The Cowbell: How did we get here?

jcdawgman18 · Oct 26, 2010

Look, this is not a joke. The SEC is serious. It really is follow the rules or no bells at
all. 



I have a class with Dr. Keenum on Monday afternoons. It’s an Honors leadership seminar. Usually, Dr. Keenum has a speaker talk to us
about their story and what traits they think are most important in a leader. However, Dr. Keenum spoke himself the first
week. He spent a few minutes telling us
his story, but quickly moved on to the cowbell issue.



He told us about how we had gotten to this point. He said last January he got a call from Mike
Slive, who said that the other members of the conference said something had to
be done about the cowbells. This is what
spurred our athletic department to prepare the compromise in advance of the
meetings in June. At the meetings, we
attempted to have the ban on artificial noisemakers lifted (and we were of
course voted down 11-1). 



The rest of the members immediately wanted to discuss a fine
structure. When Dr. Keenum and Scott
Stricklin tried to explain just how much the cowbell means to our fanbase and
how effective we had become at smuggling them, their response was “don’t worry,
we’ll just make the fines severe enough that even the fans will agree that you
have to enforce it.” Several other
presidents said we should just get rid of the “stupid things” and install metal
detectors. In short, the other members
of the conference don’t care whether or not it’s fair nor how much of an
inconvenience more stringent enforcement would be, they will require us to do
whatever is necessary to remove the cowbells.



We instead proposed the compromise that we are now supposed
to be operating under. Somehow, we
convinced enough others that we deserved one last chance to save our tradition.
And that’s literally what it is. Dr. Keenum and Scott Stricklin are out of
bullets so to speak. If we don’t follow
the rules, we have given the others all the ammunition they need to step in
with serious measures. Also, it’s going
to be hard to garner any sympathy from ESPN or any other media when they know
full well we were given a set of rules ahead of time.



When you ring irresponsibly, you are saying you don’t
believe that our administration is telling us the truth. Think about that. And if you claim to believe them, how in the
world can you justify not ringing responsibly? Are you that selfish? Are you that stupid?



The only leverage we can gain in this is if we really step
up these last two games and do the right thing. Anything else is just an out and out surrender
of our most precious tradition.

jcdawgman18 · Oct 26, 2010

Look, this is not a joke. The SEC is serious. It really is follow the rules or no bells at
all. 



I have a class with Dr. Keenum on Monday afternoons. It’s an Honors leadership seminar. Usually, Dr. Keenum has a speaker talk to us
about their story and what traits they think are most important in a leader. However, Dr. Keenum spoke himself the first
week. He spent a few minutes telling us
his story, but quickly moved on to the cowbell issue.



He told us about how we had gotten to this point. He said last January he got a call from Mike
Slive, who said that the other members of the conference said something had to
be done about the cowbells. This is what
spurred our athletic department to prepare the compromise in advance of the
meetings in June. At the meetings, we
attempted to have the ban on artificial noisemakers lifted (and we were of
course voted down 11-1). 



The rest of the members immediately wanted to discuss a fine
structure. When Dr. Keenum and Scott
Stricklin tried to explain just how much the cowbell means to our fanbase and
how effective we had become at smuggling them, their response was “don’t worry,
we’ll just make the fines severe enough that even the fans will agree that you
have to enforce it.” Several other
presidents said we should just get rid of the “stupid things” and install metal
detectors. In short, the other members
of the conference don’t care whether or not it’s fair nor how much of an
inconvenience more stringent enforcement would be, they will require us to do
whatever is necessary to remove the cowbells.



We instead proposed the compromise that we are now supposed
to be operating under. Somehow, we
convinced enough others that we deserved one last chance to save our tradition.
And that’s literally what it is. Dr. Keenum and Scott Stricklin are out of
bullets so to speak. If we don’t follow
the rules, we have given the others all the ammunition they need to step in
with serious measures. Also, it’s going
to be hard to garner any sympathy from ESPN or any other media when they know
full well we were given a set of rules ahead of time.



When you ring irresponsibly, you are saying you don’t
believe that our administration is telling us the truth. Think about that. And if you claim to believe them, how in the
world can you justify not ringing responsibly? Are you that selfish? Are you that stupid?



The only leverage we can gain in this is if we really step
up these last two games and do the right thing. Anything else is just an out and out surrender
of our most precious tradition.

