Everyone knows music plays second fiddle at Rodeo.
Even if Alpha Psi managed to land Willie Nelson or resurrect Johnny Cash, the opportunity to spend a day in the sun drinking with hundreds of friends would still take precedence.
I’m not saying that’s a bad thing by any means.
Rodeo is the one time a year my friends from Alabama, LSU and UAB make the trip to the Plains.
It has become an Auburn experience; one people who don’t drink and loathe country music can even appreciate.
However, the nature of the event carries inherent risks. Combining copious amounts of alcohol with hundreds of people in a sweltering field is a gourmet recipe for debauchery and dehydration.
So when I saw that Alpha Psi took steps to improve safety at this year’s event, I welcomed the change.
Understandably, Alpha Psi Rodeo wants to keep safety at the forefront, and Alpha Psi philanthropy chairman Matt Tanaka reflected this in his recent interview with The Plainsman.
However, some of these changes do not reflect this emphasis.
With the 2015 edition of Rodeo set to take place at Ingram Farm in Opelika instead of Adams Farm, distance is now a concern for attendees.
Rodeo is no longer a short trip down College Street.
Even more concerning is the lack of a bus transportation system, which provided a safe trip home for many attendees in the past.
When Tanaka announced the removal of a bus transportation system, he emphasized the need for designated drivers in all parties.
It’s difficult to imagine, however, that every party will have a sober friend to drive them home.
In fairness, Alpha Psi’s partnership with Tiger Taxi to provide taxis and bus rides is a move toward safety.
But the best-case scenario in dumping a free bus transit while moving the event miles away is a minor inconvenience.
At worst, it could be a fatal mistake.
This was all before Alpha Psi’s recent decision to do away with the under-21 wristband requirement introduced earlier this year.
Many people get drunk at Rodeo. That’s understood the moment tickets are purchased. But removing the under-21 wristband rule, combined with the change to transportation, is blatantly irresponsible.
Are there underage students who can hold their liquor? Sure.
Would there have been underage drinkers with the wristbands? Absolutely.
But should an organization fight tooth and nail to remove the underage wristband rule, as they so proudly claimed to do on Facebook?
I know I’m being the cranky old senior right now, and two years ago I would’ve scoffed at this column.
However, these changes create too many opportunities for drunk driving and transportation mishaps.
Which is unfortunate considering the growing tradition that is Rodeo.
Eric Wallace is the sports editor at The Plainsman. He can be reached at sports@theplainsman.com.
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