University of Colorado Athletic Director Mike Bohn has addressed an inappropriate chant during Tuesday night’s Colorado-Kansas men’s basketball game with a letter to CU students.
The profane chant during the Big 12 Conference game, won by KU 82-78 at the Coors Events Center, elicited numerous emails and telephone calls to the athletic department on Wednesday.
Buffs Coach Tad Boyle, who has lauded the energy produced by CU students and consecutive capacity crowds at the two most recent home games, said he will briefly address the students before next Tuesday’s home game against Iowa State (7 p.m., FSN Rocky Mountain).
Boyle said he was focused on his team and its play last Tuesday and was unaware of the chant during the game, but added he has received a number of emails and calls since. Had he heard the chant, or had it been brought to his attention at the time, Boyle said he would have used the building’s public address system and asked the students to display better sportsmanship.
Bohn and Boyle have been ecstatic over the Events Center atmosphere for the Buffs’ back-to-back sold out games — a first for CU basketball -against Oklahoma State and KU.
Boyle called support for his team against the Jayhawks, who were making their final trip to Boulder, “absolutely great … Our fans have been unbelievable; the game atmosphere is what it is supposed to be about. I said it after the Oklahoma State game, ‘Our fans helped us win that game.’ There is no doubt about it … it was a great atmosphere for college basketball. Our guys I thought rose to the challenge and fed off of it.”
Bohn’s letter to the students:
Dear CU Students,
I would like first to thank you for your tremendous support and enthusiasm at our men’s basketball games this season. Your excitement has made a significant difference in our home game environment and overall growth and prominence of the program over last couple of years. You are engaged in the game, know basketball and serve as the heartbeat of the contest along with your colleagues in our pep band.
However, I must say how deeply disappointed I and so many other Buff fans were in other aspects of your behavior at the game last night vs. KU. The chanting of expletives at the opposing team is, quite frankly, an embarrassment to our university, athletic department, alumni and our team. We publicly saluted your outstanding sportsmanship and behavior at other marquee games that have been played so far this year. YOU are the generators of the energy that inspires our team and other fans, and that energy has become the envy of our competition.
We know that you know better and YOU should expect better behavior from your fellow students who attend the University of Colorado. A national television audience witnessed our team playing a great game, but was not left with the overall impression of our institution that we aspire to convey. We all yearn for a nationally respected basketball enterprise and we must all contribute to meeting that challenge with continued support and sportsmanship that will attract more fans and outstanding student athletes.
We have a least five more home games that are very important on many levels. We expect all fans to demonstrate the level of class that truly defines the University of Colorado, and to showcase that class for visiting fans in the arena and TV audiences across the nation.
Thank you, and Go Buffs!
Mike Bohn
Director of Athletics
University of Colorado