Hoopla: A quirky little phrase, almost as interesting to
sound out as “cacophony,” yet short enough to not sound as if one is a
“conlanger.” Yet, as this word plopped into my mind the other day, it turns out
that “hoopla” — a noun meaning a speech or writing intended to mislead or
obscure an issue — matches the current unchecked clamor for a football team on
this campus well.
Look, we all like a little fun. And I think it’s safe to say
that our school carries along with it about as much charisma as does the
engineering department. But where did the notion that a football team could
turn this campus around come from in the first place? Understanding the
much-discussed issue requires us to step back a bit and take this idea up on
its merits.
If UCSD were to get a football team, some may argue that
this school would finally position itself better within the lucrative world of
university branding. Or, perhaps, as another may add, the creation of a Triton
football team produces a new source of school involvement.
Yet, without a doubt, the single most captivating aspect of
why UCSD hosting its own football team is a good idea has to be the vaunted
“spirit” motif. That is to say, the most pulsating of points stems from the
notion that if our school were to finally compete with other schools by
learning to throw some pigskin, then we students would finally be a more cheery
lot.
Respectfully, reasoning such as that listed above is flawed
at best. For even Donna Bean the soon-to-be-elected A.S. president said to
Guardian reporter Michael Bowlus, “If you research in the annals of whatever
folders and papers we have up on the third floor, somebody else had that same
argument, the same drive, to look into a football team.” In other words, we’ve
been through this quagmire before, and we should at last move on from it.
Indeed, Bean’s campaign Web site advertises her stance as one in which we may
“fight for control of student fees!!!” Thus, further positioning that the
aching desires for a football team are not consolable is prevalent.
Nevertheless, have people seen the Tritons walking into
Geisel Library? They’re anything but cheery. Their expressions read more like
“somebody please stop me before I’m swallowed up by the den of boredom.” It’s
going to take a lot more than a football team to brighten this place up. (By
the way, “cheery” also enters my informal list of quirky phrases.)
But do not despair, as there are multiple avenues through
which this school can opt to improve its image. There have to be.
Obviously, we’re pretty strong on the academic front so
portraying UCSD out to be the Oxford of California is not so much of a
stretch.
And in terms of getting students more involved and into the
spirit, why would a football team do that? Does anybody know that we already
have a great men’s basketball program, which just recorded its best season
ever? Or the baseball program, which consistently makes good showings season
after season. And I don’t see much schoolwide involvement around their
successes. So, just bringing in a Triton football team won’t solve the
“involvement” issue in the near term.
What I think we’ve got to do is embrace what this school
stands for, and to not hone in on what it cannot compete with. Yes, our sports
programs are not nationally broadcasted. Yes, we do not yet have many famous
individuals representing the Triton brand, although near-Triton graduate
Benicio del Toro was smart enough to drop out and get rich. If you want my
serious side on the matter, the only famous people emerging out of this
university are those with the courage to completely ignore the place.
But look at what we do have: No-frills academic rigor, sun
and fun in
arguably the number one ranked public university when adjusted for UCSD’s
relatively young age.
Yet if you’re still inclined to rabidly support the
establishment of a Triton football team, you must also be willing to consider
the costs of this undertaking.
Currently, we already know that some of our current sports
programs are quickly losing money. So, inevitably, a quandary will rest
squarely upon the feeble shoulders of the UCSD student body if plans for a
football program are to seriously emerge. With fee hikes shooting through the
roof we lack the financial flexibility to fund a new program while trying to
save our existing programs. It would be like trying to finance an M3 while
struggling to pay-off your Camry.
Fundamentally, then, a Triton football team is not
necessarily a bad thing. But the problem is that currently we do not have
focused, well-informed and fiscally responsible decision makers explaining to
us why or why not a school football team should or should not be in the cards.
So, Tritons, for at least the immediate future: Go Aztecs!
