Student Section Suggestions

[Falcon Fanatic]

Thank you for starting this thread! I love that you want to get the Bleacher Creatures back on track, being more engaged, being louder, etc, etc!!!

The biggest thing I'd like to see is to have the goal count go back to the way it was before when the WHOLE arena joined in:
After a goal is scored, EVERYONE holds up their fingers with the number of the goal just scored, waiting until the end of the fight song then TOGETHER, EVERYONE begins the count: "ONE, TWO, WE WANT MORE!! WE WANT MORE!! WE WANT MORE!! WE WANT MORE!! GO (points to opposing goalie)! GO! GO! GO! (Repeat several times, faster each time!!).

I know you guys do a goal count of some kind, but honestly, it was so much better when the whole arena was doing it in unison. From my seats across the arena, above the chair seats, we can barely tell what you're doing over there and can't hear it because it's only a small number of you doing it compared to when it was 90% of the arena counting with their hand in the air and screaming it together.

One other thing....when the arena announcer introduces the Bleacher Creatures after the players are announced, you guys need to GO NUTS, SCREAM, CHEER, YELL....do SOMETHING other than just sit there not listening/not paying attention. It's YOUR introduction to the fans and the opposing fans/players. Let them know you're going to be a BIG part of the Falcon Home Ice Advantage!!!

[mbenecke]

The funny thing about the Bleacher Creatures is that it isn't the entire student section... it's a select few of us. There will be 12 active Bleacher Creatures next year. So while they announce "The Bleacher Creatures" and it seems as though they are referencing the entire student section, it is actually a select few of us that applied and went through the interview process to become real members. We're technically not a real organization in the eyes of the athletic department, but we do exist.

I will say, I think a big part of the struggling student section in recent years is because everyone is on their phones tweeting and snap-chatting and putting every little aspect of their lives on social media. When I am in the Ice Arena, my focus is solely on being engaged with the game and making snarky comments towards the opposing team. My goal is to make it fun enough that people don't want to be on their phones, because they're having so much fun in the moment. It's a tough hill to climb, but I believe in our ability to do it. It just takes time and effort, and I am more than willing to invest as much time as possible to make the 'Madhouse on Mercer' into an intimidating place to play at again.

[BGFan]

The biggest thing for me is that I would like to see originality. Haven't been to a home game in awhile, but if fans are yelling C-ya and all that crap on penalties still, I would like to see that stopped and maybe replaced with something different.

Also, if the announcer still announces the other team back at full strength after a penalty, are we still yelling our traditional "That's debatable" or are we either just saying or adding "They still suck"? If so, that should stop as well. Just stick with our tradition...it's ours. No need to copy anyone else!

But finally...and this goes to all fans at every hockey game they attend if they sit along the glass...please, for the love of all things holy, stop pounding on the glass! It's so annoying.

I was a student starting in 2002. All of those things you say we should stop doing were things we did then, 15 years ago. We had the campus newspaper for the beginnings and yelled, "Who's he? Nobody!" after each visiting player is introduced. We shouted, "See ya, bye bye, _____" on visitor penalties, and "That's debatable, they still suck!" when they were back at full strength. The thing that seems relatively new, because we didn't do it back then, was with 1 minute to go in the period, the announcer says, "One minute remaining in the ____ period" and the crowd chants, "And Toledo still sucks!" I like it, but that's new.

As for glass pounding, I agree that it's stupid and annoying.

Right...and they weren't original then either. They were basically copied from Michigan among others.

I have to say, I have always disliked the addition of "They still suck!" at the end of "That's debatable!" It's really redundant since the two terms mean the same thing. The first is intelligent, the second is crass.

Being a really old section "A" member, we tried to be somewhat cerebral with the standard cheers. For example, at the end of a 4 on 4 when it was announced that both teams were at equal strength we would yell "That's open for conjecture!". We would also huddle at times and make up cheers on the fly that pertained to certain situations during the game. We kept it intelligent, clean (for the most part), and prided ourselves on being really, really annoying to the opposing team.

Just being blunt here, but I don't see "That's open for conjecture!" catching on.

Probably not in today's world, but when the whole section was yelling it it was pretty damn funny.

