Being a "cake eater", many schools tried to taunt us with it but we turned it around and became very proud to be "cake eaters" even enough to wear it on our chests and use it in our own cheers.

i do agree that most taunting is okay until you start using swear words. i have even shushed the crowd at my daughters school when the most common used is baloney!

Well, Ludlow is on the river, and we do have some pretty big rats that live along the riverbank. Personally, I believe it was the best "acceptable" derogrotory name that they could come up with. I guess it was as opposite from "cake" as they could get.

:thumb:

You have explained the River Rats term very well for those who may be wondering why we get called that down here. Thank-you and Merry Christmas.

Yes, the administration has put a stop to it, which is why there will only be about 5-10 student fans at Walton tonight if there is even that many.

It's a catch 22, isn't it? The kids like to test the limits, then they get upset when those limits get defined. They have so many other forms of entertainment available these days that school spirit falls off the map when it isn't "over the edge". Let's go watch a violent movie with sex and vulgarity instead. :ylsuper:

The term "River Rats" does not offend anyone down here in Ludlow. We've been called that for years and it is all in good fun. What I and others find offensive is the use of curse/swear words in cheers and derogatory comments directed at players. This is a practice that the Lloyd cheering section has adopted in recent years and no one from their school seems at all interested in stopping it.

 

Okay this should open up the can of worms.

 

Instead of voting for Prop 20 because they are "losing" students to private schools, maybe the administration of Lloyd ought to examine the behavior they allow from less than 20% of the students that in turn is driving the other 80% to explore attending other schools.

 

The offensive behavior exhibited (and it goes beyond cheers) is not just offensive to the opposition, it is offensive to many of the fine students and the families at Lloyd.

Okay this should open up the can of worms.

 

Instead of voting for Prop 20 because they are "losing" students to private schools, maybe the administration of Lloyd ought to examine the behavior they allow from less than 20% of the students that in turn is driving the other 80% to explore attending other schools.

 

The offensive behavior exhibited (and it goes beyond cheers) is not just offensive to the opposition, it is offensive to many of the fine students and the families at Lloyd.

 

:lol: And a can of worms you are definitely trying to open but I for one refuse to take the bait. Besides the 2 issues are not even remotely related but I'm sure you will have some takers on the direction you are trying to go. :walk:

:lol: And a can of worms you are definitely trying to open but I for one refuse to take the bait. Besides the 2 issues are not even remotely related but I'm sure you will have some takers on the direction you are trying to go. :walk:

 

I think you would might be surprised at the number of people at Lloyd who are concerned.

Can we all agree that there is a huge difference between calling Ludlow/Dayton/ et al "River Rats" and calling Highlands "Cake Eaters"?

 

My point is this: To call a school "river rats" is an attempt to degrade an entire community based off of socioeconomics. THAT is uncalled for and unacceptable. Hats off to BZ and others who don't let it bother them. I admire their thick skin. However, that does NOT make it acceptable. Because one lives in Villa Hills, Edgewood, Ft Mitchell, or Ft Thomas in no way places them above another community. THAT is EXACTLY what people are doing when the yell "River Rats".

 

I challenge anyone to tell me that referring to a community as "rats" is something other than what I believe.

 

You can say "no harm intended" but that doesn't cut it.

The word "suck" seems to be the primary word used in these new chants. Simon Kenton had several variations on the theme early this year, primarily aimed at bad calls. There really aren't many ways to couch the way you tell the refs "You Suck". It can get really distasteful after a while. It appears their Administration has put a stop to it.

 

Yes, the administration has put a stop to it, which is why there will only be about 5-10 student fans at Walton tonight if there is even that many.

As long as the administration is aware of the problem and is doing something about it, I'm satisfied. It's embarassing enough when you hear the kids use foul langauge as a crowd cheer. What's really shameful are those who use racial and cultural slurs to taunt the other players. I hate that mob mentality.

Can we all agree that there is a huge difference between calling Ludlow/Dayton/ et al "River Rats" and calling Highlands "Cake Eaters"?

