In response to the article “Smoker family says QB has ‘problem’” (SN 11/04), I have a few problems with the way The State News handled this.

The Smoker family, Athletics Director Ron Mason and formet football head coach Bobby Williams all issued statements that said enough about quarterback Jeff Smoker’s situation.

Yes, this may confirm some of the rumors about Smoker, but it did not justify the gossip printed in The State News. I consider news from people close to the program speaking on condition of anonymity to just be more gossip.

The State News printed the statement, “He smokes weed with the managers, and he’s got a pretty big coke habit.” This is unnecessary input in a story that is already tragic enough in nature.

I used to like to read The State News after graduating to see what is happening around campus. But now that I see it can degrade a person’s character that is already down with comments from a person not man or woman enough to say his or her name. It seems as if it is not any better than online message boards.

I think I’ll stick to real newspapers with real news from real people who can be held accountable for their comments.

Sean Hanthorn
2002 graduate