Cheer, Cheer (but not too loud)
by SEE
(The Rock Report | Notre Dame Football News) – Notre Dame should rewrite the fight song to read: “Cheer, Cheer for Old Notre Dame, but please do so in a family-friendly, politically correct manner while not obstructing views of others.”
The “we need a jumbotron to help with stadium atmosphere” argument is about as non-sensical and disingenuous as the “we need to join a conference for scheduling purposes” argument. As if a jumbotron will suddenly ignite passion in the Gold seats.
Both are self-inflicted wounds being used as justification for different agendas. I was at the USC game in 2005; it was plenty loud. No jumbotron needed. What worked that day? The team was winning and fans were standing and cheering most of the game. That’s it. That’s the entire formula. Real high-level stuff. Anyone who says ND needs a jumbotron for atmosphere wasn’t at the game.
Jack Swarbrick’s response to an inquiry about the advantage of a jumbotron surfaced this line of thinking in an email, “I believe that it is imperative that we create more energy in our stadium in order to create more of a home-field advantage.”
Jack, you don’t need a jumbotron, you need give everyone a card that says, “If you go to a game it is highly likely that the person next to you or in front of you will be loud and could stand much of the game. You are encouraged to do the same to Cheer Cheer for Old Notre Dame,” not a Blue Card (I’ll explain in a minute.)
There’s a simple solution to the atmosphere issue : 1. actually let fans cheer and 2. field a winning team. No one needs a jumbotron to exhort cheering. That’s rank foolishness. ND needs a jumbotron to generate more revenue, period. I have an Notre Dame email saying as much.
“You should understand that the University has a million financial challenges. For example, the $40 million bill for the coming ND Stadium repairs. How does the University decide to pay for it?… Car wash? Bake sale? Jumbotron?”
Just as the only thing preventing Notre Dame from scheduling a decent slate was the 7-4-1 arrangement, the only thing preventing a louder stadium is Notre Dame. One fan shared this account of an usher encounter:
“during the second half (of the South Florida game), an usher walked up to the four of us and attempted to pull us aside. We asked why and he wouldn’t say, but just insisted that we leave our seats and speak with him in one of the tunnels to the concession area. He then told us we were being “too loud” while cheering, handed us a card that referenced something about maintaining a family atmosphere and smugly said something like, “are you aware of the ‘card’ system in soccer?” Well this is what I like to call the blue card which is equivalent to a yellow card, please be respectful to the people around you and tone down your cheering. To be clear, we were not profane.”
As luck would have it, another NDNation fan was with his family right in front of the “rapscallions”
“I was right in front of you… the rest of the people in our area (including us) couldn’t believe that the ushers pulled this stunt. The 4 guys behind us weren’t swearing, just yelling and cheering, but the ushers pulled them away and warned them. It was ridiculous. It was my first time back in years and I couldn’t believe what was happening. My son, daughter and in-laws (yes they would qualify as “old”) all had a great time high-five-ing you guys when we started to make a comeback.”
We’ve all read the stories in the past about the absurd crackdown on drinking and the F-Troop/A-Team approach to reigning in drinking and problem fans. While that disaster has abated, it’s incongruous to believe that all fans should able to sit and enjoy the action while at the same time lamenting the silence of the stadium. One is the result of the other.
Which is why this Swarbrick line stuck a chord, “I need your passion,” he said. “I travel around with our team, and our stadium is the quietest place we play. I want you guys on that Saturday night at least once to make USC have a false start penalty.” It should read, “I need your passion… unless it’s too loud or… you’re in someone’s way… or it’s done a way that scares children… or…. ”
While the atmosphere shouldn’t deter families from coming to a Notre Dame game, families should know that a trip to Rock’s House is not a trip to Disney World. Good fans stand and cheer and yell to create a home field advantage.
Jack, you’re not going to rattle a team into jumping off-sides if you make people sit on their butts, clap politely and stay out of everyone’s sight line. ND’s misguided attempt to create a Disney environment combined with a mediocre product is at fault for the stadium atmosphere. Kids should know that a football game is a participatory event, not a day at the ballet.
People yell, they get upset, they exhort their team on. This has to happen within boundaries, but yelling loud and standing should not be a boundary.
It’s football. You have an obligation to cheer your team on. There’s a reason the words “Cheer, Cheer” are in the fight song.
The solution isn’t pouring electricity into a loud, obnoxious screen funded by corporate ads that distract from the field, but instead fielding an electric team that in turn incites an electric crowd unencumbered by “rooting restrictions” and unbound by a rare and insoluble passion.
Call me a cynic, but I doubt the Sheas were thinking that a jumbotron was necessary when these lyrics were penned:
“Cheer, cheer for Old Notre Dame. Wake up the echoes cheering her name. Send a volley cheer on high. Shake down the thunder from the sky!”
