Guess what? MSU students and fans do not uphold any of these values.

Sportsmanship: Saturday, I witnessed MSU fans in the student section throwing free glow sticks at Iowa players while they were praying before the game.

I also witnessed our fans being sore losers after the game, saying, “Go back to harvest your crops,” or, “F—- Iowa.”

I only could think: “You just lost a season-defining game by two points and you can say stuff like that? These Iowa fans aren’t saying anything; that shows way more class.”

Wow.

Honor: Sparty, the “beloved” MSU mascot, decided to try to start the wave while a Hawkeye player was injured. One of the major symbols of our athletics program was not honoring a fallen opponent by being a dick, and then dancing when people were calling us “assholes” for not trying to help start the wave.

Wow.

Integrity: During the game, fans constantly were throwing glow sticks at our own cheerleaders, other fans, band members, the officials, staff members and the MSU Dance Team.

Wow.

This is why we never are given things to wave around during the game. Our athletics department, unlike an SEC athletic department, can’t trust us not to throw or abuse the free items we are given.

Enthusiasm: Our fans very often are not enthusiastic during the course of a game. We only are strongly enthusiastic when the cameras wave by us, when we make a good play or there is a “key” moment.

Our team needs support the entire game. This means when we are doing poorly, well or in between. MSU fans should be proud to be a part of the Big Ten conference. Our conference historically is known as having some of the richest traditions in football, and being a hard-nosed, tough conference. I wish we had even half of the enthusiasm of an SEC or Big 12 school.

Also, fans never seem to be too sad or disappointed about losing because at least they get to go back to their tailgates and drink their “sorrows” away.

Leadership: While the throwing of glow sticks was happening, I didn’t see any other fans — or at least very few others — calling out other people or telling them to cut it out.

Also, Sparty’s antics during the Iowa injury were horrible. An icon to our entire athletics department was not showing the proper leadership. Older students should also be setting better examples for younger students — freshmen especially.

Dignity: I hate that most of our student section comes to the game tanked, blitzed and drunk. It’s one thing to come to the game like that and pay attention, but most of the time these people spend their time harassing other students who are trying to enjoy the game.

Some drunk girls came down to try and sit in the front row by us. They ended up making fun of one of my friends, and saying that she “didn’t belong there.” Also, an upperclassman continued to come down to the front section where no one is to stand, and brought down up to seven other people with him each time. I did not wait seven hours in line to have these people come down and try to steal my seat.

Never have I ever been embarrassed to be a fan of anything, but today, I am embarrassed to be a Spartan.

Nick Thompson
kinesiology junior

Nick Thompson,

kinesiology junior