As long as there are team sports, there is going to be hazing. And that's not necessarily a bad thing, despite the furor being generated by Northwestern's soccer girls gone wild.
A local newscast Monday night led off with the scandalous and salacious story about the Wildcats. It was played up as if it were the Glenbrook North girls in 2003 beating under-classmen and covering them in feces and urine. The Northwestern hazing didn't come close to that.
Later in the newscast, everyone yukked it up when White Sox rookie Brian Anderson was shown in the uniform of a Florida quarterback. It was part of the Sox' hazing ritual, which included Anderson having to dress like an Arizona State cheerleader. The Northwestern hazing was more serious than that, but it doesn't warrant suspension for an entire season.
The object of hazing is to foster team unity. It's a rite of passage for young players on all levels. The Bulls make their rookies pick up the balls after practice. One season, Bulls rookies had to sing a song in front of the veterans. It was easy to see how this could help comraderie.
The biggest problem I have with Northwestern's situation was the presence of alcohol. I'm not naive enough to think kids in high school and college don't drink — a lot, but it's dangerous when kids play drinking games or are forced to chug alcohol, and that seems to happen pretty frequently in these hazing rituals. Young adults have died as a result.
But it doesn't seem the Northwestern hazing rose to that level. There doesn't appear to have been any physical assaulting or sexual contact. It's not something I would want a daughter of mine to participate in, but I don't think it warrants the same penalty as Duke imposed for an alleged rape.
Just another opportunity for people to blow it out of proportion. Yeah, they really looked like they were being tortured! What a joke...
Is there a statute of limitations on buying alcohol for minors? Who supplied the beer?
What type of code of conduct did these girls sign? I imagine that the punishment was spelled out in it.
If these young ladies have this much lack of esteem for each other (and themselve) they don't belong at Northwestern. Let them go to a state school on their own nickle.
Hazing is illegal statewide, per state laws. NWstern really has no options once it is reported. It's like being "a little pregnant." You either are or are not hazing. University-sponsored teams (and mascots) make the U liable in lawsuits if is does not act. I disagree that it causes team unity. It is certainly beneath a team like NWstern. If a coach is not aware of such actions, that is another indictment. The Duke coach quit because he was not aware of the depth of the problems under his watch. A univeristy-owned property was being used bya university-sponosred team for underage drinking at the minimum. It was well-organized and had been happening awhile. Apparently, back in Evanston, hazing has been ongoing across several teams. Universities must control their environments and make them a safe haven for all students. In this age of terrorism and other assualts on college campuses, is a "fake kidnapping" ever appropriate? The adults have to lead. I'd review the class standing of the students involved up to and including expulsion
Yeh those chicks kissing were hott
Hazing may be inevitable in places and people where respect for others has not been instilled. Abuse of one's peers breeds further abuse further abuse, not respect, not closeness.
Hey, Mary, we have a rule here: You don't get to pass judgment on Northwestern University students until you learn to spell the word "nickel". OK?
Now, I'm not sure if you and "coach" even went to college, but at Northwestern we had a litte saying that goes "We work hard, and we play hard." In addition to committing 30 or 40 hours a week to their sport, these future doctors, lawyers and professionals carry full course loads. So please forgive them for cutting loose occasionally. And that's the problem with this whole "hazing" controversy - it has nothing to do with girls being tortured or held against their will, it's just the Fun Police out to portray all college students as drunken, over-sexed party animals. If you're really concerned about the well-being of these young women, find me a picture where a single one of them isn't smiling.
Roman responds: I was going to correct the spelling for her, but I thought there was some poetic justice involved.
mmmhmmm haze some more please northwestern chicks thats amazing im not even mad
All that has to happen is for one of those freshmen girls to sue Northwestern University for damages as a result of the hazing and you'll see that this incident isn't such a joke. Big awards have come from much smaller humiliations. The likely problem before was that no lawyer would take such a case without proof. Now they have photos.
Women's soccer is a school sponsored activity. Suppose a girl claims she did it because she needed to stay on the team and keep her scholarship. And suppose the university does nothing. The university has to suspend the team because of possible future legal action.
People are definetly taking this way out of proportion, they do similar types of things in the Army.. but its called "boot camp" not hazing.
I will say that the beer was a bad idea.But they should get in trouble for that not playing these harmless games. So what standing around in your undies? please what a joke
I can't believe this is such a big deal. Just another example of the people that partied their asses off in the 60s, 70s, and 80s taking the fun out of college for those of us there now. They already banned beer in most of the fraternity houses. Students go to college in order to live life and experience new things. We might as well just add 4 more years to high school with all of the rules we face. It's all harmless fun.
Yeah... covering your fellow athletes in feces and urine - just doesn't get any better than that. How could anyone possibly object to or question such a cherished right of passage?
Roman responds: I don't think anyone condones that behavior, and I don't think that happened in the case of NU.
Hazing very wrong! I cant beleive anyone would do something so cruel!
All hazing and little games that have been noted in comments here are dopey. That someone would go along with anything like this is to be like a sheep.
I went to GBN
nuff said!