Why you (as a fan) should behave at a hockey game

In yesterday's RPI-Union game, the stupidity of Union's fans (throwing oranges on the ice during the game) allowed an RPI goal, and cost Union a win.

Here is an article from the Albany, NY Times Union: [www.timesunion.com]

In my book the fans at Union are right up there with Colgate as being the most obnoxious to visiting fans.
Last year at Union I had a fun time being told by security that even though I could point out the two misfits who were spending their time throwing skittles at individual band members that security wasn't allowed into the stands so they couldn't help me. After the game ended it sure was fun to be covered in buttered popcorn too....
... I don't remember if there were condiments at Union or just Colgate where we were showered with mustard, ketchup and mayo.... yum.
Maybe I'll bring an umbrella to Union Friday....

I don't think we can blame anyone's fan's for being obnoxious to us when we visit their rinks. It would be hard to stand other fans coming to Lynah and acting like we act at their houses. The fact that not only do we talk a lot of trash when we're away, make more noise, while our hockey team usually beat's their's, would have to make your blood boil as a Cornell rival fan.

Though while we're on it, I'll give Colgate my most violent/worst fan vote, while I've had pretty annoying interactions with Clarkson and SLU student rink staff. But I have yet to visit either Capital region school or UVM.
My most hospitable award goes to the folks at Brown, as their friendly security guard kicked out the kid who tried to steal my "You're in Big Red Country Sign" I hung from Meehan's rafters.

I've been to Colgate the past couple of years and don't really recall there being many "fans" to speak of. Sure, there are a few annoying frat boys with loud mouths and the occasional misbehaved middle school student who is throwing stuff at the Cornell section, but it's not as though there is a sea of violent offenders or anything.

I'll agree with Josh on the Brown hospitality vote. If it weren't for the fact that the game is played in ugly old Meehan, it would be a pleasure to visit Providence. Also, and as much as I hate to admit it, Harvard is really a fine place to watch a game as well. Looking forward to V-Day weekend.

Meehan has supposedly been spiffed up in preparation for an upcoming women's final four. We'll see next month.

I'm going to agree with Harvard being a nice place to watch hockey. Last year I was screaming my ass off in the middle of the harvard section and really got no heckling at all.

At the end of the game, we had a conversation with the folks around us, and wished each other luck in the future (AKA the upcoming beanpot tournament).

As it should be.

Take that back!

I went to the Harvard game two years ago and was sitting behind the away goal with what seemed to be half of the Harvard football team. My friends and I were up against the glass and we got heckled and had stuff thrown at us for the majority of the game (it didn't help that we were the only ones in the "arena" who stood the entire game, not to mention that we were blocking their view). I also had my wool hat torn off and thrown on to the ice during the third period. Undy calmy picked it up with his stick and tossed it back to me over the glass after waving to the Harvard fans.

I don't think Colgate is that bad...most of their students don't stumble in until the second period.

We've had old, old ladies curse us out at RPI. That was pretty disturbing.

Impressions of away fans all really depends on who you have the pleasure of sitting near during the game. I've had a great time in the North Country and I've had a horrible time in the North Country.

Colgate fans tried to start a fight with us AT LYNAH in SECTION F during the ECAC quarterfinals in 1991 during the third period of an 8-1 Cornell victory which followed a 10-3 victory in the first game.

I have yet to see bad behavior by Cornell fans at any away game. Showing up in large numbers is hardly reason to throw food at the opposing teams fans.

If you go to an away game and stand up in the front row (exposing your colors) and block the view of the home fans behind you, consider yourself lucky if you only get food thrown at you.

big red apple wrote:

If you go to an away game and stand up in the front row (exposing your colors) and block the view of the home fans behind you, consider yourself lucky if you only get food thrown at you.

Took the words right outa... well, you know the rest.

Felix said[Q]I'm going to agree with Harvard being a nice place to watch hockey. Last year I was screaming my ass off in the middle of the harvard section and really got no heckling at all.
[/Q]Maybe that's nice, but fun? One of the fun things to do is to go to an opponents rink and have some "pleasant" cheering against them. I'd actually like it if HA+RVA+RD "fans" would cheer alittle.

Chris' experience at Union reminds me of one of my favorite roadtrip stories. Picture it: St. Olaf... wait, wrong story.

