A serious and *maybe* funny question for conservative fans

[BlueWhiteKid]

This is the reason I stopped attending basketball games. I felt I would irritate people in front of me if I i was too in to the game. If I can't stand and yell the entire game it's not fun for me. Since I was not able to be myself at games anymore it was not worth the time and financial costs to continue attending. If they put in a standing only section behind the basket opposite the student section, I would be back in a heartbeat.

 

[UConn '89 "98]

I certainly acted differently as a student at games than I do now 25 years later, think that's to be expected. Just a function of life as you get older. Just because someone isn't going nuts at the Harvard game, which was an awful game to watch, doesn't mean they're any less of a fan than a 20-year old student bouncing up and down. Also, the more competitive a game, the better the crowd. I of course appreciate the enthusiasm of the students - it's what they should be doing. It's what we all did when we were younger. It's what the older folks in the first 10 rows would have done 50 years ago if they had the teams we have now. I just don't think the student type behavior flies in some of the other sections and that's fine. That's why they have a student section. Certainly wouldn't want someone standing up in front of me the entire game - especially if I've just come from Ted's........

 

[Rico444]

It sucks, but it is what it is. The 2nd half of the ESPN Gameday Syracuse game a few years ago, pretty much the entire crowd stood for most of the 2nd half. My guess is they would've in the first half, too, if Cuse hadn't jumped out to such a commanding lead.

 

[mauconnfan]

NOT a conservative fan here at all Always up yelling and cheering.
I've been doing this for the 37 years I've had season tickets and it's not going to change now.

I don't swear(or try real hard to) and I'm a positive cheerer(for the most part),

I have chairbacks at Gampel and I feel funny sometimes standing up and cheering. But you know what I always think in the back of my immature mind that somehow my cheering could make a difference. If these old farts want to sit their like they are at a play let them (or maybe they should go to the Bushnell )

Back in the days of the old HCC I used to stand so much that "an old guy" behind me used to pull on the hood of my sweatshirt


But anyway it's hard to overcome the old fart factor of some of the fan base. They pay their money like me and you. You just have to resect their space and they should respect yours.

But I'm always going to stand and cheer when I want to.

The old fart factor started becoming an issue right about when they started chasing the "Meriden factor" out of 328 at the HCC …….LOL…..I think everyone, and especially some refs, heard that crew back in the days!!

 

[Kembacity]

I've dealt with this too, its awful, if you are spending good money to sit at a game, you want to be up and active, excited about seeing your team up close. I fully agree the avg fan is far too reserved.

Back when I was a student, I recall a game in Hartford where old people stole student seats that werent taken, some right behind us. While we were standing and cheering the entire game, they actually asked us to sit down... height of rudeness. If you steal a seat in the student section, you don't get to complain about a single thing. Complaining about hometown fans being too loud and active? they should just kick you out

 

[Husky25]

I was certainly a more vocal fan in my younger years. Now its about being entertained.

My view was that the crowd reflected the play on the court. a close game played mainly in the half-court is generally boring. Pressing defense and transition/fast break offense is more exciting. When you get a mix of the two (older crowd and a lesser exciting brand of ball), and given the buildup before the Harvard game, you end up with an movable object against an resistible force type of atmosphere.

This sort of thing happens everywhere (Not just in CT), just like late arriving/early leaving crowds. But still it's about being entertained...

 

[ctchamps]

You can facilitate me by buying beer!

Every time I look at your avatar I get the feeling that gal is going to bust loose without a beer!!!

 

[Scot-e]

I stand at the start of any home game. FF or any away games it's kinda rude. I also cheer a lot- a ton- I just don't cheer when bad things happen to the other team because most of the games I can get to are NCAA or away games. If you can not tap into your inner kid watching your favorite team there is no reason to follow sports.

I am conservative most of the time when I am working- thats enough for me.

 

[ZenConn]

You can facilitate me by buying beer!

Only if you facilitate me in hooking up with that chic in your avatar

 

[Calhoun's Court]

This is the reason I stopped attending basketball games. I felt I would irritate people in front of me if I i was too in to the game. If I can't stand and yell the entire game it's not fun for me. Since I was not able to be myself at games anymore it was not worth the time and financial costs to continue attending. If they put in a standing only section behind the basket opposite the student section, I would be back in a heartbeat.

Screw them. Start attending games again.
Who is more of a diehard than you.
You deserve to be there and cheer on the Huskies.
It's their problem not yours.

 

[UConnSwag11]

the athletic department and the people in pr need to do something, they were lucky calhoun got uconn to where they are. its a new age and they need to attract the fans back... get rid of the seats around the court and give them to the students and the people who show up. figure out a way to do that or allow fans to move down after a certain amount of time.

 

[Lefty2one]

I'll yell and scream at my TV until the day I die when watching my favorite teams. But in my mid 30's, my days of acting like that in public are over. I'll cheer and clap but I'm not screaming my lungs out the whole game and jumping around.

It was funny, I went to the BPT game with the Mrs and neither of us stood up during the "stand until our first bucket" tradition because the guy sitting behind me was with his four young kids and I'm 6'8". If I stand, his kids aren't seeing anything. I was trying to be a good guy. But for the next two minutes I hear the guy yapping to his kids, "these two in front of us don't know about the UConn tradition, they aren't real fans". Blah, blah, blah. Sorry for trying to let your kids enjoy the game and actually be able to see the court.