The only echoes a jumbotron will evoke are the echoes of Kevin White’s ASU jumbotron debacle (click here for more.)
“The real battle during ASU home football games pits fans against a high-tech marketing machine that employs a distracting array of audio, video, live stunts and bright signage to hammer commercial messages into a captive audience. No matter how the game unfolds, no matter the situation on the field, Sun Devil fans face a fusillade of advertisements. The ads divert attention from the field and refocus the “market” on products and corporations being hawked.”
Here are three reasons there is no crowd noise: (1) bad product for the last 20 years (2) too many high rollers going to the games (3) the NBC games last about 4.5 hours (4) crackdown on drinking.
ND needs more sex, drugs, and rock and roll when it comes to Saturday tailgating.
I am an ’03 graduate and didn’t go inside the stadium for half the games because of the depressing scene and the 4.5 hour long games.
Had more fun watching at the Linebacker.
I’m happy to be able to share my own usher story: Last year my friend and I were in the south endzone seats for the home opener vs Purdue (can’t remember the section #). It was both of our first times in the stadium as alums, meaning it was our first time sitting outside of the student section. We were naturally a bit let down at the lack of energy in the general seats, but took it for what it was. We got to talking with the people behind us and found them to be Alex Welch’s family, who at that time was a freshman. This was his first game on the team and also his family’s first game inside ND stadium! After the first Irish touchdown, the Welch’s were admiring the scene seeing of thousands of students doing push-ups for the first time, so we explained the ritual and offered to “put up” the daughter to join in… the family was super pumped and the daughter was excited… she got up on the bench but before we could even do one push up an usher swooped in and wagged his finger at us to show that wasn’t allowed. After we put her down I went over to him and asked what the reasoning behind this was; I forget his exact answer but something along the lines of liability and not wanting anyone to get hurt. Such a load of crap… you could easily add a line or two the fine print on the back of the ticket to cover any liability issues, and in fact I would assume there already is the necessary wording on there, “Notre Dame is not responsible for…” etc. Needless to say we were very dismayed by this spirit-killing display by the usher and by the beginning of the 2nd quarter had already been snuck into the student section by underclassmen friends. Felt much more at home there where we could actually cheer.
In summary: ND stadium ushers cracked down on recent grads who agreed to a ND football player’s family’s request to put their daughter up for push-ups. For shame!
I was at the Steelers game Sunday in Pittsburgh and it was LOUD and the atmosphere was fantastic. I have not seen anything close to that at ND stadium in years. Two years ago we had a Boston College fan in our section who was both loud and obnoxious (but not profane) but that seemed to be fine with the ushers (“Welcome to Notre Dame!”) The University has to realize that this is a football stadium and while profanity is not necessary, standing and screaming are part of a typical fan’s support for their own team. I don’t know what my reaction would be if an usher threatened me with a “blue card” for supporting Notre Dame at Notre Dame stadium. Pathetic.
How about some new cheers…We (PAUSE) Are (PAUSE) N (PAUSE) D (PAUSE)! GO (PAUSE) Irish! You can set your watch by when the cheerleaders will be bringing out these game changers every week. Basically the same since the 80′s. The band does its traditional small group tour through the stadium. As a band member, we also started that in the 80′s. No real change since. Here’s an idea…how about a nut job Leprechaun in the mold of Chris Farley. Rather, our male cheerleaders have physiques like Chris Farley! Here’s another thought…instead of a Jumbotron, how about McDonalds or Dunkin Donuts awarding a free Big Mac or coffee to everyone with a ticket stub when the Irish win or score a certain number of points? Hey, what about setting some clear expectations and challenging our students, alumni and fans? Domers really seem to understand expectations. Better yet, how about some new expectations for our Administration and stadium staff? Our fans are quiet and ND is one of the most boring places to watch a college football game. Call it what it is! Wait, let’s listen to a Michigan or USC fan call it what it is! Oh, the many ideas. What about a university plan to execute some or all of them? Surely we have the intellectual expertise to develop a comprehensive loud cheering plan and execute it. No…too much work and not enough money in that. I vote Jumbotron!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23vMunem6nw&feature=player_embedded
Enough said. Pass it on for this weekend. Go Irish Go!
I think that part of the problem is that the university and fans expect too much from a football game. This is a football stadium. Sure, it’s old and it’s beautiful and it’s on campus and all of this but it’s a football stadium. It’s not church. It’s not Disney or a shopping mall or whatever. It’s football, a brilliant, but violent, sport.
People should stand up for the entire game. They should scream, holler, yell and get the place rocking. That should be the goal. And at times, that may mean that profanity is heard. Now, this is different than being unsafe. It’s different than allowing fans to vomit from alcohol intake or to smoke pot or whatever (yet, I doubt football fans smoke a lot of herb at a football game). But come on. Bring some energy.
