by guest blogger cflores6
As some of you may know the 2012 NCAA men's basketball tournament ( March Madness!) is coming to an end. As the championship game gets closer fans tend to become even more rowdy and excited and they are likely to act or say things based off our their emotions. Such as, "You suck Ref, that was a terrible call!" Unsporteman-like behavior is never acceptable, but to shout out a racist slur at an athlete is just plain stupid and wrong.
Members of the University of Southern Mississippi's pep band taunted Kansas State player, Angel Rodriguez with a racist chant during the teams' NCAA tournament game. The band members chanted "where's your green card?" and Rodriguez approached the free-throw line. Southern Mississippi has revoked the scholarships of five students who took part in the incident and removed them from the band. They also were required to complete a 2 hour cultural sensitivity training course. Rodriguez has accepted apologies from the university. Do you think the situation was handled appropriately?
articles at:
I don't think more severe punishment would have done anything better.
ReplyDeleteWould there have been a the same punishment if this was a high school game? Elementary?
Would there have been any punishment if it was just a fan? What if it was an NBA game? What if the player couldn't hear it?
To me this incident isn't isolated. Fans do not use sportsman like conduct anymore. It has been a progressive breakdown. We have gotten to the point where we can yell at people like we used to only yell at our TVs. There is no good way to crack down on it either. Or is there?
I think that the situation was handled very well. The disrespect that the students showed toward the athlete is horrible. Students who are in college should understand that they are the example of the future and they should also grasp the concept that they need to be welcoming of all people. There is always going to be taunting during a game fans will always yell out things about the refs and what not but going past the taunting and shouting out a racial slur is not necessary. I think that taking away those students scholarships was the right thing to do. In the future maybe students will realize that what they say will come back and they will be held responsible for what comments they make. The students who were held responsible for their remarks are now examples for any other student moving forward that attends a sporting event. Maybe now the students will think before they speak.
ReplyDelete