Important message to ice hockey ticket holders

Tom Tone · February 03, 2009, 05:00:55 PM

The point is that Townie suggest that the AD's performance can be measured by the number of aggregate titles we have won. I imagine that it would be easier to win an Ivy title in a sport where only 6 or 7 of the 8 compete and thus not a good measure of how successful an AD.

ugarte · February 03, 2009, 05:04:24 PM

[quote Tom Tone]Why is Athletics the selected of words that are inappropriate?[/quote]
You can't be serious.

Athletics is responsible for the environment at their events. If the crazy students lead to an exodus of townies (or even merely vigorous complaining from them OR FROM THE COACH) they have every right to police that environment.

Say it with me: THIS ISN'T A FIRST AMENDMENT ISSUE. You are on private property at the leisure of your hosts. Athletics sets the rules for what is allowed in their rink. The words being policed aren't borderline ('sucks' might be, but from what I can tell, 'sucks' isn't getting people tossed). 'Puck' is an interesting hypothetical but ... has anyone actually been ejected for saying 'puck'? I didn't think so. (NB: If someone chants "the ref pucks sheep" and complains when they are tossed, they should also be punched in the eye.)

[quote Tom Tone]The point is that Townie suggest that the AD's performance can be measured by the number of aggregate titles we have won. I imagine that it would be easier to win an Ivy title in a sport where only 6 or 7 of the 8 compete and thus not a good measure of how successful an AD.[/quote]

I also do not believe that you are serious about this, as Columbia never competes for titles in anything.

jtwcornell91 · February 03, 2009, 05:12:28 PM

[quote ugarte][quote Tom Tone]Why is Athletics the selected of words that are inappropriate?[/quote]
You can't be serious.[/quote]

Or even grammatically well-formed :-P

OTOH, I have an equally hard time believing Townie seriously can't tell the difference between a head coach using a slur and some random students using a vulgar expletive.

ugarte · February 03, 2009, 05:15:09 PM

[quote jtwcornell91]OTOH, I have an equally hard time believing Townie seriously can't tell the difference between a head coach using a slur and some random students using a vulgar expletive.[/quote]
On the third hand, I don't believe that anyone thinks that a slur used by a coach - for which he was roundly excoriated and quickly apologized - is relevant to a discussion of whether the entire student section can yell "fuck 'em up".

Rosey · February 03, 2009, 05:41:31 PM

[quote ugarte]If the crazy students lead to an exodus of townies (or even merely vigorous complaining from them OR FROM THE COACH) they have every right to police that environment.[/quote]
If Pixel starts serving Hennepin on Tuesdays, Athletics has every right to police Lynah Rink.

For what I estimate is only the second time in a millennium, we agree on something: this is not a first amendment issue, and students' rights are (generally) not being violated, though I would argue that anyone who gets kicked out and has his tickets revoked is due a full refund for the unused portion.

However, that doesn't make it a good policy. I think it's fucking dildonic to throw students out for shouting profanity at a hockey rink, and furthermore hypocritical if one of the most vocal complainants is also one of the most vocal offenders.

Welcome your kids to the real world by not sheltering them from one of the few places where it is both appropriate and acceptable to scream your lungs bloody with filthy language. Where else, if not at a sporting event, can and should you express that kind of vitriol in public? It's cathartic, it's amusing, and it's a lot of fun. Those who take offense at 2,000 people chanting, "The ref fucks sheep!" really need to pull the sticks out of their asses, lighten up, and recognize the fun possible when engaging in mob mentality where it can't actually hurt anyone.

ugarte · February 03, 2009, 06:06:47 PM

[quote Kyle Rose]
For what I estimate is only the second time in a millennium, we agree on something[/quote]
Goddamit. And I was pretty sure that I was right about this.

Chris '03 · February 03, 2009, 06:45:13 PM

[quote ugarte][quote jtwcornell91]OTOH, I have an equally hard time believing Townie seriously can't tell the difference between a head coach using a slur and some random students using a vulgar expletive.[/quote]
On the third hand, I don't believe that anyone thinks that a slur used by a coach - for which he was roundly excoriated and quickly apologized - is relevant to a discussion of whether the entire student section can yell "fuck 'em up".[/quote]

Let's not get carried away. The Columbia AD basically blamed the whole thing on Cornell. And reaction on campus in Ithaca was that the band was in the wrong much more so than the coach.

