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Post by pnthr30 on Jan 28, 2004 17:14:26 GMT -6
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Post by uwmfootball on Jan 28, 2004 23:02:03 GMT -6
Isn't that a carbon copy of what is happening here?!?!?! EVEN ON THIS MESSAGE BOARD. Right on taget with that one, pnthr30, even right up to the transportation. But the schedule has not been good to us (LeCroney MUST SEE THIS AND FIX IT!) Hopefully the buses will catch on, and we get more regular fans and dboard members.
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Post by tuckfinn42 on Jan 29, 2004 0:06:33 GMT -6
I agree totally...it would be nice if more people would give a rats ass besides when we are in the conference tourney, but at least we can be proud that the people who do go to most games cheer their asses off and are as into it as they can be.
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Post by uwmfan on Jan 29, 2004 10:21:08 GMT -6
I see this story and where we're at in a totally different way...from a historical perspective, we are LIGHT years ahead of where we were from a student fan base even two years ago. All of this at a time when games were moved downtown, away from our student fan base, and yet the student section that shows has been outstanding. I've said it before and I'll say it again....it's not about how many show up, but how they act when they get there. But I think the way the SB&G has been on a roll will only continue to generate more and more interest. You guys leading this pack have done a fab job and I think the momentum will continue to carry us. Even if BP or others were to leave, this sleeping giant has been awaken and I feel all levels of the campus now know the importance of the successes we're having and the impact they have on the student experience. So, my hats off to all posters and supporters, and let's continue to kick some HL butt!
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Post by PantherEuph on Jan 29, 2004 18:38:47 GMT -6
OK, I've finally gotten off my butt and posted. This topic is one that has been bothering me for a while. I'm not going to say I know more than anyone else, and I know there are some vets on this board, but let me tell you how we used to get things done:
I started at UWM in 97, and being a band person, was in the pep band as well. (I still have my bumble-bee rugger and where it to the games). My first 2 years were pretty ho-hum - at that time a graduate assistant was in charge of the pep band and no one really cared. Players would bring their own "liquid refreshment" and chill. But my junior year things started rolling, and I was the assistant conductor for the pep band when it came into its own. At that point we still had a miserable fan turn-out, but the band learned how to help their team. We began heckling the other team, and we got organized. We all agreed on plans and carried them out. We were loud. The fans that were there would look at us like we were mad. And the most surprising part was that even though we were 2 dozen strong, we made a HUGE difference. Proof? Ya, I'm not just saying that. We had star athletes benched after the first 10 minutes. We made girls team members cry. We kept teams from scoring well into the game. My 4th year the assistant director of bands took over the gig and I was - alas - still assistant. But the band owned. I remember clearly having a few members of the girls team come over before the game and ask us to heckle a specific player. Yeah. The men went to the league tourney (only to lose by a point or something) and we were there. The girls went to Duke and we were in there face till the buzzer sounded. And we helped our teams that far WITHOUT chanting bull***t or any other immature stuff. I go to the games now and the fans are into it, ya, but when everyone starts chanting obceneties, it's just embarassing. My point is that I agree with uwmfan in that even a small amount of people can make a difference. You just gotta strategize. This means getting the student section to the game MAD EARLY and actually planning things out. I know the band is kinda lame now (and ya, I know people in it) but if we had just a few hundred fans organized the way we were a few years ago, there isn't a team in the country that we wouldn't be able to beat us at home.
Go Panthers! Go Band!
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Post by Hack on Jan 29, 2004 19:00:43 GMT -6
And we helped our teams that far WITHOUT chanting bull***t or any other immature stuff. I go to the games now and the fans are into it, ya, but when everyone starts chanting obceneties, it's just embarassing. I couldn't agree more with this statement. Profanity is the lowest form of creativity. Bull$@*t? A$$h*le? Take it to a WWE event, leave it at home when you go to UWM games.
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Post by admin on Jan 29, 2004 19:12:48 GMT -6
Welcome to the board. Feel free to post frequently...the more discussions, the better. This board is not just for students...I cannot stress that enough. I would love to see more alumni and general UWM fans post on the board. So if you're hidding out there please feel free to join up and get in the discussions!
Back to the subject...
Amen. Thanks for bringing this issue up. I agree 100% the student section needs to become more creative. We need to build up cheers that no other school has ever used, and set them as a traditions for future krazies to continue.
