It seems the cancer that plagued last season's football team has spread to Spartan Stadium's student cheering section. The Student Alumni Foundation on Monday chose a new name for Bobby's World - Gang Green.
"We were proposing the name and someone said, 'What, like the disease?'" Gang Green co-director Don Setter said.
No kidding? That was the first question that came to our mind, too.
"But the spelling was different enough and the disease isn't as prevalent as it was 50 years ago," the chemistry junior added. "It's catchy."
No kidding it's catchy. It's a disease - the spelling doesn't really enter into the equation.
The Gang Green label was approved by a six-member Student Alumni Foundation committee.
Setter was not present for the vote. But we wonder if the other five members were present either.
Is Gang Green supposed to make fans of other schools green with envy?
Probably not. Although it will make them turn green with disgust once they stop laughing at the pure stupidity of the title.
The alumni foundation said the name was chosen from among 20 suggestions which included the Smithereens, the Backfield and the Blitz.
We are left to wonder if titles such as Greenmydia, Greenorrhea, Greenpox, Greenabetes, Greenzheimer's, the Greenbonic Plague or the Greenbola Virus were also considered.
Or, perhaps, the cheering section namers could have abandoned the green theme altogether and just called the student section The Clap - after all, it does applaud.
Or, maybe, the section could continue with its tradition of being named after the football head coach and call itself The John.
In all seriousness, however, the student cheering section needs a new name, STAT. Gang Green needs to be amputated.
Gang Green is offensive, tasteless and unacceptable.
There are greener pastures to call home. And while we usually don't like to do other people's work for them, we are willing to make an exception in this case.
Drum roll please.
How about Green Acres?
Green Acres is witty given MSU's agricultural history and it comes complete with a theme song: "Green Acres is the place to be. Farm living is the life for me ..." It fits Moo U like a glove.
In addition, Green Acres is timeless enough not to rely on a coach's name as some student alumni members had hoped for.
Whether the Student Alumni Foundation heeds our advice, we hope someone will step forward to veto the group's new offensive label for Spartan Stadium's student section.
It seems head coach John L. Smith is going to need to control more than his team to protect MSU's reputation.
