Comments, in both directions...(all IMO)...
 
[A] The student section has got to get under control.  95% of
the obscenities come from there.  Even worse, they're located
behind the parents of both teams.  It would suck to be a visiting
parent at Yost.
 
[B] The only organized vocal barrage that is offensive is the
embellishment following "C-YA" as an opposing player enters
the penalty box.  The handful of other "standards" can be
intimidating, but aren't offensive.  However, I did sit in the student
section for one game earlier this season and noticed a fair
amount of general swearing bouncing back and forth throughout
the game.
 
[C] There are a large number of Michigan fans that see the game
through maize and blue glasses (i.e., Michigan can do no wrong).
But, this number (maybe I should say percentage) is no different
from any other rink in the league.  All part of a hometown crowd.
 
[D] There's one guy over in Section D that is prone to getting
carried away. :-)  However, I think my non-swearing streak is
somewhere around two years now.  In the early 1990s, I reduced
my swearing outbursts to once a season...usually directed at
UIC. :-)
 
[E] Suck is OK in *almost* any context.
 
[F] To end with a positive (for Yost), I'm not aware of visitors
being subjected to physical abuse at Yost.  Like I've said many
times before (I'm sure everyone is sick of hearing it), visiting
Munn at Michigan State means taking about a 50-50 chance
(maybe down to 40-60 now) that you'll be hit by a Spartan fan,
or...more likely...a group of Spartan fans.  They tend to be
vocal in small numbers, physical in large numbers.  MSU
must have the widest "spectrum" of fans around, because
those that I've personally spoken to are all pleasant, knowledgeable
folks -- a 180 degree difference from those that I actually run
into at Munn.
 
Heck, I'll end with a mushy positive for both UM and MSU.
At the College Hockey Showcase in Minnesota (UM/MSU versus
Minnesota/Wisconsin), I was disappointed that the MSU fans
cheered for the WCHA schools while most of the Michigan fans
cheered for State.  But, I was very impressed that a handful of
Spartan players sat among the Michigan parents and fans for
the Michigan-Minnesota game and cheered for the Wolverines.
I particularly remember enjoying the conversation with Jon
Gaskins.  Very cool move.
 
 
John H
U Mich