Something that bothered me at the Hump tonight.

[skb124]

I was sitting in section 115 which is two sections over from the student section. About 5 football players (Shumpert was one) were sitting in the section between mine and the student section and about halfway through the 1st half, some university employees came and made them move from the seats because they weren't their seats. Now I would understand this if they were sitting in someone's seat who was at the game,but they were sitting on two rows that were completely empty besides them. With so few of the season ticket holders showing up, is it really that big of a deal that they have to kick people out of the seats, much less some of our athletes? I just find that ridiculous.

Then in the second half, what looked like a track star was walking down the flight of stairs next to me, and an event staffer came running down the steps and grabbed him and made him get out of the section. The second half of a game that is half capacity full.

This would have bothered me if it was just normal fans too, so I'm not just trying to give athletes special treatment, but my goodness these are people who represent our university and they get embarrassed while trying to support some of their friends.

 

[messageboardsuperhero]

Agreed. We need to just go to an honor code- you can sit there, but if the seat owner shows up, then move. It's really not that hard.

We should do the same thing in the baseball grandstand as well.

 

[Shamoan]

we need a person to head player relations to stomp this type of **** out. its embarrassing how we treat our players sometimes. thank goodness the football program has already started to reach out to former players, but everybody else needs to get on board and include current players in that as well.

 

[nsvltndog]

That is very disappointing to hear. I am usually able to sell my tickets to games I don't attend, but I remember a couple of years ago a game where 2 of them didn't sell I got a text from my buddy that Fletcher Cox was sitting in my seats. I was glad he did it and that they were used. Now imagine that if Gabe Jackson had tried to do the same thing tonight he would have been asked to move.

 

[WebbFreeman]

If seats are available the lower bowl should be open to anyone after the first 10 minutes of the half. Same with baseball after 2 and a half innings. The season ticket holder can always show up late and claim his seat with a ticket stub.

 

[IPMdawg]

As dumb as it is, I think it's an NCAA violation

for student athletes to sit in boosters' seats. I know Bracky tweeted about it a long time ago.

 

[BulldawgFan]

Prepare for a self-imposed 20-game suspension for Shumpert.

 

[msudawg12]

for student athletes to sit in boosters' seats. I know Bracky tweeted about it a long time ago.

that would be if the tickets were given to them.

not if they're just filling empty seats at random

 

[bonedaddy401]

Its Brackey's world we just live in it....


So dumb. Let the guys sit where they want. This type of bull **** makes zero sense.

 

[RocketDawg]

Could be that Bracky is on the lookout for athletes in such a situation so as not to raise the interest of the NCAA.

In general though, I think that if there's a vacant seat by game start time, then whoever gets there first gets to sit in it. Then, if the "owner" of the seat shows up, just move to another seat. It's the owner's prerogative to be late, so I don't see any problem with that. Nor do I see any problem with an athlete doing the same thing, but perhaps the University is trying to be cautious. The NCAA is pretty anal about what athletes can do.

 

[RocketDawg]

I guess Fletcher could afford to buy the entire Hump now if he wanted to.

 

[CochiseCowbell]

It's the owner's prerogative to be late, so I don't see any problem with that.

Quite true, but I think if the "owner" is really, really late, then it's kind of a moot point and he should find another seat.

Let me explain. I believe it was 2010 at DNF. My sister and I were using my grandparents' season tickets (they've had for decades upon decades) that Super Bulldog Weekend against Tennessee. Upper section behind home plate. Closer to the press box than the field. We got there before the game started and the seats are in the middle of the row, that was already full of fans and their children on the concrete floor, our seats were still vacant at this point. So, we just sat in two seats one row below. It was fine the entire game. No need for us to shove pass all those people just to plop down in the middle of them when there were plenty of vacant seats. Top of the 8th rolls around. Some guy shows up and flashes his stubs, and says these are his seats. No one else is sitting in the row. Maybe six people in front of us. No one directly behind us. I look at him like he's kidding. He is clearly serious. I politely apologized and said ours are right back there. I hesitated another split second to give him a chance, he wasn't kidding and assumed I was lying. We gathered our stuff, I showed him my tickets to make a point. He's says, see you're in the wrong seats. Yours are there, pointing. We still didn't go to "our seats" because it was pointless to make those people move when there's not a crowd and plenty of room. The man starts talking to some of his buddies around him and he says, I'm just out here for the Spring Game, figured I'd kill some time here first. That **** rubbed me the wrong way. We'd been rooting the team on for 7 innings and he demands his seat. Yes, technically he was absolutely in the right, but c'mon man! A little common sense and courtesy goes a long way. If it was packed or even semi-packed I'd be more understandable.

Your thoughts Pack?

 

[Augustus McCrae]

I can see it both ways. In that particular circumstance, I agree with you. Having the right to do something doesn't always make it the right thing to do.

 

[CEO2044]

It used to be a problem when people went to games, I know. And I understand somewhat about some being upset about getting to their seats and people being there, even though it's really not that big of a deal.

But at that game last night? Common sense should rule, especially if nobody is going to sit in them anyway.

 

[RocketDawg]

The 8th inning is a bit late, but perhaps he was otherwise occupied with SBW activities and decided to catch the end of the game. And they WERE his seats. He wasn't technically wrong, but was being a bit huffy about the whole thing.

Probably the best thing would have been for you to sit in your seats in the first place. Pretty much gotta do that when the attendance at a game is high.

Football is different. Because there are fewer games, the stadium is basically full for every game and people pretty much have to sit in their assigned seats. If the seats are vacant at halftime, and have been the entire game, I don't see much problem with sitting in them, with the knowledge that you'd have to move if the guy who has the seats shows up. There are many reasons a person might be delayed ... traffic, wreck, snowstorm, wife putting on makeup, etc.