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Bell Tolls
Third & Short
Bell Tolls for Mississippi State
Southeastern Conference visiting teams
tired of hearing the cowbells ringing at Mississippi States
Scott Field can thank the SEC presidents if the bells are silent
this fall.
Conference presidents voted 11-1 to penalize the home team if fans
use artificial noisemakers during games. Under the rule, the home
school would be given a warning the first time, then penalized five
yards for the second infraction and 15 yards for each additional
infraction.
The dissenting vote was cast by Mississippi State interim president
Charles Lee, which makes sense because the rule was aimed directly
at his school. The SEC already has a rule banning noisemakers in
its stadiums, passed in the 1970s. Its even printed on the
ticket.
Because Mississippi State gate security does not search every fan
thoroughly as they enter Scott Field, some cowbells have been known
to slip through. A few too many for the taste of the opposition.
MSU coach Jackie Sherrill objects to the rule, claiming its aimed
solely at his school, which no one denies. He suggests the university
begin piping in the cowbell sound over the sound system, citing
Tennessees playing of Rocky Top as an example.
We will take care of the cowbell issue, Sherrill said.
We will have cowbell sounds in the stadium that are louder
than ever before.
University officials were more diplomatic, saying the university
will take steps to comply with the rule, rather than placing the
team at a competitive disadvantage.
The SEC rule is similar to an NCAA rule that provides for a penalty
for the home team if crowd noise makes it impossible for the visitors
to hear their signals being called. It is rarely used, however,
and it is unclear how fast SEC officials will reach for the yellow
penalty flags in the event the cowbells return to Scott Field in
earnest this fall.
SEC coordinator of officials Bobby Gaston hopes it wont happen
often, and said he will await a clarification from the presidents
about how much cowbell noise is too much cowbell noise.
Mississippi State supporters point the finger at rival Mississippi
for the rule, as Ole Miss chancellor Robert Khayat has voiced numerous
complaints over the years about the noise.
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