No, it's not a fine line it's a superfluous assumption to believe that a non paid cheer leader can always create a better fan atmosphere than a paid cheer leader. Anything that gets the fans into the game, whether it is a paid cheer leader like Krazy George or a kid in a Jester hat who can rouse the whole stadium is a good thing. The whole idea of "organic" is better, is nonsense.
That post needed an "IMO", because what you're saying is not the truth, it's your opinion. I disagree, and I'm sure a lot of others do as well. When money is involved, it makes me feel like shit as a fan. When burgers are involved, makes me feel like shit. When people start cheering on the Quakes out of nowhere when we really need it, that makes me happy. I can't explain it and I won't argue, that's just how I feel.
I'll accept that as how you feel, but would wager 90% of the fans in the stadium could not care less, if It was Krazy George or the kid in the jester hat. They just want to have a good time and the presence or lack thereof of a paid performer is a non starter. And so given the choice of, 1. A generic scream for hamburgers. 2. The Earth Quake cheer You choose the Generic hamburger scream. I get it, don't understand it but to each his own.
+1 for an excellent suggestion. Having a traditional song is a must. Every time our boys step on to the pitch, we ought to serenade them with our anthem. My suggestions: -Country Roads by John Denver (ManU has their own adaptation of this one) -Lean on Me by Jimmy Cliff -Time After Time (Matchbox 20 version) -I Won't Back Down by Tom Petty Having a good anthem is critical to a team's tradition, branding, and gameday experience. Perhaps its time for a new thread?
Come on! You asked this question - So I answered it. It's a fine line between organic "community owned" and manufactured "company owned". If you want to argue a completely different point go ahead. Just don't ascribe it to me - wow wrote this twice in one day. Now to your new argument - Always is too constraining a word, but for the most part I'd say that non-affiliated "crowd leaders" (not on the team payrolls) have usually created a more enjoyable environment for me. An interesting case study would be the San Diego chicken. Arguably the worlds greatest "atmosphere enhancer" of all time. The Chicken was sponsored by a radio station and went to all events in SD. He was totally out of control and amazingly funny. The Padres stole him from the radio station and he had to massively tone down his act. His R rated act suddenly became very G rated. It was still very good, but not nearly as good as the original KGB Chicken. Nobody Rocked San Diego like KGB. Another interesting example ... I get a kick out of 9er games when after a bad call the crowd starts chanting "BullShit". (In Raiders games they chant "******** You"). These are organic chants. The teams can't sponsor them.
I suggest - [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OC7jpAQe48"]YouTube - 2008March1 AMWAY Theme Song @ Holiday Inn, Galleria, Manila[/ame] With hand hold and swaying too. Scare the hell out of the opposition.
Fantastic idea, start a new thread, because I wasn't really looking to expand this thread out from the original question. I'm sure there are dozens of great ideas out there and hopefully the best of them will come to fruition, but this thread is about just one issue, one tiny annoying moment in the grand scheme of things. As I told the first person who suggested a good but grandiose movement in the very beginning of the thread.. baby steps......
As far as baby steps go, I don't think it's too much to ask to just abolish this altogether. In N Out can advertise in some other way. It bothers me that they ask us to cheer. Cheering is for the team, not for food. We're not whores, we're supporters.
By all definitions, the team/organization are indeed whores. You see they need the corporate sponsorship of.. UGH, Amway and KFC and IN-N-Out and Saugs sausages et. al. They need to sell themselves out like painted up ladies just to survive. So knowing we need these sponsors, knowing that without them we fail. The question is not do we commit suicide by reducing corporate sponsorship to a minuscule level that they will find unacceptable, but rather do we try to make an annoying fact of life a little more meaningful. Here is a chance to cheer for the team as you rightly suggest we should. We'll just say the cheer for the team is sponsored by..... win win.
Doesn't that make anybody else feel sick? That trivializes our cheers. Cheers are not about sponsors. I'm sure there are other teams who survive without screaming for burgers, though I'm not absolutely sure that one exists in MLS. It's definitely an American sports thing though.
You should just go ask the Seattle fans since the Sounders invented soccer, are reinventing MLS and generally know everything about everything.
Yup, sure do. Exceppppppt, how to treat away fans. Actually they're a dumb fanbase in general. But that part pisses me off, considering how well SJ treats away fans, even LA's. This ticket rep from Seattle has completely *****ed us over, and doesn't understand why away fans would want to sit/stand together.
And yet, they're so eager to point out to out-of-town fans you fail to appreciate their perfectness, that we'd all join in their glee if we'd just come to one of their games and join in the fun.
Back on point...if this "promotion" continues, I think the suggestion to do it near the end of the halftime interval would be best. Use an in stadium person to get the loudest section and get it done by the time the teams retake the pitch. That does go against any of my previous thoughts, but it is a PROMOTION, not a cheer or song, so put it someplace in the program that will not detract from the "organic" or "natural" cheering, rooting, or singing done by the supporters/fans in the stadium. BTW-once in awhile giving all in attendance a chance to experience an In-n-Out Burger would be a good idea, yeah? Go Quakes, beat the fire !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They do this at the end of halftime now. It was a nice adjustment and I personally don't find it a problem now. And if you want to see a postitive in it (besides generating revenue from InO) it does warm up the fans prior to the start of the 2nd half.
Well, then I say keep it as it is. But then, I am only one voice in a far away part of the US and could only get to BS by suddenly finding wealth beyond my current reality.
Our team and fans should take a lesson from the NZ All Blacks (perhaps Simon could lead us?) This would scare the pi$$ out of the competition! [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4LNjNXt1yM"]All Blacks Haka[/ame]
Take a look at the one where they're going up against the French Nat. rugby team. The French guys look like they're ready to shit their pants.
I have been friends with quite a few Kiwi rugby players (one of which has made some appearances with the All Blacks) and they are a lot of fun. Of course, rugby players in general have a lot of fun. The Maori ritual in the video has to be intimidating from arguably the best rugby players in the world.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_WEP9ZkpS4"]YouTube - Scotch Whisky Commercial HAKA Kilts[/ame]
"The fans in the section that does the best Haka dance get a free cheeseburger and a shot of scotch whiskey"