# God, do I despise Florida State University. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 4, 2006, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-do-i-despise-florida-state-university/338345 "2006-01-04T04:25:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mellivora\_capensis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mellivora\_capensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mellivora_capensis)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-do-i-despise-florida-state-university/338345/21 "2006-01-04T10:00:53Z")
> [@](#): > > **don’t ask** > You are still having trouble with umpires. Ahem…well, yes, indeed, unreliable little bastards. I think I might issue a product recall on that line soon. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-do-i-despise-florida-state-university/338345/22 "2006-01-04T10:13:55Z")
> [@David Simmons](#): > > It seems to me that a lot of football coaches are recuiting thugs. An institution as large as American college football, which happens to reward (by definition) some of the same athletic and team-player abilities required to pull off daring criminal stunts, is bound to attract a few criminals. “Successful” criminals being by their nature good at hiding their true selves, and football coaches being by their job description hassled and harrassed to go out and find athletic young men, it shouldn’t be surprising that a few criminals slip through the cracks. Considering the incredibly large number of college football players there are out there, and that the game is often a rags-to-riches medium due to its societal context, do you really see that big of a proportion of “thugs”? Or am I missing something?\* - Entirely possible, since I don’t avidly follow stories of athlete misadventures. Then again, I was once busted for smoking dope with a couple of football players at/for a well-known Pac-10 university, and given the background of the “amateur” athletes in question, the quality of the dope they smoked suggested that they were getting added benefits of some kind. I don’t feel the need to post (repost?) the details here, but if you’re especially curious you can email me. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-do-i-despise-florida-state-university/338345/23 "2006-01-04T12:49:54Z")
I can’t stand that football team or the fat head who runs them. But I had to bet on them last night, and I loves getting the best of both worlds. . .seeing them lose and covering the spread. I kind of like the war chant. In theory. I just wish that as modern man we had our own original war chants. It’s gotta be fun to “war chant” for something. It’s better than “Who Let the Dogs Out?” ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-do-i-despise-florida-state-university/338345/24 "2006-01-04T12:54:12Z")
Watching them do the war chant, and more specifically the “tomahawk chop” that accompanies it, always makes me think of Hitler youth. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-do-i-despise-florida-state-university/338345/25 "2006-01-04T13:23:48Z")
> [@Airman Doors](#): > > …the reason why I hate them so much is that unspeakably annoying fight song that they play approximately once every 30 seconds. I’m not terribly interested in the game, but I’m always curious about the score, and so I’ve been checking every half hour or so. And without fail, every single time I check there’s the Florida State band playing that stupid fight song. It’s like nails on a chalkboard. Even worse - that damn ad during the game, featuring the sub-moron singing along as his cellphone plays the _Dukes of Hazzard_ theme song: _Just-a good ‘ol boys Never meanin’ no harm_ If this inspires more knuckle-dragging idiots to start singing along with their ringtones and cellphone “theme songs” in public, I’m going to be in the market for a portable water cannon. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-do-i-despise-florida-state-university/338345/26 "2006-01-04T14:32:54Z")
**Airman Doors, USAF** , I agree with you 100%. I spent five hours listening to that damn chant last night, and after the first 20 minutes I hated it more than that Gary Glitter “Hey!” anthem. Which is saying a lot. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-do-i-despise-florida-state-university/338345/27 "2006-01-04T14:51:03Z")
> [@fetus](#): > > An institution as large as American college football, which happens to reward (by definition) some of the same athletic and team-player abilities required to pull off daring criminal stunts, is bound to attract a few criminals. “Successful” criminals being by their nature good at hiding their true selves, and football coaches being by their job description hassled and harrassed to go out and find athletic young men, it shouldn’t be surprising that a few criminals slip through the cracks. Considering the incredibly large number of college football players there are out there, and that the game is often a rags-to-riches medium due to its societal context, do you really see that big of a proportion of “thugs”? Or am I missing something?\* I’m sorry but this is just excusing the inexcusable. I don’t believe that the thugs first begin to commit crimes such as rape, assault, robbery (we’re not talking about a joint here and there) when they get to college. How difficult is it really to learn about the general character and behavior of someone whose athletic accomplishments the coach knows in equisite detail? The “Who me? How could I possibly have known that?” line is just so much baloney. Colleges regularly admit as students because of athletic ability, those without the background for college level work. Athletes, and particularly football players, are the only ones who are so admitted. ---
**Author:** ![Albert\_Rose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@Albert\_Rose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Albert_Rose)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-do-i-despise-florida-state-university/338345/28 "2006-01-04T16:49:40Z")
Yeah, just ask [U. of Miami](http://peacecorpsonline.org/messages/messages/467/2023104.html) fans. ---
**Author:** ![light\_strand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a6a055/32.png) [@light\_strand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/light_strand)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-do-i-despise-florida-state-university/338345/29 "2006-01-04T17:03:05Z")
Good Lord, I was hoping that is what this rant was going to be about! During the ND/OSU game, I was commenting to my husband about how it was pleasant to hear bands that played things like jigs, and fight songs, more than just that stupid, insidious chant. I told him, that no matter how much I wanted to see PSU kick the Seminole’s collective asses, I would not be watching it because of damn chant. It really sucked not watching the game, but that chant just gets under my skin. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-do-i-despise-florida-state-university/338345/30 "2006-01-04T17:12:51Z")
