The Gamecocks may have beat Tennessee in a surprise victory Saturday night, but we certainly didn’t win when it came to sportsmanship. South Carolina fans were disrespectful when Tennessee players were injured not once, but twice, during the second half of the game.
In the third quarter, Shy Tuttle, starting defensive tackle for Tennessee, was injured just as South Carolina pushed up to the one-yard line. Well before he was moved off the field, Gamecock fans started their split-stadium cheer despite the fact that both teams showed their respect by taking a knee. Not only did we look awful in front of the Tennessee fans in attendance, but we sounded awful to all of the people listening and watching at home. The cheer could be heard very clearly during ESPN’s live coverage of the game, well over the sound of the commentators. Fans continued to cheer louder and louder until Tuttle was helped off the field.
The disrespect continued into the fourth quarter when Evan Berry was also injured. In the scramble, it appeared as if South Carolina’s A.J. Turner’s cleat made contact with the defensive back’s face. Gamecock fans again took the opportunity to begin cheering well before the field was cleared. Viewers at home could clearly hear the chant as Berry walked off the field, his face visibly bleeding from the hit.
This behavior was not only disrespectful to our opponents, but it made us appear poorly to all of the people watching the game at home. What does it say about our student body when our cheers can be heard on live television after an injury?
Injuries during a football game are nothing new. But even those who barely understand the game understand enough to know that cheering during the time when trainers are assisting hurt players on the field is disrespectful. While taking a knee is by no means an official rule of the game, it is certainly understood as a sign of respect. Even if the team chooses not to do so, the fans should know better than to begin chanting.
It is significantly worse when this kind of disrespect takes place during a college football game as opposed to a professional one. The people in the stands have no idea how serious the player’s injury could be. In fact, it turns out that Tuttle's injury is serious enough to put him out for the remainder of the season. Most of us in attendance are all in the same age group, and we know that those kids on the field have high hopes of a future in the NFL. We also know that at any given moment during the game, a career-ending injury could ensue. We have no idea what that player is thinking as he’s lying on the ground. If that injury is serious enough to destroy his chances of playing professionally, we can be sure that he is going to remember that moment for the rest of his life.
You know what he doesn’t need to remember? Tens of thousands of people cheering for the other team as his dreams slip away.