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One of my favorite Comedians is Stephen Colbert, the Late Night Show host, who up until a year ago played a Republican pundit. His character on the Colbert Report was nothing like his persona in real life, so I was fascinated by it. How can someone write and play someone that contradicts with his or her own beliefs? This got me thinking, so much so that when I became the Carletonian Sports Editor, I thought I would try writing in very different styles to increase readership. I would write fun articles about the Soccer team being a frat, along with traditional interviews of the women’s golf team and lastly, challenge pieces, which happened to be about Football.
This culminated in last week writing an outlandish call out of the football team. Due to this article, I have been called out by alums, parents, football players, students, and apparently been banned from Porch, probably Dixon too. What I wrote was meant to spark debate and get people thinking. The counter article in this week’s issue, written by Acer, is amazing and exactly what I wanted. It might be the best sports article all term. In my opinion, if you are a sports team, you are putting yourself out there for praise and defeat. So, take my articles any way you want them, but remember that sports is only a small faction of life. Hate me if you want, but the sports section is no longer going to be just powderpuff pieces praising every team. Debate about sports is beneficial, and I’m going to continue to do it, even if that opinion isn’t actually mine.
Do I want the Football team to go away? No. Do I think we need a new playing style? No, the MIAC is so good it unfortunately wouldn’t matter. Carleton Football is here to stay and I commend them for their efforts, and I have talked to many of them in person or over email about this. One “opinion” article is not going to undo anything, and discussion was the only goal of the article. Hopefully this lights a fire under the football team to win this weekend. I will be in the stands rooting them on as a normal supportive Carleton student. Lastly, I am sorry for the people I have upset, but just remember that every sports opinion article is going to contradict with someone’s beliefs.
Football may not be the best team on campus, but who cares. Everyone knows they work as hard as they can and at some point, that’s all that matters. So, get out this weekend for the football team’s last home game of the year and let’s cheer them on to a victory. Not in spite of my article, but to support them.