Student Section Issues from Last Night?

[Erial_Lion]

Anyone have any more info on the reported issues with the student section last night...seems that a member of the Legion of Blue leadership sent out a pretty brutal message to the rest of the group, and the reply from the PSU spokesman today was relatively lame. I've got lots of questions around how this is being handled, but haven't really seen much reported on it from the PSU side (the Rutgers basketball board has numerous threads on it). If someone in a leadership position is sending out a message about our students throwing things at the Rutgers team after the game or racist language being used, I'd think it's being investigated more thoroughly than our response would indicate. Thoughts?

From the LOB Vice-President...

“The police have issued a warning to athletics due to the alleged explicit, racist and vulgar language directed to members of the Rutgers basketball team,” Odige wrote. “Things such as f-bombs, n-words and other slurs being thrown around are downright unacceptable, and the privilege of sitting behind the benches will be revoked if this behavior continues.”

Our University's response...

"Penn State Athletics, as well as other university administrators, is aware of the reported interactions between the student section and the Rutgers men’s basketball team Sunday. We have been in communication with the leaders of the Legion of Blue student group, and we do not condone the inappropriate actions of some individuals on Sunday night. The Legion of Blue has been tremendous supporters of Penn State Basketball for many years and have historically represented themselves in a positive manner while cheering on the Nittany Lions. These reported actions are out of character for the group and its leadership is aware of behavioral expectations for all fans. Noncompliance may warrant ejection from the venue, as well as the possibility of revocation of tickets and, in some cases, reference to the authorities. Fan conduct is important to the experience of all teams and visitors to Penn State and our goal is to create an environment that is competitive, but welcoming."

 

[bison13]

Anyone have any more info on the reported issues with the student section last night...seems that a member of the Legion of Blue leadership sent out a pretty brutal message to the rest of the group, and the reply from the PSU spokesman today was relatively lame. I've got lots of questions around how this is being handled, but haven't really seen much reported on it from the PSU side (the Rutgers basketball board has numerous threads on it). If someone in a leadership position is sending out a message about our students throwing things at the Rutgers team after the game or racist language being used, I'd think it's being investigated more thoroughly than our response would indicate. Thoughts?

From the LOB Vice-President...

“The police have issued a warning to athletics due to the alleged explicit, racist and vulgar language directed to members of the Rutgers basketball team,” Odige wrote. “Things such as f-bombs, n-words and other slurs being thrown around are downright unacceptable, and the privilege of sitting behind the benches will be revoked if this behavior continues.”

Our University's response...

"Penn State Athletics, as well as other university administrators, is aware of the reported interactions between the student section and the Rutgers men’s basketball team Sunday. We have been in communication with the leaders of the Legion of Blue student group, and we do not condone the inappropriate actions of some individuals on Sunday night. The Legion of Blue has been tremendous supporters of Penn State Basketball for many years and have historically represented themselves in a positive manner while cheering on the Nittany Lions. These reported actions are out of character for the group and its leadership is aware of behavioral expectations for all fans. Noncompliance may warrant ejection from the venue, as well as the possibility of revocation of tickets and, in some cases, reference to the authorities. Fan conduct is important to the experience of all teams and visitors to Penn State and our goal is to create an environment that is competitive, but welcoming."

Personally, I’m a little upset at our student section during that game. They completely disappeared in the second half. I said to my wife, who is also a Penn State grad, That if I was a student at this game they needed to be as loud in the second half is the first, since Rutgers got the momentum during that last minute of the first half. It never happened, they stayed on their hands all second-half. Not that that’s the reason they lost, but they definitely could’ve helped.

 

[Obliviax]

dang. Awful. It could be true, I have no idea. But we've seen these accusations turn out to be BS. We've also seen players yelling at the crowd and using their own swear words and the rest, only to call themselves victims when it comes back to them.

But again, it can be true as well.

 

[Erial_Lion]

dang. Awful. It could be true, I have no idea. But we've seen these accusations turn out to be BS. We've also seen players yelling at the crowd and using their own swear words and the rest, only to call themselves victims when it comes back to them.

But again, it can be true as well.

The accusations weren't coming from the other team though...they are coming from one of the leaders in the Student "Fan Club".

And I have no doubts that plenty of stuff was said that's inappropriate, just as plenty of stuff is said that's inappropriate in nearly every student section throughout the country. However, if there was really something thrown at the Rutgers team and/or racial insults, we're talking a completely different level.

Reminds me of the accusations of how we treated the OSU band in 2005. Did we throw piss filled balloons at them? Highly unlikely, and/or if it happened it wasn't reported outside of message board lore. However, the general treatment of them WAS awful.

I was just surprised that the University's response was so "mellow"...I'd expect us to say we're launching an investigation and trying to identify anyone that acted inappropriately, or something along those lines. Not a "don't let it happen again". Unless of course that the accusations from the VP of the Legion of Blue are a complete one-off, and word of what he/her is saying never made it up the chain.

Crappy situation nonetheless.

 

[Obliviax]

The accusations weren't coming from the other team though...they are coming from one of the leaders in the Student "Fan Club".

And I have no doubts that plenty of stuff was said that's inappropriate, just as plenty of stuff is said that's inappropriate in nearly every student section throughout the country. However, if there was really something thrown at the Rutgers team and/or racial insults, we're talking a completely different level.

Reminds me of the accusations of how we treated the OSU band in 2005. Did we throw piss filled balloons at them? Highly unlikely, and/or if it happened it wasn't reported outside of message board lore. However, the general treatment of them WAS awful.

I was just surprised that the University's response was so "mellow"...I'd expect us to say we're launching an investigation and trying to identify anyone that acted inappropriately, or something along those lines. Not a "don't let it happen again". Unless of course that the accusations from the VP of the Legion of Blue are a complete one-off, and word of what he/her is saying never made it up the chain.

Crappy situation nonetheless.

I have no idea but reminds me of a police blog I read about a year ago.

• Police receive 9-1-1 call that a man is riding a bicycle yelling racial epithets at 8:25 am
• Police arrive and question the man at 8:42 am
• Man released at 8:52 am after learning he was looking for his lost dog that was named "Snickers"

 

[bison13]

I have no idea but reminds me of a police blog I read about a year ago.

• Police receive 9-1-1 call that a man is riding a bicycle yelling racial epithets at 8:25 am
• Police arrive and question the man at 8:42 am
• Man released at 8:52 am after learning he was looking for his lost dog that was named "Snickers"

Ha. That’s pretty good. I remember either you posted that before or reading it somewhere, always good for a laugh though.

 

[Obliviax]

Ha. That’s pretty good. I remember either you posted that before or reading it somewhere, always good for a laugh though.

Seriously, though, no easy answers for this kind of stuff. What, today, is a racial epithet? As a white person, I never use any reference to race, religion, or sex. But have been told that a person of the same race can use racial epithets or sexist comments especially if it is "art". But even if you are a white person, you cannot even sing lyrics with racial epithets.

Can somebody write up the rules and get them published, please?

 

[psrurock]

What I always liked about PSU was they usually showed class as representatives of the school. Even when I was the one out of line someone would encourage me to check myself. Was wondering if that's why Spencer( Rutgers player) was chatty after the game toward our fans.

 

[87 Penn St8]

What I always liked about PSU was they usually showed class as representatives of the school. Even when I was the one out of line someone would encourage me to check myself. Was wondering if that's why Spencer( Rutgers player) was chatty after the game toward our fans.

I seem to recall the student section chanting "The Bear is Dead!" Vs Bama in 1983. But that was the year we tore down goalposts 2 or 3 times in an 8 win season. What did we know????