Mississippi State, the People’s University. We are the best, brightest and most loved university in the great state of Mississippi. This is Our State. We have timeless traditions and campaigns to promote our school throughout Mississippi and throughout the nation. The leadership among our administration and student body unites us in true Bulldog spirit. 
  We are True Maroon. Saturdays in Davis Wade Stadium are wrapped in maroon and white, bonded in the anthem of “Hail State” and cowbells ringing from the hands of students and loyal fans and in the ears of annoyed competition. The Golden Egg has been in Starkville for three straight years.
  Why, then, do we make front-page news with a student section fight leading to five arrests? The fight during the game between MSU and the University of South Alabama was completely unnecessary. In addition to the fights in the student section, another fight in the Junction and in a different part of campus occurred, resulting in 17 arrests of both students and non-students over the weekend. 
  MSU police chief Georgia Lindley said the fight in the student section began over drinks being thrown down the bleachers. If we are going to let drinks being thrown put us front and center for fighting among the student body, we are not taking heed to the school spirit we promote to the state of Mississippi, the South Eastern Conference and the nation.
   How can we be the People’s University if we throw drinks at each other and get arrested for fighting with our own fans, both inside and outside of the stadium?
   MSU scores a touchdown and everyone in the student section ducks for cover. While it may be a part of the gameday experience, it is a definite way to ruin the experience for the fan who is soaked in soda or whatever alcoholic beverage managed to make its way into the stadium. 
    Can we find a way to celebrate touchdowns without throwing our drinks? How can we change the culture of celebrating touchdowns so we don’t make the student victims of the celebratory showers of soda and alcohol livid enough to start fights with our own fans to the point of negative publicity?
   We should look forward to attending football games, not dread the student section experience. The student section should be a lively, energetic, fun place to support our Bulldogs and fellowship with each other. If we want to live up to our mottos, we have to take initiative to act like grown, classy adults. Be courteous of your fellow Bulldogs. We have to set the standard and keep things like fights among students the last thing anyone would hear from Mississippi State University. 
  We all go to the same school. Our university’s athletics should unite us, and right now it is a wonderful and exciting time to be a Bulldog. Why would we want to compromise the positive publicity of our notable school spirit, fan base, currently undefeated record and national ranking? Lest we forget the cowbell assault of 2009 or the MSU vs. Kentucky basketball game of 2010. No student, faculty member, staff member or fan wants that kind of publicity tied to the name of his or her school.
    Bulldogs, be courteous to one another. Respect each other’s space and property by not throwing your drink in the direction of fellow fans. 
    As students of the university and fans of our athletic programs, we have a responsibility not to give the media reasons to hate Mississippi State. ESPN does not need another outlet to bash the state of Mississippi. Let’s leave that to TSUN.