The Kansas State Band Director Received E-Mails Threatening to Put His Name on Sexual Predator Lists

More likely than not, the Kansas State marching band incident was completely blown out of proportion. While the video looks funny in a sophomoric kind of way, from a certain angle in the stands, I’m not sure that we should believe that this was an intentional vile and x-rated act, rather than an unfortunate unintended byproduct of a band director who is more likely a Star Trek nerd blowing up a Jayhawk.

Despite that, though, plenty of Kansas fans are up in arms. Geralyn Tracz, wife of the Kansas State band director Dr. Frank Tracz, took to her Facebook page to vent about the situation. It has since been deleted, though I think she has some very valid points. Here’s a screen grab of part of it, where she says her husband has been getting threatening e-mails, including from people who want to put him on sexual predator lists.

While maintaining that this was not the intent, she also points out that there is plenty of taunting in rivalries, from schools selling shirts of dubious character, to mascots beating effigies of opposing teams, none of which are discouraged. To the extent that this is a shot at an opposing team’s mascot, that had an unintended consequence, she’s right. The post was deleted, probably because it calls out the administration a bit. She does make a plea for there to be some common sense (gasp) when it comes to this, and I thought she was spot on.