> [@light strand](#): > > Good Lord, I was hoping that is what this rant was going to be about! During the ND/OSU game, I was commenting to my husband about how it was pleasant to hear bands that played things like jigs, and fight songs, more than just that stupid, insidious chant. I told him, that no matter how much I wanted to see PSU kick the Seminole’s collective asses, I would not be watching it because of damn chant. It really sucked not watching the game, but that chant just gets under my skin. My mute button took care of that quite nicely. I wish they would find a better cheer, the chant is irritating and a bit demeaning to our Native Americans. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-do-i-despise-florida-state-university/338345/31 "2006-01-04T17:22:38Z")
> [@Wolfian](#): > > Bands play fight songs and variations on fight songs _ad naseum_. Its’ what we do. Sorry. This is why the rest of us ostracize band geeks. It’s what we do. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-do-i-despise-florida-state-university/338345/32 "2006-01-04T17:38:26Z")
I really do. And the funny thing is, it’s not because the town sucks. I’m sure it’s a perfectly good City. It’s not because they’re consistently competitive in football. They draft well, and so they deserve their success. No, the reason why I hate them so much is those unspeakably annoying “Terrible Towels” that their fans wave approximately once every 30 seconds. I’m not terribly interested in the game, but I’m always curious about the score, and so I’ve been checking every half hour or so. And without fail, every single time I check there are a bunch of Steeler fans waving their little towels. It’s like nails on a chalkboard. Those towels should be banned. There should be criminal penalties for waving them, punishable with 10-year sentences for the first offense and death for the second. Or, if that doesn’t fly with you the perpetrators should be forced to have another team’s flag waved in thier face for a full 24 hours nonstop at high speeds. Vengeful? Absolutely. But fair. Doors, you’re a hypocrite. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-do-i-despise-florida-state-university/338345/33 "2006-01-04T17:54:58Z")
> [@Weirddave](#): > > Doors, you’re a hypocrite. Not at all, unless of course you can hear a Terrible Towel swishing in the air during the entire game. See, cameras focus on the game. As a result, you’ll find that while you can occasionally see a Terrible Towel swishing aound you cannot help but hear that damn “war chant”. Since hearing the game adds to the experience, I find it terribly annoying to watch the game on mute. There’s a big difference between the two. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-do-i-despise-florida-state-university/338345/34 "2006-01-04T17:57:43Z")
> [@Weirddave](#): > > Doors, you’re a hypocrite. How the fuck is that hypocritical? Even if the FSU fans waved _white_ towels and he hated them it wouldn’t be hypocritical. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-do-i-despise-florida-state-university/338345/35 "2006-01-04T18:12:30Z")
There’s no difference except that one is visual and one is aural. They are both rituals designed to cheer on your team. Criticizing one while applauding the other is hypocritical. ---
**Author:** ![light\_strand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a6a055/32.png) [@light\_strand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/light_strand)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-do-i-despise-florida-state-university/338345/36 "2006-01-04T18:38:51Z")
> [@Weirddave](#): > > There’s no difference except that one is visual and one is aural. They are both rituals designed to cheer on your team. Criticizing one while applauding the other is hypocritical. Nope. Not same. I don’t have a dog in this fight, and I can guarantee you that the towels are not one micro-measurement-for-annoying than that of the chant. However, your equating them when this is just an innocuous little rant does make you a mega-measurement-for-a-dick. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-do-i-despise-florida-state-university/338345/37 "2006-01-04T18:48:53Z")
Nah, he’s not a dick. He’s a Ravens fan, and while some might say that Ravens fans ARE dicks, I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt and assuming that he’s just putting the screws to me because I’m a Steelers fan and he’s bitter that the Ravens didn’t make the playoffs. 😉 Or, alternatively, he really thinks that I’m a hypocrite. It’s not like that’s never happened before either. But regardless, Dave’s a good guy. ---
**Author:** ![Try\_As\_I\_Might](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea666f/32.png) [@Try\_As\_I\_Might](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try_As_I_Might)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-do-i-despise-florida-state-university/338345/38 "2006-01-04T18:54:27Z")
It could be worse, FSU could play OU. “War chant” v. “Boomer Sooners” all game loooooong… ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-do-i-despise-florida-state-university/338345/39 "2006-01-04T19:04:05Z")
> [@Airman Doors](#): > > Nah, he’s not a dick. He’s a Ravens fan, and while some might say that Ravens fans ARE dicks, I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt and assuming that he’s just putting the screws to me because I’m a Steelers fan and he’s bitter that the Ravens didn’t make the playoffs. 😉 Plus, the first few times the Steelers went to Baltimore to play the Ravens, there were about as many Steelers fans in Memorial Stadium as there were Ravens fans. That may have even carried over into the new stadium. It was really annoying at the time. ---
**Author:** ![light\_strand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a6a055/32.png) [@light\_strand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/light_strand)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-do-i-despise-florida-state-university/338345/40 "2006-01-04T19:10:23Z")
> [@Airman Doors](#): > > Nah, he’s not a dick. He’s a Ravens fan, and while some might say that Ravens fans ARE dicks, I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt and assuming that he’s just putting the screws to me because I’m a Steelers fan and he’s bitter that the Ravens didn’t make the playoffs. 😉 > > Or, alternatively, he really thinks that I’m a hypocrite. It’s not like that’s never happened before either. But regardless, Dave’s a good guy. Do you suppose he knows that the Ravens suck? Should someone tell him? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-do-i-despise-florida-state-university/338345.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-do-i-despise-florida-state-university/338345.md?page=3)