The Antlers are on a mission to get back to their roots and re-establish themselves as a witty student cheering section. Known for their offensive chants and vulgar language directed at opposing teams, The Antlers are taking a new approach to get in the heads of visiting players. “BACK TO OUR ROOTS” is written on the left sleeve of this year’s Antler jerseys. This decal serves as a reminder of why The Antlers come to games. They want to have fun and be funny, but they want to support Mizzou basketball first and foremost.

     Grand Poobah Julian Vizitei said that he has advised members to really think about what they are going to say before they say it.

“I know we’re trying to push the boundary a little bit for the sake of humor and distraction, but, at times, you have to realize this isn’t going to fly now,” Vizitei said.

Second-year Antler Brendan Simpson, also known as Fat Sajack, said The Antlers are still trying to be funny, but without simply yelling insensitive things. “We are trying to be much more creative, as opposed to crude,” Simpson said.

He said The Antlers are important because they give Mizzou an advantage that many schools don’t enjoy.

Fifth-year Antler Mason Bartlett said the group is trying to clean up what it says at games, but they’re not going to completely give up being a distraction.“I don’t want to say that we’re a little too much sometimes,” Bartlett said. “That’s the way we like to push the edge sometimes and make Mizzou Arena unique.”

     Bartlett said the only thing The Antlers really care about is getting at least one point attributed to Mizzou. He said that it is tough sometimes to be creative and avoid the “low-hanging fruit” though.Vizitei said The Antlers are constantly under a microscope, but it is rightfully brought upon them. He said the members could be described as “attention seekers”. Vizitei said that The Antlers are not seeking the attention of the fans and the university.“We’re trying to get the attention of the opposing team, but, of course, that causes attention to be put on us,” Vizitei said.

Vizitei said this extra attention causes increased scrutiny for the group that wouldn’t be on a single fan or other groups of fans that jeer and act in similar ways.

     In addition to moving on from the hateful things said to visiting teams, The Antlers are trying to move on from the hate between themselves and ZouCrew. From The Antlers’ point of view, Vizitei said the members are frustrated that they put in so much effort to prepare for the game, show up early and support the team for the entire game, only to be kept out of the front rows of the student section that are reserved for ZouCrew. At the same time, Vizitei said it is not ZouCrew’s fault that The Antlers are kept out of the front rows. When it comes down to it, numbers play a factor. More people means more noise. Vizitei also realizes that constantly heckling ZouCrew is not going to allow them to sit in the front.“Yelling at ZouCrew and belittling them doesn’t get us anywhere,” Vizitei said. “It’s not like the AD is going to say, ‘Oh, look, The Antlers have been yelling at ZouCrew so much, that we’ll give them the seats back.’”

     Bartlett said The Antlers and ZouCrew are working toward the same goal, but neither group likes the approach that the other takes. The Antlers are attempting to compromise though.

“We’re not in this to be rude,” Bartlett said. “We’re in it because we want Mizzou basketball to do great things.”

When it comes down to the root of what it means to be a Mizzou fan, that’s all that anyone wants.