The “Suck It Duckett” sign was one thing. Maybe the Northwestern fan who hastily scribbled it on a bent, torn piece of cardboard has a personal vendetta against the stocky Michigan State running back. Maybe he enjoys mindless teasing, or maybe he thought his rhyming effort was poetry.
But shoving the sign into Spartans fans’ faces and screaming profanities at them after the game was crossing the line.
The Wildcats won the game, for Pete’s sake. Was the negativity really necessary?
NU fans were allowed to transcend the thin line between fantasy and reality on Saturday. They were a part of something that was too zany and miraculous, even for Hollywood. Being at this game was an experience one will never forget. But it was great because of the hard-fought battle on the field, not because of the animosity between NU and Michigan State.
The ‘we/they’ mentality following the game came at a bad time. Three hours and forty-one minutes earlier, fans of both teams wore American flag patches and willingly submitted to detailed safety checks for the public good.
Whatever happened to patting your opponents on the back, saying ‘good game’ and slapping hands? Most children learned that ritual in Little League and Pop Warner. You don’t have to be a player to do it — fans can participate, too.
Instead, a few insolent NU fans gave Michigan State backers a reason to hate them. This is especially unfortunate because of NU’s prior reputation as having a polite following. In fact, green-clad Michiganders were overheard praising NU fans for just that on shuttle buses and outside the stadium gates prior to the game.
Not to suggest that taking the moral high ground is perpetually obligatory, but what about the Golden Rule? I know if I had a five-hour drive home after suffering an excruciating last-second loss, I would want desperately to put the game out of my mind. Michigan State fans had nothing to complain about — if anything, their team benefited from several borderline calls by referees. But they are the ones who had to read the lamenting headlines in the Sunday paper and see that sly ‘1’ in the Spartans loss column.
Picture this: You drive six hours to Columbus, Ohio, this weekend to watch the Cats battle Ohio State. NU loses on a last-second, 60-yard touchdown pass from Steve Bellisari to Michael Jenkins. You leave the stadium in shock.
Now how would you prefer to be knocked out of your daze: your friend puts his arm around your shoulder and pledges to get ’em next year in Evanston, or a Buckeyes fan gets up in your face and harangues you for wearing a purple shirt?
Michigan State fans committed a faux pas or two on Saturday, as well. One inebriated young man applauded his team as they ran off the field at halftime, yelling in slurred speech, “Forget about your education, boys. Football is life!”
But at least the Spartans fan (in this case) was focusing on something moronic, which is much better than acting maliciously.
The Cats are enjoying their first 3-0 start since way before NU students were born. Let’s keep things positive and relish the moment.
Joe Ziomek is a Weinberg senior. He can be reached at [email protected].
