JJ, here.

I just want to let you know that I’m not going to moralize right now, even though I think there are plenty of reasons to do so. Instead, I just want to ask some simple questions about the actions of the fans (specifically, the student section, “The Pit Crew”) at the UCLA-Oregon game on Thursday night.

That’s all.

Well, almost all. I might have a few moralizing thoughts, here or there…

And I want to use the University of Oregon Athletic Department’s Code of ConDUCKt as a place to start.

If you’re not familiar with the entire “Code of ConDUCKt”, here it is.

Here’s an excerpt:

The Code of ConDUCKt requests fans to refrain from disruptive behavior, including foul language and obscene gestures; to sit only in their ticketed seats; to comply with requests from event staff; and use of tobacco products is only allowed in designated areas.

At Thursday’s game, I heard Don Essig refer to the Code of ConDUCKt in his pre-game announcements. So, that leads me to a couple of questions:

Question: Were fans engaging in “disruptive behavior”?

DSN (JJ): Probably, but that’s a hard one to determine. What’s the definition of “disruptive behavior”? It could mean anything from yelling “fire” to hitting someone. I really didn’t see any of that. Although, I think there was a lot of gasoline getting tossed around.

Question: Was there “foul language”?

DSN (JJ): Yes. “Kevin’s a p~$$#”. I think “f@%%&#” was also used. And I’m sure there was other language used that I just didn’t hear. Also, quite a number signs used foul language, as well.

Question: Were there “obscene gestures”?

DSN (JJ): Yeah. Saw those, too. I think the middle finger was the most popular one. Actually, I kept on seeing the same student do that right above Athletic Director Pat Kilkenny’s head, who was seated right in front of the student section on the floor. And could the contents of a sign be considered an “obscene gesture”? Maybe.

Here’s another excerpt:

“The University of Oregon is committed to doing everything it can to help ensure that its sporting events are safe and enjoyable for all spectators. With the Code of ConDUCKt and related efforts in place, Autzen Stadium will continue to be a premier venue for college football,” President Frohnmayer said.

Assuming that President Frohnmayer still believes this to be true and should be applied to all sports venues, here are a few more questions to think about:

Question: Was that game “safe and enjoyable for all spectators”?

DSN (JJ): I don’t think so. Just ask the Loves. What the Loves have done in the past does not matter here. What the Duck fans did Thursday night is the issue. Was it safe? Was it safe for the Loves? Yeah…after they had a complement of police officers surrounding them that would rival the President’s Secret Service protection. Was it “enjoyable” for them? Even though UCLA got the win, I doubt the experience was enjoyable.

But was the game even enjoyable for Duck fans? Probably not. It’s been described as stomach-turning, embarrassing, vile, disgusting, inappropriate, and foul. And that’s coming from Duck fans. When parents have to start telling their children “ear-muffs” at games, that’s not probably not “enjoyable”.

So, is the University of Oregon committed to making it safe and enjoyable for all fans, or just the ones that aren’t the Loves?

Here’s an excerpt from former Athletics Director Bill Moos:

“It is of utmost importance to the university that the behavior at our athletic events is consistent with the high standards for which we are known,” Moos emphasized. “I applaud the good work by members of my staff in addressing this concern and ask that our great fans be more conscious of how they treat each other while making Autzen Stadium the toughest place to play in the Pac-10.”

I’m going to assume current Athletics Director Pat Kilkenny agrees. If that’s the case…

Question: Was that game “consistent with the high standards for which we are known“?

DSN (JJ): No. Actually, I think Mac Court set a new low standard. And don’t kid yourself. For as much good will as Dennis Dixon pocketed for Oregon during the football season, Oregon just blew it all during the UCLA game. And Oregon is taking an absolute beating in the national press because of that game.

Question: Have members of the Athletics Department staff addressed these concerns?

