Union is (like St. Lawrence and Clarkson) a small school. Enrollment, according to USCHO, is 2000 with capacity at Achilles 2250. The student section is larger than it used to be but it is not more than 1.4 of the arena. I have found Union students to be loud and obnoxious but no more than other places, I suppose.
Sara
SLU '77
Let's go SAINTS!!!!
----- Original Message -----
From: Carol White <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Sun, 27 Feb 2011 17:13:52 -0000 (UTC)
Subject: Re: profanity at hockey games
WOW.
How many students are in that student "section"? They would have a problem
ejecting the entire student section at Mariucci.
That very same announcement is made at Mariucci before every game - mandated
by the ever popular NC$$.
I really don't understand their focus on the word "sucks". And I wonder how
this goes over at Yost Arena, as I understand they are really bold with
their chants there.
At Minnesota, they have tried to eliminate this word and all bad language.
The only chant I really have a problem with is "F*** the (Team name here)".
I suppose we will all have to be on guard at the Frozen Four.
Carol
GO Gophers!!!
On Sun, Feb 27, 2011 at 10:10 AM, Mark Lewin wrote:
> This article appeared in the Sunday Albany Times Union on Feb 27.
> (hopefully, the copyright police won't come after me at my undisclosed
> location on a small island near the north pole).
>
> I offer this without comment
>
>
>
>
> SCHENECTADY -- Before every Union
> College<
> http://www.timesunion.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=local&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Union+College%22
> >hockey
> game, the announcement is the same:
>
> "We request your cooperation by supporting the participants and officials
> in
> a positive manner. Profanity, racial or sexist comments or other
> intimidating actions directed at officials, student-athletes, coaches or
> team representatives ... are grounds for removal from the site of
> competition and other disciplinary actions."
>
> And they're not kidding.
>
> Students who yell chants the school has deemed vulgar or offensive are
> getting the boot from Union hockey games. The practice began midway through
> last season, students said, and while school officials claim it's in the
> name of promoting sportsmanship, some students said it's gone too far.
>
> "I understand not allowing vulgar language," senior John
> Russell<
> http://www.timesunion.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=local&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22John+Russell%22
> >said,
> "but not allowing fans to express emotion during games is a bit much."
>
> Students said public safety officers have come down hard on the use of the
> word "sucks" during games, ejecting any students who use it to jeer
> opposing teams.
>
> At Friday night's game against Quinnipiac
> University<
> http://www.timesunion.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=local&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Quinnipiac+University%22
> >,
> Russell was one of some 15 students who stood on the last row of the lower
> student section, just below the band. Justin
> Zolot<
> http://www.timesunion.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=local&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Justin+Zolot%22
> >waved
> a garnet flag with Union's seal on it, banging its pole against the
> bench to make noise.
>
> The team, ranked fifth in the nation, moved on to the playoffs after Friday
> night's game that ended in a 2-2 tie after overtime.
>
> Friday night, chants were clean and employed the use of an emphatic "let's
> go," but Russell and others in the group said they have been threatened
> with
> ejection in the past. At a recent home game against Cornell
> University<
> http://www.timesunion.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=local&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Cornell+University%22
> >,
> he said, the entire student section was threatened with removal.
>
> "It keeps us from supporting the school," he said.
>
> Athletic Director Jim
> McLaughlin<
> http://www.timesunion.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=local&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Jim+McLaughlin%22
> >said
> the directive to remove those who yell less-than-polite chants came
> from him and other athletic department staff, and is in step with
> NCAA<
> http://www.timesunion.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=local&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22NCAA%22
> >principles
> of good sportsmanship and conduct.
>
> "They rely on the individual campuses to enforce and set up the right
> atmosphere," McLaughlin said. "Essentially we expect positive behavior that
> respects all of those in the building."
>
> McLaughlin said the department coordinated with the school's public safety
> department to enforce the rules, and pointed to the warning announced
> before
> every game.
>
> But senior Danielle
> Mendiola<
> http://www.timesunion.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=local&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Danielle+Mendiola%22
> >said
> the message is broadcast about 10 minutes before each game, when the
> student section is largely empty.
>
> "Ninety-eight percent of fans aren't here at the time of the announcement,"
> she said, adding how most students get to games two to three minutes before
> they begin, at the earliest.
>
> Mendiola lamented what she called the rules' inconsistency and a failure by
> school officials to effectively communicate them.
>
> "My biggest frustration with it is it's not a set rule," she said. "They
> almost never have an issue when we say, 'see ya, (expletive),' but they get
> mad when we say 'sucks.' "
>
> Students often chant "See ya, (expletive)" when a player on the opposing
> team gets sent to the penalty box, but lately, Mendiola said, school
> officials have been seen directing the band to play over the chant.
>
> At Cornell, she said, a sign clearly states profanity is not allowed, and
> Union officials should at least send a campuswide e-mail delineating
> the policy.
>
> "I would be willing to do different chants if they (officials) weren't so
> wishy-washy," she said.
>
> On Thursday, the majority of students approached on campus by a Times
> Union<
> http://www.timesunion.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=local&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Times+Union%22
> >reporter
> had not heard of the rule.
>
> "They've done that?!" freshman Dylan
> Tripodi<
> http://www.timesunion.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=local&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Dylan+Tripodi%22
> >said
> when asked if he knew of students being removed from games.
> "That's awful."
>
> The large group of standing students at Friday's game shows up every time,
> Russell said, and their chants are mild compared to other schools.
>
> Mendiola said announcers at rival RPI purposely pause after announcing each
> opposing team player's name, giving time for fans to yell "sucks" after
> each name.
>
> The word "sucks" and its variants are staples of many RPI hockey chants,
> such as one where students yell "sucking" over the announcer as he reports
> which penalty a certain player is headed to the penalty box for.
>
> Fans are also known for yelling, "He sucks too," after the name of an
> opposing coach is called, and as the clock winds down during games against
> any opponent, fans shout out their biggest rival, Clarkson
> University<
> http://www.timesunion.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=local&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Clarkson+University%22
> >,
> when they chant, "And Clarkson still sucks."
>
> "It's so different at so many schools," Mendiola said.
>
> At Boston University<
> http://www.timesunion.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=local&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Boston+University%22
> >,
> an athletics department spokesman said the arena has an equally strict
> policy about foul language put in place in 2006. The policy arose to
> eliminate one specific chant during hockey games: "(expletive) 'em up,
> (expletive) 'em up, 'cause they suck."
>
> Since the rule was put in place, the chant stopped, and games were made
> more
> family-friendly.
>
> On Friday night, much to students' chagrin, that's exactly what happened
> at Union.
>
> "I think it's stupid," senior Kristin
> Joyce<
> http://www.timesunion.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=local&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Kristin+Joyce%22
> >said.
> "I think it's good fun -- just part of the game."
>
> Read more:
>
> http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Union-s-goal-No-foul-mouths-1032242.php#ixzz1FAymcKLt
>
--
Carol S. White
"Imagination is more powerful even than knowledge." ~ Albert Einstein**
|
