OT: SEC becomes No Fun League

[TheBand]

http://www.clarionledger.com/news/0308/22/wmsu02.html

August 22, 2003

SEC adds cowbell ban for non-league games

'We don't like it, but we accept it,' says MSU athletic director

By Todd Kelly

[email protected]

Oregon's football players will get a steamy dose of heat and humidity in Starkville next weekend when they play against Mississippi State.

The Ducks, however, will miss another local tradition: cowbells.

Last week's vote by Southeastern Conference athletic directors to standardize game management operations for all games means the league's rule against artificial noisemakers has been extended to include non-conference games in 2003. The referee at MSU's home games against Oregon on Aug. 30 and Memphis on Oct. 11 will have the authority to warn and subsequently penalize the Bulldogs for what he deems a "significant" amount of cowbell noise in the stands — the same policy that was strengthened for SEC games only prior to last season.

"I just hope our people will respect it and not put our team in a difficult position," Mississippi State athletic director Larry Templeton said Thursday. "We don't like the rule, but we accept it being a member of this conference. We're going to abide by the rules of this conference."

After considerable preseason speculation last year on how the rule would be enforced, the Bulldogs ended up being warned once and penalized once against Kentucky on Nov. 2 at Scott Field.

Templeton and SEC associate commisioner Charles Bloom said the policy was not amended with the specific idea of extending the ban on artificial noisemakers.

"I would just say it happened to fall under this package," Bloom said. "I think it was was really done just to standardize the game management operations for people working the games ... (so as) not to have four (home) games with one set of rules and two or three (home) games with a different set of rules."

In addition to artificial noisemakers, sideline pass allotment and cheerleader location also were affected, Bloom said. Postgame "curtain calls" won't be permitted, while marching bands will be limited in the number of songs they can play after games are finished.

Bloom said the changes arose from the league's "sportsmanship summit" in February.

"The athletic directors told the game management directors (from each school) to come up with some proposals that would help sportsmanship," Bloom said.

Templeton indicated the league's athletic directors voted unanimously to approve policy changes.

"There was some debate on individual issues, but it was probably 12-0 when the whole package was voted on," Templeton said.

Bloom said the SEC office was leaving any announcements on the policy changes to individual schools. Templeton indicated MSU would issue a statement before the opener.

"I'm sure we'll remind everybody about all kinds of things, such as alcohol, parking, traffic control, noisemakers and sportsmanship," he said. "I think sportsmanship has been probably the No. 1 topic."

[Billiken Rich]

You've got to be kidding me. So much for the "college experience" If it filters over in to basketball rules as well all college sporting events will resemble Billikens games. Polite applause only, from the really elderly.

[Box and Won]

Next thing you know, they'll be changing the name of their dance team.

[Schasz]

I don't know, my wife and I will be happy campers if we hear the UT band play "Rocky Top" a whole lot when we see the Vols play the Canes in Miami.

[Taj79]

... hand-held, home-painted signs and placards from all games involving CUSA basketball teams .... conference, non-conference and tournament.

Why do you think the kid up and left for the A-10 and George Washington University? You don't believe it had anything to do with college and getting an education, do you?

[SluSignGuy]

Taj you figured it out. I just had to go to GW for the Sign factor...hehe