In eliminating the "Stick It In" chant, Jim Weaver has created a less hostile and more accepting atmosphere at home games.
It is refreshing to know that I am part of a school that would uphold the Principles of Community and Hokie Respect, despite the opposition of some misguided fans. First of all, the "time-honored tradition" of the "Stick It In" chant has been around for only about ten years. In a school that has been around for over 135 years, it hardly seems likely that a tradition can be formed out of such a short-lived cheer.
Secondly, the chant is clearly an offensive euphemism for sexual activity. Though the chant may have originated through somewhat innocent means, it has escalated into the provocative spectacle seen at football games. With all of the hip-thrusting throughout the crowd, one could hardly argue that the chant has any significance other than enabling fans to be openly obnoxious at the football games. Are we really saying that such activity defines us as Hokies?
Though the main arguments posed by Jim Weaver state that the chant is morally objectionable to alumni and families with children, it clearly belittles the entire female gender. With the gestures, the cheer becomes an invitation to treat women as sexual objects rather than as people. With recent increases in crimes against women, the last thing the community needs is to have students encouraged to "Stick It In" whenever they come within twenty yards of a woman.
Certainly the members of the Marching Virginians cannot be blamed for the wide usage of the vulgar gestures, but personally, I do not recall going to a single game in all the years I have been here without seeing at least one member of the band encouraging the crowd with the gestures. With such encouragement from both band members and cheerleaders, it seems that the only way to get rid of the rude gestures is to get rid of the chant altogether.
On a final note, in lieu of all that has happened on this campus, I personally find it distasteful, appalling, and repugnant that someone would have the audacity to refer to the elimination of the chant as a "tragedy." Though I am not a band member, I find it odd that this "staple of our Hokie spirit" is so vital to our existence that the absence of it is being compared to situations of true suffering. Maybe I am being a bit harsh in my analysis, but when I read something that screams hyperbole, I get annoyed at the writer's attempt to manipulate his/her audience through creative wordplay.
Perhaps at the next home game, instead of chanting "Stick It In" or yelling something indecent at the opposing team, we could abstain and show what it takes to have real Hokie Pride.
Steve West
Senior, Fisheries
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Give me a break. It's not that bad. Kids being kids in my opinion. Some people really need to lighten up.
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Here's the bottom line: 1. The decision was made 2. Students have no bargaining power 3. It's a non-issue. . . .there are a lot of things that require as much focus as has been poured into 'saving stick it in.' Get over yourselves and do something useful for the world.
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Get over themselves. Huh.... Jim Weaver has single handily watered down the VT football experience. This isnt the first or last thing that he will ban. As a double alumni, father and golden hokie I have no problem with this chant. It was started while I was there and should continue.
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What's next? "Upon entering Lane Stadium, all spectators shall promise not to say a thing, lest it bother the offending team." Part of the football experience is creating a hostile environment for the opposing team.
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But the point of the action wasn't to make Lane Stadium less foreboding - the intent was to limit obscene gestures that could reflect poorly to a national audience. Joe, your opinion is valid and for the record I agree - I think it should stay. But I also think that there are a million and one other things that matter a lot more than a silly cheer. We need to put things in context.
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I know this is an ad hominem attack but this letter is coming from a man who has this quote: "v"You can't tell me when or where I'm out of line, or try to get me to live my life according to your rules. You don't even know what I am, Dad, you don't know who I am. You don't know how I feel, what I think. And if I tried to explain it the rest of your life you will never understand. You are 30 years older than I am. You and your whole lousy generation believes the way it was for you is the way it's got to be. And not until your whole generation has lain down and died will the dead weight of you be off our backs!" on his Facebook profile and is openly promoting some of the more violent films as his favorite movies. Hypocrite.
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Kyle... First they came after the "Na Na Na" song -But I did not sing, so I did not speak out Then they came after the booing -But I did not boo, so I did not speak out Then they came after the "stick it in" chant -But I did not gyrate so I did not speak out Sooner or later they will come for a tradition you enjoy and who will speak then. It's a slippery slope that Weaver has started.
