Posted on 02/01/2006 3:43:36 AM PST by don-o
JOHNSON CITY - A former East Tennessee State University cheerleader contends that she was dismissed from the squad because of her job at a restaurant known for tight-fitting, scanty uniforms.
"I'm 18. I should be able to work where I choose," ETSU freshman Kimberly Sams said of her job at Johnson City's Hooters Restaurant. "Maybe if it was a strip club or something like that, it would be different. If the basketball team can come in here and eat, then I should be able to work (at Hooters)."
Sams, a Carter County resident who graduated with honors from Unaka High School last May, joined the ETSU squad at the start of the fall semester and started working at Hooters in November.
She cheered until about three weeks ago, when squad coach Tammy Bartow called her into the locker room after a basketball game and dismissed her.
Sams said Bartow, wife of head men's basketball coach Murry Bartow, made it clear that her off-campus job was the reason - a "Hooters Girl" was not in keeping with the ETSU squad's image.
"She (Bartow) didn't call me before the game," Sams said. "I had no warning that I was going to be kicked off."
Citing federal laws regarding students' privacy, ETSU Athletic Director Dave Mullins declined to comment on the specifics of Sams' dismissal, including whether she was dismissed because of her job, other than to say she violated athletic department policies and agreements between coach and student.
Mullins said department administrators reviewed Bartow's action, departmental policy and squad agreements before upholding the decision.
ETSU asks all student-athletes, including cheerleaders, to sign copies of the department's policy on ethical conduct and sportsmanship. Students must sign a compliance statement regarding such issues as drug use, class attendance and public criticism.
The statement specifies that students will "represent self, family and East Tennessee State University in attitude and conduct that is a credit to each."
Mullins said members of each team also are expected to adhere to policies set by the coach. Bartow's policy includes statements regarding expected behavior for cheerleaders.
"Behavior by a squad member that brings unwanted, unfair, negative attention to the squad can and will result in the member being removed from the squad," the policy reads. "The image and reputation of the squad members as a whole are the utmost importance."
Asked whether the policies addressed what kinds of jobs students could hold or places they could frequent, Mullins said they did not.
"I don't think any of our policies are going to specify certain individuals or companies or institutions," he said.
Sams said ETSU never informed her of any restrictions about places of employment, and she had no reservations about accepting a position waiting tables at Hooters when a classmate suggested that she apply.
"I used to come here all the time on Tuesday nights for karaoke and me and my friends would just come in and hang out," Sams said. "We have little boys have their birthday parties at Hooters. It's a very fun and relaxed environment.
"It's so much fun that it keeps my spirits up at school. I'm not stressed. I'm not working too hard. A Hooters Girl is like an all-American cheerleader."
Sams acknowledged that her Hooters uniform - orange shorts and a white T-shirt containing the restaurant's logo - is revealing.
"But so is my cheerleading skirt. I feel more embarrassed to wear my skirt sometimes at the games than I do walking around in my uniform," she said. "We wear pantyhose (at Hooters). We don't underneath my cheerleading skirt."
Mike McNeil, vice president of marketing for the Atlanta-based restaurant chain, said he had not heard about Sams' dismissal from the ETSU squad prior to a reporter's inquiry, but it sounded as if Sams was defending her position on her own.
"We support the employee and the statements she's making," McNeil said. "I think the best thing they (ETSU) can do is reinstate her to the cheerleading team ... otherwise, it's a black eye."
Sams said although she initially did well in her classes at ETSU, her grades went south over the course of the semester and she wound up failing some classes. Cheerleaders are required to maintain at least a 2.0 grade-point average. Sams said freshmen, however, were not held to that standard, and her grades were not cited in her dismissal.
Sams said she had hoped to bring up her grades this semester, but her academic status was in limbo because of a dispute regarding the return of her uniforms and money owed her for warm-up gear.
That's why men overwhelmingly protest at bodybuilding competitions and hate Ah-Nold.
I have an 18-year-old daughter at college. And, no, I rather she didn't work at Hooters. But if she did, I'd be upset if the cheerleading coach kicked her off the team for working at Hooters. There is nothing inherently immoral about the place, and for any university or college to claim that a student working there tarnishes the school is utterly preposterous.
