Tournament Student Section Organization

[mwu]

I posted this on a facebook discussion but figured for maximum exposure to the subject we should discuss it here too...

Our goals/aspirations of a large student section has been attained which is awesome but it also poses some challenges.

There has been talk that as good as our section was last night it could be better, with everyone on the same page chant wise, and for better self-policing in the section.

I propose that our core group of die-hards move to the left in the section closer to the band and cheerleaders, since the we are stuck where we are, so we don't divide and have conflicting chants. We would also be better able to combat destructive chants, by having a solid counter-chant.

Thoughts?

[PANTHERfan]

It's a smart plan. Student section leaders from the Pearl era used to divide up along the baseline and direct. As a result, we had consistently well orchestrated (and creative) cheers.

Personal favorites include, but are not limited to:
1. "Fundamentals" - after any turnover, typically on a travel
2. The five second inbound chant - counting down from 5 to 1.
3. The "sex" cheer - I forget how it went, but it ends in "score, score, score!"
4 Making the entire section squat low while one ridiculous individual distracts the free throw shooter - back then it was a guy dressed in women's clothing (just barely dressed)

Hey "Painted One", we need to hear from you!

You'd be surprised how few people you need to properly orchestrate. You just need to be well spaced, identifiable, loud, and most importantly, committed.

If I could offer any advice from what I saw from our seats, it would be to get the upper level rocking. They were in it, but a little disconnected.

Lastly, I think there's never been a better opportunity to do "I believe". But that would take some real coordination. I'd offer to do the solo part from 106.

[teddyp00]

Ahh the sex cheer.....

Give me an S...S
Give me and E....E
Give me an X....X

What does the spell....sex
What does that mean....Score, Score, Score.

[Super King]

There's also condom/defense

[PANTHERfan]

Upon further review, "I Believe" would be best lead by a dedicated (concentrated) front row from the student section. Plus, I'd prefer to simply watch and smile.

See Utah State's amazing rendition: www.youtube.com/watch?v=44YUnOoye58

Make it happen!

[ricestillfumbled]

a uwm/marquette soccer game chant

we will be running around milwaukee with the cup PISSED UP
well be running around milwaukee with the cup PISSED UP
well be running around milwaukee
well be running around milwaukee
well be running around with milwaukee with the cup PISSED UP

but instead of cup say ship or "as the champs"
then you could change milwaukee with water stree or oakland ave if you want more verses....

thoughts??

[buppie05]

Mar 6, 2011 18:46:15 GMT -6 PANTHERfan said:

Upon further review, "I Believe" would be best lead by a dedicated (concentrated) front row from the student section. Plus, I'd prefer to simply watch and smile.

See Utah State's amazing rendition: www.youtube.com/watch?v=44YUnOoye58

Make it happen!

WOW, no wonder no one wants to go to Utah St. to play. What an arena.

My favorite chant has always been "f*ck Loyola!", but seeing as that isn't relevant I would really enjoy a "Howards Flopping" chant of sorts the first time the guy starts floundering.

[buppie05]

Another Utah St. cheer that is off the chain. These guys can out do any cheering section in basketball. I don't like borrowing other programs cheers, maybe something similar would be cool.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARpzavb7PQk&feature=related

Also doing the left right left right chant when Howard fouls out would be clutch.

[PantherNation]

Wow... Utah State's student section is hardcore! What a fun atmosphere that would be. Our student section may not be that good, but I'm still excited to see it filled up tomorrow!

[PantherU]

We can have that. What it will take is several long brainstorming sessions in the off season, preferably sooner rather than later. These are the people that need to be a part of the meetings.

- Leader of the band (Scott Corley)
- Leaders of the student section (Pinch, Jose, Dubois, etc.)
- Head of marketing (Levar Ridgeway)
- Head of cheerleaders (Whoever is the lead)
- Various cheerleaders, students, and band members
- Me (because I'm awesome like that)

The meeting is pretty simple. You need to come up with five songs, whether they are in the band's catalog or not, and think up simple dances to go along with them. Obviously we will not choose five, but you take a video of each of the five and put it to a select group of people. Let them pick, then narrow it down to the two favorites and commit to those. Preferably, they're not songs that everybody does. Instead of boring you with a list, I'll just say this: don't do anything that your high school band might play, and don't do anything to Jock Jams.