Most other universities do have cuss words in their cheers. UW for instance gave myself a great education in elementary school when my family somehow was forced to sit in the student section for a football game. What the krazies have said in the past is no where near the vulgar language chanted by "Bucky's Bleacher Creatures". However that is no excuse for UWM to the same.
Other schools might use for instance something like the "Bull sh*t" cheer, but have intellegent ways of covering up what they are saying. Infact in most cases it makes a better statement to the refs rather than just dropping every cuss word possible.
Once again this issue is raised, it really is about time the Krazies (who frequent this board, including myself)get together, clean up a bit and come up with something original.
Thanks, UWMfreak ps. Is there any chance you, as a band alumni, could put pressure on the band to attend more games next season? College bball and a big brass section go hand-in-hand. Plus, I think our band is outstanding for the size of our school and program. It's a shame they could not make it to some of the biggest games over break. They add so much to the college atmosphere at US Cellular...it was dead for the UIC and Detroit games without them.
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Post by uwmfootball on Jan 29, 2004 20:19:20 GMT -6
As a student leader, I will agree with all of what we are saying here. But there is only one constant in bball games: the band. Students that arent in the band will come and go, but the band has the ability to start traditions and keep them around will the constant rotation of young and old students. And I think that the problem started when the band decided to show up when they want to. Now when they show up, I want to boo them. No kidding. They need to be there EVERY GAME and I cannot stress that enough!! I was in band and I love the band, and they should be leaders at games!!! We will try to calm the swear words down (which I dont think is a problem), but to sustain a consistant fan base and traditions, we need the band, now more than ever!!
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Post by PantherEuph on Jan 29, 2004 23:44:46 GMT -6
The band goes to as many games as they ever have, and aside from your huge sports programs and or schools with 50,000 students, it will be impossible to get them at more games in most schools. In case you guys aren't aware, the music students are second to none in the busy category. I have taken architecture studios and that is time consuming, but where else on campus are students consistantly getting one credit for courses? A typical 16 credit semester for a music student can mean 10+ classes, not including the ensembles the directors "suggest" you attend. Let's be honest. UWM's music program is NOT that big - and the people who come to it are not looking for a chance to be in the pep band. Any given season between 10 and 90% of them do it because they are getting paid - if they weren't, they would no doubt be rehearsing for a paying gig somewhere else. Also, even if they wanted to, they couldn't just show up for a game and start playing. There is an actual contract between the School of the Arts Music program and the athletics department that regulates how many games will be played, and which games will be played. And if you think the athletic department is just willing to cough up bread for a bus to Detroit or Cleveland, think again. They are as "thrifty" as any other department on campus. Fortunately, the NCAA itself foots the bill for the band and the cheerleaders for transportation to a tourney game, which allowed the band to go to Duke in '01 (?) and to the Notre Dame game. If you want more band - talk to the ahletic department.
That said, the real aim of my post was about the need for orginization. If a handful of guys can start something (those guys I see at every game) and they do it consistantly, well, and to effect - people will eventually catch on. If the band is in an off-season as far as enthusiasum goes, it is up to ALL OF US to create the desired atmosphere. I suggest a meeting of the minds to discuss what works and what doesn't work, and meetings before games to "teach" the student section. Maybe we can get the busses to drop people off 15 minutes earlier and we wouldn't even have to convince them to come early. It is also everyone's job to act as one entire student body - not "the student section" "the band" "the cheerleaders" "the dance team" and "the peaceful citizens." You, as leaders of the energy at games, need to approach the band before, during, and after games to collaborate. The cheerleaders need to know what's going on too. During the glory years there were allways a handfull of die-hards that would hang with us in the low brass section even if they made up the entire student section - and we worked off each other. Right now there is no interaction except the negative comments on this board. That won't help anything.
first step: meeting of the minds to share PROVEN strategies step 2: get intimate with the band step 3: communicate with fans AT -not just between- games step 4: get and stay organized step 5: be patient
As far as ideas go, maybe someone could talk to our vet players and find out what throws them off at an away game (or home game for that matter). They have played some pretty noisy spaces... and we can only judge from the seats. A pocket-sized explanation of UWM Heckling could be passed out in the student section. Maybe as UWM comes into its own, a good old-fashioned pep-rally (BY the students FOR the students) could be suggested after a big win at home when everyone is jazzed. I've talk to friends who really had no interest in the program who came away from a big home game saying "Wow. I'll be at the next game. " Ride that.
