A serious and *maybe* funny question for conservative fans

[cchobot]

Im going to ask the yard to bear with me here... Live in RI but from CT and a big UCONN fan. Read the yard daily but rarely post... Just looking for a little insight from those different from myself.

I realize we have a great fanbase and i appreciate it.
I realize that the we live in new england and might be naturally a bit more conservative.
I realize the students were away for the game in question.

Now, with that said... My wife recently surprised my brother and i with tickets to the Harvard game. We were excited and had a great time. GREAT win.

During the game i found myself feeling uncomfortable at times when maybe cheering too loud or standing up. Dont get me wrong here, im probably a little overboard - id like it if we did a DEFENSE chant on every possesion and i make an annoying Rick Flair-esque WOOOOO! Whenever we score. its really just an observation (crowd was pretty reserved at the Harvard game) that leads to my question:

If you are a more reserved fan (and again not saying there is anything wrong with that - appreciate you purchased a ticket and are supporting the team). My question is if you find yourself ever wanting to get rowdy? Are you waiting for more people to get involved? Is attending the game not as much about cheering and more just about watching the game?

Because in all honesty, if you do feel the urge to "cut loose" and maybe "get a little rowdy" im all for it and want to know how i can help facilitate that at future games i attend - WOOOOOO!!!

 

[patrick]

You can facilitate me by buying beer!

 

[BoatShow]

People definitely look at you funny if you cheer to hard for UConn. Don't you know you don't have to wear UConn gear or cheer so long as you buy a ticket?

If you like standing up dont go to any football games...

 

[uconnbill]

Cut loose and ignore the hand sitters

 

[cchobot]

You can facilitate me by buying beer!

I was obviously overthinking the problem when there was a simple solution

 

[champs99and04]

I hear where you're coming from, man. I wish a lot of the fans that attend games were more proactive and boisterous - it seems like when something good happens, I'm often the only one in my section standing up. Fan involvement is rarely a problem for the bigger games like Florida and Louisville, but the rest of the time it's a fairly complacent crowd that reeks of entitlement. People want to paint it as an XL Center problem, but being at the game Wednesday, the home court advantage wasn't much to celebrate. The only solution may be to put students at half court and that probably isn't ever going to happen.

 

[cchobot]

What about students interspersed throughout? I actually am curious if more conservative fans would like to cheer more but just need some encouragement to get going?

 

[cchobot]

The question for me isnt why a conservative fan doesnt cheer - its what would it take for one to cut loose? A huge part of that home game experience for me is being a part of it with my fellow UCONN fans.

 

[jdb50]

There is definitely an entitlement thing going on. If we had blown Harvard out of the gym it may have gotten the crowd more excited but winning in a grind it out style maybe makes folks uneasy even though it is a good Harvard team. With the youth up front this year we are in an enjoy the ride situation. The positive signs of the last 2 games point to the possibilities if we can keep improving. If the OP can I would recomend getting to the Rutgers game at Gampel for senior day and hopefully the sendoff for our tourney bound team. There are tx available for $15 now.

 

[Jluc]

Thought the exact same thing while I was at the Harvard game myself. I've been to many games the past couple of years and have seen both great atmospheres and not so great. We happened to both be at a not so great atmosphere game

 

[Brownie]

I've been going to games for years now with a close buddy of mine and we've always taken the opportunity to cut loose a bit. For the last few years there are three of us who go as often as we can. We each wear a Kemba jersey (one white, one blue, one gray) and refer to ourselves as "the 3 Kembas". We're in our mid/late 30s but act like we're still in college at the games. Nothing disrespectful. Just lots of hard high fives, standing, jumping up, screaming and cheering. Wherever we sit, we're easily the loudest and most charismatic of anyone around us. By the time we leave I usually have a good buzz going still, my hands hurt and my voice is gone. Years ago I used to be self-conscious about it but now it doesn't bother me in the least. Going to the games is the one chance I get to hang with my buddies and cheer for my Huskies.

 

[RedGuerrUltra]

Most of my experience going to games has been soccer (MLS, USNT etc). There's a designated supporters section, typically located behind the goal, where the more fanatical fans can stand for the full 90 minutes to sing/chant/unfurl banners/wave flags and so on. The bball equivalent would be the student's section behind the basket but obviously not everyone is a student or can fit into that area. Perhaps, if there's enough interest, we could set up an additional section of the stands which would be designated as a General Admission standing area.

