To the editor:

I'll be the first to tell you I can't stand SIU, their teams or their fans. But I will give their fans credit for their loyal support. They have made an exciting atmosphere in Carbondale at their football and basketball games.

That's something I'd like to see changed at Southeast, both at Houck Stadium and at the Show Me Center.

When you compare the fans for both schools, the Salukis have the edge. In fact, it's not even close. Southeast fans don't even stand and clap when the fight song is played. I doubt most people here even know when our fight song is played. After all, there is no title or words to it.

Student participation at Southeast is almost nonexistent, regardless of whether a team is winning or not. Look at what the Southeast soccer team has done the past two seasons by going 30-6. But where is the fan support? Only a couple hundred show up at the games. And that's just one example.

Over at SIU, 12,000 people flock to McAndrew Stadium each week in the fall to watch a losing football team. It's been a while since the Salukis have been competitive, not to mention being dominated by Southeast. But the fans continue to show support and are very vocal about it. They start their tailgate parties several hours before the game, which makes for a great atmosphere outside the stadium. I hope that in the fall, Indians fans really turn out to watch their team. Coach Tim Billings has done his job to turn the team around. Now the community and student body must do their job.

Basketball season is another story. It's easy to understand why SIU has the better fan support: winning. I've been to games at SIU and Southeast this year, and the crowd at the Show Me Center has a long, long way to go to even come close to the crowd at SIU Arena.

Give the SIU students credit. They fill their section at the games, and then some. And they do their part to make sure the opposing team has a rough night. Maybe winning has a lot to do with that. If so, then maybe we can expect that type of atmosphere at the Show Me Center next year with the talented players that are coming in.

It's just time for a change.BRIAN ROTH

Perryville, Mo.