Go Panthers! Go Band!
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Post by admin on Jan 30, 2004 0:36:21 GMT -6
Thanks for the reply. Keep them coming...the more talking, the better the atmosphere will be for our home court. In reply... Here's what we have done: 1. We have held meetings between the dance team, cheerleaders, and the sbgc at the beginning of the year to try and stimulate some sort of organization. It has not amounted to that much, but at least it broke barriers between our groups and since then we have all worked together perfectly. We've all become good friend off the court too...which is what we need to establish with the band as well. 2. We promote UWM Men's basketball to great extents, including for instance, tomorrow at noon we're handing out fliers for the game...which we have done for every home game during semesters. If you want to help, we'll be meeting at noon, outside the BOSS desk. Then we're hitting up the dorms and union with some neat yellow fliers. 3. We attend the Bruce Pearl show, and I might add we have not missed one since it's conception. It's a great time...next show is Monday 7:00. 4. We have tried to organize the entire body at one point...including passing out fliers with the cheers on them. However that failed, as the students were entirely not interested as a whole. I figure that with the 400-500 students we are currently getting for most games, 300-400 are students are those that have never or rarely ever attend a game. It's hard to establish any thing. In fact a lot of the vulgar chants are coming from these people. We're a band wagon school...most could careless about UWM...it's hard enough to get them to even care about us over MU or UW. We need the team to finish off another great season and next year maybe we'll have more consistent fans. 5. We attend EVERY GAME...never miss one. We try as hard as possible to go to the away games as well. Which might I add, band members should come along without instruments. It's a blast and perhaps it would be a chance to better get to know each other better. The UIC game is coming up, you guys should come along. 6. Pantherpride meetings have been established for two years, without one band member attending, despite being invited both years. These meetings involve the entire athletic department, the SBGC, Cheerleading, Dance Team, various departments of the Union, foodservice, the bookstore, and most importantly Student Association. Most of the things you have just talked about have been covered. 7. Proudly we had our members mass together to vote for the Milwaukee Party last year for the Student Government, and as a result SA has pushed plenty of money in to school spirit. "UWMfootball" is in fact chair of the actions being taken to increase school spirit, all of which the SBGC participates in and fully supports. 8. Lastly we support Bruce Pearl to the very end...we have been working closely with Bruce since our conception in 2001. The SBGC has not missed a home game since then. I am curious why the band needs to be paid to attend? The athletic department can hardly pay for it, and these funds could be used to enhance our ad campaigns to fill the stands. The Dance Team for instance does all of their fund raising by themselves, practices 5 days a week and has only missed 1 men’s game all year! They had to miss a few more women’s games because they were at nationals, but I must also add, they paid for that entire trip themselves once again. Could the pep band be offered as credits for the students instead of full payment? Your idea about a post game pep rally is already in action at Turner Hall. The players, coaches, alumni, students all gather there after every home game to celebrate the night away. I expect Saturday's post game celebrations to be extra special with nearly 8,000 fans downtown. first step: meeting of the minds to share PROVEN strategies. >>>Let's start this next year, before the season. step 2: get intimate with the band >>>Road trip to UIC? step 3: communicate with fans AT -not just between- games >>>The first 3 rows, which are the few who attend every game have all become great friends. Every one knows each, it's really becoming a friendly atmosphere. step 4: get and stay organized >>>2nd year...but the problem is keeping it next year. Most of us are seniors. step 5: be patient >>>In just 2yrs we've gone from 700fans in the KC to this! Just imagine what it will be like 5years! Of course by then UWM will have football and will be looking for marching band...but that's another story! Do not take any of this as a cut. You guys are outstanding...I just wish we had the brass section at more games. BTW, three weekends ago we saw the Loyola band in action...they stunk! It was refreshing to hear the pantherband vs Youngstown after that horrid noise in Chicago. YUCK! Later, UWMfreak -Who is buying the new Panther Pep CD once it is released!
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Post by UWMKrazie on Jan 30, 2004 3:30:46 GMT -6
ah hem. UWMFreak, I'm afraid I can call out a BP show of which I was the only SBGC member at. Sorry to call ya out on that one. I believe it was the second one at Hooligans last year...right before the Mississippi Valley State game. I walked away with two tickets to the game and a midnight madness t-shirt.
