Why the USA, USA chant?

[Anchor]

As I sat at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center for Saturday's title game, some of the Wisconsin fans surrounding me began chanting "USA, USA". This puzzles me a bit because neither UMD nor Wisconsin is a team entirely made up of Americans. True, UMD does have its share of european players (along with Canadians and Americans), but such antics are no more offensive to them as they would be to the four Badgers who hail from Canada (last I checked, Canada and the USA were still separate countries). I guess if there was some tribute underway to our troops overseas, I could understand it, but nothing like that was going on.

Anyway, I'm done trying to understand what goes through the mind of a Wisconsin fan (could it be too much beer, or breathing too much methane gas from the state's dairy farms?). I'd welcome comments from anybody that can explain the reasoning behind this chant.

[SCSU2039]

I would guess the chant is meant as a dig agaisnt UMD, which has had a history of bringing in a lot of non north american players to play for them. Opposing team's fans tend to hold it against UMD as alot of the success they have had is supposeably related to all the foriegn talent.

[Anchor]

I understand the dig against UMD to a point. I really don't find anything wrong with finding talent anywhere you can get it. Having players like Maria Rooth and Kim Martin play here rather than in Europe only increases the quality of the college game.
But, the chant is not justified unless your roster is 100% american. I can't speak for them myself, but I would say Mallory Deluce (from London, Ont) and Jasmine Giles (from Ottawa, Ont) would also wonder how their fans yelling "USA, USA" is trying to motivate them.
Is this something UMD faces all of the time against opposing fans? Or is it just a Wisconsin thing?

[fan for life]

A chant does not have to make sense, motivate or shame a team.

Shannon Miller did come to UMD from Team Canada and Johnson now Team USA. Shannon has done more for the advancement of international women's hockey than any other living person. By contrast Johnson embodies Team USA in many ways. Certainly, few warmly acknowledge Shannon Miller but the I think the chant is partially related to her choices in recruiting. It could be that Winsconsin fans, knowing they were the underdogs, wanted a Miracle on Ice- Team USA style.

[Angus]

Since nobody else has, I'd point out that Wisconsin coach Mark Johnson was a member of the 1980 "Miracle On Ice" team, and watching that game on TV was the first time I'd ever heard the "U-S-A" chant.

However, as puzzling as I find it, Miller's international recruiting apparently annoys many hockey fans here in the U.S., especially when those international players bring titles to UMD.

[Gibber]

I think it was just in tune with the U-M-D chant, it was only done during that. When UNH fans do U-N-H! on the road, a lot of times the home fans will chant U-S-A! over it. I didn't see it as a dig against the foreign players on UMD, and if it was, it was stupid. The only times I heard the Wisco band/fans doing it was when the UMD fans were doing their U-M-D chant, fwiw.

[BCWH Superfan joe]

Exactly - that's what I was going to say. I chanted 'USA' yesterday over Vermont's 'UVM' chant.

[vellnueve]

It's a chant in honor of that glorious victory over the USSR.

[Hux]

Given that several of the Wisco players will be part of the US team at the Worlds, and are leaving for camp tomorrow, one might see a connection with the chant being to wish them well in China.

[ironic_chef]

Canadiens fans always yell "Go Habs Go" when the Leaf faithful get going with "Go Leafs Go". They don't start chanting "Go Canada Go" - it's not rocket science.

I'm Canadian and if someone starts chanting "U-S-A", they are cheering against me, no matter how someone wants to spin it after the fact.

[Gibber]

Canadiens fans always yell "Go Habs Go" when the Leaf faithful get going with "Go Leafs Go". They don't start chanting "Go Canada Go" - it's not rocket science.

I'm Canadian and if someone starts chanting "U-S-A", they are cheering against me, no matter how someone wants to spin it after the fact.

what if you aren't playing against the USA?

