No More Cow Bells for MSU

[AFTiger 282]

Didn't they try this two years ago in the our game with MSU? I remember that the referees never tried to enforce it.

The SEC’s artificial noisemaker rule and its penalties for football are:

“Artificial noisemakers shall not be permitted to be brought into or used in SEC football stadiums. Each institution should have statements printed on tickets and notices to the effect that such noisemakers will not be permitted inside its competition areas.

Penalties for violations – In the sport of football, the game officials shall be responsible for enforcing the conference ban on artificial noisemakers utilizing the following procedures:

(a) The first time the referee detects the significant use of artificial noisemakers by those in the crowd, he will call a referee’s timeout and issue a verbal warning through the public address system.

( On the second incident involving the significant use of artificial noisemakers, a 5-yard penalty shall be assessed against the offending institution.

© On the third, and any subsequent, incident involving the significant use of artificial noisemakers, a 15-yard penalty shall be assessed against the offending institution.”

The SEC artificial noisemaker rule has been in effect since theearly 1970s. The penalty structure for the rule was put into place in 2002.

Link

[Tigermike 3,040]

The SEC artificial noisemaker rule has been in effect since the early 1970s.

If memory serves me correctly, that would be the Shug Jordan Rule they are referring to.

[RadioWryn 0]

Refs don't care. They want to live. They won't enforce it.

[TigerOne 1,148]

Cowbells are not a problem.

Let MSU have em, Auburn scoring will silence the bells

[Guest BoStillKnows]

Has MSU ever been penalized for the cowbells? I wonder if anyone has ever been ejected from a game for ringing a cowbell. I have been to several AU/MSU games and I have never seen anything done about cowbells nor have I ever seen any other team's fans bring "noisemakers" into a stadium. I have seen fans who might classify as noisemakers but I guess that weren't artificial.

The cowbells irritate me. Can you tell?

[damabama 15]

[johnwegl 11]

my experience with MSU games and fans is that everytime someone says "You can't bring cowbells in" it just get's them all raved up and try to bring more in to pass out.

I hate those cowbells.

[Raven_tiger 5]

Have they ever enforced it? No matter the cowbell will be silent after the 1st quarter. Borges will enforce the rule for them.

[WAR-MATT 2]

I think we need more cow bell.

[SouthLink02 8]

[WAR-MATT 2]

You da man SL02.

[CircleDrill 178]

Think about it. If you are a fan, what do you have to look forward to in the games? It ain't the huge touchdown runs that you know are likely. The only thing they have is the cowbells. I think they should leave them alone unless it gets to be an out of hand situation. They are the only school that is like that, and now that one of the ESPN people actually had a cowbell on TV at the USC game, there will be twice as many at this one.

[autgrs05 0]

MSU really doescketsnt have a whole lot going on for them anyway. You know its only like $20 for student season tickets for football.. and everything else is free for students. I'm not trying to say that you need to have higher student season ticket prices to have a good team, but the better teams usually do have higher prices because more people come and are willing to pay. Maybe MSU knows they can't get any more money for the tickets because they don't even really care about it now. Well, except for showing up for the cowbells.

[tigerfan1234 0]

I say leave the cowbells alone. Who cares. Once that rule gets enforced it will get out of hand. They will be coming for Auburn because we like to use shakers. I hate MSU, but college football is all about unique traditions and the cowbells happen to be their thing.

[TigerinBham 1]

I can't ever remember when a cowbell cost Auburn anything in a game. It is like playing at a High School stadium over there. Let em have them.

[BayouBengal 0]

I actually think it hurts them. I went to my first game there last year, and the cowbells can only get so loud. The problem is, they don't yell. They just shake the bells.

Just didn't seem that loud

[CircleDrill 178]

I actually think it hurts them. I went to my first game there last year, and the cowbells can only get so loud. The problem is, they don't yell. They just shake the bells.

Just didn't seem that loud

Very true.

[jumbo 0]

maybe if the Msu players had cowbells they could win a few games or a couple of fraternity fights

[TitanTiger 20,499]

Let 'em have their fun. It's not a big deal.

[MDM4AU 332]

MSU really doescketsnt have a whole lot going on for them anyway. You know its only like $20 for student season tickets for football.. and everything else is free for students. I'm not trying to say that you need to have higher student season ticket prices to have a good team, but the better teams usually do have higher prices because more people come and are willing to pay. Maybe MSU knows they can't get any more money for the tickets because they don't even really care about it now. Well, except for showing up for the cowbells.

