Just as Jeremy Lin has had to deal with racist anti-Asian remarks when the basketball team plays away, some of Harvard’s visitors have had to endure insults that have ranged from xenophobic—chants of “U.S.A.” directed at a foreign squash player—to homophobic—a soccer parent yelling, “Hey number 13, you’re a faggot.”

These are the most egregious examples of heckling gone overboard, and thankfully, they have been extremely rare.

Fairly regularly, though, I witnessed much less severe heckling that, nonetheless, I still would have preferred been left at home. While this different, more casual brand of heckling may not be quite as politically offensive, it still reflects poorly on a fan and his community. Comments don’t have to be racist to be immature and misguided.

We’ve all seen it: that one, loud fan who taunts a specific opponent. “Nice hair, Jones,” he yells, in his high-pitched voice that carries. He never lets up and usually recycles the same jokes as he continues to chirp at the target player. Meanwhile, he’s encouraged by his snickering friends, who are doing everything they can to track down the name of the player’s mother or sister.

If you are like me, you are endlessly annoyed and embarrassed by these fans. Just as number 13 leaves Cambridge with the impression that we are a bunch of homophobes, the hypothetical Jones leaves thinking that Harvard breeds prepubescent bullies.

If you are one of these hecklers, I’m sure you will counter by contending that you are doing whatever you can to help Harvard win. Perhaps. But there’s a right way and a wrong way to rattle an opponent. A high volume of noise is far more effective than a few snide remarks.

By no means am I arguing against cheering. In fact, I believe the entire crowd should be chanting nonstop. But as a fellow fan, I just ask that you show some respect while doing so—respect for the opponent, respect for the institution of Harvard, and respect for yourself.

—Staff writer Jay M. Cohen can be reached at jaycohen88@gmail.com.