Kansas State band explains performance that sure looked like an NSFW Jayhawk

... and this is why we can't have nice things anymore.

For what it's worth, I was there at this halftime show. Our band works very, very hard at what it does. The show itself was a sci-fi tribute. It started with the classic Star Trek theme, then segued into Star Wars and then went on to Nu-Trek. Throughout the band marched animated formations.

This link has a video of the so-called "offensive" formation.

Now we were in the stands watching the performance from the south end zone where our seats are at. We are hearing the classic Trek theme. We can make out the starship Enterprise, and the announcer tells us that it has encountered "a strange, alien creature." From our angle, we couldn't tell it was a Jayhawk, not even from the Jumbotron. But I guess all five KU football fans drowning their troubles in Lawrence happened to somehow see it, and one of them thought it looked like a penis being jammed into the Jayhawk's mouth.

And wouldn't you know it, but by this morning, not only is there a nationally trending hashtag over it, but our band has been forced to issue an apology.

www.sbnation.com...

Is it just me of is this taking a rival gag too seriously? I'm not sure how this could even look like what people this it looks like. I think people are more upset we presumed to use the Jayhawk to make a joke and people have just plain lost their sense of humor. I thought their band did stuff like this too with our mascot.

But now, we both get to be national items of gossip and laughter because some folks can't take a joke or chose to make it into a whole lot of nothingburger.

Looks like the Enterprise.

a reply to: ketsuko
I really don't see how they can confuse a dick with the star ship Enterprise. If theirs look like that, I feel bad for them.

a reply to: ketsuko

Well, as we have established here on ATS, everything space related is actually just phallic symbolism representing the subjugation of women.

This could be the explanation for the pareidolia and subsequent outrage.

#enterpriseisadickdummy

a reply to: OccamsRazor04

A pretty phallic Enterprise.

Who were those commentators, were they briefed ahead of time of what we were supposed to be seeing? ? Because once they said it, couldn't be "unsaid" or unseen.

a reply to: windword

If you are talking about the video in the article, they were people at the game who would have been taking it, not official people connected to the band.

I mentioned in my post what the official commentary at the game itself was. I was there.

a reply to: ketsuko

Ah. HERE'S the guy who's responsible for putting the "phallic" image in everyone's mind.

Some pretty funny comments on his twitter feed: twitter.com...

a reply to: windword

You want funny comments?

Try going to #dickinthebeak.

It's like 7 miles from Fort Riley.

Soldiers and dick drawing go hand in hand..Giggity..

It bleeds into the local community. Nothing to be concerned about.

Just laugh.

a reply to: projectvxn

Oh, we are laughing. This has got to be the stupidest excuse for a controversy ever. I can see how Gottlieb might have his mind in the gutter. He's up in the new press box with the open bar. The rest of us have to operate on whatever alcohol we might have had at our tailgates.



Still, if that's what you're used to a penis looking like ... you've got some issues or you've been surfing the wrong end of the Internet for far too long.

Honestly, I think it's a way to be offended over nothing. This is why comedians won't play universities anymore. You have no way of knowing what's going to offend the student body.

After reading what it was suppose to be, it looks like the enterprise.

Can see why they think it looks phallic, why did they want the Enterprise to go into the mouth tho?

a reply to: Sremmos80

I think it was just attacking the head and the positioning forced a certain angle.

That is awesome.

Some ideas sound good on paper but end up, well like this. I wonder if any band member thought to tell the director "Hey so this set kind of looks... wrong".

a reply to: ketsuko

Lol. Isn't that "enterprise" going backwards?

EMAW!
nuff said

originally posted by: GogoVicMorrow
a reply to: ketsuko

Lol. Isn't that "enterprise" going backwards?

No, the front is attacking the bird.

It's the saucer viewed at an angle.

a reply to: ketsuko

I didn't know you were a Kansan! The biggest question I have is who were you rooting for? Are you a Wildcat or a Jayhawk?(edit: I saw. Wildcat fan. Manhatten KA is an interesting town)

It gets divisive out there. My sister-in-law in Nebraska is a huge ksu fan, much to the chagrin of her husband who is all go big red.
South Park ruined me for enjoying football. "Student Ath-o-letes, that's cute." and all. Crack baby basketball was the episode.

On topic, whoever sees a penis being fed to the jayhawk has peckers on their brain and shouldn't be so obsessed with penises. They probably see them everywhere, like people see the virgin mary on shower curtains or toast.

a reply to: Sremmos80

It has to do with needing to have the right amount of members in position for the next set.

One of the next big sets involved needing people in position to scroll Star Wars from bottom to top with lines like a movie screen while they played the Star Wars themes, and they also had some artistic formations in there too.

But, of course, the only thing you see anywhere is the part being questioned.

a reply to: the owlbear

Yes, I grew up in Kansas, and I was actually born in Manhattan during my parents' college years. Third generation purple.

It can be divisive although it's more of a love/hate thing on KU's end. We're their red-headed step rival. They loved to ignore us. Mizzou was always their "real" rival ... until Mizzou jilted them for the SEC. Now all they have left is little old us. The school they love to ignore.

Honestly, I do feel bad for their football program. The university as a whole has no real will to revitalize it. Until the school gets serious about it, there won't be much hope of a good program in Lawrence. We may not have a b-ball program up to KU caliber down in Manhattan, but the university and the boosters have enough pride that they'll do whatever they can not to let it degrade to current KU football levels.

It's just that KSU has some unique challenges when it comes to recruiting at both the coach and student athlete levels.

originally posted by: the owlbear
a reply to: ketsuko


It gets divisive out there. My sister-in-law in Nebraska is a huge ksu fan, much to the chagrin of her husband who is all go big red. .

I know the feels....Im a native Kansan and diehard Wildcat fan up here in Nebraska as well....it's a hard life during football season.