It seems there are folks in the world who think all high school sports cheer blocks, fans and even public address announcers need a good lesson in how to behave. And of course, the best method for modifying behavior is to ban the perceived inappropriate behavior. How in the world can they do that? And how do they expect to enforce such things? For those who have no idea what I’m writing about, it’s been reported by multiple media outlets the Wisconsin Interscolastic Athletic Association emailed the athletic directors of member schools with a list of cheers deemed “contrary to good sportsmanship.” The list of cheer-block chants includes “fun-da-men-tals,” “we-can’t-hear-you,” “scoreboard,” “air ball,” and where appropriate, “season’s over.” In addition, the National Federation of State High School Associations has stated public address announcers are not to say how many fouls a player or team has, or make an emphatic announcement of a two- or three-point basket. Get a load of this, direct from the NFHS web site: “The announcer shall be prohibited from making an announcement while the clock is running and while the clock is stopped and the ball is alive ... such as during a free throw, a throw in, etc. Doing so could potentially affect communication of coaches, players or be disconcerting.” And this: “The announcer’s role does not include “cheering the home team on” or otherwise inciting the crowd. Doing so is common at other levels of athletic events. But high school athletics is different because sports are educationally based. In a very real sense, the public address announcer at a high school event is a ‘Champion of Character.’ He/she can influence the atmosphere of the contest by what is said and how it is said. The Announcer who performs professionally promotes good sportsmanship by what he/she says and how he/she acts upon saying it.” The standards for P.A. personnel are just ... how can I say this in a politically correct manner ... let’s go with ‘intellectually challenged.” From the WIAA: “To eliminate public shame, public address announcers are not to identify players deemed responsible for fouls or violations. “The use of irony and/or sarcasm is prohibited, including any suggestion that the opposing team or its fans don’t know the difference.” Really? And these standards are supposed to be in effect, right here in Indiana, starting last year. Fortunately, there seems to be little to no enforcement of it. I imagine once one school turns in another, things will get bitter long before they get better. It’s hard to imagine anyone wanting to be the first to turn someone in for stuff like this. Now, let’s hope the folks at the IHSAA or the NFHS don’t see this and start sending up “some muscle” for enforcement. With violent incidents at two games in the last calendar year, clearly they have bigger fish to fry. Just to reinforce the point: there are already laws, not rules, in place to keep public address announcers from inciting a riot. It’s why someone can’t yell “Fire!” in a crowded theater. It’s the announcer that is the first line of defense, calling for calm when necessary. Regarding student cheer blocks: I’ve championed students cheering in this space quite a bit, considering the relatively small amount of time it’s been available to me. I appreciate creativity and new incarnations of old standard cheers. With little exception, and none that comes to mind right now, the cheer blocks keep things above the belt, and when boundaries are tested and occasionally crossed, it’s corrected with little stress. I believe with all my heart that the students and adults who go to high school ballgames in these parts know there’s a line, and not to cross it. But as postseason basketball gets cranked up across the state, it’s possible fans from our area may not encounter fans who are so, shall we say, as sporting with their cheers as we. In at least two cases in the last two years, there have been incidents that have led to games being stopped; fistfights among fans and spectators (not necessarily with each other) and the need for reinforcements from the law enforcement community. In, the interest of having some kinder, gentler cheers ready to go, and as a public service, I’d like to offer some I’ve gleaned from Jay Bilas, ESPN basketball analyst and full-time attorney, as well as a few I’ve come up with on my own. I’ve mixed them up, but mine should be simple to pick out. So, perhaps a cheer like this would be better: "we cannot in good conscience pretend we want you to make this free throw, but wish you good luck, nonetheless." Or, “your attempt fell short, but we respect your effort and extend a hand to help you up.” Or “it’s chilly tonight, so getting your vehicle pre-heated would be a great way to prevent illness after your post-game shower.” Perhaps “You looked silly, you looked smug, but now you look like you need a hug.” Or "We shall not spell out anything in unison regarding your appearance, and hope you have a positive self image." “We will reduce our level to ambient noise on your attempt, unless you find such silence to be disconcerting. Please advise." “I’m OK, you’re OK, let’s get out and play play play!” "We do not question your vision or competence, but respectfully submit that different positioning may yield a different decision." “Please don’t yell, please don’t scream, we didn’t mean to hurt your self-esteem.” "Your lofty ranking is not subject to question, but we respectfully submit that our team may have been overlooked." For places with shot clocks ”We note your attempt did not reach the rim, but only to alert the clock operator that a reset is unnecessary." "Dear sir or ma’am: we beg to differ, but thank you for your service to our game." "We hope for a positive outcome while fully realizing that the result is not a negative reflection upon our guest." But, we know cheer blocks can get on each other pretty good, too. So, to help with the self-policing, I offer: “you-can’t-say-that!” or “you snarl, you sneer, that’s not an appropriate cheer.” Maybe “sticks and stone may break our bones, but words like that may wreck our homes.” It’s sad, and maybe to a larger degree pathetic, that this sort of thing even has to come up for discussion. Yes, it’s true high school athletics aren’t the same as college or professional sports. But at the same time it seems to me high schools are competing for the entertainment dollar, also known as disposable income, as never before. Parking lots, gyms and fields are being gussied up to make the fan experience more attractive, mostly because there’s never enough money, particuarily in the public schools, to fully fund competitive programs. And yes, competitive programs are entertaining. Everybody loves winning. But when you’re getting to the point where we have to scale back what should be considered free speech? That’s a dangerous place to be.
