Members of Purdue's Paint Crew Receive Warning Over 'Fire Walters' Chant
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Members of The Paint Crew, the student section at Purdue men's basketball games, have been warned about negative chants about the school. Individuals received an email about membership being revoked after a chant broke out among students calling for the athletic department to fire head football coach Ryan Walters.
A "Fire Walters" chant broke out near the end of Purdue's 72-50 victory over Northern Kentucky on Friday. At the time, the Boilermakers were 1-7 on the football field. The team dropped a 45-0 contest to Ohio State on Saturday, falling to 1-8.
The Purdue Exponent obtained a version of the email that was sent out to members of The Paint Crew over the weekend.
"We have a strong reputation and we are well respected around college basketball for having class," the email states. "That being said, we will not participate in any chants slandering our own players/coaches or other teams' players/coaches. Anyone participating in any such chants including chants about our football coach, may be removed and have their membership revoked for the season."
An email was sent to all Paint Crew members Sunday, informing Boiler basketball’s student section that chants, such as the “Fire Ryan Walters” one that emanated from the crowd against Northern Kentucky, will not be tolerated going forward. pic.twitter.com/26NPH7DLL6
— Exponent Sports Desk (@Exponent_Sports) November 10, 2024
Per Nathan Baird of the Indianapolis Star, the email was sent out by The Paint Crew leaders after Purdue's athletic department advised that a statement be put out "condemning the negativity."
Purdue's men's basketball team returns to action on Monday night, hosting Yale.
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Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
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