Welcome aboard autgrs05! Hope to see you around alot this year...as long as you explain to us what "doescketsnt" means.

Again, welcome aboard and WDE!

[LegalEagle 22]

Yes, it has been enforced on occassions in the past, but while watching the MSU/USC game last week I think the announcers said the rule has been dropped. There were plenty of bells clanging at that game. Was I hearing that right? Eh, what did you say? My tinnitis is actin' up! *grin*

[LegalEagle 22]

From MSU Atheletic Site - http://www.mstateathletics.com/index.php?s...hange_well_id=2

"The Cowbell

The most unique and certainly the most resounding symbol of Mississippi State University tradition is the cowbell. Despite decades of attempts by opponents and authorities to banish it from scenes of competition, diehard State fans still celebrate Bulldog victories loudly and proudly with the distinctive sound of ringing cowbells.

The precise origin of the cowbell as a fixture of Mississippi State sports tradition remains unclear to this day. The best records have cowbells gradually introduced to the MSU sports scene in the late 1930s and early 1940s, coinciding with the 'golden age' of Mississippi State football success

prior to World War II.

The most popular legend is that during a home football game between State and arch-rival Mississippi, a jersey cow wandered onto the playing field. Mississippi State soundly whipped the Rebels that Saturday, and State College students immediately adopted the cow as a good luck charm. Students are said to have continued bringing a cow to football games for a while, until the practice was eventually discontinued in favor of bringing just the cow's bell.

Whatever the origin, it is certain that by the 1950s cowbells were common at Mississippi State games, and by the 1960s were established as the special symbol of Mississippi State. Ironically, the cowbell's popularity grew most rapidly during the long years when State football teams were rarely successful. Flaunting this anachronism from the 'aggie' days was a proud response by students and alumni to outsider scorn of the university's 'cow college' history.

In the 1960s two MSU professors, Earl W. Terrell and Ralph L. Reeves obliged some students by welding handles on the bells to they could be rung with much more convenience and authority. By 1963 the demand for these long-handled cowbells could not be filled by home workshops alone, so at the suggestion of Reeves the Student Association bought bells in bulk and the Industrial Education Club agreed to weld on handles. In 1964 the MSU Bookstore began marketing these cowbells with a portion of the profits returning to these student organizations.

Today many styles of cowbells are available on campus and around Starkville, with the top-of-the-line a heavy chrome-plated model with a full Bulldog figurine handle. But experts insist the best and loudest results are produced by a classic long-handled, bicycle-grip bell made of thinner and tightly-welded shells.

Cowbells decorate offices and homes of Mississippi State alumni, and are passed down through generations of Bulldog fans. But they are not heard at Southeastern Conference gamesnot legally, at leastsince the 1974 adoption of a conference rule against 'artificial noisemakers' at football and basketball games. On a 9-1 vote SEC schools ruled cowbells a disruption and banned them.

This has done little harm to the cowbell's popularity, however, or to prevent cowbells from being heard outside stadiums in which the Bulldogs are playing. They can still be heard at non-conference football contests, as well as other sporting events on campus. And bold Bulldog fans still risk confiscation for the privilege of keeping a unique Mississippi State tradition alive and ringing at SEC affairs. "

[StatTiger 3,188]

The first time the referee detects the significant use of artificial noisemakers by those in the crowd, he will call a referee’s timeout and issue a verbal warning through the public address system.

The key word is "significant". The officials can justify not calling a penalty by saying, "we heard them but it was not a significant amount of noise". I can see step one being enforced but I seriously doubt we will see an actual penalty.

[Tygerman34 0]

I have been to almost every AU/MSU game in Starkville over the last 20 years and have yet to see a penalty called on the bells. They will have them this week and they will ring them loudly. However, by the thrid quarter, most will have left the stadium.

[AURainman 6]

First, let me say that the cowbells annoy the crap outta me.

Rainman's Dimwitted Idea

Here's my idea to stop the bells. The next game @ MSU, all opposing fans smuggle whistles into the game. Whistles and earplugs. When you're team is on defense, simply put your earplugs in, and wail on that whistle. The end result will be a lot of P#$$@D off MSU fans and a confused MSU QB.

When the MSU officials try to take your artificial noisemaker, they will have to confiscate all noisemakers.