(left) College hockey's rouge student section has been busted dropping "F bombs" and anti-homosexual slursFrom: Duluth News Tribune
by Jana Hollingsworth
A repeat of student fan behavior that included bigoted and offensive chants during a University of Minnesota Duluth men’s hockey game will result in removal from the game and possible revocation of season tickets, UMD officials say.
A group of fans in the UMD student section at the Oct. 17 game against Minnesota State Mankato were heard across the arena shouting a chant that included an anti-homosexual slur ("F******") and another chant that included a vulgar insult ("F***") during the game.
“I couldn’t believe that I heard it,” said Alyssa Longley, a UMD freshman who attended the game with her parents. “There’s not one person that couldn’t have heard it.”
Longley was seated across the arena from where the chants originated.
“Group mentality took over; they ended up portraying UMD as a vulgar and clearly not open-minded place to be, where I feel very comfortable on this campus being a lesbian,” Longley said. “I am treated really, really well here. They didn’t show that … at that instance.”
Longley’s mother, Kathy Longley, sent an e-mail to several UMD administrators complaining of the incident, but a response from UMD was already in motion, athletic director Bob Nielson said.
He arrived at the game toward its end and heard part of the final chant.
“It caught me: ‘Are they saying what I think they’re saying? If they are, that’s an issue,’ ” he said.
A written apology was sent to Kathy Longley, and an e-mail from Nielson went out to UMD student season ticket-holders, who make up the majority of students attending the men’s games, Nielson said.
The e-mail warns students that those who violate Western Collegiate Hockey Association, National Collegiate Athletics Association and university policies regarding fan behavior — including racist and sexist language and profanity — won’t be tolerated. Violators — and possibly the entire fan section — will be removed from the game and they could have their season tickets revoked, Nielson said. The student chants at the Mankato game were cited.
Police who staff the games will be more attentive to the student section, said Bill Wade, vice chancellor for university relations and development, who oversees athletics.
No one has admitted to starting the chant, Nielson said, but a meeting was held with several student season ticket-holders to talk about the behavior and what students can do at games to prevent it.
Wade said this is the third incident related to offensive chants in the 12 years he’s been in his position. This controversy has been been brewing for several weeks according to the umd Penalty Box.com Message Board.
“It’s not a frequent occasion, but a serious one,” he said. “It bowled me over.”
About 450 UMD students have season tickets to the UMD men’s hockey games.
A group of fans in the UMD student section at the Oct. 17 game against Minnesota State Mankato were heard across the arena shouting a chant that included an anti-homosexual slur ("F******") and another chant that included a vulgar insult ("F***") during the game.
“I couldn’t believe that I heard it,” said Alyssa Longley, a UMD freshman who attended the game with her parents. “There’s not one person that couldn’t have heard it.”
Longley was seated across the arena from where the chants originated.
“Group mentality took over; they ended up portraying UMD as a vulgar and clearly not open-minded place to be, where I feel very comfortable on this campus being a lesbian,” Longley said. “I am treated really, really well here. They didn’t show that … at that instance.”
Longley’s mother, Kathy Longley, sent an e-mail to several UMD administrators complaining of the incident, but a response from UMD was already in motion, athletic director Bob Nielson said.
He arrived at the game toward its end and heard part of the final chant.
“It caught me: ‘Are they saying what I think they’re saying? If they are, that’s an issue,’ ” he said.
A written apology was sent to Kathy Longley, and an e-mail from Nielson went out to UMD student season ticket-holders, who make up the majority of students attending the men’s games, Nielson said.
The e-mail warns students that those who violate Western Collegiate Hockey Association, National Collegiate Athletics Association and university policies regarding fan behavior — including racist and sexist language and profanity — won’t be tolerated. Violators — and possibly the entire fan section — will be removed from the game and they could have their season tickets revoked, Nielson said. The student chants at the Mankato game were cited.
Police who staff the games will be more attentive to the student section, said Bill Wade, vice chancellor for university relations and development, who oversees athletics.
No one has admitted to starting the chant, Nielson said, but a meeting was held with several student season ticket-holders to talk about the behavior and what students can do at games to prevent it.
Wade said this is the third incident related to offensive chants in the 12 years he’s been in his position. This controversy has been been brewing for several weeks according to the umd Penalty Box.com Message Board.
“It’s not a frequent occasion, but a serious one,” he said. “It bowled me over.”
About 450 UMD students have season tickets to the UMD men’s hockey games.
