Nothing beats the atmosphere of Division III Basketball. You go to a game and only pay a few dollars or nothing at all to attend and you expect at least to enjoy a good game. Many families come to games, bringing their children, and communities members even show up to support their local teams.

And as we all know, the students are playing because of the love of the game, knowing their playing careers just may be over when they receive their diplomas.

But, for all of those fans that show up to games, including the families, what does it say about a program if the music being played during pre-game warm ups is full of more swear words, derogatory language, and negative opinions about women, other races, or even the police than the amount of baskets that will probably be scored in the game? Sometimes it is down right embarrassing. And I would assume an athletic program doesn’t want their image tarnished by the language thrown around in the pre-game music.

Here is the deal. A lot of times teams make a “mix tape” or CD to warm up to since most don’t have a DJ or anyone else to play music. Teams get together, or at least a few players, and put together a songs they want to help pump them up for a game, even making sure a particular song plays during a particular part of the warm up. But no one apparently thinks about how many f-bombs, s-words are being “sung”… or how one song’s lyrics about sleeping with a number of hoes in one night might be heard by those attending the game.

Now, I am not saying we need to go back to just classics like Aerosmith, Phil Collins, or even Will Smith – the Fresh Prince – but that would be cool. Just take a minute to think about what is being said or sung during those songs. Nearly every one of those songs does have what is called a “radio version” which eliminates most of the “nasty” words or references, though not all.

But the bigger question is, how does a School President, Athletic Director, or even a coach wants their team, program, and school to be remembered? The way a team conducts themselves on the court and the way they play the game? Or for the crash language and derogatory comments in the pre-game music?

Every player should know that when they put on their team’s jersey and warm ups, they represent more than their team. They represent the program and the school. And they ought to also consider that what is being played over the gyms speakers is being heard by more than just one player or that team; everyone in the gym can hear the music. And I suspect that certain words or comments are probably not what an athletic department wants to represent them.

Pre-game music can certainly pump a team up for a game… but it can also turn off a recruit, a fan, or a potential fan from your program and your school. Think about it before you hit play on the tape or CD player next time!