Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 10-THE CLLOT*. MARCH .6. 1W
LETTERS
decide what an entire institution
needs or does not need. Don
Sandere! What a guy! What an ego!
"Who cares?”, he asks, in
reference to athletic spirit here at
this wonderful institution of ours.
Let me be the first to thank Mr.
Sanders for pointing out the error
of my ways. How foolish I have
been to waste precious moments of
my busy schedule, to support the
atheletic department, when I could
have been doing more productive
things, such as trying to analyze the
“ clique-ing" rituals in the cafeteria
at dinnertime, as does Mr. Sanders!
So the soccer team sits together, so
what?! And where is he in the midst
of all this “clique-mg"? In a cor
ner with a pad. taking notes on the
subject? Dan.. Dan.. Dan.. get off
of your high horse and stop judg
ing and labeling others because of
the athletic affiliation or their
choice of dinner companions!
Poor Dan.. he was a member of
a Mercer intercollegiate team and
*'not a single one of the meets I ran
at had even a single Mercer student
spectator.” he says. Aw. poor
baby. Maybe we’re gening at the
heart of the matter here. Now. I’m
not saying that there's any resent
ment here at all. no. never would
I say that. In addition. 1 would also
never imply that this resentment
towards our “athletic heroes’’
comes from the fact that he himself
isn’t one. However. Mr. Sanders
obviously missed not having a fan
to yell his name, and display
“athletic spirit”, if you will.
So that Dan doesn’t think that
I'm singling him out. I must say
that I’m well aware of the apathy
shared by others. It's very apparent
when you go to the Coliseum to
watch the Mercer Bears (who. as
of now. are on a six-game winning
streak. Dan) in action, and there
are 20 empty seats in between the
few devoted fans that the team has.
So.' for those of you who share in
Dan's opinion, wanting to be
recognized for having a great
education as opposed to being
associated with a school that has a
great basketball team, here’s a
novel idea. Why not be both?
Hmmmm. Would that be so terri
ble? Part of a good education. 1
think, is leaving college, not only
with book knowledge, but also as
a well-rounded individual. Far be
it for me to judge, but if you’re stu
dying most of the time, and analyz
ing cafeteria behavior three times
a day. and allowing time for sleep
every now and then. I’m sure
you're a thrill to be around.
Finally, why does it have to be
"athletic spririt"? Why can't we
just call it “SCHOOL spirit”?
Why can’t we be proud of our
quality of education, as well as our
atheltes? Granted. I'm here for the
same reason as are most of us, and
that's for an education. However.
I'm blessed with this thing called
"versatility.” and it allows me to
absorb knowledge and take pride in
my school, yes. even our athletes,
simultaneously. Imagine that! To
our athletes: Keep up the good
work! Some of us really do care.
Tanja Domingo
Sanders lacks
research
Editor:
Individualism. Since this seems
to be a new concept to some of us.
let us examine it. The subject can
be considered from different view
points. but I wish to examine the
attitude of personal independence.
From the time we first open our
eyes in this wonderful world, each
of us develops our own personali
ty. One person may become a
“redneck." a "dmggie,” or one
that “God has chosen." Unfor-
tuntely. each individual is similar
to many others. Those with
similarities often group themselves,
or are grouped by others, in accor
dance with outstanding
characteristics, thus each group is
labeled with that one exceptional
ly outstanding characteristic.
This does no mean that the in
dividuals within the group believe
or do the exact same things. Each
person still decides as to how his
daily life will be conducted. Why
do these individuals insist on
gathering together? No one really
knows for sure, but wc can
speculate. My hypothesis would be
that groups are formed mainly out
of a desire for companionship. The
similarities of the individuals will
most likely minimize friction
withing the group. The point to be
made is that although most of us
can be identified with some type of
group, we are individuals
regardless.
As a youngster. I became ex
tremely involved in physical ac
tivities. while at the same time.
God gradually blessed me with an
extra portion of height. When I
realized my height was of great
value in basketball, I began to
dedicate much time and energy in
this direction with the hopes of at
taining a scholarship at some il
lustrious university, because my
parents could not afford the level
of education which 1 desired. When
this work began paying off, people
started labeling me in one of two
ways; I was either the “dumb
jock" whose points per game
average was expected to be higher
than his SAT scores, or I was some
type of greek god, skimming invin
cibility. While neither of these
labels fit me. I allowed myself to
be momentarily caught up in the
glory of being one of the "Heroes
of America." Once I saw myself
slipping into this abyss, 1 began
grasping to hang on to the edges.
I was able to achieve and maintain
a very respectable level of
academic acheivement, but more
importantly I made a concentrated
effort to establish my individual
qualities. I was involved with
athletics because it was something
I enjoyed doing (I was not remote
ly close to being a “juvenile delin
quent”), but I was an individual,
not an extension of the basketball
team.
Now I have been slapped in the
face! In a recent letter to the editor.
Dan Sanders blasted Mercer
athelctes (especially), as well as all
other recognized groups for
“separation and clustering." I
believe I have adequately address
ed why people group together, but
if anyone thinks they cannot trans
cend these defined boundaries, it
could only be because they have not
tried. Mr. Sanders' comment
frustrates me because I have put so
much effort into being involved
with as many students as I possi-
i pace 12
Up £
Ueiu
\
. MAtr
fAondaM I |T >1 1
Got op. Went to work. '
Cam* home. Watched TV.
Went to bed..
Tuesday j rrn
Got up. Went to work.
Can* home. Watched TV.
_ Went to bed/C—
Wednesday 11 IN
Got op. Went to u>ork?1
Came home. Watched TV.
Wenttobed.-
Got Op. Went to work.
Came home. Watched TV.
Went to bed. -
Friday. I n JL|
Saturday 1 (i irj
Got up. Went To work. 1
Got op. VtfenT To work.'
Came no me. Wagoned TV.
Came home. Wa+ched TV.
_ Went To bed.
WenT b bed.
Cl OOslT ) / J ■ -T-^
/]
CBEJ-itue) " /‘'-TT to
fflemr Up Cltjjfttr
Editor-In-Chief Pmui Akiowter
Managing Editor Donna M. IUoe
June* P. Cook
Charlie Smith
Opinion Page Editor Ron Light
Features Editor Susannah Van
Entertainment Editor Christopher Kirby
Sparta Editor Robbie Turnky
BHly Walker
Gary Blackburn
Cider Atlanta Correapondaat Bo Sbippeo
Technical Cnn.nb.nt David Tucker
Chkf Photographer Kefly Finley
Arid! Eric O’dell
Columnists Sarah McPherson.
Eddie Sanford, Roland Ochoa.
Leighton Moore, Christopher Sheets.
Ben Brook, and Joey Bishop
Advertising Representatives Bill L'radnik,
Rhonda Godwin, and Ray Berger
Photographers
Hope Maagsrd, David Potter.
HoBy Bragg and Dan Pritchett
4T
Staff Writer,
Darrell Boiler, Cecelia Present, Eddie Sanford.
Rob Sumowski, Susan GUmou, Mlchdle Reno,
Sarah Cambrige. Dianne Laabert, Jennifer Stooe.
Jemima Simons and Leigh Wansky
Address: Box A, Mercer. Office kmed on third floor of the
Student Center. 744-2*71.
The Mercer Chater welcomes letter, to the editor. They
dlfield be conch* end typewritten. Letter, must be dgntd
impini.d by a current address aod
Letter, should be addrrmtd to the
Opinion, repressed is The Mercer Cluster are those of the
edfeor or the writer of the article and are not
of the nalvcrdty or
