Student-led initiative tackles kick-off chant
Student leaders are looking for an alternative to the offensive phrase.
By Joe Preiner (Contact)
Thursday, October 9th, 2008
Student leaders at the University are urging students to stop the obscene kick-off chant at KU football games.
Matt Erickson, editor of The University Daily Kansan; Adam McGonigle, student body president; and Mike Rivera, one of four captains of the football team, met with members of University Relations and the Athletics Department to discuss alternatives to the offensive phrase.
Do you have an idea for a new chant? Do you have a comment?
Send ideas to editor@kansan.com.
Or submit your opinion to opinion@kansan.com.
At the meeting, they came up with a plan to send an e-mail message to KU students addressing the chant issue. The message will also be played on the MegaVision screen before the football game Saturday morning.
The idea to tackle the chant didn’t come from University officials, but instead from the student leaders. Erickson said a large faction of the student body was opposed to the chant, which originates from a line delivered by Rob Schneider in the movie “The Waterboy.” By addressing the issue on a student-to-student level, he said more students were likely to open their eyes to what the chant was really saying.
“We have so many unique traditions at the University,” Erickson said. “This isn’t original. We can do better than a line from the third-best Adam Sandler movie. We don’t need that.”
The student-led initiative plans to request feedback from students for alternatives to the chant. While the details have not been nailed down yet, Erickson said The Kansan plans to run a campus-wide contest, similar to the one it ran to replace the “Muck Fizzou” T-shirts.
Rivera, who is on the field for every game, said he could hear the chant from the sideline. He said the tradition students were trying to keep alive shows the University in a poor light.
“We want to reflect the University with class,” Rivera said. “We have so many great traditions here. Let’s not make this one of them.”
Erickson said he also realized many people attended the games after consuming alcohol, which would make the message harder to drive home. To deal with that aspect, Erickson said he hoped getting the message to students before drinking would help them think about what they were saying.
Jim Marchiony, associate athletics director, said the chant didn’t paint a true picture of the student body or the University. Student leaders and University officials agreed the issue needed to be addressed. Marchiony said he thought there would be a change, but didn’t expect it to be immediate.
“I’m an optimist at heart,” Marchiony said. “I think if students shed light on this issue, it might wake up a lot of people who haven’t really given it any thought.”
McGonigle shared similar optimism. He said if students stopped to think about how uncomfortable they were making other fans at the game, they should want to stop. He also said one thing people seemed to underestimate was how much people love Coach Mark Mangino.
“He’s done so much for the program here,” McGonigle said. “If Mangino addresses the crowd with a personable plea, I absolutely think students will listen to and respect him.”
- Edited by Becka Cremer
Discussion
All comments are moderated by Kansan.com staff. For our full user policy, click here.
This was a really interesting article. I did not realize The Kansan was even involved in this initiative.
I am greatly disappointed by the student section. We have become the laughing stock of the Nation (Read the ESPN website sometime). I hate to say it, but this chant is making K-state look more mature than we do at football games.
Seriously, let's stop the chant. Either that or stay home. At least the band doesn't act like this.
If marchiony gives back the money he took from joe college maybe i'll stop with the chant
3/4 the money athletics makes in revenue from the trademarks goes to the university for general scholarships (for students like you, only smarter).
You're already getting the money back, you idiot.
ok hawks101 explain how ku could even say the shirts from joe college had infringed on any copyright laws. What I am saying that KU is money hungry and took money from a local business like a bully takes lunch money from a smaller kid. So why don't you learn about the whole story before you comment you pretentious d***
Well I don't know all the legal issues surrounding it except that a judge/jury ruled that it did infringe. I'll take their word.
KU didn't take money from local business, Joe College was found guilty of infringing on a copyright that generates money for student scholarships at KU.
As a student, I couldn't be more happy that athletics stood up for us and protected our scholarships.
Share your 2¢
Requires free registration.