Some prominent local Tiger fans want the crowd in Tiger Stadiumto revive an old tradition to stop a new and unwelcome one.
These fans want the crowd to greet the visiting team by chanting”Tiger Bait” instead of booing them.
“Tiger Bait” was the standard cheer when LSU’s opposition tookto the field until the 1980s, when fans began booing instead, saidHerb Vincent, associate athletics director.
Purple & Gold magazine is leading a host of local businessesin the push to bring back the chant. Raising Cane’s and Babcock LawFirm are among several other local businesses involved.
Malcolm Brownell, Purple & Gold publisher, ran with the ideaafter Athletics Director Skip Bertman mentioned it last year in abroadcast e-mail to fans about sportsmanship, Vincent said.
“I’ve been a die-hard LSU fan all my life,” Brownell said. “Iremember as a small kid, it was always ‘Tiger Bait! Tiger Bait!’And then all of a sudden it became the norm to boo.”
Brownell recently re-opened Purple & Gold, an LSU sportspublication.
“I hate booing the other team just as much as I hate our fansbooing our own players,” Brownell said. His supporters agree.
“I just don’t believe booing college kids we’ve invited into ourstadium accurately reflects the rich tradition of LSU football,”said Stephen Babcock, head of Babcock Law Firm and a 2000 LSU LawSchool alumnus.
The businesses sponsoring the change have taken out ads inseveral local publications, Babcock said.
Vincent said fans in nearly every stadium boo the opponents, butTiger fans have a good reason not to do so.
“It’s not just LSU, but we have a unique alternative to booing,”Vincent said.
Babcock said the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.Though the LSU Athletic Department is not directly involved, it hasgiven its support to the effort.
Brownell, Babcock and Vincent agree it is up to the studentsection to end the booing in Tiger Stadium.
“Almost everyone is absolutely in favor of this,” Babcock said.”But what we really need is the concerted effort of the students inthe student section. Whether it’s a choreographed dance or startingthe wave, the students lead what goes on in the stadium.”
Students said chanting “Tiger Bait” is a good idea, but a hardone to coordinate.
Adam Chapman, a marketing junior, said he knew about the changeat last week’s game, but those trying to yell “Tiger Bait” weredrowned out by the boos.
“It’s a good idea,” Chapman said. “I don’t have a problem withyelling ‘boo’ or ‘Tiger Bait,’ but it is a little more classy tosay ‘Tiger Bait.”
Chapman said many students knew about the idea, but it had notime to catch on before LSU ran on to the field.
“We started yelling ‘Tiger Bait,’ but then we had to cheer forthe Tigers anyway,” he said.
Julie Walker, a mass communication sophomore, said she likes theidea, but does not think it will work.
“I don’t see the students not booing the opponent when they runout, but it would be a cute idea if everyone in the stands said’Tiger Bait,'” Walker said. “It’s a tradition that we use whiletailgating, so why don’t we just bring it in the stadium?”