Letter to the editor
Students should watch conduct
I had the pleasure of attending my first college football game (I’m over 50 years old) and we had amazing seats behind ‘SC’s bench.
We were across the aisle from the student section and I was quite surprised by the regular roaring of “Utah sucks,” fueling the stadium. Then the incessant booing when Utah’s team was introduced, even yelling ‘bullsh-t’ repeatedly for unfavorable calls (while season ticket holders’ children sat so nearby) was the common aggression throughout the game.
I get it — fans love their team — and they should be able to cheer any way they wish.
But what I didn’t get was booing the Utah band and gymnasts as they performed during half time.
These kids have worked hard to play their music and master routines.
They prepared and traveled for 12-plus hours for the opportunity to show their “stuff,” only to be booed. When they finished, they were not acknowledged.
It’s unfortunate that common civility and kindness are not displayed at such a prestigious institution.
Alexandra Smith
Rancho Mirage, Calif.
It’s college football, lady. We get drunk before the game, talk shit to the other team, and boo the refs. If you think Saturday against Utah was bad, you should probably skip the UCLA game. That’s when we’re REALLY going to get out of control.
This is what football fans do. This is America. Get over it.
Students usually do not boo the band. I believe we students make exceptions twice a year: Utah and Stanford. The students were booing the band because the Utah band was persistently rude to the Trojan Marching Band throughout the game, much like Stanford’s band does. The Utah band consistently chose to play right afte the TMB had started a song, and to many students like myself, that was rude. So yes, we booed a band that put many hours into their performance. But respect is only given when respect is deserved, and their band did not do so.
^Exactly. We were booing the Utah band because they kept trying to play over Trojan Band after key USC plays. It’s college football etiquette to defer to the home team’s band when they play a song, and not try to interrupt their playing with your own. This is a custom that almost every school adheres to – with a few notable exceptions (such as the douchetastic Stanford band, and apparently, Utah’s band).
Utah’s band showed a complete lack of class by drying to drown out the Trojan Band’s music with their own, in our house. They deserved to be booed for their behavior.
Utah is one exception you say..aren’t they new to this league?
I barely heard Utah’s band and is it possible the very sizable( and extremely impressive) Trojan band left little opportunity for them to play? They barely took a break…..
I must say that Trojan band really is phenomenal and a pleasure to hear( and watch)!
You’re right, Alexandra. Nothing brings out the scumsucking pig in us like a football game. But try and get the same seats when we play teams we hate (Stanford, Notre Dame, UCLA) and the Utah game will look like a church service by comparison.
It’s college football, Alexandra. The reason it exists is for students to get drunk and boo the “enemy of the week.” Any alumnus (or just anyone, for that matter) who brings children to a college football game should know that the child will be subject to hearing some swearing, especially if they’re sitting next to the student section. Let the students have their fun, it’s not like the people on the field expected anything different, especially Utes who knew they were coming into hostile territory.