UND Hockey: "It's Always A Home Game"

[mksioux]

They have that now, it's called the end section.

It would still block the view of the suite holders on the end where you put the students. Preferably, you'd have a section where the students block nobody. But under the current design, it would be better to place the students on one of the ends then rope off the top row or two immediately below the suites, and then let the students stand.

[808287]

Your 3rd point was something I've been thinking before but always dismissed. However, you are absolutely right. Some fans(definitely not me) seem to be tentative to join in the Let's Go Sioux chant. I saw it happen at the women's basketball game and Sioux hockey games last weekend. Someone would try to start it and everyone would just clap to the beat instead of vocalizing "Let's Go Sioux". It's too bad because I really hoped that the misguided decision by the Board of "Higher Education" would not affect people's use of the term Sioux although it appears it is beginning to, at least with the average fan. As far as the diehards...we'll say "Let's Go Sioux" until the day we die.

(cue gopher troll)

I am one who will chant with you. At the 2008 regional in Madison I was seated with a few other Sioux fans in the traditional "student section" of the Kohl center. There were about twenty wearing green, in a sea of red clad fans. (cue the side-burned lady joke) The Wisco bunch started chanting "Let's go Red", and we out yelled them with "Sioux" so much that they changed their chant to "F^#k you old people" clap, clap....clap clap clap. I took it as a point of pride that we took them far enough off their game so as to have to try and insult us like that. It was doubly delicious to have our Sioux come back and tie the game in the third, then win it in OT. I will always relish cheering the Sioux, victory or not.

[Siouxperfan7]

Yes x 5. And it should be RIGHT BEHIND the opposing goalie in the first and third, LOWER BOWL. Let the students have their fun...it's their team, their school, their pride.

Absolutely agree with this. The student section should have been sections 103, 104, 105, and 106. Imagine how much better the atmosphere would have been had the students been allowed to stand, jomp around, and yell the entire game!!

[Dave Berger]

Measured in Championships? - NONE since 2000 with as much talent as anybody in the Country in the last 10 years??? - At least the Women made the 1st NCAA tourney - Congrats.

Speaking of non sequiturs, which we weren't.

I'm sorry, but the "tired old arguments that have nothing to do with the conversation" thread has been moved.

What you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

Dave

[willythekid]

Measured in Championships? - NONE since 2000 with as much talent as anybody in the Country in the last 10 years??? - At least the Women made the 1st NCAA tourney - Congrats.

Go on and tell us how many championships the goofs have won in the last ten years... we'll be waiting.

[MafiaMan]

The Ralph is partly to blame for the lack of atmosphere at games. They turned a college atmosphere into a pro game. And that was their goal all along. They wanted to make a game at the Ralph "the event" to go to. They have successfully done that but not for the reasons that true college hockey fans wanted. There is so much more that could be done to make it a better atmosphere, but the Ralph cares more about selling advertising space on the video boards and announced over the PA than getting fans into the game. As long as people show up and have a couple beers and a popcorn, they are going to make money. I would really love to see the Ralph invest all the money they have gotten from fans the last 13 years and put it back into making the Ralph not only the nicest arena to watch hockey in, but the most exciting, festive, and fan oriented arena in the country. I don't think that is too much to ask.

In Jesus' name, Amen!

[Dave Berger]

Measured in Championships? - NONE since 2000 with as much talent as anybody in the Country in the last 10 years??? - At least the Women made the 1st NCAA tourney - Congrats.

Go on and tell us how many championships the goofs have won in the last ten years... we'll be waiting.

I posted this in another thread, but it fits here too...

In 2002 and 2003, Minnesota won national titles. Two and three years after UND's last championship (2000).

So Minnesota has no championships in the last ten years with as much talent as anybody? I'm not sure you can play the "haven't won the big one lately" card much longer since all of the titles in question are from a decade ago.

Dave

[bigskyvikes]

In Jesus' name, Amen!

I like Hey-zuse vairdee much, but he no help hit fastball!

[nodak651]

It doesn't help that they took away lower bowl tickets and made everything ga. Students have to wait in line for 2-3+ hours to get lower bowl seats. So much for pre gaming....

