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GameDay host bashes UW’s fan vulgarity
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University of Wisconsin is often revered as one of the top college football venues in the country. However, after a visit to Camp Randall Saturday, ESPN GameDay host Chris Fowler claims UW has lost its title.
Fowler stated in a recent column, which appeared on the ESPN website Thursday, that typical student section behavior is missing some aspects of the “best college football crowd.”
Writing to UW students, he said, “You guys are great. For energy, boisterousness, originality, you get A’s … But the constant, collective F-bombs are lame and tired … [and] it’s beneath you.”
Fowler also criticized compact discs thrown by some students during the game, as well as their tardiness to the game versus Penn State Saturday.
“The students got an “F” for punctuality. The [student] section was about 20 percent full at kickoff!” Fowler wrote, adding, although seats filled to capacity quickly, it was not good enough for the undefeated Badgers’ Big Ten opener on national television.
“Be there on time! The beer bong will still be sitting there when you get back after the game,” he continued.
UW sophomore Mike Aberger said, although he is a fan of Fowler, he was shocked to hear his comments on Madison and disagreed with what he had to say.
“I’m a huge ESPN fan … it’s probably not going to stop me from watching GameDay … but I disagree with [most of] his comments,” he said.
Aberger claimed it is alright for students to show up a little late because the reason Madison is so fun on football game days are the many parties beforehand.
“The atmosphere before the game makes it really special,” he said. “Everyone’s there by the end of the first quarter, anyway.”
Aberger said he did not agree with students throwing objects during the game, but people have to expect it at a college.
Though criticizing some aspects of fan behavior, Fowler reiterated several times UW was a great place to see a sporting event.
“I can’t wait to get back to Madison for another game … It’s one of our favorite GameDay spots,” he said. “But for the moment, it’s not home to the best football crowd.”
UW athletics declined to comment on Fowler’s column, though UW Chancellor John Wiley has also been critical of student vulgarity at games.
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F-him, that f-in loser. Come live in Madison, F-in Fowler will get his F-in ass kicked. What kind of F-in bogus title is “best football crowd in football” anyway? The f-bomb is as much a part of football as f-in beer and f-in cheerleaders. Don’t forget the f-in band, yeah, the f-in band. What F-in Fowler don’t understand is that the f-word is a form of protest, funny how we didn’t lose the f-in “best football crowd in football” crown til Wiley started admonishing students about vulgarity. F-that. Fowler is only towing Wiley’s line. Perhaps we should change our chant, I can think of a f-in c-word that could be worse, yet more dramatic. I won’t be happy til I see f-in Janet Jackson’s t-word in Camp Randall!!! Then I’ll put my f-in beer bong down!!!
Fowler is Wiley’s bitch. UW administration was totally behind Fowler’s article.
Where is this article at ESPN.com?
In the premium content section:
http://proxy.espn.go.com/ncf/columns/story?columnist=fowler_chris&id=1891870
UW students are clowns, lacking in both originality and true pride for their school and sports teams. Do something funny, original and supportive, then you can dicker with Fowler. Until then, you’re somewhere behind Iowa or Illinois in the contest for best fans in the Big Ten. Oh, by the way: Those schools aren’t at the top of the list.
Are you fucking serious? We’re behind Illinois? Beutjer takes it up the ass.
I think UW fans are the most rowdy, but the least knowledgeable about their own team.
Fowler’s right about one thing. Where the hell is everyone at kickoff. Don’t take the best pregame show in the country for granted. The band is up at 5:30 on gameday. The least you lazy bastards can do is show up early. Down a few shots and get to Camp Randall.
N sucks P.
The point of the student section is to be loud and get the rest of the stadium involved. We do a great job of taht most of the time. But Eat Sht, Fck You only makes the rest of the stadium go silent as regular fans chat with each other about the chant, or simply watch in disgust. Its true. There is no point for a cheer that silents 80 percent of the stadium and brings bad press to the UW. Stop should freshman that this is the way to act at a football game. Also, the cheer has only been going on for about 7 years or so, so this idea of it being some kind of tradition is way overblown.
The point of the student section is to be loud and get the rest of the stadium involved. We do a great job of that most of the time. But Eat Sht, Fck You only makes the rest of the stadium go silent as regular fans talk with each other about the chant, or simply watch in disgust. Its true. There is no point for a cheer that silents 80 percent of the stadium and brings bad press to the UW. Stop should freshman that this is the way to act at a football game. Also, the cheer has only been going on for about 7 years or so, so this idea of it being some kind of tradition is way overblown.
just returned from one of the greatest weekends of my life. I drove to Ohio State with seven of my friends from Madison to watch the Badgers beat the Buckeyes in Columbus. It was truly a weekend to remember, a weekend where no amount of money could possibly match the memories and stories I will take with me the rest of my life. While the win was an important factor in the success of the weekend, I have to give credit to the unexpected hospitality and cordialness of the Ohio State faithful.
While in Columbus, the eight of us proudly wore our Wisconsin colors and letters to every restaurant and nightspot before and after the victory. While we were greeted with the occasional “go home” or something of that harmless nature, this was about the extent of hostility shown towards us before, during, and after the game. We were not exactly saints either, as we proudly sang UW song and cheers nearly every place we went. We were greeted with toasts of good luck and for a good game rather than chants of “Asshole!, Asshole!” We debated over the merits of each team in a civil manner. We made harmless fun of each school. We rubbed elbows with Buckeyes rather than trading fists.
The biggest difference was inside the Ohio Stadium. The Buckeye faithful were tremendous supportive of their school, and while the cheers were more of a stadium effort than a student section effort, their volume and energy is tough to match. Even when we stood while others sat in our OSU dominated section, we were never taunted with vulgarity, or worse, had objects thrown at us or physically pushed or hassled.
Recently, Chris Fowler of ESPN wrote in his weekly college football column that UW no longer retains the “best student college football crowd” after he visited Madison with the Game Day crew for the Penn State game. He said that we do have the most energetic and boisterous crowd and student section, but out constant vulgarity and plummeting reputation amongst other schools for out actions and attitudes towards visiting fans has, in his opinion, stripped us of our title.
Now, before the OSU road trip, I semi-agreed with Fowler. After the experience at OSU, I wholeheartedly agree with him. The OSU crowd was knowledgeable and incredibly supportive, while respecting their opposition and fan base. This is the way it should be at Camp Randall. Our vulgar chants only silence the rest of the Camp while the other sections either debate the cheer or stare in disgust, We should be exciting the crowd, not confusing them. We should love our team with the passion we have and be the 12th player on the field, while letting the opposing fans cheer as well. We should simply just cheer louder.
One Ohio State alum took me aside at a pre-game bar and said, “Good Luck today, and remember when you go back to Madison, that nobody is going to throw things at you here.” He was right.
Lets aim to be better than every school on and off the field. Keep our energy high and make it higher. Let visiting fans know that they are in Madison by the volume and spirit of the fan base, not by vulgarity and hostility. Stop letting our reputation plummet. We’re better than that.