Tom Oates - Wisconsin State Journal

[TheButlerDidIt]

Wow.  Just read this thread.  Gotta say .. I find the umbrage embarrassing.

The thought that he's a sports journalist/columnist so his tweets must be unbiased or professional is goofy.   It's Twitter, for god's sake.

While "Marquette Community College" is certainly pejorative, I honestly find it a legit taunt aimed at a team that currently owes its success to JUCOs where his team (UW) does not.   Oh my god, he's biased just like 3 million other Badger fans .. the horror.

Writing to his editor makes you look like .. total whiners.  

I agree-it also smacks of our Marquette fan inferiority complex...

[ChicosBailBonds]

I think he's racist

[Chicago_inferiority_complexes]

I'm ashamed this hack went to the same high school as me.  MU is/was promoted very well at Xavier

Oh God -- he went to Xavier HS? In Appleton? No wonder he's a complete ass.

[Mr. Nielsen]

I'll probably get ripped for this, but that's OK.

I root for UW football and hate UW basketball.  I also have season tickets for football and Jump Around is always a highlight.  But when MU plays it and shows that goof on the scoreboard, the whole thing seems ridiculous, forced and lame.  It does look like a copycat move and MU should just drop it and find a different song to make a tradition of their own.

Ya, I'm going to rip you but for something else.

The goof on the scoreboard as you put it, is as I said before, Rick Smith. His family are big donors to Marquette. The tradition of the song at Marquette is seeing Rick Smith jumping around.

[Mr. Nielsen]

"When you say Wisconsin, you've said it all"

They stole that from Georgia Tech...the outrage!!!!

You must of been at the ncaa toury in Milwaukee in 1992 or 2010.

[warthog-driver]

Ya, I'm going to rip you but for something else.

The goof on the scoreboard as you put it, is as I said before, Rick Smith. His family are big donors to Marquette. The tradition of the song at Marquette is seeing Rick Smith jumping around.

The image of Rick Smith jumping to that song adds nothing positive. It is at best neutral, though I would say most people are somewhat embarrassed for him.

[Hamostradamus]

The image of Rick Smith jumping to that song adds nothing positive. It is at best neutral, though I would say most people are somewhat embarrassed for him.

Are you kidding? He has 2,109 Facebook followers. The players jump around like him with fake mustaches on the video screen, students dress up like him and the entire place goes nuts when they show him. I think it's safe to say it is slightly better than neutral. 

[warthog-driver]

Are you kidding? He has 2,109 Facebook followers. The players jump around like him with fake mustaches on the video screen, students dress up like him and the entire place goes nuts when they show him. I think it's safe to say it is slightly better than neutral. 

The Spanish O'Donnell's also have their followers. Doesn't make them any less lame.

[LON]

Oh God -- he went to Xavier HS? In Appleton? No wonder he's a complete ass.

Hey now.  We're not all like this tool.  And Xavier is one of the top 50 private high schools in the nation.

What HS did you go to, so at least I have my chance to paint it with a broad brush.

[reinko]

Only tools know and brag about their HS rankings.

/Class of 1998 MUHS, ranked 96 is scholastic rankings.

[brewcity77]

How many colleges don't play Jump Around these days? I've heard it in the background of at least 4-5 televised games this year, including two Marquette games. Music is popular culture. When I was sitting by the DePaul cheerleaders the other night, they broke into a cheer routine for about half the songs that were played. Which likely means that MU and DePaul have very similar songs being played. And probably just about every other university in the country. What's next, we can't play "All I Do is Win"? The band can't play "Impression That I Get"? Just because one other university plays it doesn't give them any rights to the song unless they purchased them exclusively. Pretty sure that hasn't happened yet.

[Mr. Nielsen]

The image of Rick Smith jumping to that song adds nothing positive. It is at best neutral, though I would say most people are somewhat embarrassed for him.

People love it! I don't think they are embarrassed for him.

[warthog-driver]

People love it! I don't think they are embarrassed for him.

I don't know the guy but I remember a few years ago watching MU on ESPN from Al Asad Air Base. The camera focuses on "The Jumper" and a room full of fighter pilots thought it was lame and let me, the only MU alum in the room, know about it. Just giving you some perspective on how at least one part of the outside world sees us. 

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

I don't know the guy but I remember a few years ago watching MU on ESPN from Al Asad Air Base. The camera focuses on "The Jumper" and a room full of fighter pilots thought it was lame and let me, the only MU alum in the room, know about it. Just giving you some perspective on how at least one part of the outside world sees us. 

It was funny once. Having it shown nearly every game as a "tradition" is beyond lame. First of all, it makes the guy look like a complete fruit cake. Second of all, it MU look like its fanbase is a bunch of people stuck in the 1970s (as some people actually claim).

[Fullodds]

I have an older gentlemen near my section who is trying to take over and be the new 'jump around' guy.  He wears a bow-tie and jumps and claps like a madman while watching the monitors waiting for the applause and camera time.

[Henry Sugar]

I kind of feel bad for Smith.  Could he not jump around even if he wanted?  Every time the song comes on, I think, "Dance, Monkey.  DANCE!"

[Aughnanure]

I don't know the guy but I remember a few years ago watching MU on ESPN from Al Asad Air Base. The camera focuses on "The Jumper" and a room full of fighter pilots thought it was lame and let me, the only MU alum in the room, know about it. Just giving you some perspective on how at least one part of the outside world sees us. 

I'm more embarrassed whenever they show the band.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Mr. Oates responded to me with an email. 

[brewcity77]

I kind of feel bad for Smith.  Could he not jump around even if he wanted?  Every time the song comes on, I think, "Dance, Monkey.  DANCE!"

A week or two back, they were playing Jump Around and Rick did his thing. About halfway through, they went to shots of the student section, little kids, the usual fare. Rick sat down, then they put the camera back on him. He dutifully got up and resumed jumping, but something tells me that he's probably also thinking it's about ran its course.

[StillAWarrior]

Mr. Oates responded to me with an email. 

And...

[Blackhat]

Are we still talking about what Tom f*cking Oates says about Marquette.  


Breaking News:  Rival schools and their lap dog writers (aka Tom Oates aka Norm from cheers) will write mean things about your school from time to time.

So Norm wrote a little jab in his rag, good for him, he suckered you in.

[VanderBabyBlue]

LOL @ people getting bent out of shape about this.  We have a bunch of JUCO's on the roster!  And I couldn't care less about their academics as long as they show up and play.  THAT'S the area of concern lately.

[rugbydrummer]

I'm more embarrassed whenever they show the band.

Oh. No. You. Didn't.

I'm embarrassed you consider yourself a fan.  That's what's embarrassing.  Did you get rejected by a bando once?

Also--hey Neanderthals, checkout the back of the pocket/wallet schedule and THEN tell me R. A. Smith is lame.  He can jump around in his underpants for all I care, the guy is a stud and class act and clearly has a passion for MU bball, something I hope all of you share (or is that too radical to suggest?).  Those of you who are over 50 please consult your local GI, you're overdue for an intimate evening with your porcelain friend evacuating a jug of Golytely.  Those of you under 50, for God's sake if you can't say anything nice, then don't!  You don't have to like it, but you also don't have to tear it down. 

As for this dude from Mad-town, Who Cares?  I remember Jump Around best/originally from Mrs. Doubtfire fame, go figure.

[brewcity77]

Mr. Oates responded to me with an email.

Come on, Chicos, don't tease us like that! Share

[bobnoxious]

Mr Smith can jump around in line getting a beer if he really wants.  Does he still fly the Warrior flag outside of his office at half mast after a loss?