TimV · February 03, 2009, 09:32:32 PM

Bullshit! (Said in such a way as to sound like a sneeze to avoid ejection);-)

Lowell '99 · February 04, 2009, 02:35:43 AM

[quote Chris '03][quote ugarte][quote jtwcornell91]OTOH, I have an equally hard time believing Townie seriously can't tell the difference between a head coach using a slur and some random students using a vulgar expletive.[/quote]
On the third hand, I don't believe that anyone thinks that a slur used by a coach - for which he was roundly excoriated and quickly apologized - is relevant to a discussion of whether the entire student section can yell "fuck 'em up".[/quote]

Let's not get carried away. The Columbia AD basically blamed the whole thing on Cornell. And reaction on campus in Ithaca was that the band was in the wrong much more so than the coach.[/quote]

Seriously. Columbia's reaction was ridiculous, but more importantly, my point was that behavior such as this has gotten people fired in public ways. Athletics' staff has occassionally engaged in less severe, but I do not believe entirely different ways.

RichH · February 04, 2009, 03:08:39 AM

[quote Townie]
There's a simple solution: Respect the wishes of those who make the rules and don't swear (not referring to you specifically), even if you don't like the rulemakers or disagree with the rule. I'm not suggesting people blindly follow what they are told; this isn't Nazi Germany. But if students showed "maturity" by respecting the reasonable request of those in-charge, I suspect those in-charge would be more understanding of the occasional F-bomb. Instead, some students are calling Athletics' bluff, and since they have the power, Athletics is forced to enforce their policy. Sadly, there is "collateral damage". But in my view, the students are bringing this upon themselves.

Again, I'm not making excuses for Andy & Co., and I'm sure much of what you say is true. But I believe if you taunt the dog, don't complain when it bites.[/quote]

Yeah, I think the general consensus on this forum is exactly what you and others suggest: This isn't a first amendment issue. Put a cap on the salty language. We get that here. I think the bigger issue of this argument is the double standard that has been established. Specifically, the marching orders of the ushering staff that "them students are up to no good, and if you don't find the rotten kids who are doing it, you aren't doing your job. Bring someone to us, and we'll believe you because we need to make examples of somebody." It's pretty much a quota system. It encourages an environment of distrust. It encourages ushers to walk down aisles and stare at individuals, and hear something that may or may not be there. I guarantee that if someone is told what the ushers are told, that "it's going on and you better find it," they will look for something and they can convince themselves of finding it. There's a reason students are hauled out of sections despite maintaining strenuously that they said "rough" and not "fuck." Sure there are students still swearing. But the method of going about cleaning it up is a very poor one.

JDeafv · February 04, 2009, 08:54:49 AM

I was talking with one of the more friendly ushers on the student side of Lynah to understand why the return to an emphasis on the zero-tolerance policy for unruly behavior. They said the real reason for the crackdown against language, etc. was because of an incident at a game late last semester where a female student was giving oral sex to a male student in Section B.

Supposedly the two were observed by a security person on the far side of the rink (Section N), but by the time security mobilized to the scene they were "finished" and denied everything.

It was deemed unacceptable by the higher-ups in athletics that none of the ushers were paying enough attention to stop this from occurring. As a result, they decided to go back to a zero-tolerance policy that forces the ushers to much more tightly police the rink in general, but the students in particular.

TimV · February 04, 2009, 09:11:34 AM

Wow. What a combination. Two of my favorite things, Cornell hockey and...

(sigh) Born too soon....**]

Jordan 04 · February 04, 2009, 09:40:14 AM

[quote JDeafv]I was talking with one of the more friendly ushers on the student side of Lynah to understand why the return to an emphasis on the zero-tolerance policy for unruly behavior. They said the real reason for the crackdown against language, etc. was because of an incident at a game late last semester where a female student was giving oral sex to a male student in Section B.

Supposedly the two were observed by a security person on the far side of the rink (Section N), but by the time security mobilized to the scene they were "finished" and denied everything.

It was deemed unacceptable by the higher-ups in athletics that none of the ushers were paying enough attention to stop this from occurring. As a result, they decided to go back to a zero-tolerance policy that forces the ushers to much more tightly police the rink in general, but the students in particular.[/quote]

Townies, on the other hand, are still allowed a quick blow job as long as they apologize afterwards! ::banana::

ugarte · February 04, 2009, 09:41:28 AM

[quote Jordan 04]Townies, on the other hand, are still allowed a quick blow job as long as they apologize afterwards! ::banana::[/quote]
Win.

Trotsky · February 04, 2009, 10:44:27 AM

[quote JDeafv]I was talking with one of the more friendly ushers on the student side of Lynah to understand why the return to an emphasis on the zero-tolerance policy for unruly behavior. They said the real reason for the crackdown against language, etc. was because of an incident at a game late last semester where a female student was giving oral sex to a male student in Section B.

Supposedly the two were observed by a security person on the far side of the rink (Section N), but by the time security mobilized to the scene they were "finished" and denied everything.

It was deemed unacceptable by the higher-ups in athletics that none of the ushers were paying enough attention to stop this from occurring. As a result, they decided to go back to a zero-tolerance policy that forces the ushers to much more tightly police the rink in general, but the students in particular.[/quote]

That guard in N has some sharp eyes.

Hopefully, the other students in Section B responded with the appropriate cheer.