And really, I don't mean the fans in general, I mean Section 8 specifically. If anything, the sideline fans are now louder than ever before...Section 8 however seems to be stagnating. I know that there are acoustical issues with SF, but the bottom line is not even half of you in the area known as Section 8 are singing at all. You seem to just be there for the atmosphere. Ladies and gentlemen, this isn't the Wrigley bleachers. You participate. Clap, sing, do whatever. You don't even have to 100% of the time. If every one of the 1000 or so folks we've had in 8 participated even part of the time, we would not have anywhere near the sound issues we do. I mean, you're standing already...what's your excuse? You know the songs. At least the basic ones. It hasn't been that long. What do the core of us have to do to get the rest of you all on board? We HAVE to be louder. With regard to the stadium not hearing Who's The Best or any other chant, we have only ourselves to blame. I was on the sidelines for part of the game Saturday with Mirek, they are waiting to hear from us, and when they do they participate. The 'clap-clap clap-clap-clap clap-clap-clap-clap Fi-yur' chant is well-recieved and a good number of sideline fans join in. So, from now on, 'this is playoffs'. No excuses. You are either at your best, and participating, or please find a seat away from the group. We'd prefer you'd help us (and, most importantly, your club) out, though. Let's warm up for it in Columbus. Thanks.
quiet I agree with you Hala, the sound from sec8 wasn't as good as games before. Hasn't this been addressed from the previous game? I was on the side behind the team bench, which were great seats by the way, but sec8 was not as effective as times before. Is it all accoustics? Crowd did good to keep the wave going which was nice.
Re: quiet It's partially acoustics, but it's partially the people too. We need to and should be more vocal. Even more so, BECAUSE of the acoustics. They can hear us at the present level, but just barely. More need to participate, and it will be partially remedied with the installation of podiums for the leaders for next match.
I thought that the core group down at the front did a nice job, as expected. I noticed the couple of times I walked up the stairs that from about 1/3 of the way up to the top of the section most people weren't singing at all. Nothing. Just standing there. A few times when i was really jacked up I ran up the aisle yelling the songs and glaring at people and that seemed to motivate them a little bit. There are definately a lot of people coming to Section 8 who either don't have a clue why they are there or are just being lazy as hell. The only answer for this question is pure and easy. Peer pressure. People will follow along if you give them a mean dirty look and shout toward them for a second. Everybody needs to become a little more intense and make sure that the person next to you is working too. If they aren't. Tell them too. If your not, then you are as much at fault. The section used to run on automatic, people just got involved. For whatever reason it's not like that anymore. There are a few who are doing ALL of the work now. That needs to change immediately. With few exceptions everybody in the section should be involved. It's up to everyone to see that that happens. People also need to be made aware that if they aren't going to participate then they are not welcome in our section. We are not a beer garden as Hala said. When you go to section 8 you go to work, point blank.
The big problem is that I heard more than one person trying to start chants. People are screaming "every body, every body" while another chant is going on. That kills both chants. During the game I looked over at Marcin when this is happening and he is staring up witha confused look on his face. He needs to take charge and get one song going. I saw the you had a loudspeaker, any reason why it was not used? The blame does not go to one group, it goes to leadership ,it goes to people trying to start chants while other chants are going on,it goes to people just standing around.
I disagree completely (other then your last point). This has always happened and eventually the stronger chant will win out. More often then not there is only one chant going. The overwhelming problem is lack of participation NOT lack of leadership. The pulpits will help any leadership issues anyway.
A fair point. It was, though mainly just to coordinate displays (streamers and table rolls). I've tried unsucessfully to get Marcin and Mirek to use it. I think we really need it, even when we get the podiums. I'm not really placing blame on ONE group...it's all the groups. That includes leadership. Mirek's even given up on Section 8 a bit because of lack of participation and the acoustical issue. He thinks signing at all is pointless if no one can hear us, and I want to prove him wrong. it'd make thigns a lot easier too, not having to move sections (where we are now is best for displays and tifo...but not so good for noise). If we can make the best of it it'd be great.
