Campaign To Stop Recorded Music At Lynah

[andyw2100]

It has been suggested that a letter writing campaign may help put a stop to the recorded music being played at Lynah that it seems most of us here do not like. Towards that end, I am starting this thread. I hope many of us will write letters, and either share them here, or at least let us know here that you wrote.

I contacted a couple of people I know who are close to the hockey program, to ask who would be best to write to with these thoughts. Apparently the best person really is Nicki Moore, Cornell's Director of Athletics and Physical Education. From what I was told, several people have already written to her about this.

Below is the email message I just sent her a few minutes ago. I hope many of you will join me in writing. As BearLover suggested, perhaps if enough of us write, Cornell will listen.

Thanks!

---
Nicki Moore
Director of Athletics and Physical Education
Cornell University
CornellAD@cornell.edu

Dear Ms. Moore,

With such a fantastic weekend of Cornell Hockey just concluded, I thought this would be a good time to write to you about something that has been bothering me for quite a while. I feel strongly that the piped in (recorded) music being played at Lynah during stoppages in play and between periods is actually detracting from the incredible atmosphere Lynah is famous for. I know many long-time fans feel the same way.

I have been attending games at Lynah Rink since 1982, which was the fall of my freshman year on The Hill. I have had season tickets every year since 1983, with the exception of the four years I was out of Ithaca immediately after I graduated. I moved back to Ithaca in 1990 and have loved spending winter nights at Lynah, supporting the hockey team, every season since then. I have been a Cornell hockey "booster" /  Association (CHA) member since 1990, and have even kicked my membership up to the Coach's Club level the last several years.  All this to say I think I have spent enough time at Lynah to talk about the incredible atmosphere and what makes Lynah so special.

In my opinion, the recorded music is not helping and should be eliminated. The Cornell pep band (and any visiting bands that still make the trip) are more than capable of providing fun music during the stoppages in play and during the intermissions. The pep band and the voices of the incredible Lynah Faithful are all that is needed. Other sports venues may require the piped in music to create an atmosphere of excitement. Lynah doesn't.

I don't know whether or not you are familiar with the television show, "The West Wing." In one episode, during a time in which President Bartlet was softening his approach to things to try to appeal to a broader audience, his Chief of Staff, Leo McGarry, comes to the realization that that strategy isn't working, and also isn't fair to President Bartlet. It just wasn't who the man was. Leo comes up with a new strategy: "Let Bartlet Be Bartlet." That essentially boiled down to letting President Bartlet be himself, play to his strengths, and if there were a few that didn't like it because it wasn't mainstream enough, so be it. I will steal from "The West Wing" and conclude with, "Let Lynah Be Lynah!"

Thank you.

[Beeeej]

Disagree with your characterization of that episode of "The West Wing." Softening his approach to appeal to a broader audience was what Toby referred to as the "Uncle Fluffy" problem as they approached Bartlet's reelection campaign a few years in. "Let Bartlet Be Bartlet" was more about Bartlet staying true to his liberalism rather than moving to the political center in the hopes of avoiding controversy and remaining popular.

Y'know, 'cause that's the important thing to focus on here.

[andyw2100]

Disagree with your characterization of that episode of "The West Wing." Softening his approach to appeal to a broader audience was what Toby referred to as the "Uncle Fluffy" problem as they approached Bartlet's reelection campaign a few years in. "Let Bartlet Be Bartlet" was more about Bartlet staying true to his liberalism rather than moving to the political center in the hopes of avoiding controversy and remaining popular.

Y'know, 'cause that's the important thing to focus on here.

I'm sure you're right, Beeeej. It's been a few years since I've re-watched the entire series, so I probably conflated things a bit. Even so, I think this way makes my point better, so consider it poetic license.

[Larry72]

Well written.  As an "old" (in every sense of the word) editor, drop the last paragraph.  End the letter with "Let Lynah be Lynah" and send it. That's what I plan to do - updating the dates of my letter to 1966...I was at Ithaca High School and adjust the dates to have never left Ithaca.

[Beeeej]

Disagree with your characterization of that episode of "The West Wing." Softening his approach to appeal to a broader audience was what Toby referred to as the "Uncle Fluffy" problem as they approached Bartlet's reelection campaign a few years in. "Let Bartlet Be Bartlet" was more about Bartlet staying true to his liberalism rather than moving to the political center in the hopes of avoiding controversy and remaining popular.

Y'know, 'cause that's the important thing to focus on here.

I'm sure you're right, Beeeej. It's been a few years since I've re-watched the entire series, so I probably conflated things a bit. Even so, I think this way makes my point better, so consider it poetic license.

dss28 and I have rewatched it so many times that we literally use "West Winging the sh*t out of [show name]" to refer to binging another show.

[andyw2100]

Well written.  As an "old" (in every sense of the word) editor, drop the last paragraph.  End the letter with "Let Lynah be Lynah" and send it. That's what I plan to do - updating the dates of my letter to 1966...I was at Ithaca High School and adjust the dates to have never left Ithaca.

Thank you, Larry!

I had sent it before posting it here.

I had actually considered leaving out the "Thank you" at the end, so that it would have concluded with "Let Lynah Be Lynah", but I thought that sounded a little demanding and impolite, so I added the "Thank you." You are probably right that it may have been stronger without it.

[BMac]

Pretty apropos for a site that still features John Spencer Is Dead as a topline forum.

[stereax]

Pretty apropos for a site that still features John Spencer Is Dead as a topline forum.

Damnit, I can't make a "he died before I was born" joke. "He died before Caton Ryan was born" doesn't quite have the same ring to it, sadly.

[stereax]

Pretty apropos for a site that still features John Spencer Is Dead as a topline forum.

Damnit, I can't make a "he died before I was born" joke. "He died before Caton Ryan was born" doesn't quite have the same ring to it, sadly.

Alexis Cournoyer was 3 days old when John Spencer died. If EliteProspects is right. They often aren't.