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Post by admin on Jan 30, 2004 9:23:27 GMT -6
Whoops...typo. I added the "we", meaning the SBGC. I have missed at least 4. Thanks, UWMfreak
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Post by PantherEuph on Jan 30, 2004 12:39:56 GMT -6
That's a wonderful question! Let me answer that in several ways.
1. If the band is paid, that means they have a CONTRACT to go to the agreed upon games - even in the middle of February through 18 inches of snow when many fans would rather sit at home in front of the fire. All of us were at those games way back when when there were NO fans.
2. The "band program" at UWM has - in all their infinite wisdom - since the dawning of actual fan support at games, seen this as a chance for recognition, which is why it is run by one of the directors and not a student anymore. This also is why they have limited enrollment to students in the school of fine arts music program, which has hurt the band. In my own slanted opinion, I feel that some better players were actually leaned on by their director to be part of the group. This amounts to some (anywhere between 1 and 25) students not caring. These students, in turn, view this JOB ( because it IS a JOB ) as a source of revenue and treat it as such. I know most music students are really busy every night, working, giving lessons, and attending rehearsals - on weekends too, since most music classes only have one time that they meet, as do the band and orchestra rehearsals, creating a schedule that I can say from experience is completely infuriating.
3. I think the band sounded much better, and the band was a much better team player back when any student could audition. If you can talk the fat-headed (did I say that?) directors into it, be my guest. In fact - get me the name of someone to talk to about organizing a seperate band made up of anyone who wants to be in it who will play at games the Panther Band will not be at. Who needs to OK something like that? It could be a student organization thingy and could receive money to pay for busses to AWAY GAMES. If you don't like the way the music dept is handling the band (I don't) then work around them. All I know is that it was hard to find 25 people who genuinely wanted to be in the band and support the team even our best year. If you guys gather interest, I would be happy to organize it. But anyone who has been in a band situation knows that when players don't show up, the sound suffers. Of the every-game-fans, can you form a band? I think not. So where are the instrument playing fans who will go out of their way to get to every game? I would also be happy to introduce you to the assistant director of bands who should be happy to explain things more clearly and listen to any comments.
4. I will be moving tomorrow so I cannot make the early meeting, but I will be at the game and I will talk to the band. Maybe they will turn around - it's hard to watch your team destroy opponents and not get into it eventually... If someone can meet with me we can discuss some keys to success.
Go Panthers! Go Band!
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Post by nohopspanther on Feb 1, 2004 0:14:10 GMT -6
First off, enough of this we're at all the games garbage from the "hardcore fans." Where the hell were you guys during the women's game thursday night and this afternoon? Not a single one of you showed up, we did. There were no students there other than us, NONE. NCAA Contracts also REQUIRE us to play the same amount of women's games as men's games. This means more time and money needed. There is a pool of approximately 130 undergrad band students available to participate. Many of us take 16-18 credits which translates into 25+ classroom hours since we get screwed like no one else. I did my two years in accounting and it seemed like I always had free time. Another problem is chops, they die after 2-3 hours playing and practice 7 days a week. Adding pep band is just one more stress to them. None of you fans have to be ready for transport 2 hours before a game and move equipment across town, play a game, tear down and travel back and set up the equipment again. The average time committment for each game is 4 hours for most members. Those of us in the rhythm section generally have to spend 5. How many of you have to take 5 hours out of your schedule for a game. I am a huge fan of all sports and do it because I enjoy it, but I am in the minority because of the time committment.
Another topic all-together, I never receive any SBGC info until I searched message boards far and wide just to come to this one. For a group that purports to be going all out in promotion you have a hard time convincing me of it. I know it's a hard job and most of the students on campus don't care about the sports teams, welcome to the problems of a commuter school. We realistically have 10,000 students to draw support from for games. Is it at all possible to get through to the University and have them send an e-mail via panthermail about games and events? They certainly have no problems sending out the one warning those of us in the neighborhood not to throw parties each semester, why not use it for promotion?
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Post by NIP on Feb 1, 2004 5:47:01 GMT -6
why would anyone go to the girls game? Just wondering? band or no band, no ones going to that game. I love the band, but even you guys couldn't get me to a game. The only reason i'd go to a game would be because of Kimberly Becker. She's a cutie patootie.
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