During the past few MSU home football games, there have been many vulgar chants that are taking away from the games and starting to gain attention around campus. And at last week’s ASMSU General Assembly meeting, the student section’s unsportsmanlike conduct was a topic discussed.
The MSU student section first was criticized about vulgar chants during the MSU-Notre Dame football game more than two weeks ago. After a questionable roughing-the-kicker call, the Spartan students released their frustration vocally, chanting, “He’s a p***y.” This past week during the MSU-Ohio State game, there was another incident where the chant, “He’s a p***y,” was heard throughout Spartan Stadium.
Dennis Martell, Olin Health Center health education services coordinator, said cursing and vulgar language only have become prevalent in the last five years, and although the, “One, two, three, first down, b***h,” chant has been around for a few years, the latest chant, which includes the word “p***y,” is something new to MSU.
The MSU student section always is enthusiastic and brings plenty of spirit to the games, hoping to drive their fellow Spartans to victory, but there is a breaking point where the chants become too much.
In light of these events, MSU’s undergraduate student government, or ASMSU, has formed a task force to deal with issues of unsportsmanlike conduct.
ASMSU is considering prohibiting students from wearing shirts with the opposing team’s apparel in the student section, as well as starting a sportsmanship campaign featuring head coach Mark Dantonio.
Love it or hate it, vulgar chants are not out of the norm across all of college football. At almost any college football stadium you visit, you will find students using crude and inappropriate language. But it’s becoming an issue when children who attend MSU games are asking their parents what p***y or b***h means.
However, while ASMSU has good intentions, is it realistic to actually reduce the vulgarity of the Spartan student section chants?
When a large group of college students are put together and their team isn’t winning, there are going to be chants directed toward the opponents, and trying to change that seems highly unlikely.
An effort toward reducing these chants shows that MSU is trying to maintain a positive image. But changing something of this magnitude seems like a lofty and unreasonable goal for ASMSU to pursue, especially when they could be spending time and money on a better cause.
It’s good that ASMSU now has addressed the issue and is taking a stand, making it known that crude chants are not something MSU students are proud of, but trying to change the habits of a 15,000-person crowd appears hopeless. While ASMSU has the right idea, the time and money put into solving this problem only will be wasteful.
The best cure is for the team to start winning their home games, because as the old saying goes, “Winning solves everything.” And in this case, it certainly appears that way.
Support student media!
Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
Discussion
Share and discuss “Effort to curb lewd chants noble, futile” on social media.
