Ohio State Game thread

[Crew8]

Just a thought, has anyone thought of spreading out and turning around and sacrificing to be a CAPO?

Where I stand every game on the hill, you can't hear the chants because everyone's voices are heading towards the pitch. So if I can't hear the chant, neither can anyone else, so how would they follow. And they continue to socialize as if I'm back at a High School football game. I'm not sure, I'm not packed in the middle behind the goal, so I don't see or hear everything that goes on down front. But I'd think if you spread out some groups, designate a few CAPO's, pass out chant sheets, it would help the process of what you're looking for.

Another thing that's always bothered me, but I'm not sure if its allowed. Where is the TIFO? I'd think with the amount of student involvement, why not make some overhead banners and flags. I've seen one or two flags before, but none tonight(maybe I missed it). One night of paint on fabric, could easily be the class of college soccer.

I'm all game if you need any help.

by the way, Porter would tell the Rowdies if we were bad. Tonight he said this " ‎"One of the best I've seen here." So not sure what you all were hearing...we do have some new chants...maybe you heard those for the majority of it. Anyways, there's still improvement that could be done...If pro supporters can get it done, so can we..

I can pick up on any chant, I'm familiar with most soccer chants in the US and the world. But for the average or new soccer fan. They have no clue. Improvements would be great, but I'm saying most great supporter groups have CAPO's to direct the supporter groups. Just a thought.

Didn't mean to reply to your post Crew8. But since I did, ill mention something. It's a good idea...could go different routes with that...my post was basically to everyone out there...

Haha No problem, just take a look at this 6 year old Celtic FC CAPO. A favorite of mine. Took me awhile to dig it up off the internet.

[GoZips]

In times past I have been critical of weak Rowdie support. I'll be hung if I'll complain

about exuberant Rowdies. You kids did a fine job. OSU is not that good of a team.

Their fans while vocal had little, if any, effect on the game. They were more annoying

than anything else.

I usually stand with the Rowdies at soccer games. The teeny-bop girls skittering

about trying to be "cool" were as annoying as the Suckettes. The durn girls kept

moving from place to place generally blocking the view. If any of them had a clue

about the match I did not detect it.

Just keep up the good work.

[Blue & Gold]

You see this all the time. The noisy students were diluted in a sea of silent, texting, fair-weather fans. The sheer volume of the crowd forced the core fans apart and it was very difficult to get anything going. On road trips, the noisy Rowdies are all in one compact group and can use their voices together to create more noise than opposing fans who are often spread out.

You nailed it. It's almost like we need a section on the hill for the "Super" ROWDIES. It's really hard to get into a chant if no one else around you is joining in. As for me, my throat is sore, so I did my part...

That's one of the big reasons they are separated for basketball games. We show up to the games to affect the final score, not to chat with friends and only cheer when somebody with a microphone tells us to.

Exactly...At the next soccer match, can we get the "REAL ROWDIES" the spot right beside the opponents bench? Just wondering if that's possible

Or is there any way that UA could make certain you guys are placed around the goal?

[UADavid]

@ Blue & Gold It seems the University could cordon off the section directly behind the goal. There were GA seats that were reserved for tosu fans but they mostly congregated behind their bench. I was surprised to hear the tosu fans last night. I expected the AKRowdies to drown them out every time they attempted to make some noise. While I thought the crowd size was great, the volume from the Rowdies was less than most games. @mes Location did hurt your presence at the game. These are my observations from the midddle of the main grandstands.

[ndzeigler]

As someone who was pretty heavily involved with the ROWDIES back when they first started going to soccer games, it's clear to me that they are having a little bit of trouble managing growth. Some of the leadership just needs to step up and play more active roles in getting the rest of the ROWDIES and new members into it. We used to do the "Day-O" chant which was a good way to get everyone involved, everybody knows "Day-O". Once people start getting into the game they will be more likely to stay into it.

You will always have the freshman girls who are there to socialize and talk about which soccer player is better looking. That's OK, just part of life. Maybe we need a "how to improve the ROWDIES thread."

[bobbyake]

If you were sitting behind the Rowdies like me, you probably thought OSU was louder because they were directing their chants in the direction of the Rowdies. The Rowdies on the other hand, were directed their chants towards the pitch. This creates a huge difference for those sitting behind the Rowdies.

As far as casual fans behing mixed in with hardcore fans, the MLS experiences this all the time. Designating certain areas for hardcore rowdies would improve the level of sound. The goal has been to fill the hill and that's been accomplished. It's time to work on perfecting the hill. Taking notes on how MLS teams do it could help. Crew8's idea of chant leaders would help a lot.

What happend to the AK-Oldies? I'm up for organizing an alumni group for chanting. Time to get this Rubber City Renegades thing rolling.

