… To our admitted, and delighted, surprise; NCSU Chancellor Oblinger’s “Tailgating Task Force” is making VERY POSITIVE strides in resolving the well-documented issues associated with a portion of Carter-Finley tailgating. .… BobLee revisits “F-Bomb Alley”. …. On a related issue …. Kid Swagger passes a monumental rite of passage as a “journalist” and it has a delicious “twist” that even her Dad couldn’t have made up.
The early e-mails had me “uh-ohings”. On Wednesday I started getting links to a recent article in NCSU’s Technician that mentioned “America’s most cutting edge Website & Trivia Bar”. It had to be one of two issues … F-Bomb Alley or Andre Brown’s academics. I was in Nashville with NASCAR’s Kasey Kahne and could not immediately access the article so I let my imagination run wild. My first thought was whether The Technician allowed its writers to actually spell out F-bombs or would they use those $%&^#@ “cussing symbols”. I was too cynical.
The article was indeed on Carter-Finley/Fairgrounds F-Bomb Alley. The gist of the article was on the progress being made by the Chancellor’s Tailgate Task Force in resolving the concerns expressed by many … but none so well-publicized as BobLee’s legendary column prior to Sept 24.
If you really are one of the “less than a teaspoonfulla” Wuff and/or Heel fans NOT aware of “the F-Bomb Alley controversy”, it involves a section of the Fairgrounds Parking Area adjacent to Carter-Finley Stadium that had well-earned it’s very unsavory reputation as a cesspool of rampant hooliganism directed at fans of visiting teams.
A Tsunami of negative publicity over this issue lead to some ratcheted up security measures
prior to last September’s UNC-NCSU game and thereafter. After the season, Chancellor Oblinger put in place this “task force” to come up with a permanent solution. It appears that the task force is taking its responsibility quite seriously. It is NOT a simple matter of fences, water cannons, riot batons, and paddy wagons overflowing with manacled miscreant “white trash”.
At the heart of the matter is a definition of “acceptable behavior” by attendees at a raucous public event such as a college football game. Who defines “acceptable behavior” and, once defined, how is it “enforced”.
The “Who” in this case is the appointed administrators of North Carolina State University in accord with the laws of the state of North Carolina, Wake County, and Raleigh. Their definition may NOT be the same as their counterparts in Morgantown WVa or Blacksburg VA or Chapel Hill or any of the 100s of locales that sponsor similar events in America circa 2006. But each school IS responsible for its own program and its reputation in how it manages such.
I ran into Willie Scroggs over the holidays. UNC’s Ath Director for Facilities including Kenan Stadium and I had an in-depth discussion some six years ago about “acceptable behavior” for attendees at college sports events. I’ll never forget his cumulative statement … “there are two categories of college sports programs … (1) those that HAVE HAD an unfortunate alcohol-fueled incident, and (2) those that WILL have such an incident.” Since that talk six years ago, many have, unfortunately, moved from Category 2 into Category 1. Willie and I lamented that trend on the terrace of Top Of The Hill overlooking fabled Franklin Street.
The final recommendations from the NCSU Task Force have not been presented to the Chancellor and NCSU Trustees so all we have to go on at this point is the tone of the dialogue in progress. That tone is very promising and shows a concern for the rights of all (EXCEPT for the hoodlum punks who forfeit their rights in exchange for their choice to be hoodlum punks) to be affected by the new policies.
Of course there are the usual junior-grade Thomas Paine and Patrick Henry wannabees yapping about being “persecuted”. What would a campus “task force” be without those lovable fuzzy-cheeked firebrands!
Guess what … NC State has installed spy-cams on the roof of Vaughn Towers to identify drunks in the student section. YEE-HA … think the UNC squirrels would go for that little “un-civil liberty” in Kenan???
Yours truly, from the get-go, said this was NOT a Gordian Knot of complexity. The “where” was always obvious … the western-most section of the Fairgrounds Parking Lots immediately adjacent to Trinity Road. BobLee NEVER indicted the WolfpackNation other than to say “Wake Up and Clean Up Your Mess”. They DID “wake up” and they are cleaning up the mess …
Had the NCSU Administration and the solid citizens who comprise the mainstream Wolfpack fans chosen to stack arms and deny there was a problem, sure, we would have resorted to more drastic measures. That was never necessary. Our Clarion Call was heard and echoed and was/is being attended to.
To the braying banshees in “a certain rival fan base” who choose the “they’re ALL a buncha …” approach; we throw that sorry lot under the same garbage truck we proposed using to haul off the F-Bomb Alley hooligans.