It was fall of 1995 and we were playing a Sunday afternoon game at Union. A few band members made the trip there, and Union rolled out the red carpet in their usual fashion. There were three punks in particular who stood right behind us and yelled, threw lots of crap, and in what I consider their most juvenile act, stole a bunch of our folders. I mean really, what were they going to do with them? Anyway, we pretty much just shrugged them off as the team blew a one goal lead with 1.2 seconds left in regulation. Keep in mind, this was back in the day when we could not beat Union under any circumstances. At that point, a band member said, "If Schafer EVER puts Elliott in goal again, I'm going to jump over the boards and beat him." Heh. But I digress.

I think we walked away with a tie, so we decided to drown our sorrows at the local Hooters (where else?). We walk in en masse, and wouldn't ya know it, the three jerks are sitting there front and center. They immediately recognize us and begin to whimper like dogs. "Uh, hi. You guys know we were just kidding, right? All about school spirit, you know... we didn't mean anything."

Right. I think the funniest part is that they might actually have been intimidated. Sure, there like 10-15 of us at the restaurant, but come on. We were in the band. Maybe they were so utterly terrified of us playing "Swanee," as the Colgate band seems to be.....

(Or maybe you just had to be there...)

There's a little more to Lowell's story as I remember it. The band was set up in the corner of bleachers where there is a walkway behind them. The perps stole 2 folders from the ledge behind those bleachers, and ran out the nearest door with them. One bandie had it in him to jump the railing and chase them, as he pointed out to a nearby Union rent-a-cop what had happened. The cop helped to get the music back, but was bitching that he had missed the last-second game-tying goal...because of us.

I think those punks' taunts were about the maturity level of "Red and White make pink!! You're gay!" And one of them wore a softball jersey that had the name "Meat" on the back. I just remember seeing them at the restaurant and saying "what's up...Meat?"

I still say that tying goal was the result of a home-town timekeeper, as it seemed to me through my Red-hued specs that a good 4 seconds elapsed before the clock started after the last face-off.

At least fans of most hockey teams don't try to influence the outcome of a game unfairly. Back in '96, some idiots at Colgate were caught aiming a laser pointer into Jason Elliott's eyes; they didn't even get thrown out of the rink, they only had their pointer confiscated.

Beeeej

If I remember right, the so-called "security guards" believed the drunks who blamed the Cornell Pep Band for it. Why the @#$% would we do that to our own goalie??? Maybe Josh or Lowell can confirm this for me. I know they were shining the pointer at our conductor.

Huh. I remember the laser pointer incident happening, but not much about the details. I do know that after staring at one of the more obnoxious drunks for a while (though not the same guy with the pointer), I realized he was a friend of mine in high school. Go figure.

Colgate fans? Drunk? No way, wouldn't believe it in a million years. They were such great fans when they were up here in Hanover for the playoffs last year, cheering on their team using lengthy 4-letter words.

Boy, that guy who said those things about Elliott was an imbecile. Hmmm... but as I remember, everyone was constantly talking about how much better Elliott was than Skazyk. Maybe that profoundly dumb guy just thought Elliott was overrated.

I... I mean... he must have felt pretty sheepish when Elliott proved him completely, unutterably wrong. I guess even great players have an off day (or an off stretch) every once in a while.

So, how has that guy... what's his name?... oh yeah, Murray... how's he been playing lately?

Scersk said[Q]So, how has that guy... what's his name?... oh yeah, Murray... how's he been playing lately?[/Q] Let's not start this all over again, something about sleeping dogs.

Scott, I wasn't going to rat you out. But I'm sure glad you took the initiative.

I think Union topped themselves this year by some guy chanting at the band:
"You're in the band."

Sheesh.

And for the record, we beat Colgate's band at beer pong.

Please Chips, the Colgate Band takes great offense to such nasty terms as those uttered in the Swanee cheer. You did not beat them, you merely showed a more positive ability to succeed in beer pong than them.

Yeah, I heard about the tri band party at RPI this friday night. For the past two years, the relationship between the two bands has been improving very well. In fact, I heard that in some cases the interactions were "very" friendly!

Gary wrote:

In fact, I heard that in some cases the interactions were "very" friendly!

Yeah, but you should still bet the under.

That's the funniest thing I've heard this week.