Big Sheep81 · Oct 26, 2010

on this board. This ain't the 1970's and metal detectors will be used. Not only that, but those fines will start at $100k and work their way up. If these self-righteous and self-centered ******** would just simply comply for the most part we could continue to keep our bells. I have idiots around my seats (only a handful) who ring like moronic monkeys. Most of the folks around us try to follow the message board. There are damn few posters on here who have the good sense to not push this issue. But they do and the rest of our fanbase will suffer.

When a couple of these message board morons get escorted to the gates during a game for ringing and not just have their bell confiscated the light may go on for some of them. Very few, but some. The few that learn will regret their actions. The others should just stay home in their damn single or double-wides or whatever public housing they can find and ring their bells there. At least then we will be rid of their sorry asses.

Maroon Eagle · Oct 26, 2010

jcdawgman18 said:
When you ring irresponsibly, you are saying you don’t believe that our administration is telling us the truth. Think about that. And if you claim to believe them, how in the world can you justify not ringing responsibly? Are you that selfish? Are you that stupid?

However, I think the perception is that people are ringing irresponsibly because they don't believe the conference office is telling us the truth.

Andonecouldmake a case for that perception because:

1. The conference did notpubliclyannounce thatMississippi State University violated the compromise shortly after the Auburn or Georgia games. Had the conference office or commissioner made periodic announcements, that would have been a good thing because it shows that the office is being open to the concerns of its constituents.
2. Disdain by other conference members and theofficefor cowbells is well known.
3. Mike Slive is the current DDDY.

While I trust the conference office in this regard, I can see why others don't what with theperception of MSU being theSEC's whipping boy. The sad thing is that the other fans want to continue that cyclebecause oftheir actions.

War Machine Dawg · Oct 26, 2010

Yes, I'm somewhat serious. Either we're a SEC member with the full rights, privileges, benefits, and respect of the other 11 schools or we aren't. If we aren't, we're wasting our time staying in this conference. The other 11 schools' traditions are all respected and remain largely undisturbed. Why are ours singled out? And only singled out when we're WINNING? Either we demand the respect we deserve as a CHARTER MEMBER of the SEC or we take our ball elsewhere. Big 12 might like to expand eastward.

RobbieRandolph · Oct 26, 2010

I mean lets get 6mill/year like Baylor instead of the 15 mill/year simply because we can't create artificial noise 6 to 7 times a year. Sounds legit to me.

drail14me · Oct 26, 2010

If you can't see this, you are blind. This was simply a way for the other universities to say "Look, we gave you a chance and you couldn't control it." The whole plan reeked of corruption from the start.

"Ok MSU, we'll give you a chance. Only ring them at the right times. If you don't we're going to fine you. Oh, and we're not going to tell you at the time you violate the rule, we're going to tell you a few weeks later. Oh, and it won't be an on field, somewhat impartial, ref making the call. Instead, it will be someone from the opposing team along with an official from the SEC office."

Give me a BREAK!!!! What kind of <17> rule is that.

The other schools wanted them gone and they are about to be gone. Ole Miss loses Col Reb and now we lose the Cowbell.

My only glimmer of hope is in the legal system. I've been wondering if there was some kind of suit that and INDIVIDUAL fan could file claiming that their personal rights have been violated under the equal protection clause since we were being singled out or something like that. The NCAA does not have such a rule and the SEC didn't come up with a rule to ban them until after they'd been around for 40 years? Any lawyers out there?

jmbeck · Oct 26, 2010

You know, at this point, nothing surprises me anymore...

DowntownDawg · Oct 26, 2010

.....Yeah, let's call the Big 12. That's a conference on the way up.

AzzurriDawg4 · Oct 26, 2010

are the same people, they just cheer for both schools.

Yeah, it is a big conspiracy...it reeked of corruption. What a 17ing joke.

OMlawdog · Oct 26, 2010

Don't let Slive and his evil minions take away your precious traditions. Look at what has happened at the University of Mississippi, don't let it happen to y'all.

I and 99% of the Flood fanbase support you in your desire to leave the SEC. Of course we would have some small fraction of the fan base that wouldn't want this just because they are retarded.