I disagree. River Rats indicates poor trash. Cake Eaters indicates rich snobs. Both are equally derogrotory. But I and others have been called River Rats and it never bothered me or anyone else I know.

Can we all agree that there is a huge difference between calling Ludlow/Dayton/ et al "River Rats" and calling Highlands "Cake Eaters"?

 

My point is this: To call a school "river rats" is an attempt to degrade an entire community based off of socioeconomics. THAT is uncalled for and unacceptable. Hats off to BZ and others who don't let it bother them. I admire their thick skin. However, that does NOT make it acceptable. Because one lives in Villa Hills, Edgewood, Ft Mitchell, or Ft Thomas in no way places them above another community. THAT is EXACTLY what people are doing when the yell "River Rats".

 

I challenge anyone to tell me that referring to a community as "rats" is something other than what I believe.

 

You can say "no harm intended" but that doesn't cut it.

 

Sorry I do not agree.

 

Having grown up in a "river rat" town I do not think it is a degrading term. My parents even belonged to a social club (as in fishing and drinking and card playing and softball team) oficially called the "River Rats" that was based in one of towns and consisted of members all from the river towns.

They still have reunions and the notifications and signage all say "River Rats".

Sorry I do not agree.

 

Having grown up in a "river rat" town I do not think it is a degrading term. My parents even belonged to a social club (as in fishing and drinking and card playing and softball team) oficially called the "River Rats" that was based in one of towns and consisted of members all from the river towns.

They still have reunions and the notifications and signage all say "River Rats".

 

You're missing the point entirely. Its not about how the Ludlow/Dayton people "take it". Its about how it was "intended" by the sender. Its nothing but a slam on the entire community. I'm all for jabs based off of beating another team, questioning their ability, etc. However, I have little patience (read: none) for kids who yell out derogatory terms with the intent of degrading a community. Its unacceptable.

 

Again, congrats to the thick-skinned folks of Ludlow. However, just because you can "take it" doesn't mean its right.

Can we all agree that there is a huge difference between calling Ludlow/Dayton/ et al "River Rats" and calling Highlands "Cake Eaters"?

 

My point is this: To call a school "river rats" is an attempt to degrade an entire community based off of socioeconomics. THAT is uncalled for and unacceptable.

 

Isn't calling Highlands students and fans "Cake Eaters" supposedly degrading a community based off of socioeconomics too?

You're missing the point entirely. Its not about how the Ludlow/Dayton people "take it". Its about how it was "intended" by the sender. Its nothing but a slam on the entire community. I'm all for jabs based off of beating another team, questioning their ability, etc. However, I have little patience (read: none) for kids who yell out derogatory terms with the intent of degrading a community. Its unacceptable.

 

Again, congrats to the thick-skinned folks of Ludlow. However, just because you can "take it" doesn't mean its right.

 

I'm not missing the point I don't think. If people in Dayton, Bellevue, or Ludlow call themselves "River Rats" and don't have a problem with it and maybe even have pride in it, then why would they object if someone else calls them that?

 

I understand it is suppossed to be a slam but it is similar to Highlands being called "Cake Eaters". It is kind of hard to consider it a slam if the Highlands volleyball team uses it in their own cheers, and host a Cake Classic tournament each year.

Isn't calling Highlands students and fans "Cake Eaters" supposedly degrading a community based off of socioeconomics too?

 

Yes. Technically. IMO, its completely different.

I've never heard it used about Ludlow, I heard it about Dayton.

 

It is heard in Dayton too... but it doesn't really offend anyone anymore. It is just kind of associated with us now like Highlands and cake eaters. It just would be very good to do a positive chant using the word RATS like they do with cake.

 

Dayton and other river schools don't have to worry about hearing "River Rats" chanted because the only games with student cheering sections from the other teams are game against other rival river schools...

OK. Looks like I'm in the minority on this one. No problem.

 

Note: If you see a kid leaving the CCH-Ludlow game with a big knot on his head, you'll know he's mine and what he did.