Embarrassed? Go Cry in Oxford or T’Town instead of Starkville…
As a life-long fan of Bulldog sports, Mississippi State University alumnus and former staff member of The Reflector, I feel that I should write this note in response to the Atkinson letter to the editor on Sept. 28, 2004.
Mr. Atkinson, I understand why you are so embarrassed. I think you are so right! We lose a few football games so we should definitely do away with the football program. Let’s not stop there, though. Let’s divide our various academic programs among the other state institutions of higher learning and shut down the entire university. We could turn our campus into the largest homeless shelter in America and you would probably make a fine director of such!
Mr. Atkinson, the football program is like a big, complicated machine. As with other machines, it consists of many parts. The coaches, the players, the trainers and managers and the facilities people are only parts. The professors, instructors, dieticians, doctors and counselors are other parts. The student body makes up a main gear in this machine and the alumni, another. One little rusty ol’, embarrassed gear can bog down the entire machine. If that gear is not oiled and replaced, the machine stops.
Mr. Atkinson, start “yelling and oiling” instead of “crying and rusting.” Bulldogs are winners… always have been… always will be!
Robert P. Stringer is a resident of Starkville.