[ManBehindTheCurtain]

Since nobody else has, I'd point out that Wisconsin coach Mark Johnson was a member of the 1980 "Miracle On Ice" team, and watching that game on TV was the first time I'd ever heard the "U-S-A" chant.I am a Minnesota fan.

Mark Johnson was more than "a member" of the 1980 team. Mark Johnson is a major American hockey hero, deserving of a place in absolutely the very first rank of American hockey heroes.

In the game against the Soviet Union Johnson scored 2 goals as the USA won 4-3. It was more than just the scoring, it was what he did for his team each time he scored.

He scored on a rebound with one second remaining in the first period to tie the score 2-2. The Soviet defense appeared to relax after a harmless looking shot from center ice, thinking that time would surely run out. Only Johnson continued to hustle and he corralled the puck and somehow got it past the impenetrable Vladislav Tretiak just before time expired for the period.

The Soviets retook the lead at 3-2 in the second and held that lead entering the third. Johnson's second goal early in the third again tied the score and set the stage for Mike Eruzione's game winner.

Chanting "U-S-A" in the presence of Mark Johnson is almost always entirely appropriate. It is my opinion that the use of the chant to somehow express disdain for UMD's mostly non-USA roster is not one of those times.

[ClOuD 9]

Shannon Miller hates America












I shouldn't have to point out that this is sarcasm...

[GarbageGoal08]

was anyone else incredibly annoyed by the same song the Wisco band kept playing over and over and over again?

im not sure if it was used to annoy people or if thats the only song they know. all i know is im happy i dont have to hear it again

[LLL]

Funny you should type that! There was an older gentleman with a booming voice seated a couple rows behind us and he yelled something to the effect of get some new songs to the Wisco band! Many in our section clapped after it.

I did enjoy the energy that they showed while playing though!

[ClOuD 9]

was anyone else incredibly annoyed by the same song the Wisco band kept playing over and over and over again?

im not sure if it was used to annoy people or if thats the only song they know. all i know is im happy i dont have to hear it again
It's their powerplay song, I'd suggest telling the opposing team's players to take less penalties if you don't enjoy hearing it. ;)

Ohhhh oh oh oh!
Ohhhh oh oh oh oh-oh, oh-oh!

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P.S. The Wisco band had the most diverse, and best sounding, song selection of the four bands this weekend. Everything from "Play That Funky Music White Boy" to "The Time Warp", to various school songs.

[ironic_chef]

what if you aren't playing against the USA?

Doesn't matter. It's IN the USA playing for a USA-based school. Even if it wasn't directed at UW players (since at the final, it was apparently UW fans), it would encompass me as a non-American. While playing what is probably one of the most important career games, some j/a's are bringing nationality into play. I'd be sitting on the UW bench thinking "Don't these 'fans' know I'M NOT AMERICAN?"

Chanting against the school is one thing - that's part of the game at hand.

I'm going to slice completely out of context here (sorry in advance, Man):

Chanting "U-S-A" in the presence of Mark Johnson is almost always entirely appropriate.

That's cool, if that would have been the universally understood reason, but the fact this thread exists indicates it wasn't. And Mark Johnson wasn't playing. And his team wasn't even at the UVM game someone earlier referenced. And it's not like it happened when they introduced him, or if they were showing him on the big screen or something.

It is my opinion that the use of the chant to somehow express disdain for UMD's mostly non-USA roster is not one of those times.

That is also my opinion.

[dhmn]

It's their powerplay song, I'd suggest telling the opposing team's players to take less penalties if you don't enjoy hearing it. ;)

Ohhhh oh oh oh!
Ohhhh oh oh oh oh-oh, oh-oh!



A couple of us thought about changing those lyrics to "goooo go go home...." but.. it was 3-0... if it'd been a closer game though :D

[binnyrus]

I never even heard it!!!

[Jacks Stink]

[QUOTE=ClOuD 9;3694772]Shannon Miller hates America


You are exactly right, eh.