Where is the Tetris song? I want Korobeiniki!!! Time to recruit someone that knows how to use the trumpet

Here's a tradition to start, singing the entire anthem

Here's the celebration from the game

I will be writing to the University to complain about the DJ playing music after the game. There's no reason music should be blaring while the Rowdies do the victory chant. I hope others will join me so there's a possibility this will be corrected.

[Zip Watcher]

As someone who was pretty heavily involved with the ROWDIES back when they first started going to soccer games, it's clear to me that they are having a little bit of trouble managing growth. Some of the leadership just needs to step up and play more active roles in getting the rest of the ROWDIES and new members into it. We used to do the "Day-O" chant which was a good way to get everyone involved, everybody knows "Day-O". Once people start getting into the game they will be more likely to stay into it.

You will always have the freshman girls who are there to socialize and talk about which soccer player is better looking. That's OK, just part of life. Maybe we need a "how to improve the ROWDIES thread."

I'm struck by a few things in this thread.

#1 - It seems like people are almost looking for something to complain about. Check the attendance, over 5K at the game, and multiple reports that over 2k were students? That's TREMENDOUS. It's awesome .. it's something that every student should be proud of.

#2 - Can we find a way to get those students to go to the JAR, 1/2 of the time? I know things are different with the layout .. but surely there's a way to build on this in the fall and carry it to the winter to get 700-1000 students in the JAR for a game or 2. The impact that even 500 Rowdies could have on a hoops game is potentially big .. I'd sure like to witness it. Better yet, come to a basketball game, and ACT like you're at the soccer games. That'd be cool .. and unique in the landscape of hoops. There have been games at the Q where the Rowdies really shined with those activities .. enough that people around me (I sit in MAC pack seats, not the UA section @ the Q) have remarked about it.

#3 - Crabbing about who did or didn't do the right thing during the game, and creating a class system within the Rowdies is a sure fire way to cut that number in half or more before the next big game. You want to make sure the next national TV game doesn't have a filled hill? Then keep it up and drive a wedge between the seasoned Rowdies and the new ones you're trying to attract. Your challenge is to make sure some of the chants / activities are reasonable for the fans who aren't there every game. Get them going on the basics .. they'll jump in on the newer more specific things.

Frankly, this all sounds to me like the old lady in church who complains about the groups of teenagers who are there every weekend, but dressed a bit too casually for her taste.

THEY'RE IN THE BUILDING. Embrace them all and make them feel welcome, so that they WANT to come back every time. Some of them are the future of the Rowdies. I gotta figure headaviatorrowdie knows this.

B) B)

Go Zips!

[Buckzip]

What a change from a football thread.

On the football threads people complain about the lack of attendance. Here, people complain about who the attendees are.

The thing that a lot are missing is that this is a social event. When you suck nobody goes to see you. When you are good people come to see you to be seen at the game and turn it into a social event. I am not a big fan of the texters and phone talkers either. Especially when they think you should be quiet so they can hear their phone, but come on guys. Over 5k for a soccer game and people are complaining...Geez.

[MDZip]

GoZips.com reported that there were 2855 students at the game. That is a really awesome number.

[fknbuflobo]

Much of this seems like complaining about the ice cream being too cold.

One point on which I can grumble is the playing of music after a victory. Whom do we need to bother to get the music turned off after a win? One of you students know? This needs to change immediately!

[tbozeglav]

As someone who was pretty heavily involved with the ROWDIES back when they first started going to soccer games, it's clear to me that they are having a little bit of trouble managing growth. Some of the leadership just needs to step up and play more active roles in getting the rest of the ROWDIES and new members into it. We used to do the "Day-O" chant which was a good way to get everyone involved, everybody knows "Day-O". Once people start getting into the game they will be more likely to stay into it.

You will always have the freshman girls who are there to socialize and talk about which soccer player is better looking. That's OK, just part of life. Maybe we need a "how to improve the ROWDIES thread."

the DAY-O chant can only really be done with Willy and Heller. Nobody else, to my knowledge, is capable of reproducing what they can do off-the-cuff. This is why last night was the first night this year it's been done - they've graduated and aren't active members there for every game. Unfortunate, but just how the cookie crumbles.

quick, cheap, and easy solution? print and hand out at every home game the words to all the chants we use that way nobody has an excuse for not knowing what we're saying short of completely disregarding it. Thats my $0.02.

[mes102]

And yet 100 OSU students were louder at times according to most of you. We out numbered them 28 to 1, and we didn't blow them away....