Granted, the seats would have be located in an area where the fans sitting on their hands won't be disturbed and I'm not sure if this really translates to a bball arena...

 

[david]

A few years back my wife and I stood up with everyone else on the last possession of the 1st half. An old man started absolutely screaming at us to the point where strangers were telling him to shut up. Point being, there are a few idiots that will yell, but most of the people are just like you; they want to cheer but think they'll bother the people around them by cheering. Someone needs to just get them going.

 

[Calhoun's Court]

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 not 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.

 

[patrick]

I'm loud!!
I'm there to support OUR boys!!
It's called HOME COURT ADVANTAGE!!

 

[tykurez]

I would stand the entire game in Gampel if we could .... but mostly because those bleachers are cramped as hell.

 

[dsturdy5]

What about students interspersed throughout? I actually am curious if more conservative fans would like to cheer more but just need some encouragement to get going?

This is how it once was at the XL center (late 90's). It was bad because kids wanted to stand and cheer the whole game and the others were less inclined. In the long run, just do what you want to do.

 

[Deepster]

I'll say this. Over the years, I've stopped standing at the beginning of each half, clapping until they score the first point. I just have grown to think it's a dumb tradition and I don't feel that it does anything positive, especially in an opposing team's arena or on a neutral court.

 

[caw]

I thought the fans at MSG and Barclays this year were more vocal than normal XL fans. Gampel is usually good when students are around.

Women's games on the other hand...

 

[UChusky916]

I am 3 years removed from being a student but still buy student section tickets because they're cheaper and my ID is still valid.

Even in the student section I get weird looks for cheering/shouting some things... doesn't bother me in the least. And I'm the same at home.

 

[UChusky916]

I'll say this. Over the years, I've stopped standing at the beginning of each half, clapping until they score the first point. I just have grown to think it's a dumb tradition and I don't feel that it does anything positive, especially in an opposing team's arena or on a neutral court.

THANK YOU!

The ABSOLUTE WORST 'tradition' I could think of. Lets put tons of pressure on the guys to score fast and then everyone can sit quiet for the rest of the game... WTF!? Who came up with that idea?

Fans should be involved the whole game. Our marketing dept needs to do better to incorporate everyone.

 

[Marat]

I thought the fans at MSG and Barclays this year were more vocal than normal XL fans. Gampel is usually good when students are around.
.

Agreed, and that is usually the case. The fans that travel to neutral games will be more vocal (than XL fans). I usually go to these games as well away games in the area and definately make my voice heard.

 

[OkaForPrez]

I am 3 years removed from being a student but still buy student section tickets because they're cheaper and my ID is still valid.

Even in the student section I get weird looks for cheering/shouting some things... doesn't bother me in the least. And I'm the same at home.

Me too man, but I'm a lot more removed from being a student than you are, and I'm that guy who is yelling like the players can hear me and would care what I have to say. Can't change wont change.

 

[Penfield]

I like to get rowdy at the games. Usually to the point that I don't have a voice the next day.

First thing you have to accept is for some games the crowd is just not going to get into it. Part of it is the name of the opponent and part of it is the flow of the game. It didn't help that so many students were gone for the Harvard game.

Second, if you want to get the other fans into it I really think you have to know the right time to make your move. It's almost an art. If you are standing up screaming the whole game the people around you are probably going to get sick of it, but if you wait until the right moment you can usually get everyone around you involved. I think most people recognize when the team desperately needs a stop on defense, but most are a little anxious about being the first person to stand up and start yelling. As long as you take the lead you are all set. Another good time is when we have had a couple stops in a row and are going for the jugular. People recognize when it's kill time.

All of this shouldn't be an issue on Saturday night. I expect everyone to be going crazy the whole game.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

I'm definitely a lunatic fan at the games ( if anyone had Gampel tickets the past couple of seasons I'm the guy in the corner section ( above visitors locker room walkway) in the first row who " patrolled that area lol.


I think a lot of people are really on the fence about going nuts at games but are afraid to do so because not everyone else is doing it.

I love going ape at the games though, so to each it's calzone.

definitely agree the clapping till the first basket is extremely lame.