The Stanford marching band isn’t so much a traditional marching band as much as it is a bunch of college kids acting like, well, college kids… but with instruments. It’s basically Animal House with a tuba. And because of this, the Stanford band tends to upset everybody because it spends a majority of its halftime routine mocking opponents and sports are serious business and all about class.
To no one’s surprise, the Stanford band made fun of Iowa during the Rose Bowl (which the Cardinal won 45-16) by having inflatable cows and making farmer jokes. People from Iowa were understandably upset, but now Iowa state senators want an apology from Stanford.
Like, officially.
State Senator Mark Chelgren, R-Ottumwa, told The Des Moines Register he has introduced Senate File 2081, which would prohibit “certain future collaboration and cooperation” between Stanford and Iowa’s three major state universities (Iowa, Iowa State, and Northern Iowa) until an apology is made. Interestingly, though, the bill would not prevent Stanford from playing Iowa, Iowa State or Northern Iowa in sporting events. One would assume, then, the bill aims to prohibit Stanford from engaging in something academically related until the apology is made.
“I think it’s unfortunate because, here in Iowa, we try to teach sportsmanship,” Chelgren told the paper. “We try to teach courtesy, and when someone behaves in a way that is contrary to that, we need to point it out.”
Typically, telling politicians to “stick to fixing the economy” is overplayed, but there really are far more important things than an unofficial marching band bruising the collective egos within a state. This is a next-level tantrum and Stanford shouldn’t give in.
The bill also shouldn’t see the light of day.
(Via The Des Moines Register)