 

[dtrumpet]

I've long thought the best way to attend a game is to stand while its being played and sit during time outs. I'm in my 50's and still think that way.
And though its a no brainer to put the students all around the court, we know that'll never happen, too many big $$ donors sitting on their hands in those great seats.

 

[DW4UCONN]

Just grow up already. Your no longer in college. I'd get a headache if there was that much screaming going on around me. I pay big bucks to see the game not the back of your head Bozo. I don't like your type at an open stadium, why should I have to put up with it indoors? There's a reason they have a student section and it is with good reason they are segregated to only one end of the court. Put them anywhere else and they will drive the likes of me away.

Just some mayhem...

 

[GlastonTim]

Just grow up already. Your no longer in college. I'd get a headache if there was that much screaming going on around me. I pay big bucks to see the game not the back of your head Bozo. I don't like your type at an open stadium, why should I have to put up with it indoors? There's a reason they have a student section and it is with good reason they are segregated to only one end of the court. Put them anywhere else and they will drive the likes of me away.

Just some mayhem...

Uhhhh...........okay.

 

[Husky25]

I disagree (almost) whole heartedly. There is a happy medium. I've sat in almost every section in both the XL Center and Gampel. I think the student section should line the court on both sides for about four or five rows and you should support that. You, as a payer of "big bucks" would have a better view higher in the lower bowl. It cracks me up that courtside seats cost so much. The vantage points are awful.

Be that as it may, continue to pay big money for the second worst value in the house. Good for you. That's wonderful. You have the right to sit on your hands, just as others have the right to enjoy the game as they see fit...

Just grow up already. Your no longer in college. I'd get a headache if there was that much screaming going on around me. I pay big bucks to see the game not the back of your head Bozo. I don't like your type at an open stadium, why should I have to put up with it indoors? There's a reason they have a student section and it is with good reason they are segregated to only one end of the court. Put them anywhere else and they will drive the likes of me away.

Just some mayhem...

 

[Uconn10922]

I think to get the crowd amped up its time to institute new traditions. Forget "Are you ready for this happy clapping" we need something new like a "CALL of the WILD" after dunks! Awooooooooooooo!!!!

 

[cchobot]

I think to get the crowd amped up its time to institute new traditions. Forget "Are you ready for this happy clapping" we need something new like a "CALL of the WILD" after dunks! Awooooooooooooo!!!!

Alright Uconn10922 ... your disdain for the classic "Get Ready for This" by Dutch Eurodance Group 2 Unlimited is well documented...

Seriously though, one of the classic parts of The Harvard Game was realizing that as 30-somethings we ARE the target audience for the song. If WE don't want it played anymore - who ARE they playing it for? It would appear that Dutch Eurodance Group 2 Unlimited must have some shady backroom deal w/ UCONN ... although I can't figure out what it is just by looking at the wikapedia entry here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Get_Ready_for_This

although the reference to the 1999-2000 Philippine Basketball Association might be a clue?

 

[dsturdy5]

I was actually asked to sit down by some other students in the student section during the 02 season. I believe their quote was " this team needs to win a national title for me to stand." I'm 6-2, they weren't more than 5-5, I stood and damn near on the seat.

 

[RichZ]

Could be like the women's fans. When they get excited, they knit harder.

 

[ctchamps]

Fans who pay good money to jump up and down have as much right to be who they are as fans who sit and prefer being passive. I don't expect people to swear, throw things on the court or any other behavior that would get them removed from the game. But cheering is valuable.

Screaming and cheering are excitement generators. Kids play better when they feel support behind them. I want to give every advantage to our kids. It would be ridiculous to put in a center who isn't able to box out, hold on to a ball, rebound and so forth. Well fans have a role in the game as well. They are the "sixth man". Fans that sit passively are impacting the team negatively.

But cheering has to be real. The clapping at the beginning of every game is perceived as phony by many because it is an act that often doesn't have passion behind it. Certainly at the start of a very important game fans come in with expectations and then the ritual has meaning because the fans are starting out excited themselves. But employing it just for the sake of employing it does nothing to help the players.

Personally, in an ideal world, I would only sell tickets to people who can generate passion at games. I want to get the best players on the team and I want to get the best fans at the arenas. We talk about players being selfish if they don't engage in team play. Well imo the same could be said about fans.

People talk about CR impacting the future for UConn. People talk about bad coaching or bad recruiting impacting the future. Well they are potentially correct. The more things are optimized the greater the probability for success. CR is fixed. None of us are coaching the team in spite of our fantasies that we think we are. Nor are we recruiters. The only thing we can do that is positive is show up to games and support our teams. Anyone making excuses for their dispassionate behavior are rationalizing their selfishness.

Think of it this way. If a recruit goes to a Cuse game and a UConn game I don't want him leaving with the impression that Cuse fans are better than UConn fans.

 

[EdgewoodNHV]

As fans, one of the very few ways in which we can actually influence what happens on the court/field is by cheering and showing our passion. By being excited and loud. We give the players energy and in turn, it helps them perform. It makes the game more exciting, both for players and also for future recruits.

If you want to just sit on your butt and watch the game as a passive observer, you can do that from your couch more comfortably and you probably won't even have to wait in line for the bathroom.

 

[ctchamps]

As fans, one of the very few ways in which we can actually influence what happens on the court/field is by cheering and showing our passion. By being excited and loud. We give the players energy and in turn, it helps them perform. It makes the game more exciting, both for players and also for future recruits.

If you want to just sit on your butt and watch the game as a passive observer, you can do that from your couch more comfortably and you probably won't even have to wait in line for the bathroom.

Thanks for the Cliff Notes of my post.