There have been some big games played in Cameron Indoor Stadium this season, but in less than two weeks our top-ranked Men's Basketball team will host Maryland for the biggest one yet. Then, just 13 days later, our real rival will come to town for a rematch of Thursday's instant classic.
As usual, the Maryland and UNC home games will serve as huge tests for the Blue Devils. This year, they'll also serve as huge tests for all of us Cameron Crazies, who will be under extra scrutiny this year.
As I write this, Maryland Assistant Attorney General John Anderson is conducting an investigation of First Amendment case law at the request of UM officials. His task is to determine if Comcast Center security is legally permitted to eject Maryland fans who wear "@#$% Duke" shirts or participate in F-Bomb laden chants.
Clearly, none of us would ever want the Cameron Crazies to mirror the obscene bunch that attend Terrapin games. That said, we are not the best-known fans in the country simply because we cheer for our team loudly.
Like it or not, the Cameron Crazies are famous because they have for decades behaved in a manner that can be described, depending on who you ask, as either very obnoxious or very mean (if you don't know the history here, look up the names "Herman Veal" and "Steve Hale").
Although we may not have to worry about our classmates wearing "@#$% UNC" shirts, I doubt that many would be happy if the ACC adopted the current Big Ten rule that bans student sections from engaging in chants against individual players.
As Cameron Crazies, we now face a crossroads. On one hand, many are calling on us to distinguish ourselves from Maryland-style fans and "win with class." On the other, some complain that we've lost our edge and come to rely on boring chants like "SHEL-DEN WILL-IAMS" for fear of being deemed offensive. Now, it's time to choose.
The upcoming Maryland and UNC games will go a long way in determining Cameron Crazie future, as they represent the first in a long series of encounters between us and two of our biggest potential targets. On Feb. 22, we meet D.J. Strawberry. On March 6, we see Roy Williams.
Strawberry and Williams practically write their own cheers. Strawberry, Maryland's freshman shooting guard, goes by the name "D.J." in order to distance himself from his father. I'm sure I'm not the only one who heard of his college plans and instantly thought about welcoming him to Durham with flour-filled plastic baggies and the "DAR-RYL" chant.
As far as Williams goes, he almost took the Carolina job in 2000, but turned it down at an emotional rally for the Kansas fans who had lined the streets of Lawrence with signs and banners begging him to stay.
Then, after tearfully telling Bonnie Bernstein that he didn't "give a &*!^ about Carolina" during a postgame interview, he accepted the once-again offered UNC job, leading injured Jayhawk Wayne Simeon to angrily but truthfully say "I gave my right arm for that man." We might not be able to chant "D'OH!" at UNC games anymore, but "TRAITOR" and "Benedict Williams" might suffice. We also now have the perfect opportunity to perform the best cheer in college sports: "Rock Chalk Jayhawk."
Targeting Strawberry and Williams could be more than entertaining. It might be effective. Opposing players frequently admit that we get to them, and it would be shocking if a freshman like Strawberry could remain oblivious to personal taunts. Williams, of course, is an extremely emotional man whose heart looks like it could still be in Lawrence. He'd definitely be easier to break than Gary Williams, who dropped an F-Bomb at us after hearing the "Sweat, Gary, Sweat" and "GA-RY" chants last year.
So what's it going to be? Should we attack our opponents as viciously as we can without crossing the line into blatant obscenity? Or should we focus only on our team and lay off people like Strawberry and Williams who have done nothing to us and seem like pretty decent guys?
We'll find out soon, but consider this footnote: as intense as the game may be, the "DAR-RYL" chant is one that needs to be done very very SLOWLY. Do not start it quickly and do not speed it up as you go along. Just a slow, elongated "DAR-RYL." Every time he touches the ball.
Nathan Carleton is a Trinity junior. His column appears every other Monday.
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