Is Stewart Mandel overreacting here?

He writes about the behavior of the students at the Rutgers/Navy game...

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/si_blogs/football/ncaa/2007/09/rutgers-students-embarrass-school.html


This type of stuff happens in all student sections in the country, and I would venture to say it even happens at BYU. I really only see the problem in that it was directed at Navy, but it is a football game. Taunting the opposition happens and yes, swearing seems to be a very reliable source of taunting for a college student. They are one syllable words that can easily go in the fabric of a chant. For those of you who cover collegiate sports and those who don't, do you see something wrong with the behavior, or have you grown accustomed to it at the games?

 

I've only recently grown accustomed to the f-words being directed at me. Opposing players? Old hat.

 

Yeah...I should have clarified that I meant during college football games from the student sections. I made a slight edit in the first post. But if it's old hat, did it matter that it was directed at Navy?

 

innappropriate? yes. uncommon? no. College kids, especially those who have been tailgating all morning/afternoon, can be a rude, crude bunch. Nothing special going on at that Rutgers game.

 

I see all kinds of this crap on our local school's message boards, about how it's terrible for people to take their 9-year-olds to football and basketball games because of the attitudes and behaviors of all the students. One guy professed how he had to repeatedly ask the people in front of him to tone down their language so his children, 9 and 11 years old, could enjoy the game.

I've posted a scathing reaction to them that pretty much says, If you're a fan of the sport at the level it's played, you know it happens. You've seen it when you went with your buddies, and you'll see it when you take your kids. Why you would bring them and then complain about it is irresponsible on your behalf when it's a common fixture. Either don't go or prepare the kids in advance.

It's terrible that the taunts get so personal at some places, and I'll reserve my thoughts for myself about Rutgers, its students and its athletic program. But it's a common activity that, as Mayfly said, probably even happens at places like BYU, so it isn't like the whole stadium turned into some kind of European soccer atmosphere.