Matt calls it like he sees it - Fan Behavior

[Velcro]

FYI... ESPN published this on the big 12 blog...

Kansas fans claim verbal abuse at KU-USF game

September 17, 2008 8:08 PM

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

I was alerted to a story in the Tampa Tribune this morning that had several Kansas fans claiming they were verbally abused by South Florida fans at last week's game between the two schools at Raymond James Stadium.

Tribune USF beat writer Brett McMurphy quotes USF quarterback Matt Grothe as saying he heard some of the verbal salvos directed at Kansas cheerleaders.

"I didn't appreciate it," Grothe told the Tribune. "Some idiot of ours, every time a KU cheerleader walked by, he yelled a sexual slur over and over to each and every one.

"Yelling at a cheerleader? Those poor girls don't know why they're getting yelled at. It's like me going up to that guy's mom and calling her that. Is he going to like that? They should just be happy with us winning games."

The story also quotes three different Kansas fans saying they felt uncomfortable at Friday night's game, which was won by USF, 37-34.

Pat Porzelt, a 1987 Kansas graduate, was part of a fans who attended the game. She told the newspaper she had been attending games for more than 20 years.

"That," Porzelt told the newspaper, "was the worst experience I've ever had."

These problems likely will mean the end of a budding rivalry between two recent BCS challengers.

Which means that fans everywhere end up losing at the expense of a few instigators in Tampa.

[bull4evr]

lets not get away from the real issue....we have a cheerleading page without any pictures of any....

[TheBullies]

Velcro, I had to chuckle.

The message is that we, the good guys, can be part of the solution.  If you don't want to be part of the solution... just sit back and ignore the message, but there is no purpose to disputing this as it is for the best of our program to instill more ownership in how our fan base acts.  We can do this... we can take back our reputation, and even if for some reason, you think it isn't damaged... then at the very least, we can keep it good... so no matter what your P.O.V. is... there is zero reason to resist the message.

I don't think any... well... let me say, VERY FEW people here are pushing back on the issue. Most are part of the solution. 

I, along with many others on the board, made conversations with Kansas fans before and after the game. I had no problems.

I also saw no problems. While there obviously were problems, I think a mountain is being made of a molehill due to a number of factors--not the least of which is no big game this weekend to talk about, for both fans and media.

But the discussion has already been there. I completely agree with your last message. I'm not going to go out and be an a-hole because I heard other people were being a-holes.

[Velcro]

I agree that most are part of the solution, or will be part of the solution going forward.

[GoBulls84]

I said this in one of the other threads, and I'll say it again. I don't know how we can expect our fans to treat the opposing fans well when we have enough a problem trying to keep Bulls from fighting Bulls. Seems like every home game we play, we have at least 1 or 2 incidents of USF fans fighting each other over the stupidest things. Throw in a fan wearing different colors and it only compounds the problem.

[Jamie]

It's real simple: Either solve the problem yourself, or the problem will be solved for you and you probably won't like how it's done.

[BigShoop]

Between the problems he had with UCF fans with his cell phone, and his parents receiving death threats, and his girlfriend being a cheerleader....Grothe is a little sensitive right now with fans in general and is blowing what happened WAAAAAAAYYYYY out of proportion.

The definition of making a mountain out of a molehill.

[windbane]

It's real simple: Either solve the problem yourself, or the problem will be solved for you and you probably won't like how it's done.

Uh, it's called security...they are at every game...

[TRUTH D. Antagonist]

Between the problems he had with UCF fans with his cell phone, and his parents receiving death threats, and his girlfriend being a cheerleader....Grothe is a little sensitive right now with fans in general and is blowing what happened WAAAAAAAYYYYY out of proportion.

The definition of making a mountain out of a molehill.

BINGO.

[TRUTH D. Antagonist]

It's real simple: Either solve the problem yourself, or the problem will be solved for you and you probably won't like how it's done.

Uh, it's called security...they are at every game...

exactly.

this is less an issue of what USF Athletics needs to do [they have already started the "Be Respect-a-Bull" campaign], and more an issue of TSA enforcement.

if there are people fighting in the stands, physically threatening others in the stands, being verbally abusive in the stands, the victims of these actions need to notify TSA immediately and TSA needs to do its job.

to think that this problem is going to be "solved for us" by "anonymous" people "close to the athletic department" spreading rumors on an internet message board is just asinine... especially when virtually everybody on this forum is already on-board with the "Respect-A-Bull" campaign.

if that's how USF Athletics thinks they're going to "solve" the problem, then they are failing miserably.

all they--- and the chicken littles on this forum screeching and howling about how bad we are because of a few bad apples--- are doing is fueling media gossip that ALL our fans are abuse, when in reality it is a fraction >1% that are bad apples.

it's time to calm down and stop badmouthing our fans.  by blowing this out of proportion u are CONTRIBUTING to the problem by exaggerating our negative image.  u are not solving it.