[yzerman19]

I like Hey-zuse vairdee much, but he no help hit fastball!

Are you trying to tell me that Jesus Christ can't hit a curveball?

[SiouxTupa]

I agree with most of what's posted about the atmosphere during the last couple seasons. But having been a student when the building opened, I know for sure that the students selected the sections they have. As others have said, even on the ends, standing would block the suites. It's a situation that has been discussed probably every year. That's the big design flaw of the Ralph. Unlike Xcel where the suite and upper-level are elevated, and you can watch the game just by leaning in from the concourse.

I wish the rink announcer would engage the fans a bit more. I've been to a few other arenas where the announcer really rallies the fans. I like Looker's voice, but the same script is very bland.

[SiouxperSiouxFan]

Tally Ho- I'm in...

Section 124, row P, seats 25-28...Hoping to see all my old Final Five friends...IM old friends who want to connect- or new ones...I changed cell phones and lost a bunch of numbers.

Diane and I will be there and Matt is likely coming also. Kayla is now working in St Paul so will likely stay there Thursday and then at the Marriot the next 2. Do you still have my number?

[Goon]

Go on and tell us how many championships the goofs have won in the last ten years... we'll be waiting.

The same as UND...

[Goon]

Diane and I will be there and Matt is likely coming also. Kayla is now working in St Paul so will likely stay there Thursday and then at the Marriot the next 2. Do you still have my number?

I am staying at the Marriot as well.

[yzerman19]

Diane and I will be there and Matt is likely coming also. Kayla is now working in St Paul so will likely stay there Thursday and then at the Marriot the next 2. Do you still have my number?

I don't have it any longer- let's connect- I tried to send you a pm, but it isn't working.

Where are your seats?

[squirtcoach]

Measured in Championships? - NONE since 2000 with as much talent as anybody in the Country in the last 10 years??? - At least the Women made the 1st NCAA tourney - Congrats.

Reminds me of the days of my youth when I would take a box of .22's and decimate the little vermin out in the pasture. Gopher nation indeed. Thanks for the memory recall.

[gfhockey]

lot of open seats at target center

now lowering my prediction to 8000

[hockey1]

Looks like you're getting skewered over this post but I agree with a good portion of what you were trying to say. However, I used to get annoyed when every spring, I'd run into Gopher fans asking me "how was the trip?" - obviously most Gopher fans automatically assume everyone in a green jersey is from Grand Forks. Imagine their surprise when I would reply back with "pretty good - 494 to Highway 5 was fine and Shepard Road was a breeze." Lots of Twin Cities Sioux fans make the road trips to St Cloud and Duluth too (and formerly Mankato). I don't think of myself as being any different than a fan from Fargo or Grand Forks - Sioux fans DO travel.

Mafiaman, Your a prime example of what I was talking about regarding misconception of traveling fans. The article mentions the legion of UND fans traveling to the Twin Cities and descending on the past final fives, It made it sound like all these fans were traveling from Grand Forks to the cities for the games. I have heard multiple times at the Final five on how well UND fans travel ( and alot do travel from Grand Forks and from other cities) but you yourself said you traveled down 494 to HWY 5, which are roads in the twin ciites. A lady I used to sit by at the final five commented on all the UND fans at the Final five and how well they travel and when I asked her what part of Grand Forks she lived in her replay was "I live in Eden Prairie". Don't get me wrong, I get there are UND fans that travel but when I hear people at Final Fives or in this years case the NCHC Tournament say UND fans travel well, there not all coming from Grand Forks, they live here. I know I ruffled some feathers and I may have worded some things wrong but my point is UND fans DO travel but they ALL do not travel from Grand Forks, just ask Mafiaman and other posters on this board that live in the Twin Cities that will be attending this years NCHC tournament, I classify Minnesota fans as well, when I hear how well they travel ( ex: games in Denver) most don't travel from Minneapolis, they live in Denver.