DSN (JJ): I don’t know. But it doesn’t sound like they are going to be addressing these concerns. Here’s what the University of Oregon’s Greg Walker told the Los Angeles Times:

Greg Walker, a spokesman for the Oregon athletic department, acknowledged that some of the chants and signs were in poor taste. “But the other side of this is a free speech issue,” Walker said. “We don’t have the authority to take away signs. We don’t agree with all the things that were said or that they were in the best of taste. We’re aware of everything that was said and we’re not always proud. But there is a right to free speech.”

Question: Are signs at a University of Oregon basketball game a free speech issue?

DSN (JJ): I don’t think so. And why do I think that? Because the U of O says so. Let’s look back to the University of Oregon’s Code of ConDUCKt:

Spectators who refuse to abide by the behavior guidelines are subject to removal from the stadium, as well as the revocation of season tickets and/or the right to purchase single-game tickets to future University of Oregon events.

Question: What can the University of Oregon do in the future to prevent the concerns?

DSN (JJ): According to their own code, fans can be removed from the venue, have their season tickets revoked, and prevented from purchasing any tickets (to any events) for not complying with their code.

But here are a few more, less draconian (maybe more) steps they can take in addition to the ones mentioned in the code if things don’t improve:

- Ban all signs from Mac Court

- Discontinue the Pit Crew practice of lining up before the game

- Decertify the Pit Crew as a student organization

- Reduce student allotment of tickets

- Disperse the students to various sections around Mac Court

There’s one more thing that could be done: if the chanting happens again, Mr. Frohnmayer or Mr. Kilkenny could take the mic from Don Essig, apologize, and nicely request that the chanting stop.

And why is this a concern? Because it’s going to happen again when Washington and Ryan Appleby come to Mac Court.

Here are a couple of questions for you:

Question: Do you want the University of Oregon associated with that behavior?

Question: Do you think the behavior at the UCLA game did the University of Oregon any good?

Question: How would the University of Oregon have been viewed if they had at least been indifferent towards the Loves?

There are a lot of questions here. Fortunately, the University of Oregon doesn’t have to go very far to find the answers. They already know them.

Whether the U of O chooses to do anything is another question.

JJ

[Editor's note: If you are a regular visitor to DSN, you probably saw the posts we had on what to expect at the UCLA game (Pit Crew: Tonight, There Will Be Signs & Here’s What You Can Expect From The Pit Crew). Let me make this clear: I'm not against the Pit Crew having fun and making Mac Court an intimidating place for opposing teams. I anticipated more of a fun ESPN College Gameday feel to it, as opposed to what materialized Thursday night. And that's the spirit those other posts were made in.]

JJ, here.

The Pit Crew has been kind of enough to send Duck Sports News a preview of one of the signs that will be featured at tonight’s UCLA-UO game.  And I want to thank Max and the Pit Crew for sending us one of their more tame signs (that’s assuming you consider “hate” to be tame) as a preview of what fans can expect to see tonight.

As a side note, Inside UCLA’s Brian Dohn was on with George Schroeder and Justin Myers today on “The Writer’s Block” and noted that not only was Mac Court the best home court in the Pac-10, but also remarked on how well organized the Pit Crew is when it comes to student sections.

JJ, here.

There’s a big, bad monster coming to town named Kevin Love. And the Pit Crew has had this date circled on the calendar for a long time.

Make no mistake about it: Thursday’s game against UCLA is the Pit Crew’s “Cloverfield”.

But unlike “Cloverfield”, Duck Sports News has been given a sneak peak as to the verbal artillery the Pit Crew is going to unleash on UCLA’s freshman center, Kevin Love.

[Editor's note: Is this a bit sophomoric? Probably. However, from a practical point of view, sometimes I can't make out what the Pit Crew is chanting. Knowing ahead of time what I should be listening for will help.]

