<p>This has been making the rounds since yesterday. It’s a video of a Penn State frat harassing two Ohio State fans who wandered into “their” territory last Saturday before the “big” game. And its making a lot of people very, very angry. The president of Penn State is seeking legal action.</p>
<p>As parents, do you remember this sort of behavior happening commonly when you were in college? Are you aware that this sort of behavior, while reprehensible, is not considered very unusual in many campuses today?</p>
<p>Yep it is a bit of a blackeye for PSU but similar things happen at OSU(my dear alma mater) and every other college. Its not pretty but it is reality. And these actions represent a small fraction of the student body.</p>
<p>It is hard for me to understand such mentality. I say this and even have a niece who attends PSU. It isn’t really so much PSU but just commenting on such behavior. While I can imagine being into school spirit or sports, I can’t imagine degrading or attacking peers who simply attend another school. Nope, I cannot fathom such thinking, nor can I imagine my kids ever thinking or acting in such terms. </p>
<p>While not the same, I also am constantly baffled by students who put down other schools. I never have understood that. While my own kids love their colleges, they have nothing against other schools and would not put those schools down but simply didn’t choose to attend them. </p>
<p>I don’t know if the behavior in the video is common on campuses or not. I do not believe it is at my kids’ schools (neither of their universities are into football much either). I don’t recall anything like it when I went to school but my school was not real into football either. It’s one thing to be a fan and cheer for one’s team. I can’t for the life of me understand being against fellow peers who attend another school, let alone treating anyone like what I saw in that video. Such behavior should be dealt with accordingly. It is an assault and practically borders on a “hate crime”…loosely defined.</p>
<p>PSU has a very good reputation in the Big 10 for being the best venue for visiting fans. I consider this an out of character isolated incident. You really don’t walk through a frat backyard pregame party in your OSU Tshirts and not expect some catcalls. They may have been looking for a little fun.</p>
<p>It’s a Penn State FRAT. Most football fans, or fans of any sport, don’t behave like this. These guys & the foolish girls who are hanging out with them, are fratboys engaging in fratboy behavior.</p>
<p>I think good natured teasing of the opposing team is fun – like the pranks that secretly switch those cards that fans hold up in a stadium to spell things out. In many tail-gating situations, fans from opposing teams will have a beer together & engage in good-natured ribbing. I know of visiting fans at some college games who were approached by the home fans & offered directions & warmly welcomed. </p>
<p>At least the video is good quality & some positive IDs can be made.</p>
<p>originaloog has it right. When I was a student at Michigan we had several charter busses that took us to the game at Ohio State. After the game, someone on my bus foolishly yelled GO Blue out of the window. The OSU students swarmed the bus, throwing beer bottles at it and then started to rock it back and forth as if to tip it over. I viewed it then and now as just a colorful, beer-induced exchange between two hotly contested rivals.</p>
<p>My guess is that it is not new behavior, but the fact that it is caught on tape and broadcast to the world is a new phenomenon. This sort of thing happened to us in high school in the 70s: While departing the opponent’s school in the bus, we were instructed to lower and protect our heads while the opposing students hurled rocks through our windows.</p>
<p>It probably is not new behavior and not unique to this school. Today, in the information age, it is pretty dumb to put it on the internet. I can see why school authorities would be concerned, not only about the behavior and assault, but how one small group of students could give a poor impression of the school (not saying the school deserves it…that’s the problem).</p>
<p>This went beyond cheering and words. These kids are lucky that the beer cans did not injure the students such as hitting them in the head or eye or whatever. Even if this is common in sports crowds, in any other context it would be considered assault. I’m not sure the context matters.</p>
I think most everyone would agree it was an assault. My point is that it was a FRAT. This is what frats do. Most football fans enjoy a good hearted rivalry & are completely civilized. Don’t judge sports fans by the behavior of the frat boys. Those morons probably don’t even attend the games & I doubt if they even know the rules. The puny little kid was mighty brave with a weapon (beer can) and a hundred buddies to watch his back while he assaulted the few unlucky OSU kids.</p>
<p>Just to be clear, I wasn’t judging SPORTS FANS. I was only judging the particular students in that incident. I do not believe all sports fans behave in this way.</p>
<p>I would also not judge all those who are in frats by the actions of these students. Not all who belong to frats behave in this manner.</p>
<p>For that matter, I am also not judging PSU. As I said, I have a niece who is a senior at PSU and I have a child who was admitted to PSU. </p>
<p>You are right about the kids who watched. I can’t imagine watching someone else haul beer cans at another and not try to stop it. They were cheering him on! Some were not even IN the frat, for that matter…as they were girls.</p>
<p>gee rocking a big bus back and forth and throwing glass at it is clever and good natured colorful exchange…well, guess so until someone gets hurt, or cut…</p>
<p>its ridiculous for adults to act this way imo…</p>
<p>“this is what frats do” is kind of scary!!! guess there is that mentality at some schools that if you are in a frat, heck, do what you want, and that’s why they feel okay assualting people</p>
<p>My first though was mom and dad must be paying for school as who can AFFORD to throw beer? </p>
<p>Actually someone had it right this kind of stuff has gone on for decades. It’s now in the information age we see it.</p>
<p>It is the typical little guy with a big mouth syndrome… It always seems that guys like that are in the center of things…barking away… I call it little dog syndrome…</p>
<p>Probably not the brightest thing for OSU students to walk through a prefunk at PSU’s greek row either, so yes as usual at these ages… everybody is stupid. However, it could just as easily be 1977 as 2007 and while it is dumb it is also timeless. </p>
<p>But to throw beer… on a college kid’s budget…</p>
<p>Purdue fans wore t-shirts at a Notre Dame game a few years back that read “Bring Back the Famine”. No violence at the game, but many ND students were sickened by the reference. Even though there was an uproar within the Irish community nationwide, Purdue officially maintained that the shirts were “all in good fun to boost spirit”. Sure.</p>
<p>barrons: I agree with you. I certainly wouldn’t wear a Red Sox shirt to a Yankees game or vice versa unless I was prepared for a reaction.</p>
<p>I think calling this a “hate crime” diminishes the term. As was said above, this is stoopidity.</p>
<p>to think you can’t wear a shirt to a game is just ludicrous…its that gang mentality once again- I should be able to wear a Yankee shirt anywear I want, and shouldn’t EXPECT to be harrassed for doing so</p>
<p>to think this is at all just fun is stoppid, its not fun, its childish, dangerous, and can escalate very quickly, all in the name of team pride</p>
<p>wow, if your D was wearing the wrong shirt, guess if she was assualted, “well, its been going on for years, and she should have expected it”</p>
<p>if she walked through the “wrong” part of a campus after a game, guess it served her right to have beer thrown at her, because she should have known better</p>
<p>say it was you and your wife, guess it would be okay to be soaked in beer and yelled at cause you supported your child’s team and have your bus rocked and glass thrown at you </p>
<p>well, seeing some of these posts, guess it makes sense that this stuff has been going on for years- its to be “expected”</p>
<p>To apply a board phrase I have heard lately, the OSU fans were ■■■■■■■■. I’ve done the same thing in my younger days at football games. It’s kinda fun but you have to be ready to run.</p>