Collegiate Times

Weaver is taking down our athletics. Makes sense though, he was never a Hokie.

Just a few short years back VT was ranked as one of the toughest places to play. I realize that "the suits" would like all of us to walk on eggshells after what happened five months ago. But please, our football traditions should not change. They want us to come together and unite, and I ask what’s better than a Saturday football game sharing the traditions and customs created over the years. What's next? No keys on 3rd down because it makes too much noise? We won't be allowed to say "block that kick" because it's not nice to the opposing kickers? I believe that we need to get away from trying to be politically correct and try to get back to having fun. If I'm not mistaken in 2004 when we were a hostile place to play, we did win the ACC and go to a BCS bowl. I think these things are somehow related. When the crowd is into the game having fun the team usually gets pumped up and dominates. Those who sit in the West stands and donate all that money need to be like they are during the game, QUIET, and let the students be students.

Playing devil's advocate for the moment. . . .Jim Weaver is responsible for one thing: marketing a product. In order to successfully market that product, his first concern has to be specifically not to offend his customer base. Every ticket that goes unsold is a monetary loss to the university. If the goal is putting butts in the seats, Weaver's option is clear - cut out the offending circumstance. And that's what he did. Let's keep in mind, here, that football existed LONG before Stick it In, and football will continue to exist long after Stick it In. It isn't a defining part of this university, or its football program - it's idiotic, and fun, and inspirational, sure, but no more so than the "key play" and the hokie pokie. Will I miss Stick it In? Sure. But I can also understand why the administration made the decision it did, and I can resolve not to lose any sleep over it. I wish everyone else would do the same.

John, you're TOTALLY correct! I am not a student, but an early-40s LOYAL Virginia Tech Hokies fan...There is absolutely nothing wroing w/that chant. Weaver, get a life!!

Kyle... cut out of the offending circumstance? About 8-12 people were offended!! 8-12, not 80-120! There are 66,000 seats in Lane stadium and I am sure Weaver and his greedy hands can fill those 8-12 seats with someone who isn't offended. It's not about getting over it and not losing sleep. It's about taking away tradition. First it was the nah nah hey hey goodbye songs, then you have to sit in your assigned seat, now this. It's always something with Weaver and it usually has to do w/ what makes the most money. And it's not always about that. The STUDENTS make this university, the STUDENTS pack the stadium, and the students shouldn't have a cheer banned!

....and the ESPN cameras catch us all doing vlugar (but nonetheless) fun things, and then parents say "I don't want my kid and money to go there," and then you have a whole world of hurt. This is partially a question of money, and partially a question of image. I love stick it in as much as the next guy, but it hasn't been around long enough to be a tradition. Tech Triumph is a tradition. Skipper is a tradition. The MV's making the Commonwealth of Virginia on the field is a tradition. Key plays are a tradition. There are a million and one traditions that we have that make us look amazing to any person who looks at us from the outside - why cling so hard to one of the few things that makes us look wholly ridiculous? I'm not a fan of removing the cheer, but I can see where the administration is coming from in making this decision. That doesn't make me a Benedict Arnold; I just want to make sure that there is an appropriate amount of dialogue on both sides, because all I see right now are a bunch of knee-jerk reactions.

My concern is that if Jim Weaver is only getting about 8-12 complaints a year, and if he is looking out for the overall marketing of Virginia Tech Athletics to the outside..... then those 8-12 complaints a year must be coming from our best "high rollers" for donations and advertising revenue. That's the only way this kind of change would make sense if he is only getting 8-12 individual complaints a year. Also, Kyle... no offense to you, and you are right to your own opinion... but I believe at least 30,000 fans at every home game, see things quite differently than you. They and I are of the opinion that the Stick It In Cheer was a great addition to the atmosphere of Lane Stadium. And it really is a big piece of the atmosphere that gets all the fans involved during certain situations when the offense is on the field. Again... this is just my opinion.... and the opinion of at least 30,000 others.

Yes this tradition is only 10 years young... but just because its not 30+ years old... doesn't mean that it can not be called a tradition. If there really was a concern for the image of Virginia Tech... then the cheer should have been banned back in the seasons from 1999-2001. That was the pinnacle point of the football team's success. Nipping it then probably made sense... but waiting 10 years and countless Thursday night games - Prime Time Saturday games - and Bowl games to give it the ax... just doesn't make much sense.

Let me qualify the remarks I've made on this forum: I am a 4 year member of the marching virgianins, and a garduating senior with majors in music and mathematics. I love stick it in every bit as much as everyone speaking in its defense; my concern is that too many people are looking at the situation with rose-tinted glasses, seeing this only as a unilateral decision made by the highest echelons of the university administration. I think it is worth talking about the reasons WHY the cheer is being banned. . . . .and I also think that there are a lot of other things in the world that deserve as much attention as the banning of a silly cheer. My goal is to put things in context here; it isn't like Waver sits in his office and says "hmmm, how can I make football games less fun for the fans today?" The guy has to amke tough decisions, and a lot of factors go into those decisions. I don't like some of them, but I at least try to give him the benefit of the doubt and explore all the reasons why he might have decided as he did before I pass judgement on him.

Alright, it seems that all the reasons that Weaver should stop us come down to money. We have been doing the cheer for years and if I'm not mistaken this freshman class was the largest in VT history and the stadium has been sold out for years.

I've read the opinions from this and another article on banning the cheer, and saw that Kyle Minor has commented on both of them. While I think banning the cheer is kind of dumb, considering the number of complaints, those of you reading these opinions should realize that Kyle is playing devils advocate to get readers to realize that there is always another side of the story. He's not trying to tell us what we should think, just what we should think about.

Thanks for your support, Lauren. Progress is only ever made through deliberate and thoughtful discussion. For those of you who feel that you have been wronged by Mr. Weaver, the first step towards achieving your desired end is NOT to take rash steps to 'stick it to him,' but rather to understand why and how he makes his decisions. If you understand what his concerns are, you are better prepared to offer him solutions which are equitable both to his position and to your own.

Well... if this was a tough decision... then JW should let everyone know his well thought-out reasons for ending the cheer. Obviously, this decision has caused more outrage and publicity in one week than the cheer ever generated during its 10 years in service. I think the fans, and students that feel wronged when the cheer was cut should get a more detailed response from the athletic dept about its reasons to end it. Just saying that it brings more class doesn't cut the mustard. If JW wanted more class... then he should have cut the cheer the same year that he cut the Nah Nah Nah Nah; Hey Hey Hey; Goodbye!