Wednesday, September 27, 2000

Rooting without rudeness

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Dropping rivalry isn't the answer

        Wait a minute. Is it necessary to cancel the big game? Other schools have turned their rivalries around. Beechwood and Covington Catholic should try to do the same.

        On Sept. 16, the schools' annual football contest was marred by vandalism and vulgar chants. On Monday, school administrators announced they may end the neighborhood tradition.

        What a great opportunity for students. Judging from my mail, the young men of Covington Catholic care passionately about their school. Here's their chance to step up.

Moeller fans cheer their team during the football game against LaSalle on Friday. (Brandi Stafford photo) | ZOOM |

        The students wrote in response to last week's column, which criticized CovCath for game-related hooliganism. Many said I judged the school too harshly for misbehavior that is common everywhere.

        CovCath fans pointed out attacks on them: spray-painting on school property, for instance, and key scratches on CovCath cars. They said Beechwood fans shout gay slurs at CovCath athletes because the school is all-male. And they noted a serious incident in 1997, when CovCath upset Highlands High School. As the CovCath players were leaving Fort Thomas, someone threw a brick into the back of their bus.

        Fair enough. Other schools have hooligans, too, and all deserve scrutiny.

        I'm not buying the idea that nothing can be done. Other schools manage to control behavior. Their games aren't perfect, but they aren't rude fests, either.

        Case in point: Last Friday's contest between Moeller and LaSalle, two all-boys Catholic schools near Cincinnati. Granted, the teams aren't huge rivals. But even at big games, I can't imagine miscreants running amok.

        For the entire evening, two Moeller teachers were paid to stand in front of the Moeller student section and scan the crowd. At the first profane cheer, they were prepared to go straight to the source and threaten immediate removal.

        Consequently, I heard not one negative chant from either side of the field — not even from the adults — and I listened all night.

        I told a Moeller teacher, Keith Valerius, about the CovCath-Beechwood game. CovCath students had displayed a burned, tattered Beechwood flag in front of the Beechwood fans, who in turn threw empty bottles at them.

        This would never be permitted at Moeller, Mr. Valerius said. Burned flags, for instance, would be confiscated before the crowd ever saw them.

        CovCath and Beechwood students should work together to help their schools set some rules. What kinds of behavior will be grounds for removal, and how will this be carried out?

        Then they should work on lightening up the rivalry.

        At the Ohio-Indiana border, the principals of Harrison and East Central high schools head off conflict with joint projects. This year, students at both schools bought chances to compete in a tug-of-war at halftime. The money raised went to charity.

        In addition, after the big game every year, the principal of the losing school has to wear the other school's jersey for an entire day. This shocked students at first, says East Central Principal Bruce Gaylor.

        “How can you wear the Harrison jersey?” they would ask.

        “Because I make even this look good,” he would reply.

        Then they would laugh together, which is always the key.

       Karen Samples is Kentucky columnist for the Enquirer. She can be reached at 578-5584 or ksamples@enquirer.com.
       

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