Friday, February 8, 2013

Cameron Crazies apparently didn't say that

So last night during the Duke vs NC State basketball game Terri was sitting in her recliner which is next to my recliner. She, as usual, had her laptop in her lap with Facebook up and she reported to me that someone posted that the Cameron Crazies directed this chant toward Tyler Lewis (freshman point guard for State): "How's your Grandma?" Lewis' grandmother died a week ago. 

When Terri told me of the post, I didn't believe it. I mean I really didn't believe it, and I said so out loud. I took this position as one who is certainly NOT a Duke fan. I'm a Virginia Tech grad and a big fan of the Hokies (which can be really tough in basketball season).

This morning I saw that one of my friends on Facebook also posted something about the reported classless cheer, so I did a little investigating. In a few seconds I found a News & Observer blog from Laura Keeley who reports that the Crazies were actually chanting "past your bedtime" (see the end of the blog at the link). Lewis, a 5'11" freshman dwarfed by the other players on the court, was an easy target for such a cheer.

So it appears highly doubtful that the ugly chant about Lewis' deceased grandmother ever happened. Nonetheless, a Google search reveals numerous indignant blogs and tweets saying that it did. Who is right? Again, as one who DOES NOT pull for the Blue Devils, I think the evidence favors the "past your bedtime" version. But, at the very least, Keeley's report casts considerable doubt that the classless chant was ever uttered.

Whatever the truth is, doesn't this incident remind us to take caution in spreading ugly rumors? The Bible takes a dim view of sharing gossip (e.g. Romans 1:29) and the Internet helps us to spread it like never before in the history of humankind. I would recommend restraint in passing along this dubious tidbit.


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