[tbozeglav]

@Zip Watcher I think this has been hashed out countless times, but the layout of the JAR for students has been what i believe to be the issue with gathering student attendance. Compare the JAR with the Hill... divided, small section for students vs a large, unified one. When students are able to sit with their friends and have a good time, theyll come back. When they cant because their friend is on the other side and has no room for them, they lose interest. Personally, THATS the key issue. Given the success of our basketball program, the students SHOULD be there. I firmly believe the student seating is what kills it. Just my take on it.

More on topic...

OSU students were VERY unoriginal in their chants. I don't think I heard much in the way of creative and unique chants from them. They may have been louder at times, but at least our chants are original and awesome to hear. If we could get the ENTIRE hill to participate in our chants.... OH boy would that make for an electric atmosphere.

[bisbee]

Much of this seems like complaining about the ice cream being too cold.

One point on which I can grumble is the playing of music after a victory. Whom do we need to bother to get the music turned off after a win? One of you students know? This needs to change immediately!

I absolutely agree and,in fact,it would be great to get the infernal music banned altogether. It is terrible sitting in the stands and having that noise blasting in your ears. BTW,it has nothing to do with the fact that I am an old guy

[Doug Snyder]

As someone who was pretty heavily involved with the ROWDIES back when they first started going to soccer games, it's clear to me that they are having a little bit of trouble managing growth. Some of the leadership just needs to step up and play more active roles in getting the rest of the ROWDIES and new members into it. We used to do the "Day-O" chant which was a good way to get everyone involved, everybody knows "Day-O". Once people start getting into the game they will be more likely to stay into it.

You will always have the freshman girls who are there to socialize and talk about which soccer player is better looking. That's OK, just part of life. Maybe we need a "how to improve the ROWDIES thread."

I'm struck by a few things in this thread.

#1 - It seems like people are almost looking for something to complain about. Check the attendance, over 5K at the game, and multiple reports that over 2k were students? That's TREMENDOUS. It's awesome .. it's something that every student should be proud of.

#2 - Can we find a way to get those students to go to the JAR, 1/2 of the time? I know things are different with the layout .. but surely there's a way to build on this in the fall and carry it to the winter to get 700-1000 students in the JAR for a game or 2. The impact that even 500 Rowdies could have on a hoops game is potentially big .. I'd sure like to witness it. Better yet, come to a basketball game, and ACT like you're at the soccer games. That'd be cool .. and unique in the landscape of hoops. There have been games at the Q where the Rowdies really shined with those activities .. enough that people around me (I sit in MAC pack seats, not the UA section @ the Q) have remarked about it.

#3 - Crabbing about who did or didn't do the right thing during the game, and creating a class system within the Rowdies is a sure fire way to cut that number in half or more before the next big game. You want to make sure the next national TV game doesn't have a filled hill? Then keep it up and drive a wedge between the seasoned Rowdies and the new ones you're trying to attract. Your challenge is to make sure some of the chants / activities are reasonable for the fans who aren't there every game. Get them going on the basics .. they'll jump in on the newer more specific things.

Frankly, this all sounds to me like the old lady in church who complains about the groups of teenagers who are there every weekend, but dressed a bit too casually for her taste.

THEY'RE IN THE BUILDING. Embrace them all and make them feel welcome, so that they WANT to come back every time. Some of them are the future of the Rowdies. I gotta figure headaviatorrowdie knows this.

B) B)

Go Zips!

Well written. We need everyone. Let's get them showing up casually and then win them over. Embrace everyone. And let's not complain about the little old lady in the church either ;-)

+ 1

[fknbuflobo]

Much of this seems like complaining about the ice cream being too cold.

One point on which I can grumble is the playing of music after a victory. Whom do we need to bother to get the music turned off after a win? One of you students know? This needs to change immediately!

I absolutely agree and,in fact,it would be great to get the infernal music banned altogether. It is terrible sitting in the stands and having that noise blasting in your ears. BTW,it has nothing to do with the fact that I am an old guy

You are spot on with that one, Bisbee.

Start a separate thread so we can all pile on. Only then will we get someone's attention.

[jem101]

I think part of the issue lies with us diehards. No one is stopping us from all standing close together and being extra loud. However, we all go to the march and as a result usually get there early enough to get front row spots which spreads us all out. I do this as well. The view is way better up there.

If we truly want to make an impact we should all stand directly behind the goal. If we could unify our voices, I bet that the chants would spread more effectively that way. Even to the students who don't know the chants. That's the great thing, we can stand together without being alienated from the other students like at the JAR. Just a thought...

[GoZips]

Last night we got a bit of help from our friends at Cal-Poly.

The Pollyannas "upset" #7 UC Irvine 1-nil.

Wont hurt the Zips ratings.

[Dave in Green]

Congratulations to the Rowdies for getting into John Bluem's head and causing him to pull a Woody Hayes. The guy has to be under an immense amount of pressure at tOSU to prove he's better than Caleb Porter and overcome the horror of UA outperforming tOSU in any sport. Keep pouring on the pressure and his head will eventually explode.