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And why is it that we are trying to create a more accepting environment? Aren't we supposed to create a hostile environment to make it difficult for other teams to play in? As a giving alumni, you bet your Jim Weaver has gotten an email from me.
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I'm more offended by the lack of orginality and creativity in "Stick It In" than by the sexual connotations! Marching Virginians - how about coming up with something a little more original that speaks to the unique qualities of VT? "Stick It In" sounds like the kind of thing a bunch of high school kids would find amusing.
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Jimmy - The only (athletic) tradition I care about is a winning football program. And I guarantee you that Weaver will never attempt to take that away because it makes too much money.
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And here we see the true American pastime, getting offended over pointless crap, and making things out to be demeaning to one group or another when they have nothing to do with them.
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Hi. I'm Matt Cosner and I should just make up my own cheer for the Marching Virginians that will spread the cheer throughout the Hokie Nation but all I can do is complain and not take action.
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Steve West...you think writing about how much you respect women and find it demeaning to do the "stick it in cheer" is going to get you any?? Transfer to another school cause I don want to be associated with you in any way. Also, Jim Weaver, if you happen to be reading this could you please have them stop playing "Enter Sandman" when the football team enters the stadium cause myself and 11 of my friends think its offensive to call someone "sandman".
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Matt, You are apparently confused about how the stick it in cheer originated. Maybe you should go read the piece written by the MV alum who was part of the percussion section in 96-97 that helped create it. Until you know of its true origins, then you shouldn't talk down the MV's about coming up with something that you call unoriginal.
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Why is it that people comment on an article about a football chant only to say how unimportant this issue is. If there are so many other important issues to comment about, why are you here?!
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The reason, Kate, is that I wish to provide some kind of rhetorical balance to the discussion. We could all pat each other on the back and tell ourselves what a great cause it is for which we are fighting - but in the end, that accomplishes nothing. I post because it is important to challenge opinions; not because I believe what I write, necessarily, but because I believe that only through honest discourse can we begin to understand any sort of reasoning at all.
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playing the devils advocate on an article about a college football cheer. what a noble calling you have Mr. Minor. ahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. i am seriously laughing.
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Allen - I graduated from VT in 1997 and attended every football game. (I was in the corps, so unlike most Tech students, I was sober enough to remember the experiences.) I'm pretty familiar with how & when the cheer originated. As I said, I'm not offended by the cheer -- although personally I'd feel like a pervert if I yelled something like that at a game. My main contention is that its fairly juvenile and uncreative... really doesn't have anything to do with Tech.
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That's right....I forgot that we wanted Lane to become "less hostile and more accepting." Let's just go ahead and make it an easier atmosphere for opposing teams. The banning of this cheer is just a small example of the administration taking the Hokies Respect campaign farther than it should. There are much better ways to go about it than banning harmless cheers and showing a cartoon Hokie Bird knock some bald guy over the head with a caveman club. The athletic department is only creating a growing separation between itself and the students which is already starting to lead to backlash and revolt.
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Virginia Tech has received the sympathy of America. Why would VT want to display such a lack of class when in the national spot light? Further, VT, like rattling keys, cannot claim ownership of the chant, as they simply copied other schools. Nonetheless, if you need a "stick it in" chant to make Lame stadium more imposing, perhaps you should donate for more seats. A chant such as this does little more than disply VT as a school that was appropriately contested when it sought to become a member of the ACC. The Hokie Respect campaign is great. But the ACC's reputation is even larger. We simply would rather VT take that kind of conduct back to the Big Least!
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To those who argue the chant is a "slippery slope". Be advised that the chant is not confined to Lane Stadium. It is taken with VT on the road (VT travels very well to its opponents' stadiums). VT alumni have also been uniform in stating this is not what they want the school known for. Indeed, the position of one Alumni from VT, "I wouldn't hire a VT graduate after attending a UNC game where VT's fans, band, and cheerleaders were thrusting their hips on the road. I would find that individual to be connected with a school endorsing a lack of class." All dirt roads in Virginia...lead to Virginia Tech! Be creative and answer Weaver's call to come up with a new chant. As noted, you didn't even CREATE this chant.
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Bottom line - this cheer makes Tech students look like class-less hicks.
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