Reminder: Football fans should mind their manners

The motor homes are here. So is excitement and anticipation that comes with the beginning of each football season. Football is king in the South, and we’re in the heart of it.

But while many of our weekend schedules revolve around Saturday night’s football game at Jordan-Hare Stadium, we must also remember to mind our Ps and Qs when we cheer in the stands with strangers and scatter tailgate parties along the grounds at Auburn University.

Auburn is regarded as the Loveliest Village on the Plain and has a reputation for being a very hospitable venue for fans from visiting schools. There is no reason why this perception should change over the weekend.

Fans should act responsibly and respectfully toward others, whether they are sitting beside another Auburn fan or a Louisiana Tech supporter. We don’t expect an overload of visitors from Ruston, La., as we would from Alabama, Georgia or LSU, but the ones who make the trip deserve the red carpet treatment that Auburn has become known for giving.

When full, seating can be crammed and uncomfortable inside Jordan-Hare Stadium. Let’s do our best to sit in our designated seats and be respectful of those seated behind you. In other words, don’t stand the entire game and block the view of people who paid for the right to watch college football from their seats. If standing is the only way to see, then that’s perfectly understandable.

At times recently, some Auburn fans even booed their own players. Many of the AU faithful will agree that this practice is not in good taste and sheds a negative light upon the university. By the way, it also sends a negative example to future recruits who, more than likely, prefer not to be treated rudely by their home fans.

If you are going to boo, then do so loudly over a blown call by the referee or a decision you do not agree with. Don’t boo a kid trying his best to win for you.

Saturday night when you leave your parking spot either on campus or in another selected location in town, leave it the way you found it. We do not need to see scores of beer bottles and garbage lining our streets when we wake up Sunday morning. Auburn fans love Auburn. They should also help take care of it.

Let’s set a game day example for others to follow the rest of the season.