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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
American football prank
Harvard fans holding up placards - The Harvard Satyrical Press's photo<br>Another photo from the Harvard Satyrical Press, zooming into the crowd<br>At the annual Harvard–Yale football game on November 20, 2004, Yale students, costumed as a Harvard "pep squad", distributed placards to Harvard fans for a card stunt. When the fans raised the placards together, they read "We Suck".
The practical joke was conceived of 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. The perpetrators handed crimson-and-white placards to fans in the central area of the Harvard side of the stadium—mostly Harvard alumni, with a few faculty, students, and others. The group told the crowd that, by lifting the placards, they would spell "Go Harvard".[1][2][3]
Most Harvard students were sitting in a section off to the side of the alumni area where the prank was executed, and they left the stands unaware of the prank; however, players on the field did see the placards.[4]
Response<br>[edit]
Initially, many at Harvard denied that the prank had happened.[5] In response, Yale students registered the domain name "harvardsucks.org" (as well as "yalesucks.org" in a preemptive move){{Cite web | title=Wayback Machine | url=/yalesucks.org | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040000000000*/yalesucks.org | archive-date=2004-00-00 | access-date=2026-08-14}}{{Cite web | title=Wayback Machine | url=/yalesucks.com | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050000000000*/yalesucks.com | archive-date=2005-00-00 | access-date=2026-08-14}} In contrast, \"harvardsucks.com\" appears to be an unrelated ad platform dating back to 2001.{{Cite web | title=Find the best web sites at harvardsucks.com! | url=http://harvardsucks.com/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010517211510/http://harvardsucks.com/ | archive-date=2001-05-17 | access-date=2026-08-14}}"}},"i":0}}]}'>[a] and posted a video detailing their efforts.[9] Chuck Sullivan, Harvard's director of athletic communications, said, "[It was] all in good fun."[10] In an interview with The Harvard Crimson, the prank's organizers claimed that members of the Harvard Band were complicit with the Yale pranksters.[11][better source needed]
Media and Internet coverage<br>[edit]
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.[12][13][14][15][16]
Similar pranks<br>[edit]
In 2024, two YouTubers pranked Paris Saint-Germain F.C. fans by putting an Olympique de Marseille tifo in the stands of the Parc des Princes during a Coupe de France game.[17]
See also<br>[edit]
Great Rose Bowl Hoax
List of practical joke topics
Notes<br>[edit]
↑ Both "yalesucks.org" and "yalesucks.com" were registered as domain names shortly after the prank, redirecting to "harvardsucks.org".[6][7] In contrast, "harvardsucks.com" appears to be an unrelated ad platform dating back to 2001.[8]
References<br>[edit]
↑ Ruggeri, Amanda (November 29, 2004). "Elis outsmart Harvard with prank at Game". Yale Daily News. Archived from the original on January 15, 2010. Retrieved January 21, 2010.
↑ "Elis outsmart Harvard with prank at Game". Yale Daily News. November 29, 2004.
↑ "Photo from 'Elis outsmart Harvard with prank at Game'". Yale Daily News. November 29, 2004.
↑ ESPN documentary on the Harvard-Yale rivalry, featuring the "We Suck" prank, December, 2005.
↑ Kelly, M. Aidan (December 2, 2004). "Yale's Brief Shining Moment". The Harvard Crimson. Retrieved September 10, 2007.
↑ [/yalesucks.org "Wayback Machine"]. Retrieved August 14, 2026. {{cite web}}: |archive-url= is malformed: flag (help); Check |url= value (help); Cite uses generic title (help)
↑ [/yalesucks.com "Wayback Machine"]. Retrieved August 14, 2026. {{cite web}}: |archive-url= is malformed: flag (help); Check |url= value (help); Cite uses generic title (help)
↑ "Find the best web sites at harvardsucks.com!". Archived from the original on May 17, 2001. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
↑ "Video of the incident". Archived from the original on April 2, 2006. Retrieved March 16, 2006.
↑ New York Sun, December 1, 2004
↑ New Haven Register[full citation needed]
↑ "From Hermes to bonsai kittens". The Economist. December 24, 2005. pp. 82–83.
↑ "Pranks for the Memories". Sports Illustrated. December 12, 2005. p. 36.
↑ "Ivy Beleaguered". Maxim. February 2005. pp. 20–21. Retrieved September 10, 2007.
↑ "Harvard Gets Pranked!". FHM. March 2005. p. 30.
↑ "Sportsmanship HARVARD SUCKS". PCFormat. March 2005. p. 30.
↑ "VIDEO. Football : "Humiliation totale du PSG, du jamais vu en France..." Une tribune du...