PCM Posted March 17, 2003 Share Posted March 17, 2003 The students make that arena what it is. If it werent for the students the place would be as quiet as a movie theater showing a Charlie Chaplin movie. Nobody is saying that the students shouldn't be loud. They're saying that it would be better if the students could be less profane. It is possible to have one without the other. Overall, I was quite impressed with the volume of noise generated over the weekend, despite having fewer students and a smaller crowd than usual. I think The Ralph is starting to use technology to its advantage. The noise meter with "Shout" playing seemed very effective at getting the crowd into it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YaneA Posted March 17, 2003 Author Share Posted March 17, 2003 U2Bad1 may be right. I've been trying to figure out why, with less than a sell-out, the Ralph experience was qualitatively different from a fan perspective than at any other point in the last two years. Maybe it was nothing more than the right people being in the right place at the right time. Everyone I've talked to, even other old fogeys like myself, remarked upon how great the atmosphere was. I thought maybe it was because the fans knew this was the end of the line for Sioux hockey at the Ralph this season and we wanted to wring every last drop of pleasure from the experience. The games were important, too; they meant continuation of the post-season for a team that had a great ride to the top followed by a disappointing slide to the middle. But we're on the upswing again. Who says a season has to have only ONE peak? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommiejo Posted March 17, 2003 Share Posted March 17, 2003 This was something that I said almost 30 years ago & after listening to the game on saturday nite on the web I can say it again. The best damn hockey fans are the one at UND home of the "FIGHTIN SIOUX." You see intenseity is still there after 30 amazing, but true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sicatoka Posted March 17, 2003 Share Posted March 17, 2003 The meeting part way thing could have happened last year when we had all those meetings about what to do. The problem was that no one besides students showed up. When people want change but are unwilling to show up to discuss how to change, it is very frustrating. Some of the good ideas from those meetings, well, I haven't seen them and I'm going to point squarely at .... not students, not the season ticket holders, but UND and Ralph Engelstad Arena, right now. Where are the lyrics to "Fight on Sioux" and "Stand Up and Cheer" on the ring or boards? I thought those were coming. I'm sure there are other things that were brought up as well. 'Diggler,' 'forecheck,' help a fogey's memory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiouxFanInBoston Posted March 17, 2003 Share Posted March 17, 2003 I wasn't at the game, but the crowd sounded GREAT through the internet feed Sunday night. I couldn't make out what was being said, except for the "Let's Go Sioux!" chants. I do hope like many of you that the profanity gets toned down. There doesn't seem to be much point to it, except to make the fans and school look bad. While it is true that there is likely some of that everywhere, in my experience (I've been to tons of Hockey East games), for the most part, the fans keep it to a minimum unless they think something really eggregious just happened and the ref made the wrong (or no) call. Even then, it's not really justified. Anyway -- I was impressed with the noise over the feed! Keep it up, everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diggler Posted March 17, 2003 Share Posted March 17, 2003 I forgot about those things they were supposed to do. You are right, The Ralph should be on top of things like that. That is a very easy thing to do, it can't take much time to program that in especially compared to some of the other things they do. They probably couldn't find room to fit "Fight on Sioux" and "Stand up and Cheer" due to all those dopey commercials though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted March 18, 2003 Share Posted March 18, 2003 You all forget that those players on the ice are STUDENTS at UND and that is our team, our tuition pays for those scholarships. That's a poor argument, since your tuition doesn't even cover half the cost of your "own" education, much less the cost of a players scholarship or covering REA expenses. Taxpayers foot the rest of your bill, and those people who each contribute thousands of $$ to be members of the Fighting Sioux Club and purchase tickets, and those who buy $30,000 suites are the ones who pay for the scholarships. They're also the ones who make it possible for REA to turn over millions of $$ at the end of the fiscal year to fund all UND athletics. In addition to that, your $5/game ticket doesn't cover the cost of your leather chair, even if you don't sit in it. You need a better argument. Ralph was all for students, but I suspect he would tell you to take a couple of economics and/or business classes. Other than that, I'm all for making noise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diggler Posted March 18, 2003 Share Posted March 18, 2003 We didn't ask for the leather seats though. I still think they should have just moved the benches over from the old arena for the student section. Woulda saved them a bit on money and I really don't care what my chair is at a hockey game. I'm not there because I don't want my butt to get sore when I am sitting down. As long as it doesn't injure me, I don't really care. I got to put those stupid little flyers in all the cupholders this weekend. And let me say that a vast majority of the missing cupholders weren't in the student section. Shame on you people for stealing and breaking cupholders! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taz Boy Posted March 18, 2003 Share Posted March 18, 2003 I was at all the games this weekend and for the most part was very impressed with the arena atmosphere. A few things, however... First, beware the Shrine of Whine! Fueled by a week-long media campaign regarding the questionable officiating at Denver, the Sioux fans exhibited some serious whining this weekend anytime Bochenski and Parise were touched. Now, certainly a case can be made that the first period of Saturday's game was aweful, and the dynamic duo had to carry extra weight around with them pretty much all three games. But, don't fall into the Goofer trap of crying and pointing anytime there's a scrum in the corner. I did notice that the b!tching settled down after Saturday's second period when UND failed to convert on the 5-3. Sunday had even less complaining and more intense cheering. Wonderful. Don't confuse this with what the Student section was doing. I dug all the crap they gave Shepard, the signs, and the yelling. Very good. I just thought there was an overblown reaction by the arena anytime Parise was in the corner getting hit. Again, this seemed to die down as the series went on (perhaps because Denver was getting tired of clutching and grabbing). Second, the overtime goals generated some of the most ear-splitting noise I've yet heard. Again, wonderful. The confetti drop at the end on Sunday was great. For some reason, that was the coolest thing to