Many Lions fans attended the recent home game against the Florida State Jaguars. The game occurred on Saturday, September 12. While the game was a 28-17 victory for our beloved Lions, this rosy ending was tainted by the actions of some overzealous fans.  

During the second half, two males dashed across the field after jumping a fence on the north side of the field. One was a student and the other a non-student. A security officer was in hot pursuit as the runners pumped their fists in the air. To make matters worse, these miscreants were cheered on by the crowd. After the game, there was a diverse set of reactions from Lions fans. Many considered the actions of the runners funny. Others, myself amongst them, saw the runners as little more than a disruption. Some believed the runners showed school spirit. Others still were simply relieved that the pair weren’t naked. 

The runners were later caught, and they both spent the night in jail. The identities of the runners remain unconfirmed, although rumors abound. Some students believe the two were fraternity members. Another rumor states that the non-student runner was an off-duty member of the military, who was supposed to return to base the morning after the game. However, I do emphasize that these are rumors. The two men were jailed after being caught, an appropriate response to their actions.  

Many students will wonder why I consider the response of police appropriate. After all, it seems like they were just two guys having fun, right? 

Wrong. Perhaps their actions were entertaining for a moment, but their actions were also completely out of line. By running across the field during the game, these runners distracted the crowd. As such, the crowd channeled their support away from our Lions and towards the runners. Also, the running could have distracted the referees. What if a foul had occurred while the two men ran across the field? If the refs had been focusing on the runners, then any fouls committed during that time might have been overlooked. Finally, the actions of the runners were a direct embarrassment for Southeastern and an indirect embarrassment for the Lions fan base. Southeastern is embarrassed because the two men were allowed to enter the field in the first place. As for the fan base, we are embarrassed because our sportsmanship is now thrown into question. While some considered the runners to be showing school spirit, this could hardly be farther from the truth. Although the runners may have meant to show school spirit, they embarrassed the university instead, and suggested that Southeastern has so little respect for the visitors that visiting teams are unable to play a fair and orderly game.  

All things said, the miscreants were apprehended and jailed for the night. Hopefully, their fate will dissuade others from similar acts of disruption in the future.