Bring back "Rock & Roll Part 2" to the home football and basketball games

To: Dr. Debbie Yow, Athletic Director; Dr. Linda Clement, Vice President of Student Affairs; Dr. L. Richmond Sparks, Mighty Sound of Maryland; Ralph Freidgen, Football Head Coach; Gary Williams, Basketball Head Coach; and the entire Sportsmanship Committee.

From August to now, there has been constant discussion of the song Rock & Roll Part 2 and whether it belongs at our school football and basketball games. When the song is played, students have been known to add their own lines into the song which are considered to be questionable by certain parties, for a number of reasons.

Some of those reasons, according to Dr. Linda Clement, include:
Maryland has gotten a nationally bad reputation for having poor sportsmanship.
Coach Freidgen believes that the song just angers the other team and makes them want to beat us more. Thus the song hinders the performance of our team.
ESPN has begun to cut back on their coverage of, specifically, Maryland Basketball because of the Fuck Duke campaign that has risen among students.

Since the departure of Rock & Roll Part 2 many fans have felt that the games are missing something. It just does not feel the same as it used to and we believe that this song is a vital part of Terrapin spirit.

The purpose of this petition is to propose a compromise with the decision makers on this issue. The undersigned students, on their honor, have agreed, by signing, to three things:
1.The undersigned will not wear attire that reads Fuck Duke or any permutation of it.
2.The undersigned will not shout or chant the words Fuck Duke or any permutation of it.
3.To continue to work with their peers towards showing good sportsmanship at the athletic games and matches.

What the undersigned ask in return is that the decision makers reconsider and reverse the ban of Rock & Roll Part 2 imposed on the bands play list for the home football and basketball games. We believe that the song is a vital part of our spirit at the home games and that it is not an offensive or obscene display. It is a Maryland tradition.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

If you need more background information, look at the following websites:
http://www.inform.umd.edu/News/Diamondback/archives/2004/09/30/commentary4.html
http://www.inform.umd.edu/News/Diamondback/archives/2004/10/06/news3.html
http://www.inform.umd.edu/News/Diamondback/archives/2004/10/01/news1.html