20 comments:
It’s OK for DU fans to make comments like this on this blog, but it's not OK at the arena. When will you get this though your thick skulls "people"!
-manimal
What's this about Huttel having to be escorted to the locker room by "armed" Colorado Springs police officers?
I'll be at the DU vs. UMD game in December...should be interesting, haha.
Obviously racist & sexist chants can't be tolerated by universities.
Students receive "subsidized" tickets to the games, so they are especially vulnerable to the whims and wishes of the administration and athletic department.
Minnesota State’s homosexual fans were upset at being compared to the hockey referees? What an insult!
While I agree, it's in appropriate and probably offensive to some fans - I mean really; how do you control it? I sit by the DU student section, and there was a flare up a couple years ago, "F*** CC!" or, "Armrstrong, Armstrong, Armstrong... you suck (dik)!" it was interesting to watch the ushers/security guys trying to pinpoint who started it all, and deciding who to pull out of there.
Yet, walking back to the car after the game you hear every word in the book... and that's OK???
I guess they just have to make someone the example once of twice a year and drag them out of there very conspicuously, and hope that get's people to think twice.
Respect through fear !!!
If you read the UMD message board thread linked in the article, you will find many Duluth fans who are offended by the students' language.
Best to keep the cheers as clean as possible and hope like heck not too many people complain.
What exactly are you trying to yell about, manimal? You're not making any sense.
A nancy boy got his knickers in a twist over the purple faggot chant. So what. Why should the administration or athletic department care?
Under the law, universities are responsible for providing an academic environment free of sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is discriminatory and unlawful.
Having 400+ students chanting bigoted slogans that are offensive to many in the community isn't too intelligent.
I don’t believe the laws dealing with sexual harassment currently address sexual orientation. Female gym teachers, golf professionals and athletic directors may have a more liberal reading though. Not that that’s a stereotype or anything.
So would a giant banner with a CC Tiger sucking off Boone be sexual harassment? Or just a humorous college prank?
Nope,that would be pure genius!!!!
Depends if the Tiger was Male or Female....
dg...
Article on UND addressing the student behavior:
http://www.fightingsioux.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=13500&ATCLID=204832205
Brian,
Wow. They've done everything that was suggested several weeks ago.
This now needs to be adopted by every WCHA arena.
I’m yelling about; freedom of speech and how it's perfectly acceptable to let your true colors show here on this blog, but once your step foot into the arena you are susceptible to the masses general view of morality (i.e. the soccer mom effect). Whatever their opinion of what is right or wrong dictated by the group of people they are in contact with the most. So if you are a college student hanging around other college students that drop the "f bomb" 50 time a day, you probably won't have any problems saying or chanting the "f word" in the student section (especially if there is alcohol involved). Now if you are a family man/women trying to be a good parent watching every word you say and hanging around other good parents, you will probably be appalled by the language and behavior of the students in said student section. You will also probably believe that it is an atrocity that they are allowed to get away with this activity.
-manimal
When you buy a ticket to a sporting event you are giving up certain rights in order to attend said event. They write it on the back of the ticket even. You don't even have the right to the use of your own image, and you're concerned about yelling slurs and sexist comments?
Believe me it annoys me that freedoms can be trampled upon like this - but people who are TOO vulgar need to realize they are also trampling on the freedoms of others who are attending the events.
We have to be able to balance the fun of being a little drunk and yelling at the opposing goalie and the ref with not making the experience horrible for other people in the arena (and I have been 'that guy' before, sadly. lol)
Its called being part of society, and if you're unable to deal with it; go become a hermit in the mountains like other weirdoes who couldn't deal with what society demanded from them.
By my reading of these regulations "Anderson you SUCK" is still acceptable and I can live with that, because Anderson needs to be told how awful he is in every game he refs.
You're right Trev... It's just part of our society, and proudly demonstrated. I also sit by the students and it is very disheartening to hear the way they talk these days. I'm saddened by the lack of class displayed at Magness these days.
HAHA... my word verification was "undless"
What a great world that would be!
I would just like to clarify that I agree with you (Trev) in every aspect of your comment, I as well, was the college student and now I am the family man (I use that term loosely). my comments were meant to magnify the view points of both sides, separate the places were free speech should and should not be allowed (I’ve been thoroughly appalled by the conduct of the people standing in line with me at King Soopers), and express that this should be common sense by now (but I understand why it's not).
-family maninal
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