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NCAA blogger Josh Centor posted the following September 12 on the Double-A Zone (http://www.doubleazone.com), the official blog of the NCAA.
I’m angry. So angry, in fact, that I’m listening to the soothing sounds of Kenny G to calm me down as I write.
As a former student-athlete, as someone who has decided to devote his professional life to intercollegiate athletics and higher education, I believe I have established myself as someone who is truly passionate about college sports. I have played, I have watched, I have laughed, cried and cheered.
We’re all well aware that some fans like to use sporting events as an excuse to drink excessively and root against their opponents. Because I played ball, I never felt it was appropriate to express negative sentiment against others in the competitive arena. I don’t condone taunting and harassment from fans, but I understand that it’s there. It’s disgusting, sophomoric and unnecessary, but it’s there.
While I can remain quiet at the routine instances of poor sportsmanship displayed by boorish fans of sports teams across the world, I can’t stay zipped about the incidents that occurred in Piscataway, New Jersey September 7.
During Rutgers’ 41-24 victory over Navy, the Scarlet Knight student section wasn’t a place where you’d bring young children. Heck, it wasn’t even a place I’d want to sit with my wife. It seems the Rutgers students, rejuvenated from back-to-back winning seasons, feel that it’s appropriate to shout anything and everything at opposing players. The things that were shouted need not be recounted; our imaginations will suffice.
As fans from Rutgers attacked the players from Navy, one must wonder if they stopped to think that the people they were yelling at were the same people who will soon travel overseas to defend the United States in a time of war. We always discuss how it’s academics first, athletics second for student-athletes. Well for student-athletes at the academies, it’s about serving your country first, everything else second.
Rutgers President Richard McCormick was outraged at the abysmal behavior of his students and has said so publicly. The Rutgers administration handled the incident admirably; the student-athletes, coaches and administrators weren’t the ones taunting our future lieutenants, captains and admirals.
Most of what I know about the Navy was gleaned from Herman Wouk in his classic novel, The Caine Mutiny, but I do know that Americans shouldn’t have to be told that our Midshipmen have volunteered to put their lives on the line to protect the freedom and liberty of every person in this country. To demean them on the football field isn’t clever, it isn’t fine, it isn’t funny. It’s disgraceful.
So yes, I’m angry this afternoon. That type of behavior has no place in any sporting arena, especially one where servicemen and servicewomen are competing. It’s inherently unacceptable and the Rutgers fans should be ashamed of themselves.
I’m angry. So angry, in fact, that I’m listening to the soothing sounds of Kenny G to calm me down as I write.
As a former student-athlete, as someone who has decided to devote his professional life to intercollegiate athletics and higher education, I believe I have established myself as someone who is truly passionate about college sports. I have played, I have watched, I have laughed, cried and cheered.
We’re all well aware that some fans like to use sporting events as an excuse to drink excessively and root against their opponents. Because I played ball, I never felt it was appropriate to express negative sentiment against others in the competitive arena. I don’t condone taunting and harassment from fans, but I understand that it’s there. It’s disgusting, sophomoric and unnecessary, but it’s there.
While I can remain quiet at the routine instances of poor sportsmanship displayed by boorish fans of sports teams across the world, I can’t stay zipped about the incidents that occurred in Piscataway, New Jersey September 7.
During Rutgers’ 41-24 victory over Navy, the Scarlet Knight student section wasn’t a place where you’d bring young children. Heck, it wasn’t even a place I’d want to sit with my wife. It seems the Rutgers students, rejuvenated from back-to-back winning seasons, feel that it’s appropriate to shout anything and everything at opposing players. The things that were shouted need not be recounted; our imaginations will suffice.
As fans from Rutgers attacked the players from Navy, one must wonder if they stopped to think that the people they were yelling at were the same people who will soon travel overseas to defend the United States in a time of war. We always discuss how it’s academics first, athletics second for student-athletes. Well for student-athletes at the academies, it’s about serving your country first, everything else second.
Rutgers President Richard McCormick was outraged at the abysmal behavior of his students and has said so publicly. The Rutgers administration handled the incident admirably; the student-athletes, coaches and administrators weren’t the ones taunting our future lieutenants, captains and admirals.
Most of what I know about the Navy was gleaned from Herman Wouk in his classic novel, The Caine Mutiny, but I do know that Americans shouldn’t have to be told that our Midshipmen have volunteered to put their lives on the line to protect the freedom and liberty of every person in this country. To demean them on the football field isn’t clever, it isn’t fine, it isn’t funny. It’s disgraceful.
So yes, I’m angry this afternoon. That type of behavior has no place in any sporting arena, especially one where servicemen and servicewomen are competing. It’s inherently unacceptable and the Rutgers fans should be ashamed of themselves.
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