[UNDColorado]

Opposing teams fans often do assume that we all travel from GF. I was talking to a DU fan at the series in Denver this year and he eventually did ask me how my travel was and I simply replied that I have lived in Colorado for 5 years.

UND fans travel better than other teams but we do live in a lot of these places and when UND comes to town I tend to drop or turn down other plans and I know I am not alone in this line of thinking.

[CMSioux]

Mafiaman, Your a prime example of what I was talking about regarding misconception of traveling fans. The article mentions the legion of UND fans traveling to the Twin Cities and descending on the past final fives, It made it sound like all these fans were traveling from Grand Forks to the cities for the games. I have heard multiple times at the Final five on how well UND fans travel ( and alot do travel from Grand Forks and from other cities) but you yourself said you traveled down 494 to HWY 5, which are roads in the twin ciites. A lady I used to sit by at the final five commented on all the UND fans at the Final five and how well they travel and when I asked her what part of Grand Forks she lived in her replay was "I live in Eden Prairie". Don't get me wrong, I get there are UND fans that travel but when I hear people at Final Fives or in this years case the NCHC Tournament say UND fans travel well, there not all coming from Grand Forks, they live here. I know I ruffled some feathers and I may have worded some things wrong but my point is UND fans DO travel but they ALL do not travel from Grand Forks, just ask Mafiaman and other posters on this board that live in the Twin Cities that will be attending this years NCHC tournament, I classify Minnesota fans as well, when I hear how well they travel ( ex: games in Denver) most don't travel from Minneapolis, they live in Denver.

Yup I think the agreed upon term should be "UND fans "support" their team." My trip is 90 miles to MSP and every year I am reacquainted with many who set aside the weekend every year to support UND - the distance traveled varies. If the women's basketball team would have been in Iowa I think there would have been a nice contingency there as well - the men in Omaha on a Wednesday night - that's tough even for the die hards.

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

Mafiaman, Your a prime example of what I was talking about regarding misconception of traveling fans. The article mentions the legion of UND fans traveling to the Twin Cities and descending on the past final fives, It made it sound like all these fans were traveling from Grand Forks to the cities for the games. I have heard multiple times at the Final five on how well UND fans travel ( and alot do travel from Grand Forks and from other cities) but you yourself said you traveled down 494 to HWY 5, which are roads in the twin ciites. A lady I used to sit by at the final five commented on all the UND fans at the Final five and how well they travel and when I asked her what part of Grand Forks she lived in her replay was "I live in Eden Prairie". Don't get me wrong, I get there are UND fans that travel but when I hear people at Final Fives or in this years case the NCHC Tournament say UND fans travel well, there not all coming from Grand Forks, they live here. I know I ruffled some feathers and I may have worded some things wrong but my point is UND fans DO travel but they ALL do not travel from Grand Forks, just ask Mafiaman and other posters on this board that live in the Twin Cities that will be attending this years NCHC tournament, I classify Minnesota fans as well, when I hear how well they travel ( ex: games in Denver) most don't travel from Minneapolis, they live in Denver.

Did anyone ever claim that every Sioux fan came straight from Grand Forks?(serious question) The point being that there are more Sioux fans at away games than any other team. Every school has fans in different areas of the country because people move for jobs, school, family etc. but those schools don't have the turnout in Denver, Colorado Springs, Omaha, Minneapolis, St. Cloud State, Duluth, Bemidji like our fans do. So not sure why it's important to know not all of them came from GF, that's just common sense.

[ericpnelson]