Here are some of the highlights from the “Pit Crew Post” (the Pit Crew’s publication):

- “Oregon In The News”

ESPN Bracketolgist Joe Lunardi has Oregon as a 9 seed in the South Region, playing Texas A&M in the first round, with Memphis in the second round game.

ESPN.com’s Andy Katz mentioned in his weekly preview “Kevin Love knows he’s going to be vilified by the McArthur Court crowd. The question is can he withstand the verbal assaults” and “Oregon can establish itself with a home sweep of the L.A. schools.” Let’s not disappoint Mr. Katz.

- “UCLA Dirt”

[Stan Love] flipped off high school students during Kevin’s junior year before a game.

Boo [Kevin Love] every time he touches the ball and beep like a truck when he backs down in the paint.

[Editor's note: Well, it's probably not good when there are multiple editor's notes. But here's another one about the notes in this section.

It appears that the Pit Crew has Kevin Love's cell phone number. Are we going to reprint it here? No. Although, it's not much different than the ESPN College GameDay signs featuring Nate Longshore's cell phone number. But I do have Mr. Underhill's Visa number, if you want that.

Expect the Crew to make fun of Kevin's father & ex-Duck Stan Love. And it looks like they will be targeting Lorenza Mata-Real, as well (if he plays).]

- “Chants”

For Kevin Love: Fatt-y, Lake-O Hates You, U-O Hates You, Tread-mill, Sing-ler’s Bet-ter

For Stan Love: Burn-out, Psy-cho par-ent, Beach Boy Beat-er

For UCLA: Ni-ke re-jects, Ni-ke’s bet-ter. UCLA is an adidas school

- “Notable”

Wear yellow to EVERY game. If you see someone not wearing yellow at a game, encourage them to wear yellow for the next game.

To round out their publication, the Pit Crew was kind enough to publish the lyrics to “DuckTales”:

Life is like a hurricane here in Duckburg
Race cars, lasers, aeroplanes - it’s a duck blur
You might solve a mystery or rewrite history

Duck Tales, Oo-oo
Tales of derring-do, bad and good luck tales, oo-oo

D-d-d-danger, watch behind you - there’s a stranger out to find you
What to do? Just grab onto some Duck Tales, oo-oo!
Not pony tails or cotton tails but Duck Tales, oo-oo!

Duck Tales, Oo-oo
Tales of derring-do, bad and good luck tales, oo-oo
Not pony tails or cotton tails but Duck Tales, oo-oo!

And “Mighty Oregon”:

Oregon, our Alma Mater
We will guard thee on and on
Fellows gather round and cheer her
Chant her glory Oregon
Roar the praises of her warriors
Sing the story Oregon
On to victory urge the heroes
Of our mighty Oregon!

[Editor's note: One of the Pit Crew's admins has informed me that there will be inflatables at this game.  Hopefully, parents won't have to cover up their kid's eyes at this game.  Although, this might be a case for "ear muffs".]

High road? What high road is this you speak of?

As much as I agree with Bob Rickert’s suggested anti-Nike approach to Kevin Love, “Just Don’t Do It” sentiment, I don’t think that’s an option. Although, I think a version of that approach would be interesting, unnerving, and doable. What if the Pit Crew (and the fans) simply turned their back on Kevin Love in complete silence? I’m talking “pin drop” silence. Now, that would make a statement because sometimes silence can be deafening. And I know that’s probably something he’s never heard before.

But I don’t expect that to happen. Instead, I’m anticipating one of the best home theater, surround sound performances ever from the Pit Crew, Duck fans, and Mac Court. Probably a performance worthy of Monster cables.

JJ, here.

So, how will the Pit Crew express their affection Thursday night for the Oregon-raised-Lake-Oswego-graduate-Beach Boy-related-Son of Stan-UCLA-freshman-center-Kevin Love? They did a pretty good job of keeping things in the pink with their message to one of the Lopez twins.

Trying to keep things from getting too blue, do you have any Pit Crew sign suggestions for Mr. Love?