This is in response to Steve Klein's post, but I think it is relevant for
a lot of people on the list.  Feel free to respond to me at
                        [log in to unmask]
Go ahead and flame me if you want. Or send me an intelligent message and
we can discuss the seeming decline of etiquette at college sporting
events, or whatever else you want to discuss.
 
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I am a little disturbed at your apparent (misguided, IMHO)hatred/dislike
for Michigan fans.  As I stated in a letter to the editor on USCHO, yes,
there are a few obnoxious fans who like to shout vulgarities and act like
imbeciles, but you get some of those at *every* school.  I am living proof
of how hard we cheer FOR our team-I lost my voice at the Joe and thought I
was going to dislocate one of my fingers due to the quantity and ferocity
of clapping I was doing during our cheers and our fight song! :P  I don't
know what fans you had the misfortune of sitting near, but the majority of
our fans are supportive and not vulgar.  Were you privileged enough to see
the "Superfan" at the Joe?  (He was the one dressed kinda like Batman.) He
led his section in cheers and had the louder cowbell of the two present
Saturday.  If that's not a real hockey fan, then I guess I'm stumped.
 
Unfortunately, when one fan behaves inappropriately, people in the media
and those who post on the net like to jump all over the incident.  I
suspect this is due in some part to Michigan being the number one team
and thus being more in the public eye.  There are bad-seed fans at cellar
dweller schools, but they aren't being talked about all over creation.
 
No, I don't think people should throw things.  In fact, I yell at the
students who do it. (The only things that were ever thrown at Yost
however, were crumpled up newspapers, not anything dangerous.  That's not
an excuse, just a sidenote.)  No, I don't think certain of our fans should
get into personal arguments with the opposing fans and call them names.
But then I don't think that opposing fans should lean over the glass and
yell vulgarities at our players, either.  Or stand up to purposely
obstruct our view of the game.  When ANY of these situations occur, I get
upset, and sometimes bring it to the attention of Gordie(our awesome usher
for the student section-he is very good at keeping people in line) and he
takes care of the situation.
 
I'm not going to get into who started which individual incident when,
but I do have a question:  Just because we are students (at Michigan), why
are we more reprehensible than the adults (and students at other colleges)
who participate in the very same juvenile behavior?
 
 
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Barbara Kibart
Student, University of Michigan
1995-96 NCAA Division I
Men's Ice Hockey Champions
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