Pubdate: Wed, 08 Sep 1999 Source: Denver Post (CO) Copyright: 1999 The Denver Post Contact: http://www.denverpost.com/ Author: Chuck Green HERE'S THE DOPE ON MELEE Sept. 8 - Clearly, without a doubt, no evidence to the contrary, the final verdict is in: Police caused the Mile High Melee after the CUCSU football game last weekend. You've heard most of the arguments, I know. The eyewitness statements, the mayor's declaration of exoneration, the talk-show accusations from both sides. But what you haven't heard yet - until just now - is the most compelling evidence that settles the issue. The trouble was caused by rabble rousers from Larimer County (CSU fans), who showed up at the stadium drunk and disorderly, while the visitors from Boulder County (CU fans) were relatively well-behaved and just out for an evening of peaceful revelry. That is why police are to blame. As recent news reports have documented, the Larimer County sheriff swooped down on a sprawling ranch two weeks ago and raided the campsites of 2,000 people at the 25th annual Bong-A-Thon, confiscating a large quantity of marijuana and leaving Larimer County without weed. The supply in Boulder County, meanwhile, went uninterrupted. When the two contingents merged at Mile High Stadium for the Big Game last weekend, one was really cool and one was agitated. By the end of the game, when all the beer and smuggled booze had run out, the CSU crowd went wild. The CU crowd was, well, mellow. Quite obviously, the Larimer County sheriff's department is to blame for the crazed behavior of the CSU crowd. But it doesn't stop there. There are other lessons to be learned. As Mayor Wellington Webb, his police commanders, the Denver Broncos and the universities' administrations meet over the next few weeks, there are many items that ought to be on their agendas: - - When the Broncos score their first touchdown during the Monday Night Football opener next week, and the Broncos' mascot - a white stallion named Thunder - runs onto the field, should he be blinded by pepper spray? - - Should the CU football program consider using tear gas in its defense, the only thing that seems effective in stopping CSU's rush? - - Is there any truth to the rumor that Denver police had to use their inventory of tear gas because the canisters had an expiration date of 9/9/99? - - What happens if a Denver cop sees a little kid run onto the field after a Denver Broncos kickoff to grab the kickoff tee, and the police officer decides to gas the child? - - There should be an investigation into accusations that the hooligans who were trying to climb the security fence actually were so drunk they were just trying to get out to inhale those big, white lines on the field. - - The cops should be given more precise directions on which side of the field to line up on. They were told to guard the sidelines of the school with a reputation as being Colorado's football-powerhouse-party-school, but they went to CSU's side instead. - - Next time these two teams meet, Boulder police should not be assigned the task of checking back packs at the gate. Witnesses said that instead of looking for bottles of booze, the Boulder cops spent their time interrogating every ticket holder about where they were the night Jon Benet was murdered. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake