Scare tactics email from Gene Nighman

[calgARI '07]

[quote ajec1][quote Karlmoose]At least one person in B was tossed. I have never seen an usher so angry in my life. Either the fish throwing was a surprise to Mr. Usher or the offender was also threatening to toss a beach ball between periods.[/quote]

What is up with the beach ball? Maybe I am the only one bothered by this, but I think beach balls should be reserved for their rightful place at bad outdoor music concerts (something like "Three Dog Night" at the State Fair).[/quote]

Hate to break it to you, but according to my father who has been going to Cornell hockey games since the 60's said that the beach ball in the student sections has been done since then and has only recently stopped in last few years.  Not sure how anybody, specifically the ushers, could possibly be upset by their presence between periods.

[calgARI '07]

As for the fish-tossing, the crackdown by athletics and the administration is an absolute disgrace as far as I'm concerned.  It is a tradition that has not harmed anyone and that does not infringe upon the flow of the game (of course the incident in the early 90's that cost the team the game hurt a lot of people).  Schafer himself defended the tradition last year by throwing his support to allowing fish to be thrown at the beginning of the game and at obviously no time after.  It is ridiculous and embarrassing that the administration and athletics had to resort to lying to the students about the in-game consequences (five minute major) to try to get them to stop from continuing a non-harmful tradtion.  Fact of the matter is, the gum at Colgate is a ton worse and nobody gets in trouble over there.  And you won't believe it, but the game gets played there fine even with the delays caused by the constant gum throwing.  I will go as far as to say that the administration and athletics should be ashamed of themselves for ever infringing upon this tradition that they have absolutely no justification in doing.  It's time to stop treating the students like inmates.  I'm not saying let them throw multiple beach balls or think about swearing, but fucking let them throw fish and observe tradition.

[billhoward]

[quote calgARI '07]It is ridiculous and embarrassing that the administration and athletics had to resort to lying to the students about the in-game consequences (five minute major) to try to get them to stop from continuing a non-harmful tradtion.  Fact of the matter is, the gum at Colgate is a ton worse and nobody gets in trouble over there. [/quote]

Please allow for the possibility that what seems to be dissembling is just plain old lack of accurate information. Or maybe he thought if the fish rips open and spills blood, then it's five minutes. Work with me here.

If you've got a helmet on, so long as you don't trip on either one while skating in warmups, wouldn't you rather get hit on the head with a pack of gum? And be thankful Colgate students are not into chewing tobacco. The stream can travel a long distance -- probably farther than the CSTV stream went Friday night.

[jtwcornell91]

[quote calgARI '07]
Hate to break it to you, but according to my father who has been going to Cornell hockey games since the 60's said that the beach ball in the student sections has been done since then and has only recently stopped in last few years.  Not sure how anybody, specifically the ushers, could possibly be upset by their presence between periods.[/quote]

I was upset by their presence on the ice.  I have no problem with batting a ball around if you can keep it in the stands.  Friday night, after the second beach ball went on the ice, I saw some obnoxious kid in O try five or six times before managing to deliberately knock a baloon over the glass and onto the ice.  And then they gave it back to him.

[calgARI '07]

[quote billhoward][quote calgARI '07]It is ridiculous and embarrassing that the administration and athletics had to resort to lying to the students about the in-game consequences (five minute major) to try to get them to stop from continuing a non-harmful tradtion.  Fact of the matter is, the gum at Colgate is a ton worse and nobody gets in trouble over there. [/quote]

Please allow for the possibility that what seems to be dissembling is just plain old lack of accurate information. Or maybe he thought if the fish rips open and spills blood, then it's five minutes. Work with me here.

If you've got a helmet on, so long as you don't trip on either one while skating in warmups, wouldn't you rather get hit on the head with a pack of gum? And be thankful Colgate students are not into chewing tobacco. The stream can travel a long distance -- probably farther than the CSTV stream went Friday night.[/quote]

Certainly those could be reasons for it and honestly it would make some amount of sense.  However, the fact that Schafer endorsed the tradition (I wish I remember where, but it was after last year's game) makes me believe that the hockey concern is not the reason for the crackdown.