Let us know what we can do to help this movement.

dawgstudent · Oct 26, 2010

[No message]

Shmuley · Oct 26, 2010

DesotoCountyDawg · Oct 26, 2010

jamdawg96 · Oct 26, 2010

That is basically what I gathered from your post.<div>
</div><div>All tradition aside, what the f*ck good is a cowbell if we can't ring it on 3rd down?</div><div>
</div><div>Ring Responsibly is one of the most unrealistic expectations I've ever heard of. It's like telling someone not to make noises during sex. It's inevitable. And does it really make a difference? Can we check the decibel levels of our stadium compared to others? A little scientific proof might help our cause. It's loud when the cowbells are ringing, but is it really that much louder than the average SEC stadium?</div><div>
</div><div>This is a big god damn joke.</div>

jcdawgman18 · Oct 26, 2010

Plus, your voice is worth more than your cowbell on third down. No, most people can't yell louder than a cowbell. However, on the field the voice is a bigger deal. Why? Because when people yell they are actually pointing right at the field, where as when they ring their cowbell it is pointing straight up.

If you're really so adamant about it because you value the noise-making ability of the bell and that alone, you should ring your bell with it pointing at the field. Otherwise, you're just a fan who is too lazy to yell who's hiding behind the veil of tradition.

JimHalpert.nafoom · Oct 26, 2010

Mr Meoff · Oct 26, 2010

Okay, here's the deal. You may have sex tonight and tomorrow night, but it's a test...

You can make a little noise, but not too much. If you can just keep it down for these two nights, we'll let you keep having sex all of next year. If you get all crazy and scream like a caged howler monkey at the top of your lungs, disturbing the neighbors, then you will never. have. sex. again... Ever.

Do you want to proceed with the two-night test, or should I mark you down for "never mind, I don't even want to try it." What'll it be, Mr. Hefner?

dawgstudent · Oct 26, 2010

Your analogy is a little off. You would have to be quiet every time you are at home. And on the road - you couldn't even do it all.

lanceharbor7 · Oct 26, 2010

<pif we="we" follow="follow" the="the" have="have" given="given" others="others" all="all" ammunition="ammunition" they="they" need="need" to="to" step="step" in="in" with="with" serious="serious" style="">Also, it’s going
to be hard to garner any sympathy from ESPN or any other media when they know
full well we were given a set of rules ahead of time.</pif>

Your media presumptions are false.



When you ring irresponsibly, you are saying you don’t
believe that our administration is telling us the truth. Think about that. And if you claim to believe them, how in the
world can you justify not ringing responsibly? Are you that selfish? Are you that stupid?

In no way is someone saying this by ringing a cowbell.



The only leverage we can gain in this is if we really step
up these last two games and do the right thing. Anything else is just an out and out surrender
of our most precious tradition. [/quote]

It doesn't have to be surrendered. It's MSU's tradition, not the SEC. Bells are not rung by MSU fans at the leisure of the SEC.

We are essentially talking about 4 SEC home games per year. I'd be interested to see what fines the SEC proposes for next year. 250k per game? That's $5 per ticket for those four games. I'd pay an extra $5 bucks so my fellow bulldogs can continue a 70 year old tradition.

boomboommsu · Oct 26, 2010

"There will be no more picture retakes." "It's a myth that putting your beer in a cup will keep the cops from busting you." Hell, "alcohol free campus". "No more late nights".

I dont' know about your MSU experience, but in mine the administration was full of nothing but bullshitting yes men.

jamdawg96 · Oct 26, 2010

That is all kinds of flawed. Sex is the game. Noise is the cowbells. We're still going to be able to attend the games, we just won't be able to make our usual noise... no matter what.<div>
</div><div>This debate is overblown. They're always going to come down on the cowbells when we're on the rise. Years from now when we're back in the cellar, no one will care anymore. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.</div><div>
</div><div>Is it possible that we learn to Ring Responsibly? Perhaps. In one season? Hell no. It's just going to take some time. If anything, cowbell controversy is a sign of success. And that's all that matters to me right now.</div>

Mr Meoff · Oct 26, 2010

But to clarify -- while at home, he could make all the noise he wanted during foreplay, post-coitus, and during time-outs... That's not the same as being totally quiet, and most people would take that over the other choice.

I know I would.

/I'm done discussing sex with you. Gross.

DerHntr · Oct 26, 2010

[No message]

boomboommsu · Oct 26, 2010

These clowns are in denial. They want to take the SEC's money, in return for being their *****, but they don't want to admit (to themselves) that that's what they're doing.

