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[DoubleDee]

On a related note, as a kid I loved the "So What", "Who Cares", "Big " at basketball games.

Many still do it.

 

[MadisonCuse]

I think we have our hand sign (like all great football programs). You see a Cuse fan...flash a "4" twice as a greeting.

It would be way better if our most famous number were 11 that way I could tell my wife no I didn't flip that guy the double bird. I think he's a Syracuse guy that's our secret hand sign.

 

[SUFaninNJ]

Many still do it.

God Bless America

 

[OttoMets]

Many still do it.

Yeah, but the Dome plays canned music during the both starting lineups now, so a lot of people don't participate and the sound is muddled.

 

[SUFaninNJ]

Make sure you have headphones in if you're at work

Thanks for the heads up. That's classy.

 

[llandz]

Bring back the TD Cannon.

Now we are talking. Wow. Forgot about that. It's an old age thing. That would be great.

 

[llandz]

On a related note, as a kid I loved the "So What", "Who Cares", "Big " at basketball games.

Me too. I still did it silently for years after it stopped.

 

[Scooch]

Me too. I still did it silently for years after it stopped.

As far as I know the Sour Sitrus Society still uses huge sign boards to lead the chants during player intros.

 

[SWC75]

My own favorite cheer is "Knock 'em on their butts and kick 'em in the nuts!"

I wonder if that could be incorporated somehow.

 

[SWC75]

Bring back the Saltine Warrior Fight Song - change the title or the lyrics if necessary - a great fight song.

When I was growing up in the 60's both "The Saltine Warrior" and Down Down the Field were used. I grew to like both songs, although I preferred the former, which was typically played over SU highlights that were shown on the news each week (because very few games were televised).

The Saltine Warrior lyrics:

In the days of old, when knights were bold
Every city had its warrior man.
In the days of new, when fights are few
You will view them from a big grandstand.
In our college town one has great renown
If the game of football he should play.
With his pig-skin ball he is cheered by all,
He's the Saltine Warrior of today.

Chorus: The Saltine Warrior is a bold, bad man,
And his weapon is a pigskin ball,
When on the field he takes a good, firm stand,
He's the hero of large and small.
He will rush toward the goal with might and main
His opponents all fight, but they fight in vain,
Because the Saltine Warrior is a bold, bad man,
And victorious over all.

Note that there is no reference to native Americans. I'm not sure what would need to be changed here.

Now look at the lyrics for "Down Down the Field":

Out upon the gridiron stand old Syracuse,
Warriors clad in orange and in blue,
Fighting for the fame of Alma Mater.
Soon those Crouse chimes will be ringing,
Soon you'll hear those fellows singing.
Onondaga's braves are out to win today,
The sons of Syracuse are ready for the fray,
The line holds like a wall and now the Orange has the ball,
So ready for that old long yell. Rah! Rah! Rah!

Chorus: Down, Down the field goes old Syracuse,
Just see those backs hit the line and go thro';
Down, down the field they go marching,
Fighting for the Orange staunch and true.
Rah! Rah! Rah!
Vict'y's in sight for old Syr-a-cuse,
Each loyal son knows she ne'er more will lose,
For we'll fight, yes, we'll fight, and with all our might
For the glory of old Syracuse.

And yet this is the "politically correct" fight song the band marches to.

This clip has the music for each, first Down Down the Field, then The Saltine Warrior:

 

[A Clockwork Orange]

I'm convinced that I'm the only one outside the band that knows them.

I do as well.

 

[SWC75]

The Saltine Warrior can also be heard here. This is what the grainy black and white highlight films of my youth looked like. But it was the glory era of SU football:

 

['72 Orange]

Bring back the TD Cannon.

Or at the very least the bell that used to be rung on the sidelines

 

[Scooch]

When I was in the SUMB we used to do a pre-game song called "SU Medley" that included Saltine Warrior and Bill Orange. Both are great songs.

SU Archives: History - SU Songs

Sadly SU fans don't enjoy the college atmosphere so they totally ignore all of that.

We should just make Seven Nation Army our fight song.

 

[ForCuseSake]

We should just make Seven Nation Army our fight song.

Oh Lord NOOO OH OH OH OHHHH OH!!!

 

[DoubleDee]

When I was in the SUMB we used to do a pre-game song called "SU Medley" that included Saltine Warrior and Bill Orange. Both are great songs. SU Archives: History - SU Songs Sadly SU fans don't enjoy the college atmosphere so they totally ignore all of that. We should just make Seven Nation Army our fight song.

That's enough to make me root for Rutgers.

 

[Scooch]

Oh Lord NOOO OH OH OH OHHHH OH!!!

That's enough to make me root for Rutgers.

Look, I don't like it anymore than you do, but we have a fanbase that aggressively rejects all things college.

Hell, it was embarrassing when I went to the Final Four in 2013 that freakin' WICHITA STATE had much, much better cheer, chant and song participation that SU. We are absolutely horrible at that stuff.

So Seven Nation Army it is! Sorry, we've brought it on ourselves.

 

[elimunelson]

Look, I don't like it anymore than you do, but we have a fanbase that aggressively rejects all things college.

Hell, it was embarrassing when I went to the Final Four in 2013 that freakin' WICHITA STATE had much, much better cheer, chant and song participation that SU. We are absolutely horrible at that stuff.

So Seven Nation Army it is! Sorry, we've brought it on ourselves.

i'm curious how this jives with other private universities that play high octane college football. Aside from the royalty like ND and USC, i bet we are within our lanes of apathy to this type of stuff. BC for sure is as apathetic as we are (although they really like those ridiculous super fan shirts). Miami and their multiple championships make us look like Hickory High.

 

[ForCuseSake]

Look, I don't like it anymore than you do, but we have a fanbase that aggressively rejects all things college.

Hell, it was embarrassing when I went to the Final Four in 2013 that freakin' WICHITA STATE had much, much better cheer, chant and song participation that SU. We are absolutely horrible at that stuff.

So Seven Nation Army it is! Sorry, we've brought it on ourselves.

I've read enough of your posts to know you're making a point more than pushing SNA. I agree 100%.

Time to pick a few cheers and start manufacturing some tradition!!

 

[bevosu]

I've read enough of your posts to know you're making a point more than pushing SNA. I agree 100%.

Time to pick a few cheers and start manufacturing some tradition!!

Blueberry pancakes
Huckleberry pie
V-I-C-T-O-R-Y
Victory, victory, that's our cry!

 

[Scooch]

I've read enough of your posts to know you're making a point more than pushing SNA. I agree 100%.

Time to pick a few cheers and start manufacturing some tradition!!

A good friend of mine once observed that Syracuse has a ton of history but very little tradition.

I agree.

 

[Scooch]

i'm curious how this jives with other private universities that play high octane college football. Aside from the royalty like ND and USC, i bet we are within our lanes of apathy to this type of stuff. BC for sure is as apathetic as we are (although they really like those ridiculous super fan shirts). Miami and their multiple championships make us look like Hickory High.

It's such a small sample size it's a bit difficult to evaluate. Although I know that a lot of BC fans know "For Boston". Hell, *I* know "For Boston".

Still, I won't pretend to understand the mindset in CNY, but my experience is that people just don't care for this kind of thing. Funny enough the pro teams I follow from Boston have more cheering/chanting/singing tradition than my alma mater.

 

[ForCuseSake]

A good friend of mine once observed that Syracuse has a ton of history but very little tradition.

I agree.

Sad but true.