REA Atmosphere

[PCM]

Weigh in with your impression of the atmosphere at the new Ralph Engelstad Arena during the Gopher series..

[Fedorov]

Weigh in with your impression of the atmosphere at the new Ralph Engelstad Arena during the Gopher series..

I think you need to consider that the students were "reminded" to sit down on Saturday night.

[farce poobah]

It doesn't match the old Ralph because the bottom bowl is 1/6 students instead of 1/2.

[redwing77]

I said it sucked because I wasn't there to make everything rock like I always do

[Fighting Sioux Fan]

Friday, it was rocking the most that I recall it ever rocking. Saturday was better then a lot of nights but the crowd was not as excited as they were Friday night though they did pick it up later in the game...

Got to watch some punk gopher kid (teenager) get all pissed off and take off his gopher hat and jersey and pout, that was hilarious...

[Marty]

I was there Saturday and it was better than games against other WCHA opponents because it was against the Gophers and of the stupid Gopher fans sitting next to us. I swear they are so whiny and think the refs are just out to get them. News Flash, everyone gets hosed!

[tboneund]

The new REA will never have anything on the old one...standing the whole game, silences coinciding with breaks in the action allowing students to taunt the opposing team...burning furniture to stay warm before games...students making up half the area

You'll never get the same atmosphere in a $100million arena with 11,800 people. The new REA will never have anything on the old one...standing the whole game, silences coinciding with breaks in the action allowing students to taunt the opposing team...burning furniture to stay warm before games...students making up half the area

You'll never get the same atmosphere in a $100million arena with 11,800 people.

[CoteauRinkRat]

The atmosphere was a lot better than it had been, but like what has been said in the earlier posts, you will never be able to re-create the atmosphere in the old ralph. As time goes on, this building will feel more and more like home and the atmosphere will continue to get better and more intense.

[airmail]

Friday, it was rocking the most that I recall it ever rocking. Saturday was better then a lot of nights but the crowd was not as excited as they were Friday night though they did pick it up later in the game...

Falling behind 2-0 might do that sometimes...

I thought it was a great atmosphere, other than the typical pricks doing the M-I-N-N- stuff after every gopher goal.

[CoteauRinkRat]

Falling behind 2-0 might do that sometimes...

I thought it was a great atmosphere, other than the typical pricks doing the M-I-N-N- stuff after every gopher goal.

yeah, that M-I-N..... gets old, at least we didn't have to hear it that often.

[YaneA]

Especially Friday night, I was ashamed to be an old person (well, "middle-aged," assuming I live to 102). What is with the crowd on my side of the lower bowl (I sit in sec. 114)? Polite applause for a Sioux goal, will stand and applaud a tying or go-ahead goal but nothing, zilch, zippo out of them when needed to get the Sioux back into the game or to encourage a Sioux rush not ending in a goal.

The crowd at the new Ralph was its most dynamic during the final two games of the playoff with Denver last year even though the house wasn't full. That showed me that they CAN get into it but how do we make that kind of loud fan support the rule rather than the exception?

[The Sicatoka]

The Saturday crowd seemed tired like the dates when there was a home football game the same afternoon. I'm not sure why.

However, they did come alive when it mattered.

[redwing77]

Perhaps we could have modified the chant if we wanted? We could have gone:

M-I-N-N-E-S-O-T-A Minnesota SUCKS Minnesota SUCKS GOOOOOO SIOUX!

[Smoggy]

Some people told me last year that when the Sioux moved from winter sports to the old REA, the fans thought it was dead in there as well. I hold out hope that the atmosphere can match the looks of the new arena.

[BigDrizzle40]

I was just wondering if the people in Section 111 actually stood up this time when the sioux scored? I was sitting there during the Yale serious and I swear half the section never stood up on any of our goals!! That is unbelivable!!!! How can our fans be so sh**y!!! At least in that section anyways! Just stay home if your not going to stand up and cheer!!! Sorry there is a lot of anger towards those people in me!!!

[It's more fun Drunk]

The old Ralph was rediculous. I remember being about 10 and watching a third period Sioux comeback against the Gophers. It was the loudest I ever seen it. Last year against Colorado College was as close as the New has got. My ears would bleed after games at the old, the new one not so.

[jk]

I think people romanticize their memories of the old arena. The atmosphere last weekend was great. Perhaps it didn't match the old rink during a third period comeback against the Gophers, but the standard there is incredibly high.

[U2Bad1]

I think people, when they make comparisons to the old ralph, forget about how dead it could get in there at times. Most people remember the absolute greatest moments in the old REA history, and apply that to what it is like all the time. Of course the atmosphere is going to be great during those games. The new REA has plenty of time to establish its own history!!

The last couple years of the old ralph, I can only think of 2 times when the atmosphere was outstanding. The 3rd period comebacks against the gophers and huskies during the 2000-2001 season.

[sprig]

Some people told me last year that when the Sioux moved from winter sports to the old REA, the fans thought it was dead in there as well.  I hold out hope that the atmosphere can match the looks of the new arena.

The Sioux were not real good then, believe they had like a 5-20 season (edit: make that 6-28-2) under Bjorkman, and the then new arena was mostly empty. Student section entirely empty, for the most part.

Sounded fairly loud both nights on TV, but appeared there was a lot more hitting in the first period Friday night, which sounded like it really got the crowd motivated. Saturday night the initial hitting resulted in penalties and 2 gopher PP goals, which quieted the crowd considerably, at least until Greene scored. Sounded good after that.

[The Sicatoka]

The old arena could go from

making standing next to a jet engine seem peaceful to

so quiet that the visiting goalie would answer your taunts directly.

The new arena is four times larger but with only double the people. You do the math.

Complaining and telling others what they should do won't make it better.

Do what I do: Cheer like mad and tell the rest of them that maybe next time they'd more prefer a ballet at the Chester Fritz Auditorium.

[CoteauRinkRat]

Do what I do: Cheer like mad and tell the rest of them that maybe next time they'd more prefer a ballet at the Chester Fritz Auditorium.

Is the Nutcracker coming soon?

[dagies]

I hadn't made a game in GF from 1987 until about 2001. We saw the last regular season game against Denver in the Old Ralph.

I was disappointed in the atmosphere.

[CoteauRinkRat]

I hadn't made a game in GF from 1987 until about 2001. We saw the last regular season game against Denver in the Old Ralph.

I was disappointed in the atmosphere.

You were disappointed in the atmosphere at the old ralph? Because of one game?

[Diggler]

I hadn't made a game in GF from 1987 until about 2001. We saw the last regular season game against Denver in the Old Ralph.

I was disappointed in the atmosphere.

That's because I was too busy ripping my seat out to pay attention to the game.

[CoteauRinkRat]

That's because I was too busy ripping my seat out to pay attention to the game.

did you get a green one or a white one? lol