OH, btw, with regard to tifo: I'm going to look into getting permanent cloth rolls for next year instead of the table rolls so that we can reuse them. I really think that's an excellent display. Also good to see the design for the MDSC banner moving along We can work it out over the offseason, but I think the time has come to have an official "crew" for Section 8...5 or 10 badged regulars who can commit to coming early and staying late every game to set up and tear down. It's a lot of work putting these displays on and setting up every game, especially in the new stadium. Also, we need a regular crew to assist in regular fundraising so these types of things can continue. I know Marcin has already gone over his budget for displays so far and if we want to do new banners or permanent cloth rolls next year we've got to keep funding coming in. One more thing, for those who asked...I have been assured by Mirek the S8C banner is moving along fine and will be here 'in one week'. I know, I'm getting antsy too.
Disclosure, I haven't been in Section 8 since the move back to New Soldier Field. I suspect that the problem at NSF is all those people who haven't been involved for two years showing up again. It's closely related to the Kansas City roadtrip phenomenon. When we go to Kansas City with 20 people, we're as loud or louder than we are at home. It has to do with who is involved and how much they've been paying attention and being involved at the regular games. Section 8 has been watered down.
I noticed that at the back of 122, there was a bit of a negative vibe at times. Early on, some people got repramanded by someone with a megaphone for throwing their streamers too early. Later, someone came along and was screaming in anger because people weren't chanting enough. Whether there was enough chanting or not I don't know, but it those of us that had been were kind of shut down for a while after all that. At the 10/10 game, the back of the section was more involved, I think because the drums were back there. It seems like at the 10/18 game, it took a little while for a song to catch on in the back, and then the song would usually end very quickly. So all this said, here's my suggestions for what they are worth (very little): 1) Let's encourage the quiet or misguided people rather than berate them. 2) Spread out the loud people some if possible to help the quieter areas, or maybe when the drums are back this part will be sorted out. 3) Keep each chant going longer. I think this could go for 'who's the best' as well. Seems like the whole stadium was into it, but it comes and goes so fast. Is there something we could do to keep that going?
You're 100% correct. Doesn't mean it can't be solved with a little impetus to at least the level of participation we had before the move. There will be a period of adjustment.
This is very true. It's crazy how 20-30 people at an away game can make near as much noise as a whole section. It would just be amazing to actually get the whole of section 8 to work as hard as these same 20-30 people (plus a few more at home games).
I admit that was me...but we gave specific instructions before not to throw until they were directed to do so. But they'll catch on over time. People do that down front all the time "What the *#*#*#*#*#*# is this, picnic?" Your suggestions are very good, however. One thing that seemd to work is station a leader at the rear of the section as well as the front.
Problems as I see them - Lack of directors chair. - Two or more chants going on at once. - The timing of the same chant off in two different sections. - The general crowd is louder - Section 8 is bigger - Colin not pulling his weight, I'll work on this. I think it was kinda magnified by Coz not being there to coordinate the upper half.
I think the real problem is that Kuba isn't around anymore to wear his Diva glasses and get everyone involved. However, when we were at old SF I do remember a slightly different setup of Sec 8. The leader would be down front, and various groups would be spread out and up through the section. A lot of the Ultras would sit towards the top and we (M.D.S.C. before we were M.D.S.C) were generally in the middle. How much of a difference would it be if we did a set up similar to the way it was back in aught 1?
This was more than that though. I thought it was pretty ugly. Me and my friends were chanting along back there, others weren't, but I'll say it was actually pretty tough because it was hard to hear or keep up. A station leader or drums in back would probably help. Like I said, the 10/10 match was much better and the only difference I saw was the drums.
Some good posts here. I agree with Jeremy and Liam. My wife says the same thing. There are so many people standing in Section 8 who seem to take a vow of silence and it kills the cohesion of the group. In the past I have urged neighbors to sing but this never seems to work. People don't like being told what to do and a few told me to **** off. We are now in the playoffs and it is do or die. I hope to see the following: 1. A pulpit with Mirek, Marcin and Tomek exhorting people to cheer. This has made a difference in the past. Miruk's "What the #### exhortations got some people laughing and some of them started singing again. 2. The return of Coz and coordination with the drums. 3. Some way to get the dead asses out or to get them to sing at the top of their lungs. I don't know how to do this but it is a problem at national team games too. We are betteer with 80 people singing rather than having the 80 mixed in and surrounded by 400 people who do nothing but yawn.
