Crushing our team spirit

I am not sure what you were trying to accomplish in your article, “Mercer Island student body support for girls basketball is abysmal.” I think you satisfactorily crushed anyone’s desire to attend a girls basketball game. Personally, I find it offensive that you regard spirited students as “crazy future frat kids.” As a flag dude, Snail Pound member and swim team member, I think I know a fair amount about school spirit and can assure you that I am not a “crazy future frat kid.” To be honest, you seem to voice an opinion that I have heard too frequently and not enough. You seem to be saying that the Mercer Island fans should be obnoxious and offensive, which I wholly agree with. However, you may not be aware of this, but the Flag Dudes are constantly reprimanded for saying things like, “start the bus.” But then you seem to reprimand the student body for its lack of spirit? Interestingly, you are not the first to say this. Mr. Phelps, I have sat through enough agonizing losses, amazing victories, awful calls, drenching rain and fire drills to not have my spirit questioned anymore. Oh, what a tale of woe I have, right? Ha! You mentioned the KingCo Championship game last Friday, Feb. 27, as a huge low for school spirit. Specifically, you began the paragraph by saying no flag dudes were there. This is true: no flag dudes were there. I was at the swim team banquet, Forrest had a State Cup soccer game, Robbie was at a concert, and Max was working. Just for your information.

March 10, 2009 5:34 pm

I am not sure what you were trying to accomplish in your article, “Mercer Island student body support for girls basketball is abysmal.” I think you satisfactorily crushed anyone’s desire to attend a girls basketball game. Personally, I find it offensive that you regard spirited students as “crazy future frat kids.” As a flag dude, Snail Pound member and swim team member, I think I know a fair amount about school spirit and can assure you that I am not a “crazy future frat kid.” To be honest, you seem to voice an opinion that I have heard too frequently and not enough. You seem to be saying that the Mercer Island fans should be obnoxious and offensive, which I wholly agree with. However, you may not be aware of this, but the Flag Dudes are constantly reprimanded for saying things like, “start the bus.” But then you seem to reprimand the student body for its lack of spirit? Interestingly, you are not the first to say this. Mr. Phelps, I have sat through enough agonizing losses, amazing victories, awful calls, drenching rain and fire drills to not have my spirit questioned anymore. Oh, what a tale of woe I have, right? Ha! You mentioned the KingCo Championship game last Friday, Feb. 27, as a huge low for school spirit. Specifically, you began the paragraph by saying no flag dudes were there. This is true: no flag dudes were there. I was at the swim team banquet, Forrest had a State Cup soccer game, Robbie was at a concert, and Max was working. Just for your information.

Instead of the scolding tone that I read in your article, I believe a more appropriate way to approach the subject of fan support at girls basketball games might have been to ask why no one seems to care. Or maybe you could write about how the high school administration has continuously decreased the rights and abilities of the Flag Dudes and other spirit groups. The point is this: there is more to the puzzle here than you might know.

No hard feelings. I really enjoyed all the great coverage you did for the swim team.

Eddie Bond