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(BG NEWS, Feb. 7)

Letter to the Editor: Feb. 7, 2005

By Russ Frye
BGSU Alumnus

GUEST COLUMNIST

February 07, 2005
Basketball cheerleaders ineffective

I think it's time to rethink this whole cheerleader thing. After attending BGSU basketball games for the past 20 years, it's become obvious that the cheerleaders just aren't accomplishing their goal of leading the crowd in cheers.

They do the same flips and pyramid stands, the same cheery claps and finger pointing, game after game, year after year. Someone returning to campus after a 10-year absence would see the same cheers, the same flips, the same lifts.

The crowd reacts far more to the pep band, the marketing representatives throwing hats and t-shirts, the dance team, and even a basketball player waving his arms.

The crowd simply watches in bored indifference as the cheerleaders perform one of their pyramid "cheers".

I'd suggest the cheerleaders look to the dance team for inspiration.

The dance team is innovative and creative in their changing routines.

Somehow the cheerleaders must learn how to lead the crowd in cheering for the team. I'm afraid when the "house that roars" roars, it's in spite of the cheerleaders rather than because of them.

Russ Frye

BGSU Alumnus

[email protected]

From what I saw down in Mobile, this could be partly true during football games as well. DD, you did a much better job at getting the crowd cheering than the cheerleaders for most of that game.

Yeah, at any recent football game I've attended, practically anyone in the stands can start a "Deee-fense" or "BG ... SU" chant and get more reaction than practically anything the cheerleaders do.

I couldn't agree more!

I am going to side with the cheerleaders here. They have tons of cheers to do during games but honestly, all the crowd responsds to are BGSU, BG---SU, D-Fense, and Let's Go Falcons. Why do other cheers if everyone is going to sit there unspirited and no participate??

I'm sure they put A TON of effort into their stunts, too. If people haven't noticed, there seems to be a smaller amount of guy cheerleaders. I assume this might cause problems when learning new stunts or 'pyramids' as everyone seems to call them.

Our cheerleaders do an incredible job and if more people would participate in their cheers, nothing would seem different to any complaining alumni. Sure someone is going to respond with, "We don' want to participate because they are boring" but it's ALWAYS going to seem boring until fans get involved with the atmosphere and participate!

I agree with McMetz on this one. The fans at the games just do not participate with the cheerleaders cheers at the games. I think they do an amazing job and should be commended on what they do not tore apart. Keep up the great work Cheerleaders!!

Yea, go cheerleaders, my screensaver wouldn't be the same without them, :rol

I wish they would learn the words to Forward Falcons instead of ending the song by chanting B... G... S.... U.....

I kinda like the BGSU.

SaxyIrishTenor wrote:I kinda like the BGSU.

Seconded...and this coming from 2 people who play FF!!!

wow what a decision watch a whole bunch of girls in short skirts in between the plays or watch freddie and frieda shake their tail feather...the cheerleaders stay

pardon my rant, but that article/letter kinda set me off...so here goes!--

Our cheerleaders put out an incredible amount of effort everytime the Falcons compete. If they weren't out there starting cheers or trying to get the crowd to at least act somewhat enthused, who would be? Would Russ Frye be on the floor trying to get the crowd pumped up? (p.s.-i play FF too! )

Well, courtesy of our friend Dayons_Den, Russ has the mindset that...:

Dayons_Den wrote:The crowd reacts far more to the pep band, the marketing representatives throwing hats and t-shirts, the dance team, and even a basketball player waving his arms.

The crowd simply watches in bored indifference as the cheerleaders perform one of their pyramid "cheers".

I'd suggest the cheerleaders look to the dance team for inspiration.

The dance team is innovative and creative in their changing routines.

Russ, seriously. have you really paid attention? first off, its kinda hard to ignore the Athletic Band. Secondly, of course the crowd will respond more to a player waving his arms rather than the cheerleaders...why? BECAUSE THAT'S WHO THEY CAME TO WATCH!! Thirdly, they should look to the dance team? Dont get me wrong, I love the dance team, but Russ, I could have written an article calling out the dance team for doing nothing more than booty-shaking and convulsing on the court, but I would be wrong! Again, I love the dance team/cheerleaders/A-Band, etc...!

It's not about how much a group changes; its not about who gets a bigger reaction out of the students, staff, and yes of course, the alumni; you see, it is, however, about these different groups, whether off or ON the court, and the fact that we all take time out from whatever we probably should be doing to support our team, our Falcons. The cheerleaders train very hard (i'd imagine!) to do the things they do over at AA. Those pyramid cheers may look boring to you, but those girls go probably 15-20 feet over the ground...and I can probably guess, that more than likely, a fall from that high wouldnt exactly be pleasant. I have more respect for them as a student here, than I ever have at any other point in my life.

But, ya know what, Russ may never even read this. maybe he will. who knows.
Of course, the cheerleaders must have been doing something right...they got your attention, didnt they Russ?

Cheerleading has become stylized and disconnected from the original concept, which I suppose was to lead crowds in cheers.

Isn't it true our cheer team will be in that national competition in Orlando that airs on ESPN during the dog days of summer?

I assume that means our cheer team is pretty good. Certainly, they are athletic, they can do pyramids and all that other stuff.

But they don't really lead the crowds in cheers. Few, if any, cheer teams are very good at that. I just think cheerleading has moved in a different direction.

As a result, fans fill in the gap. We have the Anderson Animals, for instance, and other fan troupes that seem to do a better job.

It helps that they are in the middle of the crowd. It also helps that they can act a little more boorish, wear wilder clothes and -- in general -- do things that representatives of the university cannot.

At Bowling Green, the best crowd involvement has always occurred at BGSU Ice Arena -- even though a cheerleader may never have set foot in the place since the day it was built.

I don't think that's a statement on our cheer team. It's a statement on cheerleading.

Being in Cheer-offs or whatever there called shouldn't be mutually exclusive with exiting and leading the fans. Not sure what BGSU finished in Orlando, but I know UK won the 2005 competion held in Mid January (the 14th time since 1985), Not to sound mean but BG's team, if they were there, didn't make it to the semifinals, FWIW. But more importantly the UK team does an excellent job at making noise in Rupp Arena. They really get the whole stadium cheering, and can lead all the people sitting in the upper deck. Plus they cheer to all sides of the stadium. From what I have seen, I think our squad could use some improvement.