The drums definately make a bit of difference. At game one we did try and spread the 'core' group out more. I was toward the top of the section with about 6 others who actually work the whole game and that probably contibuted to slightly better coordination up there. But in the end I think it makes and made more sense (as in the second game) to keep the loudest people together. This way we are plenty loud enough for others in the section to hear whats going on and join in. The problem is, as has been stated, that people aren't joining in. If someone needed to walk up to the top and encourage others to start singing, then there wasn't enough singing going on in that area. If there was, there wouldn't have been the need for someone to do that (and there was a need). If you are already chanting, why is there any offense taken. If someone is yelling encouragement to chant and your already chanting, obviously it's not directed at you. Perhaps those that decided to "shut down" should 1)not be so sensitive and more importantly 2) remember that the purpose of section 8 is to support the team and you can't support the team if you're just standing there doing nothing. It sounds like you were doing what you were supposed to for the most part, I would ask that instead of shutting down you encourage those around you that weren't (and you no doubt noticed they weren't) to do the same. I would agree with this. But let's define what berate is. Someone yelling "It's too f-ing quiet" is perfectly acceptable. Someone yelling "C'mon" is also perfectly acceptable. If this is considered beratement to you or anybody else then some sack needs to be grown. Anything directly derogatory like "hey you a-hole why don't you f-ing chant" is of course not acceptable. My opinion on this was noted above. I feel that the core supporters, the ones who are the loudest and most involved should stay together near the front. This creates a mass of sound eminating from the leaders for everyone else to follow and also is easily recognizable by the team as we are all up front. The Who's the best has a start and an end. That's the way it is. It's "who's the best" then the "who's" then the song for three versus. It starts, it ends. That's the way it goes. All other chants can be kept up as long as people are willing to keep it up. Last year in Milwaukee we (about 40 people I'd say) kept one chant up for close to 40 minutes. It just takes commitment. Obviously there are a lot of commitment issues in Sectin 8 at NSF. Let me finish by reiterating the point that it is up to everybody who IS doing the job to get their neighbors involved. Some people are outgoing and can jump in easily. Others need some encouragment. People will feel more comfortable if their neighbor is helping them along.
I think we're all basically agreeing about this. Just to clarify, I don't know who it was, maybe just someone who had one too many $6 miller lites, but he wasn't like "it's too f-ing quiet" it was more like 'get the f out of here if you're not going to scream for 90 minutes'. Most of the people around us had been into it, on and off, until this point. After that, the fence sitters stopped and we got kind of deflated too. It seems like those in the back of the section could be brought along to become fully involved, rather than chase them away and have a metros style 80 people surrounded by empty seats. Anyway, for my part I'll stick with it back there.
Yep. That's probably taking things a bit too far. I'm curious as to who that might have been. Just a note on Saturday, many of the regular Ultras were not in there and that can make difference as well. These are all growing pains. They should be expected and they WILL be worked out. Everyone just keep at it and put your best foot (or voice) forward.
I was in Section 210, and missed the game last Friday. Based on the comments, I didn't expect to hear Section 8- but you came through loud and clear-
Hey, it's in your power to pay me more than I got to rock out in front of Roger Staubach down in Dallas. Yeah, the drums in the back might help enough in coordination to offset the downsides (i.e., I can't hear sh!t, especially on the more ad hoc, wiseassed cheers...I didn't even hear YSA at the first match), and rather than "spread out," maybe a decent-sized chunk of supporters further up in the section would help. The obvious problem is that it's hard to hear even a large group of people with their backs to you. Work in progress, people. Work in progress. Later, COZ
I think for next game Mirek and Marcin should lead the chants from the bottom of the section while the main groups(MDSC, Ultras, Section 8 regulars) are up towards the back of the section singing. The sound would carry down more to the front and hopefully more people would join in. I think some of the problem is that most people at the top of section 8 can't hear us clearly.