistake
to consider a review of the benefits
of football to VCU to be a complaint.
Positive, optimistic, enthusiastic, hopeful
– certainly. But there is little evidence
that VCU students are complainers
looking for something new. Most VCU
students come from U.S. high schools
with established football and basketball
programs and homecoming games in the
fall. They’re simply looking for something
old, something they have always known. It
seems totally unrealistic to expect students
or alumni to ever be enthusiastic about
college soccer, field hockey or tennis, and
yes, even baseball, whatever the quality
of the teams.
To mandate that students must enthusiastically
support existing, less
mainstream programs before making any
improvements to the athletic program
seems condescending and punishing. It
sounds like, “You can’t have your dessert
until you finish your spinach.” This is not
an authoritarian boarding school where
the headmaster knows what’s best for
the kiddies.
And speaking of the headmaster, from
where does the belief originate that VCU
President Trani “will not allow” a football
team? He is not a tyrant. He has demonstrated
himself to be a wise, open-minded
leader and a sophisticated businessman
who listens to his constituents – most
importantly the more than 50,000 VCU
students and employees. Like all of us,
he too is listening and learning, growing
and becoming. Trani’s interests in seeing
VCU become not only the largest, but also
the most successful institution of higher
learning in the state, probably exceed
our own. History suggests he thrives on
growth and change.
VCU lives in the world of ideas. Football
is just one more idea being advanced
to help VCU realize its full potential. If
it attracts little or no interest, the idea
will die. But if it engages the minds of
students and faculty, the work of initiating
a program can begin.
What is there to lose by exploring
the possibility? What do you think? We
must create the VCU of tomorrow. We
must create it now. This is our time. We are ready!
-Jibran Muhammad
Editor’s note: For more information about
Trani’s thoughts about football at VCU,
refer to “Trani discusses future, budget
cuts, football” on Page 3. The CT received
this letter before Trani’s latest statements
were publicized.
Stress and happiness in America? The
article by Rachel Vamenta said: “One-third,
or 34 percent, of the Americans said they
were generally ‘very happy’ with their lives,
while 50 percent said they were ‘pretty
happy.’ Fifteen percent said they weren’t
too happy, and 1 percent didn’t know.”
That is 100 percent. The surveys
covered everyone.
Nothing, however, was said about
the National Overhappiness Problem
(NOPRO). This is a situation where people
are too happy. They dance in the streets,
tell uproarious jokes, listen to hypersonic
music or otherwise run, jump and play.
The phenomenon also is seen in animals,
such as happy puppies and gamboling
lambs.
Holding down overhappiness in
children, for example, may at times be
unwise and impossible. And sports victory
celebrations are a sterling example of the
overhappiness problem.
How can we clean up this situation?
How many people are affected by the
mysterious problem? Is it spreading? Is
an epidemic possible?
Survey takers should be very careful
when meeting an overly happy subject.
A big smile, a lusty thump on the back
and joyous guffaw may be encountered.
More alarming yet, the prospect may burst
out in song!
Can you imagine conducting happiness
surveys at football or basketball uproars,
at benches, the circus, the rodeo, Mardi
Gras or a comic opera?
-Risto Marttinen