October 14, 2004

Sanctions On Rowdy Boston Fans . . . Red Sox? . . . Nope, Harvard Football

FROM CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS comes word of proposed measures to dial down the rowdiness and raucousness caused by drunkenness at the steeped-in-tradition Harvard-Yale football game.

The proposed measures are a response to a near-death from alcohol poisoning at the game in Cambridge two years ago.

The biggest of the proposed changes would be a ban on U-Haul trailers as part of the tailgaiting festivities. Other proposals include:

• wristbands for those over 21

• requiring a $150 permit for students to bring more than a six-pack to the tailgate

• a ban on kegs

• “limitations” on the amount of alcohol per vehicle

The alcohol per vehicle limitation seems to be not so onerous. A Harvard official said the legal amount of alcohol per vehicle is 20 gallons of beer and one gallon of liquor.

Hmm. That seems like a lot. Even if the vehicle was a jumbo SUV seating 8, that would still be 27 bottles of beer and 16 shots of liquor per person.

Meanwhile, Yale students have been voicing their displeasure at the “harsh” measures being proposed by their hosts.

One Yalie hopes to find a way to work around the U-Haul ban. "We've talked about renting Winnebagos or RVs." he said. "If that's what we needed to do, then that would totally work. An RV would be more convenient because it would provide us with a place to stay."

Another Yale tailgate reveler claimed that the keg ban would increase trash. She said, "I think [the ban] was just a stupid idea. They're going to have cans and bottles all over the place."

The proposed changes will be decided upon in the next two weeks.

More later . . .

.

(this 281 word excerpt—with attendant commentary—was distilled from a 723 word article from the Yale Daily News of 10-12-04)