me. Third, I've come out hard on the students in the past for standing, but I thought this weekend they were excellent. Still, standing the entire time is lame to me. I'm thinking about all the folks with season tickets who miss half the game. "Well, then they can get off their a$$ and stand." you say. No. Not the solution. Why? Because, many of those folks are parents with children, or old geezers with bad hips-- good luck getting that to work. Also, it seems less safe to me (is it that obvious I'm a parent. Ugh. I've become my Dad). Whatever. I think there's a compromise here that involves sitting by the students during a majority (some, a little?) of the time the puck is in play. No? Fourth, the REA is becoming an unpleasant place for opposing teams. Hang another banner, and it will be unbearable. taz digs it, see ya Thursday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flatspin7 Posted March 18, 2003 Share Posted March 18, 2003 We didn't ask for the leather seats though. I still think they should have just moved the benches over from the old arena for the student section. Woulda saved them a bit on money and I really don't care what my chair is at a hockey game. I'm not there because I don't want my butt to get sore when I am sitting down. As long as it doesn't injure me, I don't really care. I got to put those stupid little flyers in all the cupholders this weekend. And let me say that a vast majority of the missing cupholders weren't in the student section. Shame on you people for stealing and breaking cupholders! AMEN Diggler... After 2 years at the Ralph I still feel it is missing something. I think it is too nice, the building needs to age a little and get grungy and a little nasty... Then it will be a true college building!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morley Posted March 18, 2003 Share Posted March 18, 2003 Well Time to SOUND OFF!!! Maybe you all didn't notice, but last year the student section sold out for what they thought might be a hopeful improvement, in the end we got dicked!! I hate to say it, but Diggler is right The student section did there fair share of compromise last year and recieved little to nothing back. Not that we are all about recieving, but we were told things that would happen and didn't. We sat instead of standing(and yes I think it does show more support and is more intimidating), last year we didn't swear half as much as this year, and we are still way below the level of swearing that was at Old Ralph. What ever happened to the green light that went around the video ring after a goal followed by Sieve written repeatedly. Our seats were to be moved to one of the CORNERS so that we would be able to stand without obstructing view. They split the student section up and stick us on the end where we score once. Not to mention the fact that we lose over 100 lower level seats where the majority of the student noise comes from. We are the true die hards. When is the last time that general admission has gotten to REA three hours before the game starts to get their seats? They are allowed to walk through any gate and can almost always beat the students to the prime seats. Not that many do take the prime seats, but it has been known to happen. As for the swearing and chants, we have creative chants but it is hard to get several thousand students on the same page. We are simply taking chears that were already there and continuing them. And please don't tell me we lack creativity!! Before the third period on Friday night I lean over by the penalty box while Shepherd was waiting to go on the ice and I simply told him "If I wanted to see clutch and grab, I would have downloaded his gay porn!" Before Saturday's game he, freeman, and hanson were sitting in the stands. We went up to playfully harass them for a little while. He flat out told us he likes being heckled and that he used my comment several times later Friday night. Anytime Matt Greene does something good(big hit or defensive play) we yell HO HO HO GREEN GIANT, nobody knows this other than our little section. Why, because it is new and We haven't recieved dick from REA in help. So until I see you personally making an actual effort in changing things, I don't really care. Yes I will listen to what you have to say and may take it into consideration, but I am not going to walk it alone, when everyone else ducks and runs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WPoS Posted March 18, 2003 Share Posted March 18, 2003 There's one repeated chant done at Mariucci--though I couldn't make out the first few words--that ends with "...you f***ing piece of s***!" Every time I've been to games at Mariucci they've done that chant. If you are going to quote our chants, please get them right, or shut up. Obviously you actually don't listen at Mecca. The chant is as follows: "You buddy, you're outa here you hack, and you suck, you worthless piece of sh*t!" Where you found an f-bomb in there defies all concept of space and time. done ranting... WPoS P.S. Does my handle make any sense to you or should I add an "f" just to make you correct?!?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAR Posted March 18, 2003 Share Posted March 18, 2003 Who cares about your goofer chants, WPOS. You are the one who should "shut up" since most of us could care less about your opinion of Sioux hockey matters!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCM Posted March 18, 2003 Share Posted March 18, 2003 Flashback to early September 2001. I'm at a local restaurant having dinner with my niece and her boyfriend, both of whom are UND students. Also at dinner are three recent graduates of the University of Minnesota-Duluth. One of the former UMD students asked my niece if she was excited about going to hockey games in the new Engelstad Arena. She and her boyfriend turned up their noses at the idea. There's no way they'd they pay to see a game in the new arena. They should get in for free because "Ralph Engelstad doesn't need the money." The reply was classic. "Let me get this straight. They're making you pay $5 a game to watch hockey in the best arena in the country that's right on your campus? And get to watch one of the best teams in the nation play? And you get to sit in the best seats in the house? Gee, I feel soooooo sorry for you." Most students at other hockey schools are green with envy of what UND students have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagies Posted March 18, 2003 Share Posted March 18, 2003 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WPoS Posted March 18, 2003 Share Posted March 18, 2003 DAR, I was just defending my team's chants just as well as dagies or goon would over on POI, so just relax! dagies, yes it is LONG, but nowhere can ANYONE find an f-bomb in there. As for lamblasting, well, from the post it seemed Commodore had been to more than one or two games...but I was trying to correct the misrepresentation of the chant and I may have gone a bit overboard... Now when have you EVER known me to do that!?!??! WPoS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertibm Posted March 18, 2003 Share Posted March 18, 2003 WPOS chant Sometimes that Chant takes 4 seconds or 8 seconds, it all depends on the band Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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