RULES

- No Jock Jams
- No Hey song or other arena anthem
- Preferably something short. A good example is Wisconsin's tailoring of the Bud song into "You've Said It All"
- The Alma Mater and Fight Song are both requisite and are not counted as part of the two final. Beer Barrel Polka is also one of the extras. Obviously, the Fight Song already has a move for it.
- Not a rule, but one song I'm all for is You Can Call Me Al. They play it, the bookstore made a t-shirt for it (you can call me pounce), and then this year it went missing. There's a dance that can go with it. It's not fully developed, but we've done it a bit.

Aside from songs, the student section needs two things that it can do. These need to be regulated; we need them to be done every game. They can be like the I Believe that Utah State does, but they need to be rehearsed and perfected by the leaders of the student section. I would say that the two should happen at one point near the end of warm-ups (the countdown to game time) and one should happen in case of sure victory. Preferably, these are original, for reasons I'll state later.

The student section leaders need to be available for dates in the summer when freshman orientation begins. We need to pull them all into the Klotsche Center, set them in the seats, and teach them how to do all of these things. You teach them because come the fall, they'll be doing it at every game. Any songs you need to do, you get them doing. Teach them the two cheers (sans band) that the student section will do.

Another couple pointers I'd like to set for next season:

1. Eliminate all music through the speakers; only the pep band should be playing. This is college basketball, not the NBA. The only time a song should be played is for an entrance video. And I think an intro video should have a signature song to go with it, like Virginia Tech and Metallica's Enter Sandman.

2. For the cheer at the end of warm-ups, no music of any kind or announcements should be made. The student section needs a time to shine alone at the game, and that is the perfect time for it.

3. Limit the Fight Song to a few plays per game. When it's played constantly, the students and fans grow weary of clapping along and it peters out early in the first half. If it's more rare, they're more likely to participate. So...

4. All fans should stand and clap along with the Fight Song. I know that it's played a lot, but if it is pared down, this shouldn't be a problem. Students need be the only ones that do the arm movement to the drums at the end, but all Panther fans should be clapping along.

5. Through introductions, all fans should stay standing until the Panthers score their first basket. Small traditions like this are the kinds that make a fan base great, and they take a minimal amount of effort.

6. The Milwaukee...Panthers can become a signature cheer for the crowd, but it needs to be consistent. This should be our go-to cheer, to get the whole arena fired up.

7. As for the pep band, they should be playing consistently from the time the doors open until after the game is over. They're being paid, which is more than other schools' pep band members can say. They also only practice once or twice a year, which is something that needs to change immediately.

8. The pep band also can be split up before the game, with a section of players walking around the atrium and concourse, playing lines from the fight song and certain other "signature" songs.

9. Rick Costello's administration in this area needs to be all about making this a college atmosphere. Everything I've said so far has been about improving that, and being successful in this area will separate the experience from Bucks and Marquette games. MU has a collegiate experience, for sure, but like our current game atmosphere it is a hybrid between college and pro style atmosphere.

[mwu]

love the utah state stuff, look forward to it tonight.

BP i'll save my response to your ideas until tomorrow... i'm too excited to address them properly

[kcwhite]

A few things: We need to make sure EVERY student is standing, cheering, and watching the game. If any of you see anyone violating these rules, do something.

At the game saturday, I had to yell at some students to stop arguing about politics and watch the damn game.

Also, We need to be constant with the cheers. When butler travels, and the alumni start chanting fundamentals, take it over. We are the students, we need to be loud, we need to be in charge.

[jhart05]

And keep your friends from getting into trouble guys.

Police yourselves before the real police have to get involved.

[Super King]

Nobody knew that girl. She tried to push her way down to the front. Then started struggling with the cops for no reason.

[DunneDeal]

Yeah..what was with that chick. Then she resisted being removed, I wanna know how A) Hammered she was and B) How much her fine was!