Be nice. Shake hands. Play a good game.ΠThese are phrases often heard from parents and fans to the players of a specific sport. But too often, it is do as I say, not as I do.ΠMany times in the news, parents and fans are being depicted as crazy lunatics when they attack an umpire, scream at small t-ball children, yell at the coach, yell at the other fans or create mass hysteria in a soccer brawl.

Where has the concept of sportsmanship gone?

On Sept. 14, Iowa and Iowa State fans flocked to Kinnick Stadium to cheer on their favorite team for the biggest football game in the state. The Iowa State fans were not well-received, to say the least.

We are very cordial to the Iowa fans when they come to play in Jack Trice. We may chant a few unnecessary phrases and have a few T-shirts printed for the game, but I have seen good sportsmanship from our side.

When a team member from the opposing team is injured, fans are quiet while they are down and applaud when they leave the field, under their own power or not.

This is good sportsmanship.

The fans in Iowa City were not as friendly. Students that I spoke with said they had been spit on, items thrown at them, yelled at and a student even had his tires slashed.

This may be an expensive inconvenience but the most extreme case of hatred and humiliation experienced at the game was an Iowa State fan getting a cup of urine thrown on them.

Needless to say, this is not good sportsmanship.

What happened to respecting your fellow man? Sportsmanship is the most important aspect of the game. It doesn¡t show up in the win/loss column if the team was a good sport, but this is what people remember. The Iowa Athletic Association gives a sportsmanship trophy and scholarships for sportsmanship in an attempt to increase the value put on sportsmanship. It is sad that people have to award a team and individuals for respecting members of the other team. Respect for others is one of the first values taught in kindergarten. When did people lose this important value?

Ben Williams, senior in computer science at the University of Iowa, said they are always rough on the opposing team and doesn¡t think that things got out of hand. Williams said, In all the years I¡ve been going to that game, it¡s always been that way. It¡s part of history and part of college football.Œ This may be, but it is ridiculous that fans believe that having things thrown at them or tires being slashed should be a part of college football.

When did this become a societal phenomenon and when did this become acceptable behavior?

Maybe that energy should be put to positive use. Yell positive things to your team, rather than negative phrases to the opposing team. Make T-shirts that support the home team rather than shirts that put down the other team.

Last but not least, the sportsmanship at Iowa City does not sound like the group of fans that were depicted on the news that evening. Saturday evening, fans had vehicles from opposing teams, parked next to each other and were flying the red, white and blue above the red and gold or the gold and black.

The news showed a united group of fans, but from the fans I spoke to, this was an untrue depiction. It would have been nice if this was accurate, but it was not.

We may all be fans of different teams, but we are all adults. The fans, coaches and players represent the teams and the organization or institution at the games. Many people only get an idea of the whole community from the representatives at the sporting events. Sportsmanship is the most important aspect. Remember: It¡s not whether you win or lose, it¡s how you play the game.Œ

Sarah

Bolton

is a senior in English

from Glidden.