OK. I wanted to start a new thread to keep the stock fresh. The old one is here. I thought Saturday night's effort was great! Sure, there's a lot of room for improvement, but I was very happy that we were able to get all the groups together as one for this show of support for the team. Let's do it again... once more, from the top I think we all want this to evolve and improve as we try it each match, so I started this thread to get us talking before the match tomorrow night. Start blabbing folks. Timing Do we all agree that we want to make our entrance at 7:15 at the latest? I enjoyed the march from the Barra tailgate all the way to the tunnel personally. I think the more people we can get to the beginning of the march, the better. There was a little disintegration of the group when we went through the turnstiles, but that's to be expected. I liked that we gathered again inside and started the march in the concourse. Location Strategy There was some discussion of trying to start the march in to the stadium proper, pause at the lower walkway, then continue to the various sections. What about coming in the very first tunnel on the East side of the stadium? There's usually more empty seats at the far edge to do this secondary gathering. What are we singing? Do we want to try the call and response idea or should we keep it simple and singular for this round? ------------------------------------------------- I think this is going to be a good tradition, and I'm glad we're trying it out at the end (hopefully not the end) of this season so we can have a clear idea for opening day next season.
All points well taken. I think tomorrow night we'll be kinda flying by the seat of our pants like last game. But I also think that the spontenaiety of it all made it great. We have the entire off season to tighten things up. And I agree Low, this could become a great tradition. The one thing that fuels the whole process are the drummers. They have to lead us in and get everybody into it. Let's discuss this some more tomorrow night over a couple of cold beers.
Definitely 7:15 at the latest. With no major SE tailgate planned for Thursday, and due to the hospitable BB invitation to share their keg, I'm sure there will be a larger crowd of marchers beginning from the tailgate area. I doubt security would like this. Whaddya say we keep it simple? After we go through a couple of successful iterations we can maybe put on a few "bells and whistles". A good march song would be OHHHH United, or Vamos United, esta noche ... When we get near sections 134 and 135 we can crescendo to a Daleoooh, daleoohhh, dale United daleoooo. Howzat sound? GM
Remind the Barra that they want their Eddie Pope Bobbleheads/Airborne troopers! That should get them motivated to march a bit early!
Well, as the one who suggested the call and response idea, I have to stand by it. I think it might be a little tricky to make it work unless everyone is on the same page, but if we could get it going I think it would really help to get the crowd involved and excited. Again, the idea was that all the marchers would sing "DC" and then motion to the rest of the crowd in the sections we march through to sing "United".
In the immortal words of Oscar, "What the ************ is a bobblehead!?" --Hard to explain some things! (humor aside, whats the Airborne Trooper part?) --Definately everyone feel free to come by and party with the Barra before the game. That makes things easier and with the shorter tailgate it will be fun. Thats official. --Owen
I think the joint-gate is going to really help get a good crowd moving at a decent hour and should get everyone pumped up. I can't wait.
Re: Re: The March In -- Version 3.0 Maybe just a simple bang-bang-bang-bang-DC United.....bang-bang-bang-bang-DC United.....bang-bang-bang-bang-DC United. The drummers can keep the beat easily and all the fans know the chant. Until it can be better organized in the off-season, the simpler the better. IMHO
There is one thing that is not clear to me: where will you (plural) be entering the stadium? I wish to know this as I will be at the Red Hook stand around 7:15 and would like to join in with the march. I can't run with a beer and a bobble head in hand...so let me know where you will be entering. As for the call and response thingy...two problems, in my opinion: (1) we've tried unsuccessfully for 5+ years to get the crowd to echo the "DC" with "United" to no avail, why would it work now? (2) if the call and response does not work...then we're not really making that much noise or really inspiring. My suggestion is to use the simple "DC United" chant as the procession emerges out of the tunnel into the stands. Let's give the call and response a go next season if we continue this marchy thingy. I love GM's suggestions of OOOo United and Vamos United as the march songs. That's my opinion...yours will vary dramatically, no doubt. Tim
Read the bobblehead thread... You'll get the idea about why Eddie may perchance go airborne this Thursday.
TEConnor- We entered the stadium at Gate A and walked toward the Foggy Bottom stand and then on to the halftime drum circle area before entering the stadium bowl.
If you're not sure where we are assembling, turn on the hearing aid and walk to the sounds of the drums. GM
Gang Please don't change now as I've told our folks to be near the portal to section 135 around 7:10- 7:15 (and if you're not there at that time you can pretty much forget me trying to help spread the word in the future). As it's a week night many might not make it to the tailgate(s) (I'm not walking down to the Barra from the metro when I get there around 6:30 for sure). Doesn't really matter what we sing, have the drummers pick one and keep singing to all are in their seats. I'm going old school tonight, the fish is back! K
I know you're kidding but I get annoyed when plans are changed (or unmet) after I've emailed the entire SE membership (which is nearly 400 people). As I'm the communications coordinator I try to ensure that what I send out is accurate and confirmed so people don't waste their time and sent out early enough so people can decide what they want to do (not everyone checks their email every 10 seconds). When things don't go according to plans I get the bitching emails in return. I realize this is a work in progress and could shift from game to game (and that would be cool) all I'm asking for is a confirmation of place and time so I can let our folks know well ahead of time. (Sorry if that sounds too organized but TFB). Now another thing for tonight is that ESPN2 has been told where we will be and what time (135 around 7:10) in case they want to shoot us coming in. It would be a shame if they missed us cause we changed plans. K
K- I understand your point, but what the membership will have to realize is that the march in is, by nature, going to be a fluid event. Obviously we will try to make it as well-timed as possible so the numbers are large, but with so many people, and so many things that could slow the organism down (i.e. overzealous security at the gate), it is quite conceivable that the arrival time might be a bit off from what we originally stated. With the idea just starting, it's going to be a little disorganized, but with time I think everyone who goes to matches will get a feel for the time and place to be. I also think that people who are at the beginning of the march (i.e. the barra tailgate) will get a feel for the right time to start heading in. Patience young Skywalker. (If you want, I'll rough up some fellow SEs if they start bitching about your announcement not being in synch with the March-In Ver. 3.0 Atomic Clock)
"The fish, the fish, the fish is back Stone cold sober as a matter of fact" Whether or not K is sober is, of course, a different story... Dave