Cohen: Let the fans speak for themselves
T-shirts and chants are just part of the atmosphere
By Ben Cohen
Tuesday, October 23rd, 2007
The scene is familiar to many a Jayhawk by now. Dramatic music begins to play, thousands of people stand up on their seats and, at Big Jay’s urging, begin rattling their keys in the air. Why this is, I’m not entirely sure, though I have considered the possibility that return men are easily distracted by shiny things. Continuing on, the kicker runs up, the music and the keys stop, the ball is sent flying through the air, and the fans scream an obscenity, at the top of their lungs. Understandably, some people find this offensive. A lot of families bring kids to games, and they don’t want their children exposed to foul language. Not to mention the return man probably likes his head right where it is.
Both of these events have raised the question of drawing a line between showing school spirit and being downright malicious.
It is the fear of being offensive that has led some people to call for the end of the cry which has marked every kickoff of every home football game this season. It is also what prompted ESPN to avoid putting students wearing “Muck Fizzou” shirts on television last year during a basketball game. Both of these events have raised the question of drawing a line between showing school spirit and being downright malicious. What some people don’t seem to understand is that, when set in a competitive atmosphere like a sporting event, a little insanity is the natural way for many people to channel their enthusiasm for their school. People spend exorbitant amounts of money to travel around the country to see their teams play, they dress babies in school regalia despite the fact that they’d probably cry in terror if confronted with the school mascot and some of them slather body paint all over their torsos that they would otherwise keep covered up for fear of being laughed at. In this sort of environment, very few people will think twice about shouting an obscenity, or calling for the ball-carrier to be brutalized in some creative fashion.
When in high school, I wrote a column, in the aftermath of a somewhat rowdy home basketball game where many faculty members complained about student conduct, about the importance of not regulating school spirit. If students are told how to express their love of their school and its athletic programs in a certain way, it really can’t be considered a legitimate display of enthusiasm. Yes, that means the risk of offending people is run, but that comes with the territory. I’ll repeat my point that, placed in direct competition with other schools, people will resort to potentially petty actions, like wearing T-shirts with juvenile slogans or shouting profanities. The incident with ESPN last spring worried many, but it strikes me as unlikely that KU fans will not be shown on TV again because some of them wear a certain shirt. If a friend of mine could get on camera at every home game in a Scooby-Doo costume, producers can find ways around showing mean-spirited clothing. And if a chant offends you, try thinking of an alternative. Maybe “Rob his grandmother,” or something else that will probably leave the other team too confused to concentrate. Please, just come down off the high horse and let us enjoy the game.
Cohen is a Topeka junior in journalism and English.
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