Letters

Wednesday, February 3, 1999

Letters

Crass Bruin chants need some class

I find it amusing that 18-year-old freshman Aron Lum ("Lighten
up, cheer on the team," Viewpoint Feb. 1) can tell us: "We’re not
the same students that went here 20 years ago. We actually care if
our basketball team wins now." Huh? You mean that in 1979, just
three years removed from our 10th national championship in 12
years, our students didn’t care about winning? That’s
ridiculous.

Having been a student here, both undergraduate and graduate, for
10 of the past 15 years, I can tell you that you’re wrong.

The students have not changed during that time, only the
language of their chants has gotten more vulgar (and the student
seating area has gotten smaller as fewer students show up for the
games).

Lum asks: "What do you want us to say to the referees when …?"
You should say "Boooooooo."

Have you ever heard 12,000 people booing at the top of their
lungs? It sounds pretty impressive.

A thousand kids chanting "Fuck you refs" while the rest of the
fans cringe doesn’t have the same effect.

Your chants and the garbage you threw on the court don’t create
a hostile environment for the opponents, they create a hostile
environment for your own team, who then must face retaliation from
other schools’ fans.

You create an uncomfortable environment for the 8,000 alumni and
fans sitting across the way who can actually remember what the
students were like 20 years ago.

Maybe they’re leaving early because they’re disgusted with the
antics of the students. And maybe you haven’t noticed that a lot of
them bring their children to the games.

Finally, here’s what you accomplish with your angry chanting –
embarrassment for your university on national television.

If the parents of top recruits are watching the games on
television and hear these obscene chants, I doubt they’ll be
recommending UCLA to their kids.

There are only two compliments ever given to a group of
fans:

1. They’re loud

2. They’re classy.

One out of two ain’t good.

Richard Meyer

Graduate student

Computer science

Director of West Coast Hoops

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