30Something ... it takes time ... getting people to just do a basic chant at a Rapids game is an achievement IMO. Let's put it this way - the fact that that chant is part of the atmosphere now - is a step forward - because it wasn't two years ago. IMO - you can only add a few things a year - and it still takes awhile - I've been trying to get "Here We Go ..." going, and only a few have joined in ... and it doesn't get a whole lot more simple for a song than that! Okay - maybe "Ole"
So true. It's got to build step by step, and it's a slow process. I don't think it's in the average American sports fan of any sport to chant. Sure, you'll sometimes have 'DEFENSE' chants at college football games and clapping along to the organ music at hockey matches (don't get me started about that)...and of course there's singing Take Me Out to the Ball Game at Fenway for the 7th inning stretch, but that's about it. Other than that we go in for screaming our lungs out all at once...which isn't necessarily bad. I still remember U of Utah basketball games when the opposing team had to call a time out after a double digit run by Utah. Or Caps games at the old arena in Maryland where we tried to break the decibel meters. Or the Redskins trying to get a play off at Qwest Field. Those are fierce, opponent-intimidating noises...and that's our basic approach to vocal support. For soccer in the US, the organized chanting and singing has got to come from supporters groups, the larger the better. That's why Chicago, Houston, Toronto and DC have the non-US-traditional atmospheres that they do. Heck, even at RFK it's hard to get the whole stadium into it in any organized fashion. We've yet to master a call and response 'DC .... United' from one side to the other. When we can accomplish that we'll have arrived. The trick to moving away from the traditional American approach to cheering on the team is to grow the supporters groups. DC has three, two of which hover around 1000 each in membership, with the two large ones standing side by side linked by drums to accentuate and coordinate the chants. Those on that side of the stadium have no choice but to stand (if they want to see) and that standing seems to be an invitation to join in. Oh, and back to Cooke. There are a lot of us on the DC forum who would love to see Colorado trade him to United for Gomez, now that Christian will no longer be playing for us...a source of great sadness, I might add.