Thursday, January 10, 2002
Fans' Shootout actions spur XU apology to UC
Muskies officials upset by chant
By Michael Perry
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Xavier University administrators were bothered enough by the behavior of some of the school's fans during the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout to apologize to the University of Cincinnati and XU season-ticket holders.
Xavier students began an obscene chant with 7:19 left — after a technical foul was called on XU sophomore Romain Sato — in the Bearcats' 75-55 victory Dec.14.
Xavier athletic director Mike Bobinski sent a letter of apology to UC athletic director Bob Goin, saying “the rivalry deserves better than that.”
And XU president Michael J. Graham S.J. sent a letter to season-ticket holders, sharing the contents of a letter that will run in the Xavier student newspaper when it resumes publication after winter break, saying of the chant:
“Indeed, that moment was the low point of the game for me, worse by far than any missed shot, foul or even the final score. ... The December 14 chant clearly did not represent the best in us.”
Graham told season-ticket holders that XU officials will be working with student groups to make sure “the unfortunate episode” is not repeated.
Bobinski and Goin met for breakfast at the Vernon Manor Hotel on Wednesday morning to talk over other issues related to the Crosstown Shootout. The students' behavior barely came up.
“We addressed it very little,” Goin said. “I'm very comfortable that they had taken a very proactive position on correcting that. I couldn't think of a more professional way than how their president and AD have handled it.”
Goin initiated the breakfast meeting, hoping to examine the events surrounding the Crosstown Shootout, such as the luncheon that was held on game day at the Albert B. Sabin Cincinnati Convention Center. More than 800 people attended that event, which was coordinated and promoted by Don Schumacher & Associates under an agreement with Skyline Chili.
Bobinski and Goin discussed moving the luncheon so it is not held the day of the game. They also talked about the scheduling of the UC-Xavier women's game and how both schools could benefit from the pre-Shootout events.
“The issues were about us trying to make the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout a little more attractive to the universities,” Goin said. “I'd like us to get some endowed scholarship dollars. So it's in the planning stage. We have to have another meeting and we have to talk to the Skyline people. But when that luncheon comes out, it would be nice if every year there'd be a contribution to both universities toward an endowed scholarship program for basketball.”
Said Bobinski: “That was just an idea we threw up there today that would put a new wrinkle on the deal and provide even more of an incentive for the coaches and everyone to spend their time to be part of the event. I think his point was to inject some new energy and life into this. It's a terrific event. But you can only rerun a similar format for so long before the principles get a little tired of it.”
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Fans' Shootout actions spur XU apology to UC
