Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXIX: Yes, this is the Rumpel Rink!
I'm definitely on board with "more band, less canned." The point you made about AHL/USHL/NBA games is a good one. It's better than me saying "it's better this way because it just is."
Regarding getting more students to show up: that's obviously been a big priority for them this year, and it should get mentioned again and again. I ran into a (non-STH) friend the other day who went to the Minnesota games, and thought it was absolutely amazing. (I find that that kind of response from people not as enthusiastic about hockey as I am make a more convincing point about how great Badger hockey is.) I live with some guys who pretty much ignore UW hockey unless I have it on, even though they're definitely sports fans. One in particular, who I'm pretty sure has never been to a game, would certainly love it. (Come to think of it, I should probably ask what's been stopping him.) I've watched the transformation happen in so many cases, which is why I keep harping on the idea that "initial exposure" is so important. Another guy who I knew in my freshman year, who admitted to not knowing jack about hockey (was really into basketball and football), I've seen at several games this year. Season tickets, a jersey, everything. It was really bizarre to leave the Kohl Center after the Minny sweep, which felt like a live-changing, transcendental experience, into a room of people who were fairly happy at best when I told them the result. It was a very, very strange feeling.
Regarding swearing: appending that diminuitive form of "Richard" to the end of everything bugs me, but is there really a way to change that? The bigger issue to me is the "eff you" that most of the students add between "all your fault" and "sieve." Language issues aside, it muddles up what made the original SIEVE yell great. If only the band (I assume it started there) had known what would happen when they decided to add the "all your fault" part. "Eff the [mascot]" chants rarely happen, and the culture of creativity and positive chants overrides the swearing, easily. It's much, much better than at basketball or football (not even including ESFU) games.
Originally posted by tristarscoop
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Regarding getting more students to show up: that's obviously been a big priority for them this year, and it should get mentioned again and again. I ran into a (non-STH) friend the other day who went to the Minnesota games, and thought it was absolutely amazing. (I find that that kind of response from people not as enthusiastic about hockey as I am make a more convincing point about how great Badger hockey is.) I live with some guys who pretty much ignore UW hockey unless I have it on, even though they're definitely sports fans. One in particular, who I'm pretty sure has never been to a game, would certainly love it. (Come to think of it, I should probably ask what's been stopping him.) I've watched the transformation happen in so many cases, which is why I keep harping on the idea that "initial exposure" is so important. Another guy who I knew in my freshman year, who admitted to not knowing jack about hockey (was really into basketball and football), I've seen at several games this year. Season tickets, a jersey, everything. It was really bizarre to leave the Kohl Center after the Minny sweep, which felt like a live-changing, transcendental experience, into a room of people who were fairly happy at best when I told them the result. It was a very, very strange feeling.
Regarding swearing: appending that diminuitive form of "Richard" to the end of everything bugs me, but is there really a way to change that? The bigger issue to me is the "eff you" that most of the students add between "all your fault" and "sieve." Language issues aside, it muddles up what made the original SIEVE yell great. If only the band (I assume it started there) had known what would happen when they decided to add the "all your fault" part. "Eff the [mascot]" chants rarely happen, and the culture of creativity and positive chants overrides the swearing, easily. It's much, much better than at basketball or football (not even including ESFU) games.
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