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