That having been said, there's other ways to give the league office **** without leaving the conference. perhaps even enough **** that they'd rather just let us have our cowbells.

dawgstudent · Oct 26, 2010

[No message]

the next big thing · Oct 26, 2010

They were history before this season started. This is just how it was going to end. It was pretty sly of them to do it in a way that we can only blame ourselves.

Shmuley · Oct 26, 2010

Shmuley · Oct 26, 2010

Sex? TWO NIGHTS IN A ROW? WTF?

You're not married are you?

[/NoSexForYuku]

DaRealistDawg · Oct 26, 2010

but what if we had an option package, like buying chair back seat cushions, caveat being have to be a season ticket holder, that allowed your ticket(s) to be coded to allow 1 cowbellupon entrance. This optionwould cost you $100 a year. I figure 11,000 season ticket holders and at least each person/corporation would buy at least one ticket with this option totaling easily over $1,000,000. There is no way the SEC would levy a fine over $1,000,000 for ringing irresponsible for 4 homeSEC games. Or would they?? To me, the tradition is worth it, and I would be willing to pay for it.

And to me the wholeidea of the noise level & decibels on the field not being the issue is another lie by the SEC. Duh- I know, this has been discussed ad nauseum but I feel the same way as Scott Sticklin does. Let each own stadium police artificial noise makers if they have a problem with it. Reminds me of Breakfest Club -"if he gets up, we'll allget up, it'll beanarchy!" Do other SEC stadiums have problems with noisemakers? If they leave our cowbells alone, is Vanderbilt gonna send emails out to go out and buy all whistles, air horns, etc??!!

DerHntr · Oct 26, 2010

[No message]

Mr Meoff · Oct 26, 2010

Did I use that correctly?

War Machine Dawg · Oct 26, 2010

boomboommsu said:
These clowns are in denial. They want to take the SEC's money, in return for being their *****, but they don't want to admit (to themselves) that that's what they're doing.

That having been said, there's other ways to give the league office **** without leaving the conference. perhaps even enough **** that they'd rather just let us have our cowbells.

That's why I said I was "somewhat" serious. As in partially, but not completely, serious. Hell, I'd be sick if we left the SEC. I can't imagine being in another conference. It's the best conference in the land. But let's not act like we're being treated like an equal member, either. It's time to draw a line in the sand and demand equal treatment. Even Vandy doesn't take the **** from the league the way we do. Honestly, I know we'll never leave the SEC. But I'm damn well sick of 11-1 votes every season and commissioners that stick their thumbs in our eye. And MState administration that won't call their ******** on it.

Trapper97 · Oct 26, 2010

Why can't anyone else understand this? This season was going to be the farewell tour for cowbells regardless of how much/when State fans rung them. Yes, the rest of the league was very smart to paint us into a corner with these ridiculous resctrictions. But what the SEC didn't count on was us being 6-2.

The way I see it, we can:

1. "Rest our bells" for the last two games, genuflect at the altar of the SEC and beg Mike Slive not to put our earlier blatant disregard for the rules on OUR PERMANENT RECORD;

OR

2. Accept the fact that the future of cowbells was a fait accompli before this season even started and we can ring the hell out of them for the last two home games as we enjoy the best, most entertaining season we've had in more than a decade.

If we choose No. 1, the best-case scenario is that the rest of the league grants us the privilege to ring cowbells during completely irrelevant times during the 2011 season. The much-more-likely scenario is that the league enacts a complete ban for 2011.

And when that happens, I don't want to look back at the 2010 season and wish I'd rung my cowbell more.

BullDawgin · Oct 26, 2010

jamdawg96 said:
That is basically what I gathered from your post.<div>
</div><div>All tradition aside, what the f*ck good is a cowbell if we can't ring it on 3rd down?</div><div>
</div><div>Ring Responsibly is one of the most unrealistic expectations I've ever heard of. It's like telling someone not to make noises during sex. It's inevitable. And does it really make a difference? Can we check the decibel levels of our stadium compared to others? A little scientific proof might help our cause. It's loud when the cowbells are ringing, but is it really that much louder than the average SEC stadium?</div><div>
</div><div>This is a big god damn joke.</div>

Well Said!

Mr Todd French · Oct 26, 2010

Why don't we all just leave them home and be totally quiet for last two games?See what they say then? 17 it. I'll leave mine.

uptowndawg · Oct 26, 2010

Mr Todd French can convince 55k others to leave theirs at home too by this posting

The Cowbell: How did we get here?

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