One the most fun and enjoyable times of my life was when my youngest son was playing high school basketball at St. Charles Prep in Columbus, Ohio. It's an all-boys school and they attracted the brightest and the best. Academics came first. The camaraderie among the boys was fantastic as was their enthusiasm for their classmates at athletic contests.
Attending a basketball game was a treat from two standpoints. Watching the game and listening to the antics of the student body who came out en masse to support the team. The boys always had orchestrated chants aimed toward their opponents, especially their hated rival, St. Frances De Sales.
The goings on had the crowd in laughter. These chants weren't hurtful but they were funny. Believe me when I say if these cheers were below the belt the priests would have been in the crowd to grab the offenders by the collar and escort the out the door.
There's an article floating around the country in news sources this week describing actions taken by the Wisconsin High School Athletic Association to make certain nobody has their feelings hurt in athletic contests. No longer can the crowd yell, "Air ball" when an opposing player shoots and doesn't draw iron. You will not hear, "You, you, you" when a player on the other team, usually their star, receives a foul. And, finally, when that opponent fouls out the famous song of "Hey, hey good-bye" will not be heard.
What are the reasons why the WHSAA would come up with these new rules? It's easy to understand if one gives it consideration. First, they don't want to possibly incite a riot. Yes, I know there's many times when I've heard "Air ball" that I wanted to jump in the crowd and smash a fan in the mouth(I jest, of course). Actually, this happened to me when I played in the state finals of the Iowa High School tournament in 1963. I shot a free throw late in the game, didn't draw iron and I strangled myself on the court in front of 14,000 people and said to myself, "It's a damn air ball". Some, from the opposing team were most likely laughing others cheering. Folks who were neutral, most likely, didn't have a thought. The only ones who were really angry and derisive came from my hometown. It didn't bother me, though. Let me think: 1963 to 2016. That's 53 years and it doesn't bother me at all. Like hell it doesn't but life goes on. We win some and we lose some. My advice is, learn to live with it and that should be the philosophy of the Wisconsin Association.
The Wisconsin Association is very concerned that feelings might be hurt by aggressive hate speech. You know, words like "We are the winners you are the losers" from the song by Freddy Mercury, after game has ended.
Here's the problem. We all know Wisconsin is controlled by communists out of Madison and Milwaukee but this nonsense will spread, first to other Midwestern states. I suspect Minnesota will be next and, like a tidal wave, then all across the country. This political correctness will become commonplace. If you don't want to be concerned by this prospect have your son play sports in a conservative state.
It's fortunate for me I was able to attend games watching my son in 1994. Going to one of his events was like being at a Comedy Fest and the NCAA Final Four at the same time.
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