Thinking back 45 years when I was part of the noisy student section at another university, we didn't really pay any attention to the quiet ones because we were too busy making non-stop noise. If someone looked at us like we were idiots, we never noticed because we were too busy making non-stop noise.

So I wouldn't spend any time worrying about the quiet fans at UA soccer games, as you'll never convert every quiet fan into a noisy one. Maybe some of the quiet ones are conservative religious types who are put off by cheer language that crosses the line. Maybe some of the ones who are texting are texting to their friends that they're at a Zips soccer game, and it's the coolest place in the world to be.

But, heck, you should welcome cold cadavers to the games if it runs up attendance numbers. There are still a couple of schools that turn out more soccer fans than UA, and the goal should be that America's best college soccer team deserves America's highest average attendance.

Just keep doing what you're doing, and also try to recruit more students with loud voices.

[jem101]

So I wouldn't spend any time worrying about the quiet fans at UA soccer games, as you'll never convert every quiet fan into a noisy one. Maybe some of the quiet ones are conservative religious types who are put off by cheer language that crosses the line. Maybe some of the ones who are texting are texting to their friends that they're at a Zips soccer game, and it's the coolest place in the world to be.

Funny you say that. That basically describes me. I'm not someone who uses profanity due to my Faith. The fact is that there are a few chants I don't participate in. Especially the "Put the ball into the net and we'll go F'ing mental one." I think this one goes way over the line and might end up stopping people from bringing their family to the games. The ROWDIES said it was going to be "freaking mental", but you had to know that it wasn't going to stay that way...

That said, I don't have a voice this morning because I was plenty loud on 90% of the chants and made my voice heard anytime the Zips were pushing for a scoring opportunity.

[zippy5]

My $.02.

The first step in a great student section is getting them there. It has to be the "cool thing" to do. Like it or not.

Now that they're there, make cheering the "cool thing" to do. You guys are just getting greedy it'll happen.

There were 2800 students, you're doing something right.

[bUAkronG]

So I wouldn't spend any time worrying about the quiet fans at UA soccer games, as you'll never convert every quiet fan into a noisy one. Maybe some of the quiet ones are conservative religious types who are put off by cheer language that crosses the line. Maybe some of the ones who are texting are texting to their friends that they're at a Zips soccer game, and it's the coolest place in the world to be.

Funny you say that. That basically describes me. I'm not someone who uses profanity due to my Faith. The fact is that there are a few chants I don't participate in. Especially the "Put the ball into the net and we'll go F'ing mental one." I think this one goes way over the line and might end up stopping people from bringing their family to the games. The ROWDIES said it was going to be "freaking mental", but you had to know that it wasn't going to stay that way...

That said, I don't have a voice this morning because I was plenty loud on 90% of the chants and made my voice heard anytime the Zips were pushing for a scoring opportunity.

I am glad this was brought up. I hate that chant. Sure, we are all adults, but to me it gives the Rowdies a bad name. That said, I like what the Rowdies do. I don't want to come off wrong.

Now I should mention that I am not a member of the AK-Rowdies because when I go to the games I prefer to watch them without chanting. Me being a member of the Rowdies would be pointless.

But, this is why I don't stand directly behind the goal. I prefer to stand near the top of the hill so I can watch the game.

[ZachTheZip]

Article on coach Porter from the Kalamazoo Gazette

[Dave in Green]

The way I see it, UA has the classiest college soccer program in the country. Caleb Porter is the classiest coach in college soccer and the Zips players are the classiest in college soccer. They deserve the classiest fans in college soccer.

The use of profanity is not only not classy, it's not productive. It does nothing to help the team win games. It only hurts the team's image. It gives others an excuse to look down on Zips fans as "classless" in the same way that we look down on tOSU's coach, players and fans as classless.

Zips soccer fans should cheer the same way that Zips soccer players play -- with all their hearts, but cleanly and with class.

[Zipmeister]

The way I see it, UA has the classiest college soccer program in the country. Caleb Porter is the classiest coach in college soccer and the Zips players are the classiest in college soccer. They deserve the classiest fans in college soccer.

The use of profanity is not only not classy, it's not productive. It does nothing to help the team win games. It only hurts the team's image. It gives others an excuse to look down on Zips fans as "classless" in the same way that we look down on tOSU's coach, players and fans as classless.

Zips soccer fans should cheer the same way that Zips soccer players play -- with all their hearts, but cleanly and with class.

I hope you are not suggesting that we start throwing the balls back to the other team when they are warming up. Not throwing them back is the most fun some of the AK-Rowdies have at the game.