Wherever large “festival parking” logistics exist (as is also the case in Blacksburg) a similar problem can and does exist. “Hooligan punks” fester where they can find anonymity among like-mindless morons. Recidivism among “punks” is incredibly high. Set reasonable policies defined by responsible ADULTS and ENFORCE those policies. Just one jackass punk yelling F-bombs or throwing batteries can do more damage to an institution’s image and reputation than a whole host of scholars and distinguished alumni.
From the Technician article and related reports we have received from our spies “on the Brickyard”, we salute Chancellor Oblinger, Tom Stafford and the others who are obviously committed to “cleaning up F-Bomb Alley”. More updates as we get them.
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BobLee Is One Proud Daddy … Kid Swagger, junior journalist, received her first piece of name-calling “hate mail” this week. Every journalist always remember “their first”.
Kid is Co-Managing Editor of her high school newspaper. As such she co-writes an “op-ed” in each issue. It is done in the classic “point-counterpoint” fashion with an opposing viewpoint sharing the same page and same amount of space.
At the “slight” urging of her parents, Kid convinced her faculty advisor to let them move beyond the standard high school fluff subjects … “cafeteria food, cheerleader skirts lengths, Ipod use on school property etc.”. They delve into such juicy topics as church & state, etc and specifically in this issue – Affirmative Action. Kid’s stance was “it’s not a good idea”. …. WELL!
Despite the adjacent counter-point and despite total absence of any racially-insensitive phrasing or inflammatory rhetoric (she leaves that for “Daddy”) … my darling daughter got “hate-mailed”.
An irate reader (African American woman wiith a wheelbarrow full of degrees after her name) sent blistering lengthy e-mails to the principal AND to the paper’s faculty advisor AND even telephoned the principal to further bloviate. She disagreed with Kid’s opinion (fine, no problem with that) but she REALLY was incensed that Kid was allowed to publish her opinion in the school’s paper. HOLY PETER ZENGER BATMAN!
Have I mentioned where this highly indignant reader is from? OK, some of you saw this coming a mile away … or 28 miles away to be exact. YEP! … an oh-so-intellectual free speech advocate from CHAPEL HILL.
From Our WHO KNEW Dept … This woman apparently has a Ph.D in Urinary Incontinence … A Doctor of Bed-Wetting !!! … WHO KNEW?
My daughter getting her very own hate mail from a self-righteously indignant Chapel Hiller. This is this proud dad’s equivalent to having Charlie Weis, Mack Brown, Pete Carroll, Ol’ Roy, Anson Dorrance, Pat Summitt, and Rosemary’s Other Baby on our doorstep with full scholarship offers.
Best line so far of this whole idiocy … Kid’s advisor showed her the rambling diatribe calling her “that white female managing editor who wrote that worthless and ignorant article” and asked timidly “do you think your Mom and Dad will be upset?” MY DAUGHTER immediately replied “Are you kidding? They will LOVE THIS especially my Dad!”
So you’re wondering “BobLee, have you managed to somehow mention this latest little incident to all your various friends and acquainti in the local, regional, and national 
media … including you know who?” Oooohhhh Yeah!
Hell, I went out looking for “Daughter’s 1st Hate Mail” cigars to pass out.
Next Tuesday, I’m speaking to a group of over 100 judges, attorneys, and assorted Greensboro-area big wigs. I might just squeeze in a comment or two to them too.
It was best summed-up by a friend who has been one of North Carolina’s most popular newspaper columnist for over 25 years … “Ah yes, the first piece of hate mail. Kinda makes me misty. You go Girl!
Indeed!
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Swagger’s Stumper
The Site of the FIRST “Super Bowl” ???
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Tampa Bay was given an NFL franchise along with Seattle in 1976.
The 2006 ACC Football Schedules were made public this week. SURPRISE, Caro-loonies already building their “excuse fences”. One even went so far as to accuse Little Johnny Swofford of “getting back at UNC” … ???!!! I don’t explain’em folks. I just reprint’em here for your enjoyment.
That sneaky Larry Gallo knew 5 years ago that perennial doormats Rutgers and South Florida would be surging. Furman is not even a “1-A major college” … on second thought, let’s not talk too much about Furman. …… With State and Duke as the last two games in November, the first 10 are basically “ meaningless exhibitions”. Go 10-0 then lose to either of them and it’ll be “get two ropes … one for Burly John and one for “that damn Baddour”. Not too much ever changes in Chapel Hill.
Young Tar Heels continue to be “young Tar Heels”. Big East rampaging thru ACC like General Sherman puttin’ the torch to the Confederacy. Will Skip be skipping out of Wake for Cincy after this year … since the ACC is no longer a “dominant” basketball conference.
BIG Chick BB “Game Of The Century” coming up … Sylvia and Ivory VS Coach G and Monique … at least ACC Chick BB is still nationally respected. ZiggaZoomba Girls VS Devils w/ Blue Dresses On.
