Opinion

Banning Bucky’s Boxing?

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Related stories:

• Boxing (October 25, 2005)
• Bucky says vote (October 25, 2004)
• No, seriously, we want a baseball team (April 28, 2006)
• Time to step up (April 24, 2002)
• What's their beef? (December 8, 2003)

Also by Badger Herald Editorial Board:

• The Invisible Man Award: Wyndham Manning (May 7, 2009)
• The People's Choice Award: Jacqueline Hitchon et. al (May 7, 2009)
• The Lifetime Achievement Award: ASM (May 7, 2009)
• Honest representation (May 5, 2009)
• Junger for ASM Chair (May 5, 2009)

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The scene: Bucky elbow-dropping Goldie may never be seen again.

While we agree with the Big Ten conference and the UW that fan behavior must remain respectable, we also believe that there are certain elements to a game-day environment that are fun and enjoyable to all and must be kept in place.

It has come to our attention that the Big Ten, in its efforts to maintain sportsmanship, sent out an e-mail from Mark Rudner, the conference’s associate commissioner in television administration, to spirit squads in the Big Ten “discouraging bands and cheerleaders from participating in unsportsmanlike conduct. This includes mascots as well.”

The e-mail went on to say, “We’ve seen instances of rival mascots wrestling and/or fighting with each other or with opposing cheerleaders, ‘fun’ traditions that should be immediately discontinued if we are to continue promoting and encouraging good sportsmanship throughout the conference.”

Many students witnessed Bucky and the Michigan State mascot skipping around holding hands during the football game Nov. 15. It was an obviously sarcastic move in direct response to this e-mail.

It reaches a certain point where we as students must stand up and say, “Enough is enough.” This is college athletics and not everything is all hugging and lovey-dovey. Athletics is fierce competition on the field, and a little good-natured fighting between mascots is not the end of the world.

Students and fans have been cooperative with officials to help curb malicious behavior before and after games to ensure that their fellow fans behave respectively toward opposing fans.

In light of this, the Big Ten needs to recognize these efforts. The fact is that students are trying to help in their proactive campaign; however, there are certain aspects of athletics the conference should not meddle in — the mascots being one of them.

The mascot skits are funny and provide good-natured humor during games. They are never meant to be malicious. Both mascots usually agree to the skits before hand. There is absolutely no harm in allowing a little fun at games.

If the Big Ten wants students to continue to cooperate with its campaign, it needs to be more realistic in its aims. Student support is a huge part of why college athletics are so fun. Do not cut the legs out from under that student support by trying to implement ridiculous requests that will do more harm than good.