[calgARI '07]

[quote jtwcornell91][quote calgARI '07]
Hate to break it to you, but according to my father who has been going to Cornell hockey games since the 60's said that the beach ball in the student sections has been done since then and has only recently stopped in last few years.  Not sure how anybody, specifically the ushers, could possibly be upset by their presence between periods.[/quote]

I was upset by their presence on the ice.  I have no problem with batting a ball around if you can keep it in the stands.  Friday night, after the second beach ball went on the ice, I saw some obnoxious kid in O try five or six times before managing to deliberately knock a baloon over the glass and onto the ice.  And then they gave it back to him.[/quote]

I'm honestly indifferent to the whole thing and couldn't care less about it.  The part that bothers me most is how much the ushers get pissed about it.  We always rip into the kids who idiotically hit the balls onto the ice, but it really doesn't seem to be that big of a deal when one hits the ice.

[CowbellGuy]

[quote billhoward]Please allow for the possibility that what seems to be dissembling is just plain old lack of accurate information.[/quote]

Please don't.

http://elf.elynah.com/read.php?1,85178,85194#msg-85194

[Chris \'03]

[quote WillR]
i think you may be giving the AD far too much credit for the lovely wrasslin' facility.  I heard this faciility's existence has far more to do with a concerned alum and his desire to see the wrestling program survive as opposed to getting axed to keep Cornell title IX compliant.
[/quote]

Andy's a wrestler. He's surrounded by wrestlers. They would cut football to comply with Title IX before they touched wrestling. In fact all the space the football field takes up could be put to better use as a new research building, couldn't it? ::rolleyes::

Athletic success doesn't have to be a zero sum game, Bill, but I'd happily trade every wrestling win to wipe the smirk of Noel's mug. He represents so much of what's wrong with athletics that I can't take any satisfaction out of the wrestling program's success. I can't even bring myself to go inside the new building.

[canuck89]

I couldn't agree more.  The balls/balloons are not tossed during play so ultimately no harm done, right?  Furthermore, our ushers are the biggest assholes ever.  I can't believe they actually support Cornell hockey yet somehow hate the fans.

[Liz '05]

[quote canuck89]I couldn't agree more.  The balls/balloons are not tossed during play so ultimately no harm done, right?  Furthermore, our ushers are the biggest assholes ever.  I can't believe they actually support Cornell hockey yet somehow hate the fans.[/quote]

And by "biggest assholes ever" you mean, on Friday, telling me to duck under the railing at the top of B even though I didn't have a ticket so I could see the game and then letting me into Section O (where my seat was) even though I still didn't have the ticket.

Seriously, you guys villify them, but if you're nice to them, they will be nice to you.

[mha]

Coach Schafer specifically commented that the packs of gum on the ice were a serious potential hazard during warmups at Colgate, so the players couldn't effectively get warmed up. He was furious that Colgate actually handed out the gum to students... then collected it off the ice, put it back in boxes, and handed it out again!

[canuck89]

Your situation is the exception.  I think most of the current students will agree that the current ushers are far from friendly.

[redhair34]

[quote canuck89]Your situation is the exception.  I think most of the current students will agree that the current ushers are far from friendly.[/quote]

I (current student) agree with Liz.  It has been my experience that if you are nice to them and treat them with respect they will respond in kind.

[las224]

[quote Liz '05]Seriously, you guys villify them, but if you're nice to them, they will be nice to you.[/quote]

Another big agreement from me.  I had an usher come ask me to remove a sign from against the glass.  I'm not sure if she was upset about the sign being on the glass or what it said, but I promptly did so, apologized, and she thanked me and left.

Granted, I would have preferred NOT to take the sign down, but I was happily surprised by how pleasant the interchange was.  From all the complaining that's done on these boards, I would have expected to be kicked out with no chance for an explanation if there was ANY kind of problem.

[French Rage]

[quote redhair34][quote canuck89]Your situation is the exception.  I think most of the current students will agree that the current ushers are far from friendly.[/quote]

I (current student) agree with Liz.  It has been my experience that if you are nice to them and treat them with respect they will respond in kind.[/quote]

True.  Talk to Earl right (A/B usher), he'll let you get away with most stuff.