Editor’s note: This staff editorial was written by Editorial Board member Gerri Sax. We support her views expressed in this column.
Last weekend was one of the most surreal experiences of my life, and I’m not talking about the football team’s heartbreaking loss to Alabama.
I’m talking about the hours I spent around campus tailgating — but not as a regular Tiger.
For this game, a fellow staffer and I, armed with a video camera and microphone, ditched our normal attire, threw on crimson-and-white sweatshirts and walked through campus to see what it would be like behind enemy lines.
Most people know how aggressive LSU’s fans are. But to see first hand just how hostile and offensive Tiger fans can be really opened up my eyes.
The final video of our experiences on lsureveille.com is an accurate depiction of what we encountered, but it was only the tip of the iceberg. Here are a few things we couldn’t fit in the video.
Vulgar language has never really bothered me, and the incessant “Tiger-baiting” and
“Around the bowl and down the hole, Roll Tide, Roll” mocking were the least of my worries.
Almost every tailgate spot we visited greeted us with the same expressions. The women called us “bitches,” and the men called us “cunts” followed by the traditional “Rip. Rip. Rip. Rap. Rap. Rap. You ‘Bama girls got the clap, clap, clap!” cheer.
And if that wasn’t enough, the amount of times we were spit on also struck a nerve.
Spitting on someone is one of the most degrading things a human being can do to another.
Verbal abuse is powerful, but when things get physical, that’s a little more effective.
The most significant physical encounters were from male Tiger fans. And they all involved some kind of inappropriate gestures. We were groped and squeezed by just about every guy we interviewed.
Not only did things get physical for us personally, our camera equipment also has some bruises as well. I can’t even count the number of times a Tiger fan ran up to the camera and shouted expletives or just yelled at the lens.
We witnessed what other teams’ fans encounter every home game and just how animated Tiger fans are before a big game.
But maybe we need to tone it down — just a bit.
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Contact the Editorial Board at editor@lsureveille.com
Our View: Tailgating as 'Bama fans highlighted LSU's belligerence
Published: Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Updated: Tuesday, November 11, 2008
146 comments
Your name
where is this video? is it posted on the site somewhere?
Your name
where is this video? is it posted on the site somewhere?
Ty Gerbate
I am an lsu fan and I take pride in my behavior. I like to throw stuff at opposing fans, particularly batteries. My favorite thing to do is to collect dog poop from the apartment's yard, and bring it to the stadium in a baggie. I look for unsuspecting opposing fans and when they get up out of their seats, I put it for when they sit down. That's always a lot of fun to see their expression. Sometimes, I have this HIV-positive friend who fills syringes up with his blood and when there's a big crowd going into the stadium of opposing fans, we bump into the and squirt the blood on them. Of course, we do the regular fun stuff like cussing at little kids, "accidentally" spill drinks on them, etc. Gosh, I love football season!
Disgusted
I'm an Alabama fan who was born and raised in NOLA. After countless bad experiences with LSU fans over the years, my friends and I decided to watch the game in New Orleans. We thought we could avoid the “TIGAH BAITS” and trash throwing by watching the game in our own home town. Not the case. A forty year old man, an LSU fan of course, pushed my female roommate down in the bar. This was right after he threw ice at us. We did nothing to provoke him. We were not cheering or being obnoxious. We walked into the bar and were minding our own business. If this were the first time something like this happened I would give LSU fans the benefit of the doubt. Unfortunately that's not the case. I have never seen another school behave the way LSU fans behave and quite frankly it's embarrassing. I'm so sick of listening to yatty LSU fans run their mouths. Enough is enough. No one is saying that ALL LSU fans are bad people. I just wish they would learn how to support their team with a little bit of decency and class. And when they don’t, I wish the good LSU fans had the dignity to do something about it.
