Growing Pains: Student Tailgating

[CajunT]

Let’s just stop beating around the bush.. when UL’s Athletic Department or whoever complains about lack of game attendance, they are referring to Black people.. and just because we are a PWI does NOT mean cater to just one race! UL wants to preach about diversity but... nvm

— kamaiya. (@djbabykayyy_) September 13, 2019

I’ll just be honest and say that if I was Dr. Maggard I wouldn’t exactly know how to respond to this. The issues being raised on Twitter this week are overwhelmingly coming from black students. I would hope Dr. Maggard will be able to reach out to various on campus organizations led by black students and leaders and engage them in a productive discussion about their concerns. Only problem is: most productive discussions do not stem from inaccurate attacks which is how this whole ordeal started.

I do not envy the POA in this situation. Many complaints stem from the atmosphere not being “lit” like at SU or LSU. I understand the writer for the Vermilion mentioned not actually needing the band to play “Neck.” However, take a look at the comment section of any LSU video of their band playing “Neck.” It will be filled with commenters from the HBCU’s claiming cultural appropriation and theft from the black bands’ traditions. The HBCU bands have a wonderful tradition that cannot and honestly shouldn’t be replicated as it’s theirs and unique to those institutions. It’s seems like a bit of a political minefield and “Damned if You Do, Damned if You Don’t” situation to me. It’s a fine line to walk when you have to worry about upsetting 1. the older fans if you change the music 2. the younger fans if you don’t change the music or 3. the younger fans who will cry thievery if you too blatantly adopt the sound of other bands.

Truly I don’t envy anyone associated with the university who will be tasked with navigating this situation. However, our black students and student athletes are obviously important to the future success of this university. If they feel unheard or attacked, our administration should take time to listen. I definitely can’t fault Jay or Dr. Maggard’s initial responses to the article. If you converse with someone, you have a decent chance of a dialogue. If you attack someone, they will either defend themselves or attack back.

I don't envy them at all, nor Dr Savoie. I do feel bad for our Athletes, AD and the students that are currently supporting this team. What this young lady and those that are feeding this narrative are is what administrators and professors on college campuses across the country have created. They've cultivated the environment in which these students can exist and thrive without working with others. It is tribalism at it's best. I want free water, my own music that caters to my culture and other activities that focus on my culture. This university is just entirely too white!

All of us on this board need to understand our white privilege. Beto said so this week!

[facelessjonmoon]

This seemed to always be creeping towards a race thing. Whether that was the intention or not. It's a shame because I can't see how any complaint this writer had towards the University and tailgating could be attributed to racism. But who knows? Maybe my entire comment could be considered ignorant and racist depending on who you ask. That's the reality now a days.

From reading Twitter, anyone who wants to have a discussion about the article is considered racist for not 💯 agreeing with it. 🤦🏻

[zeppelincajun]

So the university is only concerned about black attendance? OK. I hate when people play the race card. It often clouds their ability for reasonable thinking.

I’m sure you’re responding to the tweet and not my post, but just in case, I absolutely DO NOT think this at all. I found this tweet totally mind boggling. Not bashing the young woman. Just stating that I do not understand.

The strategy of posting something on Twitter and having all your friends retweet it and post agreements to make it seem like a majority agrees with you is fairly easy. However, this whole black shirts idea might backfire and give away this group’s true numbers. If we have a group of 200-300 kids in black shirts, we’ll know there is at least a significant group to consider. If it’s 12-20 people in black shirts as a lot of us are expecting, well...they are gonna have to go back to the drawing board for their own cause.

[RaginScotsman]

From reading Twitter, anyone who wants to have a discussion about the article is considered racist for not 💯 agreeing with it. 🤦🏻

The moment there is resistance, a differing opinion or God forbid someone is just wrong, the card can easily get pulled.

If you’re in an argument with someone who looks different than you and that person appears to have the upper hand because they have facts to support their position, that doesn’t make them racist. It probably makes them right.

[RaginScotsman]

I’m sure you’re responding to the tweet and not my post, but just in case, I absolutely DO NOT think this at all. I found this tweet totally mind boggling. Not bashing the young woman. Just stating that I do not understand.

The strategy of posting something on Twitter and having all your friends retweet it and post agreements to make it seem like a majority agrees with you is fairly easy. However, this whole black shirts idea might backfire and give away this group’s true numbers. If we have a group of 200-300 kids in black shirts, we’ll know there is at least a significant group to consider. If it’s 12-20 people in black shirts as a lot of us are expecting, well...they are gonna have to go back to the drawing board for their own cause.

Who posted something about black shirts? Sounds like it would be miserable on a day like today.

[zeppelincajun]

Who posted something about black shirts? Sounds like it would be miserable on a day like today.

See Dre Dog’s embedded tweet on I believe page 11 or 12. This comes with the hashtag cULtivateCHANGE. It only takes a couple more clicks to get from the people supporting this idea to posts supporting the original article.

[zephyr]

I’m sure you’re responding to the tweet and not my post, but just in case, I absolutely DO NOT think this at all. I found this tweet totally mind boggling. Not bashing the young woman. Just stating that I do not understand.

The strategy of posting something on Twitter and having all your friends retweet it and post agreements to make it seem like a majority agrees with you is fairly easy. However, this whole black shirts idea might backfire and give away this group’s true numbers. If we have a group of 200-300 kids in black shirts, we’ll know there is at least a significant group to consider. If it’s 12-20 people in black shirts as a lot of us are expecting, well...they are gonna have to go back to the drawing board for their own cause.

Yes, was definitely responding to the Twitter comment you had copied. In regards to the people in black, I have a feeling you won't see them because the people "protesting" are the people likely not even going to the games and tailgate.

[RaginScotsman]

See Dre Dog’s embedded tweet on I believe page 11 or 12. This comes with the hashtag cULtivateCHANGE. It only takes a couple more clicks to get from the people supporting this idea to posts supporting the original article.

Would it be in poor taste to chime in and ask that the supports wear red? Black isn’t a school color.

[CajunVic]

This is truly all a Kroc of K r a p.

[CajunVic]

UCF had to turn away 5000 students today. They all had some black on.

[LifeTimeCajun]

Tell her to get allllll her friends assez in the game and not in the parking lot then we can talk. Until then who cares who goes to the tailgate.

[fanof71]

UCF had to turn away 5000 students today. They all had some black on.

5k...no way, that's a third to a quarter of all students enrolled...