OT - OSAA gone too PC?

[WreckRef]

There was an article about attendance being down at high school basketball games this year in Oregon and they were wondering if it was due to some new sportsmanship rules.

I believe these changes were in response to a couple of high profile situations last year involving racist taunts which truly have no place anywhere in society let alone athletics.

Personally, I think that the OSAA went too far with some of these. What do you guys/gals think? I have highlighted the ones in red that I don't think are necessarily inappropriate.

I should qualify this by saying I don't think it's inappropriate for the students. I don't think adults should ever act this way at high school sporting events. I was at the girls state tournament last year when the parents from a team jumped up and yelled, "You got swatted!! You got swatted!!!" Maybe that shouldn't bother me but I don't think that's appropriate for 35-40 year olds to yell @ 16 or 17 year old girls.

Below are excerpts from the Oregon School Activities Association outlining new rules for student/adult fan behavior at OSAA events.

Rule 3 – Contests – Sportsmanship – Crowd Control

D. All cheers, comments and actions shall be in direct support of one’s team. No cheers, comments or actions shall be directed at one’s opponent or at contest officials. Some examples of inappropriate conduct or actions that are not permitted are: turning backs, holding up newspapers or jeering at cheerleaders during opposing team introductions; disrespecting players by name, number or position; negative cheers or chants; throwing objects on the floor. “Air Ball! Air Ball!, booing, “You! You! You!, or “You Got Swatted!” are examples of yells that will not encourage a positive atmosphere. (Revised Fall 2008)

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by WreckRef

Throwing objects on the floor.

Not even toilet paper?

[bas2456]

How bout they just eliminate the fans altogether.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by bas2456

How bout they just eliminate the fans altogether.

That sounds fine to me. (Not really, but that would solve the problem they are trying to fix).

Peace

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by WreckRef

I have highlighted the ones in red that I don't think are necessarily inappropriate.

Let me ask you why you don't believe those specific ones are inappropriate? Is it because you believe that they are positive and friendly? Are they good ways to treat a competing student athlete? Do you believe that an athletic contest provides an environment in which it is okay to jeer and mock your fellow citizens and neighbors simply because they are with the opposing side or are serving as a neutral adjudicator?

Perhaps your view of the Oregon policy is clouded by what has long been accepted in sports and not formed by asking yourself if this is an appropriate way to treat other members of our society.

If the OHAA wants to foster more friendly atmosphere instead of an antagonistic one, I have no problem with that.

For those who will argue that they have gone overboard and are banning a bit of harmless fun, ask yourself why we should feel the need to derive joy from the misfortune of others? Isn't it enough to simply relish in the positive actions and successes of those we favor?

Hey, I would be in violation of the newspaper "rule"! I read mine during the introductions when I go watch the games, because that is the BORING part of the game! I'm really there for the action and to see how my brothers and sisters of the stripes manage that action.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by Ref Ump Welsch

Hey, I would be in violation of the newspaper "rule"! I read mine during the introductions when I go watch the games, because that is the BORING part of the game! I'm really there for the action and to see how my brothers and sisters of the stripes manage that action.

I read mine during staff meetings. Is that the reason I didn't get a bonus on my last appraisal?

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

I read mine during staff meetings. Is that the reason I didn't get a bonus on my last appraisal?

Probably...depends on the headline the boss saw!

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by Ref Ump Welsch

Hey, I would be in violation of the newspaper "rule"! I read mine during the introductions when I go watch the games, because that is the BORING part of the game!

I read "Chicks and Ammo" (credit to Robin Williams). BTW - when I was in HS (back in the dark ages) and an opponent was going to shoot a FT, we would chant "SEE THAT BASKET, SEE THAT BALL, C'MON STUPID, HIT THE WALL". We were never chastised for it or anything else. Sometimes we would get really nasty, especially during playoffs.

[WreckRef]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

I read "Chicks and Ammo" (credit to Robin Williams). BTW - when I was in HS (back in the dark ages) and an opponent was going to shoot a FT, we would chant "SEE THAT BASKET, SEE THAT BALL, C'MON STUPID, HIT THE WALL". We were never chastised for it or anything else. Sometimes we would get really nasty, especially during playoffs.

Now if I heard this, I would miss because I would be laughing so hard. On a side note, I didn't play basketball in high school, I played soccer.

I always had the opposing fans riding me because I usually marked (defended for you basketball only people) their best player. The more they booed and yelled at me, the harder and better it made me play, I loved it and fed off of it. One time I tackled a teams best player (legally) right in front of the student body, they screamed bloody murder to no avail, I got up and took a bow. They really loved me after that.

[rockyroad]

Did a game last season - Girl's Varsity - where the home team fans in the first half chanted "Bounce, bounce, bounce" every time the point guard dribbled the ball, and screamed "Whoaaaaaaaaaaa" every time the "star" player had the ball in her hands, ala the "Cameron Crazies"...as the AD was letting us into the locker room at half, he told us he would "take care of that stuff"!! I asked him "Why?" and he felt that it was not "proper sporting behavior". So he made them stop.

Whatever.

[Texref]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

For those who will argue that they have gone overboard and are banning a bit of harmless fun, ask yourself why we should feel the need to derive joy from the misfortune of others? Isn't it enough to simply relish in the positive actions and successes of those we favor?

How is turning your back or "reading" the paper during introductions deriving joy from the misfortune of others?

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by Texref

How is turning your back or "reading" the paper during introductions deriving joy from the misfortune of others?

It's not. It's a dumb policy with non-athletes trying to exert their ideal into a place where it doesn't belong.

[Texref]

Originally Posted by JugglingReferee

It's not. It's a dumb policy with non-athletes trying to exert their ideal into a place where it doesn't belong.

I absolutely agree with you. I was asking Nevada though as he seems to be on his high horse about this one

[Juulie Downs]

Wreck (oo, not a very good nickname!) -- I suppose they conjectured that these things were "provocations" even if in themselves they may not be all that bad. But it does seem way, way over the top.

I'd rather see them find ways to ENcourage positive cheering and appropriate behavior, rather than just stomp down hard on the bad stuff, or what they see as bad stuff.

I agree that I'm not sure how prohibiting the things you listed will help prevent the kinds of incidents you referred to. Those were indeed ugly and had little to do with turning backs. holding newspapers, etc.