Swarbrick is right about one thing: Notre Dame has the quietest football atmosphere anywhere in big-time college football. It’s louder in Evanston.
I agree about the ushers and the laid back culture at ND. I do think a jumbotron( or video boards like at ALA would be a good idea. There is so much dead time that replays, scores, highlites from other games,ND videos etc would make the game experience much better.
There are so many things that seperate Notre Dame from other colleges which brings alumni and supporters of the university and its mission so much pleasure – academic standards, honesty, integrity, resourcefulness, giving, etc. This, however, is not one of them. If this blue card nonsense stays in place, and they do not allow fans to stand up and get loud at a FOOTBALL GAME, then I suggest we change the nickname of the team and the institution to “The Polite and Politically Correct Irish” instead of “The Fighting Irish.”
ND has great baseball – for those who want to sit down for 99% of the game I suggest 9 innings instead of 4 quarters.
Swagger, edge and respect is what we need in the stands. We dont want jumbotrons or a tranformation into belligerent-drunken SEC style beefcakes that Michigan has become. But for God’s sake, can we stop acting like were at mass during the games. It’s not sexy and it doesnt intimidate anyone!
I completely agree, things have changed inside the House that Rock built, ever since season tickets were offered. I, as well as anyone else, are aware of the Alumni and how important Alumni support is for the team and for Notre Dame. However, to be blunt, most of the season tickets were purchased by those Alumni who are, lets face it, members of the AARP. And those older Alumni prefer to treat going to a Notre Dame FOOTBALL game as if they’re going to the opera. It’s NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL for Pete’s Sake! I’ll be at this weekend’s game, and like games I’ve attended in the last few years, I can honestly say that I will feel those darts of stares in my back by those older Alumni as I stand and Cheer Cheer for Ole Notre Dame……I guess I might as well purchase a Tuxedo, bring in a glass of wine, and act as if I’m attending the Opera…………..GO IRISH!
While I agree with your overall sentiment, I believe you have missed your target. Jack Swarbrick’s main concerns do not center on creating/enforcing stadium rules and instructing the ushers to enforce a “family friendly” Disneyland atmosphere. That entire mess is run by Mike Seamon, Director of Game Day Operations.
http://gameday.nd.edu/about/mike-seamon/
I’m sure Mike would love to hear from you. Feel free to voice your concerns/questions/comments when you see him around campus, or email him: Michael.D.Seamon.3@nd.edu
GO IRISH! BEAT $C!
I almost got kicked out of the USF game for standing while the scoreboard said “On Your Feet”. Absolute joke. Had an 70+ year old usher threaten to get security. I can tell you one thing. That’s not gonna fly Saturday night. When will the House that Rockne Built be a feared destination again? Hopefully it starts Saturday.
Here Come the Irish. Beat $C!
I’ve missed only one home game since 1968 and always found the fans cheering loudly when we are winning. Its about an attitude, that no matter what the score is, we will win.
We haven’t had that feeling lately until this past year and its returning. I some sometimes see players exhorting fans to cheer, [that’s not needed], play hard the cheering will come naturally. I attended a Notre Dame game at Nebraska and the worst part of the whole experience was their jumbotron, You could not even hear the Nebraska band. What a waste of money! This is just like the administration trying to generate enthusiasm in their orchestrated pep ralley’s. Let the students do their own thing and it will be genuine enthusiasm. Just some thoughts from an old timer.
GO IRISH!!!!!!
Let me start by repeating the obvious reasons why our stadium is dead on gameday- poor product for many years, 4 hour games, lamest cheers in the country and a stadium full of tourists. These things do not promote electricity and excitement. Let me add one more factor to the debate. Our place is a dump! The bathrooms, concessions and ridiculously cramped quarters in the lower stadium are pathetic. Whether you traditionalists want to hear it or not, these things affect the overall experience of a football game at ND. So does not having a jumbotron. I say get one. Start some new cheers and game day rituals while you are at it. The traditions worth saving include winning games, national championships and heisman trophies all the while doing it the right way in terms of recruiting and academics. The traditions worth losing include cramped quarters, troughs in the mens restroom, cheers that put you to sleep and apparently (this one is news to me) ushers confused about their jobs.
I have been to MANY stadiums with dumbotrons and, let me tell you, they do NOT generate excitement. In fact, in every case, every single fan sitting around me thought that they were too loud and added virtually nothing to the game except replay of the previous play. And, before you say it, I am by no means an old man. Just a young fan giving you a bit of perspective with respect to the Dumbotron.
I believe that anyone who thinks that a Jumbotron will help us get more wins is not in touch with competitive athletics. If these guys aren’t fired up playing for ND, then remove their scholarship and send them to Backup College. If you win, the fans will respond, it’s as simple as that.
