Glenn Connelly / Assistant Photo Editor

Because the vast majority of this section’s readers barely skim the actual content en route to the sudoku puzzle, a lot of information goes largely unread.

But one thing that probably stood out to anyone who picked up Monday’s paper was the score box in the football recap that read, “New Mexico 70, San Diego State 7.”

The most common reaction by students to the almost weekly embarrassment of our football team is, “Wow, we suck. What’s wrong with our team?” This, followed by an immediate flip to the back page for some crossword action.

But that, my friends, is exactly what is wrong with our football team 8212; no one cares.
Without anything but utter indifference coming from the SDSU student body, there’s no wonder the football program has become one of the worst in the nation. And what’s really disparaging is that the apathy is contagious.

When I started school here, it didn’t take long for me to realize the Aztec student section at Qualcomm was not only miniscule, but that other than hearing the score after the game and making fun of SDSU’s on-field ineptitude, nobody ever discussed the team or the game.

And why should they? Not only is the team terrible, but there’s no draw to the game. The camaraderie and community that fans of the most respectable football programs get from going to games is irrelevant on Montezuma Mesa.

Think of Notre Dame. It had a humiliating season last year and was widely regarded as the most under-achieving program in the country. Fans were embarrassed and calling for the heads of the head coach and athletic director. Still, the stands were packed and students lined up for hours to get good seats.

But when the Aztecs lost by 63 points, the closest thing to a revolt one could find were a few chuckles as people flipped through The Daily Aztec.

So on Monday, when State of Mind Editor Ruthie Kelly overheard me stating that our whole program is easily in the bottom 10 of the nation and asked, “Whose fault is that?” my answer was easy. It’s not the defense (even though it’s terrible), it’s not poor recruiting (SDSU had four players drafted last spring) and it’s not the coaching.

Quite simply, it’s the apathy.

Until the Aztecs gain some consistent support from their fellow students, the program is doomed for sub-mediocrity for years to come.

8212;David Pope is an English junior.

8212;This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Daily Aztec.