I know most of this has probably been said, but... Actually, I would think that more than 85% of our student section was wearing gold. I think that is pretty good, considering the fact that the university did not do a very good job on advertising the Geaux Gold weekend. I know that it was printed on a few schedules and posters, but had i not checked my e-mail Saturday morning after making a whiskey drink, I would have been wearing purple. I cant recall who was talking about the organization and scale of the student section, But, even though it has come off as a negative in this situation, I think that todays student section is quite impressive in that everyone can chant in unison and be heard all over the stadium. I agree that sometimes it may not be the best thing to chant, and I don't participate if I don't agree with it, but it is impressive! (and the gamecocks were asking for it when they started printing solely "cocks" on their hats and shirts!) And to say that this doesn't happen in most places is just naive.. I remember leaving the stadium in Tuscaloosa in 2005 after LSU ruined their perfect season and girls... sorority girls in dresses... were telling us that they hoped our homes were blown away in Katrina, etc. That is just one example. And one more thing to add or suggest, then im done, This increase in vulgarity and the craze of our student section could also partially stem from cockiness (no pun intended). LSU football is on top of the world right now, and I can see students getting cocky and changing their ways a bit. I am a senior, and during my tenure here, every year LSU has improved a few places in the polls and blown out opponents in their bowls games the past two years. I myself have increased "smack talk" (but only amongst my good buddies from high school and in a friendly manor.) Just throwing out another aspect, because as MIM said earlier, I am also glad that this thread appeared.
I have a great deal of respect for you crip, because I almost always agree with your opinions. But why do you fear us? There are plenty of people in our generation that will be perfectly capable too lead this country, and lead great lives with great families. I think I was raised "right" and I credit every bit of it to my parents, stepparents included. But the stories they have now told me about their younger days almost make me want to go out and catch up to their wild side. At least we are getting it out of our system now, so that in the near future we will be able to settle down and take care of all you baby boomers!
That was the reason I was told was to avoid a crunch in getting everyone into the stadium but it is a safety issue. If the band waits and comes in an hour before game time it causes a huge rush at the gate after you enter the stadium. That day 60K people entered in that last hour before kick off and a lot of you at the VT game can attest to the pushing and shoving that ensued at some of those gates. I didn't really notice the crowd being any less for USC...I mean once you guys start the drum cadence from the PMAC you can hear it from a mile away. The crowd look OK to me. Of course most of my time is spent trying to clear a path for you guys so I may not have noticed the drop off in people. In the past the band came down the hill and hour and a half before game time. It has dropped to and hour 20 then an hour 10 then an hour. They want to get it back to an hour and a half. Due to CBS televising the USC game the step off was moved earlier and it threw things off which is why y'all played longer in the PMAC. What has been suggested but may never come is the band follows directly behind the team bus and then the team leads the band down the hill all at one time. Saban was a stickler for being on time...Miles not so much so it would take a great effort to get it together.
>Do we have the beginnings of something?< Maybe, maybe not. I just hope that some students out there that read this take to heart what it is saying. What will probably happen is a bunch of frat boys will write in, stunned that people think they've done something wrong. But one can always hope for a miracle. I mean, martin hasn't gotten himself killed (yet) and that in and of itself is a miracle- they happen!
When I was a student in the late '80's and early 90's, the cup throwing after TD's was rampant (I had to duck anytime we scored.) Also, we played a home and home with Florida State in those days. When the FSU band struck up their warchant, the student section sang, "F*** the Seminoles. F*** the Seminoles. Students threw all kinds of items @ the Aggie band, opposing mascots, and Jordy Hultberg when he was on camera. So, this isn't new, and I'm sure playing the Cocks causes even more vulgarity. I'm not condoning any of this. I didn't like it back then, either. It does lack class. Now that I'm a mother, and my oldest daughter is old enough to geaux to Tiger Stadium for a game, I hope I don't have to sugar coat a chant she may hear coming from the student section.
Fried, I'm sure some kind of "stuff" comes out of just about any student section around the country. This group of students (possibly a hazing prank) were in the first freakin' row and were an absolute embarrassment. It's tough for me to even post this here but it's already been posted and well, they clearly wanted the attention. They chanted OJ Simpson and seemed to have no clue why that would be a stupid (to say the least) thing to do. Good for you for standing up for something that you feel strongly about. A University that will provide you with a lifetime of memories and connections is a pretty good reason IMO.
fried will be ok. After the newness of Halo 3 wears off and people stop talking about it he should be back to normal. It has to be a hard time for him.
http://www.cockytalk.com/showthread.php?p=654049&posted=1#post654049 Seems like the majority of the USC visitors had a great time. Some mentions of the student section, but a lot of "ours isnt any better" etc.
By the way, this was posted on the ESPN website in reference to the Bama GA game this weekend. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/notebook?page=gamedayFinal074 "The dumb Alabama fans pelted the Georgia Dawgpile -- which was celebrating its overtime win -- with cups and whiskey bottles. The smart ones understood that, for the second straight week, the Crimson Tide won the fourth quarter, one of the primary goals coach Nick Saban set when he arrived in January. The future looks bright, give or take the juvenile fans who threw glass bottles onto the field." I'll take some off color comments (minus the F you stuff of course) over this crap any day of the week.