We do not need a jumbotron. Jumbotrons do not make fans cheer louder. I have been to lots of sporting events and I have never seen a jumbotron that did not cause more silence as people watch slack-jawed than cheers. Exciting football and a change in the mindset are needed (its OK to make noise and bring out your keys on 3rd down, you did it as a student…)
What the heck is wrong with those people! Kicking people out for being loud? Nuts. Anyone reading this got the ear of Swarbrick? Tell him to read this page and fix it. Thanks Tim N Section 18 for the youtube link to the 1988 game. GET LOUD! How about a bunch of students roam the parking lots before the game and tell everyone to get loud?
On the issue of standing, not everyone can or wants to stand all game like the students. You can still be loud sitting and can jump up on the really exciting plays. A little compromise works there. But BE LOUD!!!! And NO jumbotron.
“I travel around with our team and our stadium is the quietest place to play.”
There’s a reason, Jack – you.
Great article. That YouTube of the ’88 Mich game makes me want to run down on kickoff coverage Saturday night (and watch the rest of the game from the Hospital with a big grin on my face). Go Irish! Make some noise!
Here is my .02 worth. My 1st game was in 06 at Purdue. My buddy scored 2 tickets and we both went. Just so happens that our tickets were with the ND student section, what a freaking blast it was. They knew it was our 1st game and they let me do the 1st six pushups, just amazing. The students were awesome and it was made even better as none of us had to sit down, it was all students around us. That is what I do at my house, I stand and I cheer!
2nd game is in 07 at Notre Dame vs. BC. I realize ND struggled mightly that year, but that does not matter to me. This was my 1st time at a game in South Bend, you better bet your a.s.s. off I was going to stand and cheer. Unfortunately my experience was nothing like the one I had at Purdue. To be quite honest, I was very disappointed. I was told more than once to sit down by IRISH fans. I was shocked, and at a loss for words. How can you go to a football game and NOT CHEER for your HOME team? It left such an impression on me that I don’t know if I would care to spend the money on a ticket, travel, and then have to freaking sit down for the game. I can’t do that. If I go I want to be by the student section in hopes I won’t be told to sit down. But that isn’t a guaranteed either, I’m sure. So I guess I will just watch it on t.v. in my house and stand and cheer all I want. I don’t know what else to do. Hopefully it will be rockin’ for the USC game though.
It doesn’t matter is one team good or bad , crowd should be loud on every game if they are truly real fans of that team . There is that obligation to cheer your team on . But that is only my opinion
I haven’t read all the comments here but I got a pretty good feel. I would like to know how old the writers are. I am a Notre Dame graduate and after 43 years I am just as excited and interested in ND winning as ever. I certainly love to hear loud cheering as long as no swearing is involved and the people doing the cheering are not inebriated. But give me a break, people. I am 64 years old with a bad back and legs. You think I have to stand for the whole game to prove I am loyal??? I have gone to at least one home game every year since 1964 and have contributed to the Alumni fund every year since graduating. Are you people telling me I should stay home because me and probably 30,000 other people in the stands just can’t stand up for four and a half hours? By the way, when I was 20 I went and stood for the entire ND-MSU 10-10 tie in 1966. You do that when you are 20 but not when you are 64.
As long as you don’t mind people standing in front of you, and are cheering where you’re sitting, I appreciate the fact you cannot stand for that length of time. If you have an issue with that, try to trade seats for an aisle where you can see, etc. before you go get an usher and kill the energy all around you. I love the lifelong passion fans have for ND — but if those 30,000 other people in the stands who aren’t up to stand for that long are killing the energy, its time for those 30,000 people to be made to be the ones who feel uncomfortable in ND stadium. NOT the ones standing and cheering and being loud. If a ‘changing of the guard’ is what’s required to make our stadium great (it’s not now. not even close), then that is what it takes.
Go Irish, Beat Trojans
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Take out the seats and benches in the stadium. That would help!
PMB ’10: I’ve never complained to an usher. And try trading seats with anyone. I assume you are a 2010 grad. Well, son, use the intelligence you should have. Again, give me a break. Think about other people besides yourself. I have been at a ton of Southern Cal games and the classic Miami game and no one had to stand for the whole time to show spirit. Somehow I knew when I wrote on this board that I’d get people like you with no common sense. Sorry, son, but standing up isn’t the solution. Better teams are the solution. I’ll stand up with everyone else at crucial times, sure. But when ONE fan like you stands up surrounded by hundreds or thousands of people who don’t and forces those thousands of people to stand … it doesn’t make sense to me.
I’ll be long dead when you are old enough to want to sit at games, but the day will come, and maybe you’ll remember me.
By the way, I’ll be at the Southern Cal game yelling my head off, and if I have to stand, I will.