U-S-A! cheer
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The U-S-A! cheer is a chant that was first yelled by fans during the 1980 Winter Olympics. The Olympics were held in Lake Placid, New York, where the United States men's ice hockey team shocked the Soviet Union and other nations by winning the gold medal in what became known as the "Miracle on Ice". The U.S. fans, who were dismayed by their country's troubles with the Iran Hostage Crisis, inflation, and the malaise of the Carter presidency, found renewed pride in their country vicariously through the young hockey players.
At the USA-USSR hockey game, the crowd began chanting "U-S-A! U-S-A!" and since that time, American sports fans have spontaneously chanted that at many international events, and during times of patriotic fervor.
Professional wrestler Jim Duggan was popularly known for making the cheer during his wrestling matches and inciting the crowd to repeat it after him.
Also in professional wrestling, the chant has been used by fans to taunt characters who seemed to hate America, such as Muhammad Hassan and Daivari
Most recently, the September 11, 2001 attacks found a revival in the chant during patriotic ceremonies at sporting events; the chant was also heard when U.S. President George W. Bush visited the ruins at the World Trade Center site in the week following the 2001 attacks.
The chant has even shown up on The Jerry Springer Show, where it may spontaneously and inexplicably follow the show's standard cheer of "Jer-ry, Jer-ry!" and is also often said by Homer Simpson on The Simpsons as a celebration of almost anything, such as when Marge says "yes" to Homer's marriage proposal, often accompanied by honking of his car's horn and flashing of its headlights.
The "U.S.A." cheer has even been banned at a Wisconsin school because it has a second meaning. "One banned cheer in particular, where students chant 'U.S.A.,'" brought parents to a school board event. "Even after learning that the chant had a second meaning to many students — an acronym not printable in a family newspaper (YoU Suck Ass) — parents said that only applied to overly-sensitive ears." [see http://www.wiscnews.com/bnr/news/115605]
