In an AP article in today’s Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the dean of students at Auburn University, Johnny Green, had the following to say to students in an e-mail:

“First, please join me by agreeing to demonstrate your support for, and not criticism of, our football team. That means no booing! Remember, the team isn’t trying to lose the game — the players work hard all spring and during fall camp to be ready to compete in the S.E.C.”

While the content of this e-mail, while ridiculously naive and borderline silly for the dean of students at an SEC school ranked (absurdly, if you ask me) 10th in the country is hardly unexpected, I find the timing pretty peculiar.

Sure, Herbie, Corso and Fowler will be in town so Auburn is looking to keep it clean, but to ask students, two days before a game against the reigning National Champions not to boo seems a bit like overkill. It seems a bit like the administration sheepishly saying, “Um.. hey guys, guys, would you mind like not being so hard on our football team? Sure they beat Mississippi State by the same score that the Pirates beat the Rockies and yes, Brad Lester isn’t expected to play but booing Coach Tubby isn’t going to make LSU stop kicking the crap out of us at home.”

I’m altogether against hooliganism at college football games or at any sporting events for that matter but to send an e-mail to your student body two days before arguably the biggest game of their season outside of the Iron Bowl asking them not to boo the home team seems sophomoric and silly, not to mention it makes it seem like Auburn is preparing for the inevitable. I’m not a member of the “I paid my money for a ticket, I can say whatever I want and act like a heathen” crowd but at the same time, if my team is playing like crap, there’s a fairly high probability that I’m going to be booing, especially if I got an e-mail from my dean asking me not to boo.

I presume Mr. Green is a fairly intelligent man, but this e-mail is beyond stupid.