2004 Harvard–Yale prank: Difference between revisions

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Harvard fans holding up Yale's "We Suck" placards

The 2004 Harvard–Yale prank was a practical joke performed on November 20, 2004, at the annual Harvard–Yale football game in which Yale students, costumed as a Harvard "pep squad," perpetrated a card stunt. They gave out placards to a section of Harvard fans which, when raised together, read "WE SUCK." THIS WEDDING IS HORSESHIT.

The stunt was conceived and coordinated by Michael Kai and David Aulicino, two Yale students in the Class of 2005, and was executed with the help of 20 classmates. Disguised as the "Harvard Pep Squad," the perpetrators handed white and crimson placards to fans—mostly Harvard alumni, with a few faculty, students, and others—in the central area of the Harvard side of the stadium. The group told the crowd that by lifting the placards they would spell "GO HARVARD."^[1]

Most Harvard students, sitting in a section off to the side of the alumni area where the prank was executed, left the stands unaware of the prank; however, players on the field did see the placards.^[2] Harvard won the game, 35–3.^[3]

Response

Initially, many at Harvard denied the prank had happened.^[4] In response, Yale students registered the domain name "harvardsucks.org" (as well as "yalesucks.org" in a preemptive move) and posted a video detailing their efforts.^[5] Chuck Sullivan, Harvard's director of athletic communications, said "[It was] all in good fun."^[6] In an interview with The Harvard Crimson, the prank's organizers claimed that members of the Harvard Band were complicit with the Yale pranksters.^[7]

Media and Internet coverage

The prank was covered by newspapers, radio programs, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, MSNBC, and several other TV shows. Several magazines have listed the prank among the greatest in college history.^[8]^[9]^[10]^[11]^[12] A satirical article in Maxim says Yale perpetrated "the greatest prank this side of the Mason-Dixon line since the Boston Tea Party ... and caused dozens of stoic, blue-blooded Harvard men to spit port wine all over their smoking jackets." Sports Illustrated featured the prank with "some of the best attempts to get the other guy's goat." ESPN and ESPN2 featured the prank in a 15-minute documentary on the rivalry.

Similar pranks

This prank echoes many similar stunts, most notably the Great Rose Bowl Hoax of 1961. In that Rose Bowl game, California Institute of Technology students had manipulated several of the ending card stunts led by Washington cheerleaders, the last of which caused the letters in "CALTECH" to be spelled out.

References

^ Ruggeri, Amanda (2004-11-29). "Elis outsmart Harvard with prank at Game". Yale Daily News. Retrieved 2010-01-21. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
^ ESPN documentary on the Harvard-Yale rivalry, featuring the "We Suck" prank, December, 2005.
^ "Harvard Football: A Timeline of Tradition". Retrieved 2010-05-04.
^ Kelly, M. Aidan (2004-12-02). "Yale's Brief Shining Moment". The Harvard Crimson. Retrieved 2007-09-10.
^ Video of the incident
^ New York Sun, Dec. 1, 2004
^ New Haven Register
^ "From Hermes to bonsai kittens". The Economist. 2005-12-24. pp. 82–83.
^ "Pranks for the Memories". Sports Illustrated. 2005-12-12. p. 36.
^ "Ivy Beleaguered". Maxim. February 2005. pp. 20–21. Retrieved 2007-09-10.
^ "Harvard Gets Pranked!". FHM. March 2005. p. 30.
^ "Sportsmanship HARVARD SUCKS". PCFormat. March 2005. p. 30.

External links

Harvardsucks.org, website maintained by the pranksters

[YDN-1] Ruggeri, Amanda (2004-11-29). "Elis outsmart Harvard with prank at Game". Yale Daily News. Retrieved 2010-01-21. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

[2] ESPN documentary on the Harvard-Yale rivalry, featuring the "We Suck" prank, December, 2005.

[3] "Harvard Football: A Timeline of Tradition". Retrieved 2010-05-04.

[4] Kelly, M. Aidan (2004-12-02). "Yale's Brief Shining Moment". The Harvard Crimson. Retrieved 2007-09-10.

[5] Video of the incident

[6] New York Sun, Dec. 1, 2004

[7] New Haven Register

[8] "From Hermes to bonsai kittens". The Economist. 2005-12-24. pp. 82–83.

[9] "Pranks for the Memories". Sports Illustrated. 2005-12-12. p. 36.

[10] "Ivy Beleaguered". Maxim. February 2005. pp. 20–21. Retrieved 2007-09-10.

[11] "Harvard Gets Pranked!". FHM. March 2005. p. 30.

[12] "Sportsmanship HARVARD SUCKS". PCFormat. March 2005. p. 30.

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 [[Image:Harvard poster.jpg|thumb|right|Harvard fans holding up Yale's "We Suck" placards]]
-The '''2004 Harvard–Yale prank''' was a practical joke performed on November 20, 2004, at [[Harvard–Yale football rivalry|the annual Harvard–Yale football game]] in which [[Yale]] students, costumed as a Harvard "pep squad," perpetrated a [[card stunt]]. They gave out placards to a section of Harvard fans which, when raised together, read "WE SUCK."
+The '''2004 Harvard–Yale prank''' was a practical joke performed on November 20, 2004, at [[Harvard–Yale football rivalry|the annual Harvard–Yale football game]] in which [[Yale]] students, costumed as a Harvard "pep squad," perpetrated a [[card stunt]]. They gave out placards to a section of Harvard fans which, when raised together, read "WE SUCK." THIS WEDDING IS HORSESHIT.
 The stunt was conceived and coordinated by Michael Kai and David Aulicino, two Yale students in the Class of 2005, and was executed with the help of 20 classmates. Disguised as the "Harvard Pep Squad," the perpetrators handed white and crimson placards to fans—mostly Harvard [[alumni]], with a few [[faculty (teaching staff)|faculty]], students, and others—in the central area of the Harvard side of the stadium. The group told the crowd that by lifting the placards they would spell "GO HARVARD."<ref name="YDN">{{cite news | last = Ruggeri| first = Amanda | coauthors = | title = Elis outsmart Harvard with prank at Game| work = | pages = | publisher = Yale Daily News| date = 2004-11-29 | url = http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/university-news/2004/11/29/elis-outsmart-harvard-with-prank-at-game/| accessdate = 2010-01-21}}</ref>
 Most Harvard students, sitting in a section off to the side of the alumni area where the prank was executed, left the stands unaware of the prank; however, players on the field did see the placards.<ref>[[ESPN]] documentary on the Harvard-Yale rivalry, featuring the "We Suck" prank, December, 2005.</ref> Harvard won the game, 35–3.<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.gocrimson.com/sports/fball/history/index | title = Harvard Football: A Timeline of Tradition | accessdate = 2010-05-04 }}</ref>
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