[Redwingtom]

Yeah...we used to say the conjecture line as well over in Section H.

[pdt1081]

Yeah...we used to say the conjecture line as well over in Section H.

Used to yell back and forth across the ice.

[Falcon Fanatic]

Yeah...we used to say the conjecture line as well over in Section H.

Used to yell back and forth across the ice.

THAT was the best! Yelling back and for from Section A to Section H. We'd yell stuff about the opposing goalie and get in his head, along with some yelling about certain players ("Traaaaaccccyyyyyy!") and get in their head as well!! Sitting in sections across from each other that were SOOO engaged in the game, made it worth waiting in the long lines to get in and get those prime seats!!

[Falcon Fanatic]

The funny thing about the Bleacher Creatures is that it isn't the entire student section... it's a select few of us. There will be 12 active Bleacher Creatures next year. So while they announce "The Bleacher Creatures" and it seems as though they are referencing the entire student section, it is actually a select few of us that applied and went through the interview process to become real members. We're technically not a real organization in the eyes of the athletic department, but we do exist.

I will say, I think a big part of the struggling student section in recent years is because everyone is on their phones tweeting and snap-chatting and putting every little aspect of their lives on social media. When I am in the Ice Arena, my focus is solely on being engaged with the game and making snarky comments towards the opposing team. My goal is to make it fun enough that people don't want to be on their phones, because they're having so much fun in the moment. It's a tough hill to climb, but I believe in our ability to do it. It just takes time and effort, and I am more than willing to invest as much time as possible to make the 'Madhouse on Mercer' into an intimidating place to play at again.

Thanks for the explanation, I didn't realize there were so few of you!! Dang, those numbers need to climb!!

[Critical Thinker]

The funny thing about the Bleacher Creatures is that it isn't the entire student section... it's a select few of us. There will be 12 active Bleacher Creatures next year. So while they announce "The Bleacher Creatures" and it seems as though they are referencing the entire student section, it is actually a select few of us that applied and went through the interview process to become real members. We're technically not a real organization in the eyes of the athletic department, but we do exist.

I will say, I think a big part of the struggling student section in recent years is because everyone is on their phones tweeting and snap-chatting and putting every little aspect of their lives on social media. When I am in the Ice Arena, my focus is solely on being engaged with the game and making snarky comments towards the opposing team. My goal is to make it fun enough that people don't want to be on their phones, because they're having so much fun in the moment. It's a tough hill to climb, but I believe in our ability to do it. It just takes time and effort, and I am more than willing to invest as much time as possible to make the 'Madhouse on Mercer' into an intimidating place to play at again.

Thanks for the explanation, I didn't realize there were so few of you!! Dang, those numbers need to climb!!

The cap for Bleacher Creatures is at 15 students. It's not meant to be a large group.

[mbenecke]

The funny thing about the Bleacher Creatures is that it isn't the entire student section... it's a select few of us. There will be 12 active Bleacher Creatures next year. So while they announce "The Bleacher Creatures" and it seems as though they are referencing the entire student section, it is actually a select few of us that applied and went through the interview process to become real members. We're technically not a real organization in the eyes of the athletic department, but we do exist.

I will say, I think a big part of the struggling student section in recent years is because everyone is on their phones tweeting and snap-chatting and putting every little aspect of their lives on social media. When I am in the Ice Arena, my focus is solely on being engaged with the game and making snarky comments towards the opposing team. My goal is to make it fun enough that people don't want to be on their phones, because they're having so much fun in the moment. It's a tough hill to climb, but I believe in our ability to do it. It just takes time and effort, and I am more than willing to invest as much time as possible to make the 'Madhouse on Mercer' into an intimidating place to play at again.

Thanks for the explanation, I didn't realize there were so few of you!! Dang, those numbers need to climb!!

The cap for Bleacher Creatures is at 15 students. It's not meant to be a large group.

I'm intrigued by how you might know this, as it feels as though many don't, which is something we are going to be pushing hard to change in the next few years... I'm curious, what is your connection to the group?

[Class of 61]

Sounds as if they're trying to copy the weird guys from Toledo (ones w/ the weird masks). Seems to be a relatively small group too. But it really doesn't make sense if you can get 40-50 interested, only to tell most of them, "sorry, you don't qualify".

