Editor’s note: Tuesday Commentary is a weekly column that will appear every week. It is a rotating column given to members of the Northern Star sports staff. Columns, unlike regular articles, are the author’s opinon.

Frisbees were thrown, whistles were blown and profanity soared through the air like Jordan in his prime.

With NIU’s football team driving deep into Southern Illinois territory at Huskie Stadium Saturday, a student in the east grandstands attempted to do his best impersonation of Ed Hockuley, the NFL’s top official, and blew his whistle.

Play was stopped as NIU’s A.J. Harris had a clear path and ran into the end zone. The play was called back because of the fan and the Huskies’ drive stalled, ending with a field goal.

To sum it up, had NIU scored a touchdown on that drive and not kicked a field goal, there would have been a good chance NIU fans wouldn’t have had to sweat out a 23-22 NIU win. Thank you, SIU tight end Chris Kupec, for having the catching ability of a 400-pound lineman.

Fortunately, NIU police spotted the Bartman wannabe and ejected him from the game. An ejection is considered a rule infraction, not an arrest, so his name could not be released.

Many students would say that the polite behavior should be saved for the west side, but now that coach Joe Novak and his crew have got the program on the up-and-up, it’s time for Huskie supporters to show the nation that NIU has good sportsmanship.

It only takes common sense not to do something that stupid. NIU Associate Athletic Director Robert Collins said that had distractions continued, he may have been forced to have students, not a student, removed from the game – something he said he doesn’t want to do.

Lt. Matt Kiederlen of University Police said the game itself was uneventful, and the fans as a whole were well-behaved. Police noted only one small scuffle, even with SIU fans seated amongst the red and black.

However, it took one student to assist in halting an NIU drive, and there was more than one student at the game with a whistle. Praise to the Athletics Department for ordering ThunderStix, or there may have been more than one whistle-distracting play.

As with any popular sporting event, as attendance increases, so does the taunting and obnoxious behavior. Not that this reporter frowns upon it, but there’s a fine line that needs to be drawn.

There’s a difference between heckling and rude behavior, Lt. Kiederlen said. If a student or student’s disturbance continues to escalate as the game goes on, they may have to be escorted to the gates.

Mighty Alabama and its fans displayed gracious Southern hospitality to NIU fans after a 19-16 upset last season.

With MAC teams performing poorly these first few weeks, NIU has another great chance to show that it can play with the big boys of NCAA Division-IA football.

The football team has done so much for Huskies athletics that you can actually purchase NIU hats at your local Lids store.

There are things students are doing for NIU athletics that the Athletics Department are very grateful for. Don’t do the things that help the team lose games, and destroy the reputation it’s built up for the university and itself across the nation.

Be a passionate fan, but do it with class.