Post by elp525 on Sept 14, 2011 7:28:57 GMT -5
September 13, 2011
The Associated Press
MORGANTOWN -- West Virginia University Athletic Director Oliver Luck is asking football fans to use fashion peer pressure after one was shown on television wearing a T-shirt bearing a curse word.
Luck issued a letter Monday evening to fans on WVU's athletics website, www.msnsportsnet.com. The T-shirt in question was seen during the Sept. 4 Marshall-WVU home game that was broadcast nationwide.
WVU prides itself as a family-friendly environment at games and Luck said the T-shirt's portrayal isn't the image the Mountaineers want to promote of the university or the state. He's asking fans to help convince those wearing such T-shirts to "reconsider their choice of attire.''
"I would like to request that if you see someone wearing one of these T-shirts that you politely ask him or her to change or to cover it up,'' Luck said. "Even wearing it inside-out would be an improvement.''
Luck, who is a lawyer, said the First Amendment protects free speech, so the university can't outright ban the offending T-shirts.
"But as my dad used to tell me, just because it is legal does not mean it is right,'' Luck said. "And I certainly believe that people wearing these offending T-shirts at Mountaineer games, or anywhere else, for that matter, are damaging the reputation of our state and its flagship institution of higher learning.''
Luck said WVU will be on national television again Sept. 24 when it plays LSU at home, "and we would like to present a more favorable image to the millions of football fans from around the country who will be watching the game. Be polite, be courteous, be friendly -- but do speak up.''
No. 18 West Virginia plays Saturday at Maryland.
The Associated Press
MORGANTOWN -- West Virginia University Athletic Director Oliver Luck is asking football fans to use fashion peer pressure after one was shown on television wearing a T-shirt bearing a curse word.
Luck issued a letter Monday evening to fans on WVU's athletics website, www.msnsportsnet.com. The T-shirt in question was seen during the Sept. 4 Marshall-WVU home game that was broadcast nationwide.
WVU prides itself as a family-friendly environment at games and Luck said the T-shirt's portrayal isn't the image the Mountaineers want to promote of the university or the state. He's asking fans to help convince those wearing such T-shirts to "reconsider their choice of attire.''
"I would like to request that if you see someone wearing one of these T-shirts that you politely ask him or her to change or to cover it up,'' Luck said. "Even wearing it inside-out would be an improvement.''
Luck, who is a lawyer, said the First Amendment protects free speech, so the university can't outright ban the offending T-shirts.
"But as my dad used to tell me, just because it is legal does not mean it is right,'' Luck said. "And I certainly believe that people wearing these offending T-shirts at Mountaineer games, or anywhere else, for that matter, are damaging the reputation of our state and its flagship institution of higher learning.''
Luck said WVU will be on national television again Sept. 24 when it plays LSU at home, "and we would like to present a more favorable image to the millions of football fans from around the country who will be watching the game. Be polite, be courteous, be friendly -- but do speak up.''
No. 18 West Virginia plays Saturday at Maryland.