[transfer2BGSU]

THAT was the best! Yelling back and for from Section A to Section H. We'd yell stuff about the opposing goalie and get in his head, along with some yelling about certain players ("Traaaaaccccyyyyyy!") and get in their head as well!! Sitting in sections across from each other that were SOOO engaged in the game, made it worth waiting in the long lines to get in and get those prime seats!!

Oh, those were the days. I still remember when Tracy would be sitting on the bench and Section A would plead to Coach Welch, "Can Tracy come out and play?!?!?"

Having those former Freddies standing in the back section of Section A coming up with things to yell. And it was amazing how you could yell something at the opposing team that was not vulgar, yet get a lot of laughs from the crowd (and sometimes the opposing goalies).

Sounds as if they're trying to copy the weird guys from Toledo (ones w/ the weird masks). Seems to be a relatively small group too. But it really doesn't make sense if you can get 40-50 interested, only to tell most of them, "sorry, you don't qualify".

You're talking about the Blue Crew. I tell you, there is one TU commercial that scares me when they play it during basketball season. I swear that Blue Crew guy was rolled into the juicing machine in Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

[pdt1081]

The funny thing about the Bleacher Creatures is that it isn't the entire student section... it's a select few of us. There will be 12 active Bleacher Creatures next year. So while they announce "The Bleacher Creatures" and it seems as though they are referencing the entire student section, it is actually a select few of us that applied and went through the interview process to become real members. We're technically not a real organization in the eyes of the athletic department, but we do exist.

I will say, I think a big part of the struggling student section in recent years is because everyone is on their phones tweeting and snap-chatting and putting every little aspect of their lives on social media. When I am in the Ice Arena, my focus is solely on being engaged with the game and making snarky comments towards the opposing team. My goal is to make it fun enough that people don't want to be on their phones, because they're having so much fun in the moment. It's a tough hill to climb, but I believe in our ability to do it. It just takes time and effort, and I am more than willing to invest as much time as possible to make the 'Madhouse on Mercer' into an intimidating place to play at again.

You need to back away from the glass. Get up above the glass so the noise carries across the ice. Split up and move some kids to sit (yes, sit) in another section, preferably on the other side of the ice. Yell back and forth, keep it clean. Get others around you to join in.

Get the entire student section to call out another section for the BG-SU chant. Keep it simple and you'll have a better chance of getting "locals" involved.

Keep everything simple right now, and let it grow. The Bleacher Creatures will not decide what the atmosphere inside the building will be. They can only guide it towards what they want to achieve.

[mbenecke]

I appreciate your advice. Simplicity seems to be the key at this point. Thanks! Roll Along!

[Rightupinthere]

The old rule for Section A: "No cussing and no mommas" Meaning, you don't go after an opposing player's family.

Keep it creative and cranial. And I will tell you, it got into the heads of the opposing players. I worked with an old OSU player (Brian Keller) who HATED playing in BG because "there wasn't another fanbase like it." In our discussions he also said that the big game on the bench was trying to figure out what the student section was saying.

We were effective when we were smart. Saying, "and they still suck" is pathetic and juvenile which does nothing except lower the general IQ of the entire arena.

Oh, and Benecke, your parents were are the nicest people I've ever met. Tell them that "the male Drum Major" says hi.

[mbenecke]

The old rule for Section A: "No cussing and no mommas" Meaning, you don't go after an opposing player's family.

Keep it creative and cranial. And I will tell you, it got into the heads of the opposing players. I worked with an old OSU player (Brian Keller) who HATED playing in BG because "there wasn't another fanbase like it." In our discussions he also said that the big game on the bench was trying to figure out what the student section was saying.

We were effective when we were smart. Saying, "and they still suck" is pathetic and juvenile which does nothing except lower the general IQ of the entire arena.

Oh, and Benecke, your parents were are the nicest people I've ever met. Tell them that "the male Drum Major" says hi.

I'll do my best to make us take the "creative and cranial" advice into consideration. It's gonna be tough to change recent "traditions" in a swift manner, but I will see what I can do.

My parents appreciated your kind words, and they knew exactly who "the male Drum Major" was right away.