I don't know if this is turning into a Ralph bashing thread or not, but here was my recent experience (graduated '12, perfect attendance at hockey games, more than I can say for class). Sitting in the lower bowl was a worse atmosphere. It just was. You had a third of the section which were Sioux hardo's like myself who came early, but a lot of it was saved seats for friends and pretty people you hoped to be friends. I tried to stand up more enough where I got threatened to be kicked out. I knew what the rules were, I just kept trying the "but I thought there was going to be a big play" card. They caught on. As it got further into my college career, after the infamous few minute long "F the gophers" cheer, they got pretty tough on swearing and I know a few people who got tossed for it. Which, swearing is wrong, but you can't have it both ways. If you want a rowdy student section, it's going to happen. So it was stark difference from my freshman year where that stuff was the norm to my senior year were if I did the "who's he, he sucks s***" cheer I would get a half section full of dirty looks. It wears on students constantly to be told you can't do that, and you can't stand. Eventually they are a bunch of people who don't care as much around you, so you stick out looking like a jerk, so you sit on your hands more than you would have previously. They didn't really crack down on drinking then, you pretty much had to earn be thrown out for being too drunk, and they allowed signs still ("Kyle Rau beats seals" earned him shooting a puck at the glass in front of our group). Moral of the story though, anecdotally, there seemed to be a significant shift in focus from the raucous student section to a family atmosphere in my four years. It's not my call to decide where the appropriate balance is between those two places, but I think you're fooling yourself if you don't think they are abrasive to each other.

[Dave Berger]

I'll say it again:

North Dakota fans always show up.

Saying fans "travel well" speaks as much to the commitment, passion, energy, and loyalty of a fan base as it does to miles over the road. The point is that UND fans have historically circled dates on the calendar and made those road trips and hockey weekends a reality more than fans of other teams. For some, this involves flights, arranging for someone to take the kids or the pets for a few days, using vacation time, committing to tournaments long before the competing teams have been decided, and yes, sometimes driving all the way from Grand Forks (or farther). When I hear someone say that North Dakota travels well, I take it as a compliment, because it is.

For me, it's the best of both worlds. A passionate, loyal alumni base in many other parts of the country (Denver, Minneapolis/St. Paul, etc.), and an energetic, committed group of fans from Grand Forks and other parts of the Midwest who are willing to travel wherever, whenever to see their team play.

And that's why it's always a home game.

Dave

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

I don't know if this is turning into a Ralph bashing thread or not, but here was my recent experience (graduated '12, perfect attendance at hockey games, more than I can say for class). Sitting in the lower bowl was a worse atmosphere. It just was. You had a third of the section which were Sioux hardo's like myself who came early, but a lot of it was saved seats for friends and pretty people you hoped to be friends. I tried to stand up more enough where I got threatened to be kicked out. I knew what the rules were, I just kept trying the "but I thought there was going to be a big play" card. They caught on. As it got further into my college career, after the infamous few minute long "F the gophers" cheer, they got pretty tough on swearing and I know a few people who got tossed for it. Which, swearing is wrong, but you can't have it both ways. If you want a rowdy student section, it's going to happen. So it was stark difference from my freshman year where that stuff was the norm to my senior year were if I did the "who's he, he sucks s***" cheer I would get a half section full of dirty looks. It wears on students constantly to be told you can't do that, and you can't stand. Eventually they are a bunch of people who don't care as much around you, so you stick out looking like a jerk, so you sit on your hands more than you would have previously. They didn't really crack down on drinking then, you pretty much had to earn be thrown out for being too drunk, and they allowed signs still ("Kyle Rau beats seals" earned him shooting a puck at the glass in front of our group). Moral of the story though, anecdotally, there seemed to be a significant shift in focus from the raucous student section to a family atmosphere in my four years. It's not my call to decide where the appropriate balance is between those two places, but I think you're fooling yourself if you don't think they are abrasive to each other.

Great perspective on things I wasn't aware were happening and this will definitely play into the atmosphere. You need to have a student section that can be allowed to act like students. The "Who is he, he sucks sh** has been around since I was a kid at the Old Ralph and my parents didn't stop me from going to games because a swear word was said(they just got mad if I joined in). We don't get the great atmosphere at games by people in suites yelling and cheering(unless you count me on Saturday night), it's all about the students. I'm not exactly "bashing" the Ralph as I love the place but I am bashing the practices you talk about above that encourage people to sit on their hands and not get into the hockey game unless we score 9 goals which only happens when you play Miami

[MafiaMan]

Sorry, ericpnelson, if the best that UND students can do is chant "F*** the Gophers" loud enough to be CLEARLY heard on my TV set, I'm all in favor of students getting tossed. The "Kyle Rau beats seals" sign, however, brilliant.