More fans behaving badly: FIU's cheering

I'd addressed this in the comments Saturday, but I've gotten enough e-mails and there's been enough talk about appropriate fan behavior that I figured I'd post something here about FIU's students in the end-zone seats cheering "Bulls--t" while two USF players lay injured on the field in Saturday's game.

The cheer came from the same corner of the stadium where the press box was, but watching ESPNU's broadcast, the cheering was clearly picked up by the network's microphones. Two minutes after their collision on the field, as linebacker Brouce Mompremier and safety Carlton Williams were being addressed by trainers on the field, the cheer started. You hear the word 11 times before fans had the sense to stop, and ESPNU's broadcasters addressed the behavior: "The crowd in the end zone is saying something perhaps they shouldn't," play-by-play man Doug Bell understated.

Moments later, after the two teams met at midfield for prayer in a remarkable showing of sportsmanship and perspective, color analyst Charles Arbuckle came back to the cheering, calling it "totally uncalled for" and "totally insensitive." Again, it's not the first time you've heard inappropriate cheering following an injury and unfortunately won't be the last.

Williams was helped off the field but later returned to the game; Mompremier was taken to a hospital with a neck injury but has since cleared CT and MRI tests on his neck and returned to Tampa. He's expected to miss at least two games, with the timetable for his return still unknown.

Comments

[Chalko]

Hmmmm, is it possible that the crowd may have been chanting that for another reason, such as a fan being ejected or numerous other things that could have been going on in the stands??? Regardless, people are idiots and this type of behavior is unfortunately common.

[Steve Stacy]

FIU is a thug school with thug players and thug fans. Remember the brawl they had against Miami? The chanting was insensitive, but it stopped once they realized the severity of the injury. And they applauded when Brouce was carted off, which is a sign of respect. Hopefully, the class their head coach has will rub off on some of their fans and players.

We should take care of our own house and get behind the "Respect-a-Bull" campaign. We should set an example by being both wildly passionate and not disrespectful or borderline felonious. But ulitimately, to quote Rickey Hatton, it ain't a tickling contest, is it?

[Matthew Cox]

USF officials were right to take Bulls fan to task for their behavior at the Kansas game, and now I expect them to take action in regards to this game. We did FIU a big favor, bringing a nationally ranked team to the "grand opening" of their new stadium, which looked about three-quarters finished on TV, definitely not ready for prime time, so that they could gouge on ticket prices and get a nationally televised game out of it. If that's how their fans want to behave, I see no reason in scheduling any more games with them. They can change coaches and players, but that is still the same school that is most remembered for brawling with Miami because they couldn't take their beatdown, and their fans will always be tainted by the classless actions of those idiots who taunted a potentially seriously injured player whose family and friends were in the stands. I'd like to make my feelings known to Doug Woolard, but curiously, his email address is missing from the gousfbulls.com website. The state of Florida has no problem selling public school teacher's email addresses to spam-generating marketing firms but Woolard gets to keep his address a secret? Interesting...and disappointing.

[nybullsfan]

Hey Greg, nice comeback!

[G.A.]

"Same bs" ... I think that qualifies as irony ...

[Whiner]

Every week its same bs from you. Tens of thousands of fans at stadiums and you focus on a few clowns. Next week foucs on the sportsmanship of the majority of fans.

[j-dizzle]

wow sounds like it was a relative of the same ucf guy that got grothes phone #, they probably have plenty of students from kentucky so it would fit the profile

[chux2]

j-dizzle,
I heard the Westwood interview on Sky. Also, mentioned that some "fans" had gotten hold of his hotel phone number and called in the middle of the night. Also, did the same to his father. Most of the comments from the callers and hecklers were obscene or threatening. Sorry to see this behavior in golf, of all sports. This is what happens when you have an international event in Kentucky, ome of the most backward places in North America.

[j-dizzle]

i was just listening to jp peterson on 1010 and he was interviewing one of his buddies in england and apparently lee westwood was telling all the media outlets across the pond that they were harrassed in between greens and tee boxes at valhalla during the ryder cup this weekend..

"All the abuse I got was fairly nasty, and that was pretty shameful," Westwood said. "Some people don't know the difference between supporting their team and abusing the opposition, which is unfortunate."

maybe they should limit the tailgating time at the tour championship this week.. ahaha.. and no kegs allowed!

[Terry Lucas]

It's a friggen football game people... not a tea party. I can't believe how thin skinned people are on here. I hope we never play a college football game in Philly (they booed Santa). Yes, it sucks we had someone injured on the play... even worse was the severity of the injury. We all care about Brouce... but you can't expect the opposing fans to roll out a red carpet for us.

Rule of thumb... when you goto an away game, don't expect hospitality at their stadium. IF you do receive hospitality, be gracious in victory and defeat. If you really want hospitality, stay at home or the Holiday Inn and watch the game on TV. I don't understand why everyone is so shocked by how fans act. The fan behavior is so mild compared to a Premiere League Futbol games. If we are ever at that point, then I would be worried. But we're not... and I don't want some historian talking Pastor Martin Niemoller on me. It is not the same circumstances here.

Sticks and stones may break my bones,
But names will never hurt me.

[Get Over It]

I was at the game sitting near the band and heard the chanting clearly. We were shocked. I re-watched the game when I got back to Tampa and was glad to hear that the announcers commented on the lack of sensitivity as well. It reflects badly on the school, but outside of that group of students, the remaining FIU crowd, especially their coach and team. were respectful and genuinely concerned. I would hope that the responsible students now realize that it is not acceptable to chant these types of things when a player is injured, regardless of the severity of the injury.

Here's also hoping that Brouce fully recovers and can continue to play for the Bulls.

[Dale]

I'd be willing to bet a larger percentage of people were chanting this at the FIU game than we had behaving badly at the Kansas game. They clearly need to nip this in the bud. Take away a couple of hours of their tailgate time, that ought to teach 'em!