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KU fans decry abusive treatment from USF fans
Posted Sep 16, 2008 by Brett McMurphy
Updated Sep 16, 2008 at 10:45 PM
While warming up before Friday’s game against Kansas, University of South Florida QB Matt Grothe noticed a USF fan screaming derogatory slurs at the Jayhawks cheerleaders.
“I didn’t appreciate it,” Grothe said. “Some idiot of ours, every time a [KU] cheerleader walked by, he yelled ‘[sexual slur]’ over and over to each and every one.
“Yelling at a cheerleader? Those poor girls don’t know why they’re getting yelled at. It’s like me going up to that guy’s mom and calling her [that]. Is he going to like that? They should just be happy with [us] winning games.”
Apparently, winning isn’t everything. And, unfortunately, what Grothe witnessed wasn’t an isolated incident.
It was among several examples of abusive, profanity-laced verbal attacks and intimidation of KU fans before, during and after the game.
Pat Porzelt, a 1987 KU graduate, was part of a group of 12 Jayhawks fans at the game. She has been attending games for more than 20 years.
“That,” she said, “was the worst experience I’ve ever had.”
Porzelt, 44, said she realizes when on the road she will receive some harassment. But, she said, this was different.
Walking through the Raymond James Stadium parking lot, a USF fan she estimated in his 30s raced from his tailgate party to confront her.
“He sticks his finger in my face and says, ‘Go home, you [expletive] Jayhawk [expletive],’ she said. “I expect to hear profanity, but it was the in-your-face hatred behind it that was different than any other stadium I’ve been at.”
Porzelt certainly wasn’t in Kansas anymore.
She said the treatment she received from fans during and after the game wasn’t much better.
What’s ironic is that USF just started a “Respect-A-Bull” campaign, asking USF fans to show “pride, sportsmanship and honor.”
“Visitors should be complimentary of the treatment and respect they receive from our fans,” USF President Judy Genshaft said. “USF is on the national stage, and we want those who attend our games to enjoy USF’s hospitality as a community that is welcoming and respectful of our guests. We want our guests to leave with a good experience and see USF fans as national role models.”
That wasn’t the case Friday. There were 64 ejections, the most for a USF home game, and nine arrests.
Eric Morton, 34, a Kansas fan who lives in Tampa, said he didn’t experience any physical abuse, but “the verbal abuse made you feel uncomfortable. A lot of young people getting in your face screaming, ‘Get the [expletive] out of our house.’”
KU alum Brent Kassing, 39, of Winter Park, attended the game with his cousin’s family. In all, they had five children ranging in age from 4 to 15.
“I must have heard ‘[expletive] you!’ about 200 times,” said Kassing, who complained to USF officials in an e-mail. “It was a terrible environment. I had never experienced that at an away game.”
Greg Morgan, USF’s student body president, said Bulls fans must be considerate of visiting fans. “At some point of being a gentleman, someone has to stand up [to the abusive fans] and say we don’t condone this type of thing,” Morgan said. “USF fans have to be accountable for other USF fans.”
USF, UA finalize deal: USF and Under Armour finally signed their five-year deal, which had been in place since November, on Tuesday, making UA the official outfitter of USF athletics. The deal will pay USF $1 million over the life of the contract and provide $1.2 million in apparel for USF’s football, baseball, softball, soccer, golf and tennis teams.
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Reader Comments
Por (Harold Wheeler) on September 19, 2008 (Suggest removal)
USF is only being singled out on this site. It’s not like this is on Sportscenter or CNN news. A KU fan complained and in what I would consider and respectful way.
I would much rather have my teams reputation established on the field as apposed to the stands.
Trust me, I love it when the stadium is packed and loud. And I love getting on the visiting fans who sit in the next section over. But there is never a reason, be abusive, swear, spit or throw drinks or anything else at them.
Just give them some good clean harassment, which most seem to enjoy, and let the players do the rest.
Respect people around you at games and in the rest of your life. Especially kids.
Go Bulls.
Suggest removalPor (Jim Lee) on September 19, 2008 (Suggest removal)
As a USF fan I ask you to think about this experience. It was my pleasure to watch UNC play Ohio State in basketball several years ago, in Chapel Hill. When the contest was no longer in doubt some of the fans began the chant “over rated” to Ohio State’s basketball team who had been ranked higher in the polls. Within seconds the PA announder was on the speaker reminding the fans that this would not be tolerated. He mentioned that OSU were their guests and should be treated with respect. The chant stopped immediately. Is it always going to be this way? NO. But it is an example to be emulated. You should be able to cheer for your team without bringing disrespect to the university.
Suggest removalPor (Allen Brown) on September 19, 2008 (Suggest removal)
I would not stop chanting overrated because the PA announcer told me to. Give me a break.
This whole situation is just one big whine fest.
Brett has gotten Sentinel writers to write about our fans at the Kansas game instead of UCF’s game against Boston College. This whole situation has been a joke if you ask me.
Just about every game in college football, and most likely any event where that many people gather, there will always be a few people that complain. If it’s writen about, there will all the sudden be fans of rival programs jumping all over it because they want to tear down the program.
Suggest removalPor (Allen Brown) on September 19, 2008 (Suggest removal)
The fact is, every school that has complained in this thread has said worse things to me personally. I went to UF for a year, I’ve been to FSU games, UCF games, Miami games, UNC and Kansas games (basketball), and all of them have a few a jackasses.
Suggest removalPor (Brett McMurphy) on September 19, 2008 (Suggest removal)
Allen, you’re sadly mistaken and 100 percent wrong if you think “I got the Sentinel writers” to write about this. They work for a different newspaper, I have no control over what they write - the same as they have no control over what I write.
Suggest removalPor (Allen Brown) on September 19, 2008 (Suggest removal)
I merely meant that they would not be writing these articles and blog posts if it wasn’t for your article.
I think this same article could be written at most games. You can find a fan that thinks a bad word is worthy of complaining about.
I had an empty beer can thrown at me at the UCF game, but it missed. I heard some others faired worse. However, I never feared for my safety. I recognize that some people will do things out of line but as long as no one is attacking me, I’m not going to whine and complain about it. Even then, I’d do it to the police, not the media, because 1 or 2 people shouldn’t make an entire fan base look bad.
Suggest removalPor (Brett McMurphy) on September 20, 2008 (Suggest removal)
Allen, it was not just one person. Grothe even noticed it from the field. Pat Porzelt asked me “to the folks that said “it is just part of the game” I wanted to ask why it has to be. Why is it acceptable in our sports society to be abusive - it is not acceptable on our streets, in our schools or in our homes, but a sports arena is OK? Hopefully more people around the country will stand up and say they aren’t going to take it anymore. I have a feeling other schools may soon be following USF’s lead.”
Suggest removalPor (Chris) on September 20, 2008 (Suggest removal)
Way to stay classy Trampa!! You really should worry about your own back yard instead of other….“people in glass houses…”
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