Tiger4life
I know that my group and all of my friends take pride in welcoming visiting teams to our tailgate, talking to them in the stands and win or lose after, I know I have personally given directions, walked them by hostile tailgates, and just wished them well around town, I want people to leave our city/campus and go back saying "wow that was amazing, they do it better than anyone, that is a great time" but instead they are afraid to come back and think we are classless...it sickens me that our fans cross the line as far as they do, pride and passion are one thing but what I have seen and now reading this , its got to change. I do not think we are the only ones, I encountered ole miss fans that just were ridiculous, cussing and making fun of Y.A Tittle, calling us "gay and retarded" for the angels in the outfield and neck cheers, or racial terms because of the Chinese bandit cheers. Come on Tiger Fans we are better than this
ABEinMS
Uhh, Matt -- They showed the video and it was way more than a few bad apples. Apparently you were hiding under a rock then. You just need to admit it LSU fans can be the most class-less and vulgar fanbase in college football. An experience for opposing team's fans at Baton Rouge is one that can be dangerous, and is almost certain to be one of the most vulgar, most unpleasant, and most vile of any possible venue. Who burns an opposing team's coach in effigy??? That borders on a hate crime, I don't care who it is. The stereotypical LSU fan could hardly exhibit less class and less perspective. It is after all, just a football game.
Rebel
I was there Sat. for the Ole Miss game and LSU fans definitely have the least amount of class of any fans anywhere. They were terrible. ZERO CLASS.
Matt
two points: 1) Would the article get more or less attention if it praised LSU fans? I think the writers knew they would find a few bad apples and could exaggerate the situation in order to garner more attention (this is the 139th comment if you're counting). One would expect the Reveille to publish a positive article regarding LSU fans and no one would read it. Until we see a video, I am directly calling the journalistic integrity of Gerri Sax and the Daily Reveille editorial board into question because we have no proof of these serious allegations.2) If the Reveille staff or Gerri is willing to release the video to the public and any of these charges are proven true, I think that we as a campus community need to stop this type of behavior. And I don't mean the "Tigerbait" chants or even the trashtalking that can border on obscene; practically speaking, it would be impossible to regulate that. That being said, we cannot tolerate spitting on others nor can we tolerate physical (boardering on sexual) abuse of women on our campus or in our city. That type of behavior is the antithesis of the what it means to be an LSU fan. So again, let's see the video proof so that we can either work to rectify the situation or expose the bad journalism.
Keith
Most people that are a part of a group will not notice the problems of their fellow members. For example, police officers take up for other officers and don't notice the wrong things they do. So LSU fans that are not watching won't see the horrible things other fans do.
Gatorbait
I went to the LSU game with my sisters, and LSU fans actually threw glass beer bottles at them. We had to run away with glass shattering at our feet. Who does that? Throwing beer bottles at women? LSU fans are the worst and i've been to every stadium in the SEC except Miss St. and Vandy. LSU is by FAR the worst.
Gatorbait
Anyways, why would writers from the Daily Reveille see any need to exaggerate how bad their fans are?
Matt
I'm an LSU fan and the description of LSU fans' behavior in this article sounds like a gross exaggeration. I'm sure there are a scant few fans who engage in incredibly inappropriate behavior like spitting and hitting; however, I've tailgated in the center of campus near the Lockett Hall, on the parade ground, next to the stadium, near the Vet school, and in Touchdown Village over the years and have very rarely witnessed this manner of behavior. Most LSU fans that I know are good people and limit there interactions with other fans to a good natured "tigerbait" chants or an offer of food and drink. It seems to me like the author may have taken a few negative interactions and turned them into the norm creating an article that is more anti-LSUpropaganda than journalism. I feel sorry an LSU student who doesn't appreciate her school nor enjoy attending this fine university. I'd be interested to see this video she filmed so that I could have some proof to substantiate this article. But that won't happen. Don't believe everything you read folks.
Your name
I really appreciate this article. Being an Alabama graduate who is from New Orleans, I cant tell you how many rude comments, gestures, as well as various things (trash, ice cubes, etc.) that I have had directed towards me or thrown at my head. I hope this article puts things in perspective for those obnoxious fans, because its such an embarrassment to those nice LSU fans and those of us from LA who aren't LSU fans.
Your name
What class you have, Acadien.
Acadien
I think its funny how people from Mississippi, OF ALL PLACES, find room to insult LSU fans about ANYTHING. Your state is an embarrassment to the United States.
OleMissRebel
Toothless inbred hick redneck low class stupid ignorant cajun morons!
Hate LSU
GO TO HELL LSU! HOTTY TODDY!
MS Rebel
They have zero class. They are terrible.
clintonrebel
they are just plain dirty nasty people down there, almost like going to mexico for a soccer game
Average Joe
Wow, pretty pathetic! I'm glad LSU lost. No dignity and no victory either. Cajun Sensation, you have a subset of people that have made LSU into a loser school.