The coach's husband is the head BB coach. I would suspect that he has had athletes who brought disrespect upon themselves and the school. But they wouldn't be kicked off the team for one minor transgression -- especially if the player was good.
No male athletes would ever be kicked off a team for such a ridiculous reason. This is discrimination against women!
Are there lots of men prostitutes or is it overwhelming women? Are most pornographic magazines geared toward women or men? Are women and men treated equally in the porno movies? Are most strip joints women strippers or men strippers?
I stand by my point, more women make money showing their stuff than men do. Hooter's wasn't named that because they are showing off birds.
Not necessarily.
Nutters, LOL! I've never heard that expression.
This thread needs more cowbell.
Sometimes we take the midget (16 & up) hockey team to Hooter's after a game but that's only when they win.
I'm waiting for a restaurant where men where tight "wife-beaters" and skin tight short shorts. Wonder what they would name it? "Boa Constrictors"? "Big Snake"? "Wonder Worms"? "Willies"? "Big Dong"?
True story - my wife (before I met her) was on a field trip of some sort w/ a teacher (a personal friend) and a bunch of eighth-grade boys, including her son. They went to Hooters for lunch and the kids all got pics w/ the waitresses. Naturally, the boys were pretty happy about it.
This was about ten years ago. If that happened now, it would probably make national news.
Ahem. 'Beuds' are 'chicks'. :) From the English2American.com dictionary:
bird n. pron. "beud" (London); "burd" (Scotland). Woman. Again. Well, not really. Bird is used when one is looking upon the fairer sex with a slightly more carnal eye. It's not quite at the stage of treating women as objects but the implication is certainly there. Likely to be used in the context "I shagged some random bird last night" (a popular usage) or "hey, Andy, I think those birds over there are looking at us". You'd never describe your grandmother as a bird. It's popular in Scotland to refer to one's girlfriend as "ma burd" but do it in front of her and you'll be choking teeth. About the only thing worse would be to call her "ma bint", which will warrant a foot in the testicles and a loose tongue concerning your sexual prowess. I am told the word itself is derived from the old norse word for "woman". The nearest equivalent to bird in US English is probably chick.
Go to Oak Lawn in Dallas. I bet you find a place like that.
LOL! Maybe I'd better not comment since I visit that Hooters quite often!
One thing I've noticed about Hooters is that liberals, particularly liberal women, get all bent out of shape over it. They huff and puff about how horrible and "sexist" Hooters is. But if you mention strip clubs or porn, they don't have much negative to say, and instead focus on the "right of each woman" to choose to be a stripper, a porn actress, etc.
It's almost as if they hate Hooters for being kind of innocent. It's more like a beauty pageant (which they also hate) to them. Hooters features cute girls in cute outfits, but is a far cry from anything sleazy. Stuff that's actually sleazy doesn't bother liberals as much.
But that's typical, I guess. Positive Christian teachings about sex, sex roles, and homosexuality infuriate liberals, but they're quite tolerant towards Islamic rules about veils, wife beating, etc. I guess as long as something's anti-Western, it's okay.
Hmmm... Have you seen a college cheerleader lately? I bet her cheerleader outfit is more revealing than her Hooters outfit.
You appear to have an infatuation with men's penises and comparing them to women's breasts.
You've got to be kidding. Either that, or you don't understand men very well. Yeah, I know soooooo many men who would be outraged if women viewed them as sex objects.
Most men are too smart to let themselves get treated this way. They don't try to make money off their bodies the way women do.
Separating actual prostitution from Hooters, etc., I think its the other way around. It's women who are too smart to pay men to wear skimpy clothes, and guys who are dumb enough to spend their money just to look at a girl they'll never have.
I think it's less about being smart and more like who'd pay to see most of US?
If this doesn't motivate 16-18 year olds to win, I don't know what will.
The head coach has the same last name, so I assume the Cheerleader coach is his wife.
She can be called anything she wants. She is hot!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.