From the Editor’s Desk
Unsportsmanlike conduct on JMU’s student section
By Matthew Stoss, senior writer
Posted on September 5, 2006

The transformation was quick.

In one year, JMU went from viewing its athletic program with sarcasm to fanaticism. Students used go for the band and maybe stay for the game… maybe.

Now, after a national championship, expectation and interest is high. There are lines to get into football games and people are flocking to the Student Duke Club.

It’s so good some may not even remember the football team used to be mediocre-to-bad on a regular basis.

However, as it often happens with haste, important things are forgotten. In JMU’s case, it was how to support your team.

What sets good student sections apart is cleverness and creativity with their cheers and chants. Duke University’s student section is notorious, coming up with lines like, “That’s all right. That’s OK. You’re going to work for us one day.”

Clever.

“F-you Bloomsburg,” isn’t.

Of the chants started at Saturday’s football game, over half of them contained profanity, including one taunting an injured Bloomsburg player.

Cursing at an entire team is vulgar; ridiculing an injured player is classless. Luckily, the kid wasn’t hurt badly, but remember, sometimes it hurts getting wrecked by a 300-pound defensive lineman.

But it’s easy to do things when there are no consequences — which was conveniently summed up by one female game-goer’s T-shirt. It read, “It only counts if you get caught.”  This equates to how there are no repercussions in a crowd — or more accurately, a mob. For the individual, that’s a good thing. No one can blame “you,” but “you” reflects a group perceived by peers and outsiders. And life is perception. If someone thinks you’re classless, you are.

This isn’t what JMU, or any college cheering section, should be known for. Parents shouldn’t be wary of bringing their kids to football games. Alumni shouldn’t shy away because the current students don’t understand you can heckle and still show respect.

So some moron in a green shirt on the sidelines is taunting the students. Who cares? He’s not in pads. He’s not passing the ball, making tackles or scoring touchdowns.

And most importantly, he has no effect on the outcome of the game. Why waste time ripping on him? Mess with the stud quarterback making your secondary look terrible. Screw with the wide receiver with great hands. Pay attention that your team is being shut out by a Division II football team.

It took three-and-a-half quarters for the mighty Dukes to get on the board. The offense looked stagnant and the defense uninspired. Maybe it was because it was the first game. Or perhaps Bloomsburg wasn’t the primary focus? Were they peering into next week and Boone, N.C., where Division I-AA reigning national champion Appalachian State awaits?

Whatever the explanation: idiot in green shirt 1, JMU student section 0.

A great student section isn’t just noise, cheers and rowdiness. It’s originality, knowledge of the game and intelligence, in addition to volume. Anyone can come up with “Hey, you suck!”

Be better than anyone. Be better than the lowest common denominator. Don’t be the girl wearing the T-shirt. And hopefully, the transformation from crude to classy just needs a little more time.

Matthew Stoss is a senior English major and editor in chief of The Breeze.