Welman (sp?) and his drumming crew were absent at Saturday's game. Word around section 128 was that he was suspended for using a whistle at the previous game and that he would permanently boycott future games. Can anyone confirm?
Ohh lord, RFO, say it isn't so. I propose all BS readers bring and use whistles during the game to protest Welman being suspended. Don't blast them into the back of people's heads, but the supporters section should be able to get away with it. If hundreds of people are doing it they can't suspend all of us.
Don't take this the wrong way, because I really do support the folks in the supporters section, I love the drums and noise, etc. But isn't there a good reason for banning whistles (ie, the ref uses a whistle, and it may cause problems on the field)? I'm not trying to be a shill for the Rapids management or Invesco, and I think some of their policies (no signs or flags on sticks - oh, except for the flags on sticks that THEY sell) are silly, pointless and annoying (especially since they refuse to enforce the rules at, say, the Chivas games)... But this is not a battle I would pick to fight. No offense and definitely nothing personal (and definitely definitely not an attempt to pick a fight with anyone) I would hardly equate "no whistles" with "We cannot have anyone making noise at Rapids Games!!"
I agree with Nowar. If the front office has a problem with the drums then we have a problem, but the problem with whistles is warranted. How would it look if Pedro is going in 1v1 with the goalie and he stops because he hears a whistle from sec. 128? Our season is over because someone blew a whistle from the stands doesn't sit well with me.
Exactly! This is not about spoiling the fans' fun, but about preventing the fans from interfering with the game on the field. If you want to whistle, stick your fingers in your mouth like the rest of us do.
I was, and I suspect NorthCal was also, being facetious. In the history of the team, this is the ONLY decision I agree with the stadium staff (SS) on. Pedro draws enough legitimate whistles on his own for being offside, he doesn't need any from the stands.
If that's the case, then sorry for my reaction. Without naming names, I've seen plenty of people at the games (both supporters section and non) who seem to take it as a personal insult and attack on their ability to enjoy the game every time the front office doesn't bend to their ideas. Sometimes its hard to tell, without knowing people here personally, when they are being facetious
Ya I was being facetious. They may have a point about the whistles, but the genearal tomb like atmosphere seems like it would benefit from some noise to me. Sh!t, if they are going to enforce some rules, perhaps they could make that f'ing Rapidman stay out of the seats. That freak really creeps me out. I may bring a whistle just to blow it in his ear.
I knew this would be the reaction. There are pleanty of soccer games around the world every day where people have whistles in the crowd. Happens all the time. Let's call it a home field advantage. Maybe we won't blow them when the Rapids have the ball but will when the Galaxy does. Or just blow them at the half and end of game while the refs are leaving the field.
Yeah, I don't think Welman is coming back anytime soon...from what I gather from him. I'm always over there with him and his little gang, and he was quite upset after that game with the whistles. He was calling it discrimination, etc. It didn't help that when Welman was yelling at the Front Office people who were on the field telling him to give the whistles, he said that he wasn't going to come back. The Rapids front office people pretty much said, who cares? You know, I probably wouldn't want to tick off the only fans who make noise in the whole stadium! Anyways, they never even game him back one of the whistles that they promised to after he gave them up. Way to go Rapids, way to go. Idiots.
Call it home field advantage if you blow the whistle when the other team is attacking, not when you are on your toes. Against San Jose, the whistle from the stands came just when Landon (yes the less skillful Landon) sent a through ball. Kotschau stopped at the sound of the whistle and then realized that it wasn't the ref, but someone on the stands. If you got them, learn to use them, otherwise, don't bring them! By the way, I think Welman and his crew store their drums at the stadium...I always see a RFO rep. toss them over from the field when they arrive before the game...I hope he just didn’t quit...I love the guy...(but not his whistle!)
Seriously, the players can deal with the distraction. There are whistles at any number of pro sporting events. It is nice that the Rapids' staff just told one of the team's best supporters to fu@k off. Idiots.
A little clarification on this issue. -On Oct. 2, Welman had his whistle confiscated by Invesco Field security after repeated warnings to stop blowing it during the run of play, after complaints from both the San Jose and Rapids coaching staff that it was interfering with the game. -Rapids personnel intervened when Welman and the CSC staff were arguing over the return of the whistle following the game. -The Rapids were able to persuade CSC to hand back over the whistle, and Welman got it back that night from a Rapids staff member with a request to please not bring it back. -The Rapids in no way "suspended" Welman or his friends from the stadium...he chose not to come to the last home game on his own accord because he was harboring hard feelings towards the CSC staff. -The Rapids have reached out to Welman several times over the last 2 weeks to rectify the situation, and calls to him were not returned until a few days ago, whereupon Welman says his groups is planning to return for tomorrow's playoff game. -The Rapids fully support fans cheering and making noise to support the team, which is why we created the Section 127/128 "Rowdy Section". This however does not carry over to whistles or any other objects that will interfere with game play or prove unsafe to other fans; please leave those kinds of items at home. Thanks, and we hope to see our Rowdy Fan Section out in all its glory tomorrow night, -Rapids Front Office
CSC strikes again... It's the same old deal in every stadium across the country. If CSC had just treated the guy politely and with respect from the very beginning the entire situation could have been avoided. The whole security company is crap and sadly it will take a major riot or terrorist attack for anyone to care or realize it. --Im glad your front office is run a bit better Rapids fans.
Props to the RFO for stepping up and making a statement about this. This kind of direct, to the fans, statement helps qwell the swarming hoards. I'd appreciate it if the RFO will continue to do this on all matters on these boards. Use this forum to tell the die hard fans what you want them to hear, not to just promote viewing parties. An open discourse between the front office and fans will only lead to better things. *Steps off the soapbox.*
I'll third that. Thanks for responding and clearing the air. I knew that RFO posted the occassional announcement, but I was never sure to what extent that RFO (or the various people that comprise RFO?) actually read the forum. I'd love to see more interaction from RFO - especially when one of us is talking out of our ***es or to clarify, dispell rumors, or in general address some concerns from the fans every so often.
On the other hand, if Welman had knocked off the whistle the FIRST time he was asked... Still, props to RFO for clearing the air.
(Props to RFO) I thought I saw Welman late during the game tonight, but there weren't any drummers there. Can we please find another security company when we move into the new stadium? Please? And what was the deal with security tonight? I realize they hauled off a couple of drunks, but why so many returns to 127?
I really don't 'get' what's with the security either. The guy standing in front of our section was watching the game instead of the stands half of the time, and they didn't stop kids from throwing stuff on the field during the game (that REALLY hacked me off - both that the parents didn't stop the kids and that security didn't stop the kids)
This was actually kind of funny and just typical of what we deal with. They kept coming back to 127 because those guys were getting into the game, so they were standing on the chairs and chanting. Apparently the seats "snap off all the time" according some guy (I think it was a FO rep)....whatever. I would imagine that those seats were made to handle quite a bit of weight. Don't stand on the seats? What is this? Church? Anyway, they stepped off but then decided to stand on chairs again, and of course security came back down, etc.