Second down and the first down marker is seven yards away. Sophomore quarterback Drew Stanton takes the snap from center, rolls left, tucks the ball and hits a wide hole plowed clear by his offensive line. Eight yards later, the Spartans have a first down and MSU Marching Band Director John Madden cues up the fight song. The fanfare ends, the chains are moved and then the MSU student section takes over.

"One, two, three (clap) first down ... bitch."

First down who? The scenario above of Stanton's run is hypothetical, but our newest football Saturday vulgarity is anything but. Four home football games are in the books for the MSU football team, but it has been five little letters that have been making the most noise in Spartan Stadium this season. We think it's time to quash it.

When MSU Athletics serves up the MSU student with less than desirable circumstances, we're on the side of the student. When the first conception of the new Izzone ticket policy rewarded loyalty with lottery, we spoke up against it. When the arbitrary elimination of drinking games at tailgate fizzled a scene quicker than Saturday's dreary rain ever could have, we called it bunk. But adding a vulgar - and in some respects offensive - term to a long-standing MSU football chant simply has no place in football culture.

Student sections will always be inherently rowdier than the alumni seats and frankly, "one, two, three (clap) first down... bitch" makes some of the things University of Michigan students say at hockey games sound like a Raffi record. But, when we gather in common spirit to cheer on the Spartans, keep in mind that we still represent the university, even at home. Parents of children within earshot certainly aren't happy, and one look at Madden and his band will say the same.

"Bitch" doesn't represent MSU football - it shouldn't represent its fans.