Wildhack Tidbits

[Cuse'91]

get someone who can throw to toss the shirts. I didnt really want a cheap shirt but it would have been nice to think it could actually have gotten 10 rows if i did.

Or get this?

 

[Scooch]

The wifi was bad.
The PA was worse than before.
A significant increase in band playing and almost zero advertising announcements over the PA- good.

The weather forecast is gone- it was lame.

No out of town scores that I could find.

The band is bigger.

The bell replacing the whistle has to rethought. At the very least let current students ring it. Let it be cool to be part of...nothing screams out of touch than two 60 year old frat alumni ringing a bell that hasn't been used in 50 years. Might as well bring back cheerleaders in poodle skirts.

Why can't we blow the train whistle...and then ring the bell?

Seemed to be less fan involvement during tv timeouts...but the ones they did do, were kinda lame.

I love traditions, but I don't get shelving the train whistle for a bell. I think most people got that the whistle was honoring the Elmira Express. Maybe it was a little derivative, but for a school who's fans have ignored almost every last shred of tradition it had, it was at least something. Bells are kinda lame, honestly.

Ultimately it really doesn't matter. SU fans deserve the minor league experience, honestly. The day they actually participate in a traditional chant or cheer aside from "let's go orange" will be the first time in decades.

 

[DoubleDee]

I hate "selfies", but do a selfie contest. Send selfies to SU, then they pick the ones to put on the video board, in game.

They kind of do. I had the kids with me up on the board Friday night. Not a contest, but it's certainly done.

One plus that hasn't been mentioned...

They took the microphone from the cheerleaders. Can I get an "AMEN"??

 

[Bayside44]

Honestly, i can't tell what segment of the population the AD is trying to appeal to. No WiFi, lames skits, terrible sound system, and no effort to involve the crowd is going to make it difficult to appeal to anyone under 50. This includes die-hards as they can't justify to themselves or there spouses sitting there for four hours with no amenities or engagement in comparison to your couch.

No re-entry policy: what is the psychology behind this? It seems like a cheap, strong arm tactic to try to force people to stay. Sometimes people need fresh air after standing in the stale Dome environment.

The bell sucks, no one under the age of sixty has seen it and it does a terrible job engaging the crowd. Tradition is great, but only if the fans know the tradition. Train whistle after the TD and bell after PAT. Boom, you satisfy the old timers and you avoid looking like idiots with a bell.

10th Mountain flag, two seasons in a row not running out with it. It was becoming a tradition, but now the football team and unoversity just pay lip service on the support for active military. There are 50,000 potential fans an hour from Syracuse ripe for the pickings during their four year stay. No one up there even knows about the military pass because SU does not advertise it. Soldiers and their families are starting to recognize the reputation of the University via IVMF, time to make them fans.

Marriott tailgate: great idea, but why can't we do something like this on the quad? Instead of have everyone in their little parking lot groups, why not work the logistics to support their tailgates on the quad? It will foster a better community environment and hold a more collegiate feel without a large parking lot everyone preps for the game in.

The AD and University look cheap when they talk about all these big ideas, deliver on none of it, and find the cheapest way possible to show improvements. The vision is sloppy and needs focus with execution to back it up. Everything seems like a half hearted attempt. What a huge disappointment the game day atmosphere was. The team at least looks good.

My understanding is they're trying to figure out how to make the quad work for what you are saying.

 

[KellySyracuse]

agree with all the sentiments, will add the cheer team needs to end the Go Orange crowd thing they do in the middle of the field and for basketball games too. Awful, awful, awful

 

[Jake]

I love traditions, but I don't get shelving the train whistle for a bell. I think most people got that the whistle was honoring the Elmira Express. Maybe it was a little derivative, but for a school who's fans have ignored almost every last shred of tradition it had, it was at least something. Bells are kinda lame, honestly.

Ultimately it really doesn't matter. SU fans deserve the minor league experience, honestly. The day they actually participate in a traditional chant or cheer aside from "let's go orange" will be the first time in decades.

If the cheerleaders would start a let's go orange chant during a tv timeout, it would help.

 

[Jake]

And for the record...ever been to a ND game? Nothing but the band and PA announcer giving down and distance and play description. Nobody complains...

 

[kcsu]

Just win

 

[blizz]

I hate "selfies", but do a selfie contest. Send selfies to SU, then they pick the ones to put on the video board, in game.

Just to point out, they have been showing pics from Twitter with the #CuseGameDay hashtag.

 

[upperdeck]

I dont care about the re-entry policy?

Is that something thats widespread other places? no place I attend does so it not sure why the Dome should make it a top priority?

its pretty easy to deal with if they want to do just create some bracelet thing or some such.. how much of an issue is it?

you cant do it at Bills games which is as close to an SU crowd as we have around here, nor a Chiefs game, nor a Crunch game, so why are people worked up over an SU game?

 

[elimunelson]

And for the record...ever been to a ND game? Nothing but the band and PA announcer giving down and distance and play description. Nobody complains...

The ultimate experience IMO. I can't wait to get out to South Bend again in a few when they play again

 

[PAcuse]

Teams that still use traditions of "old" use ones that the whole sports world knows and even very casual "fans" get, please name one of these that SU Football has and can still use? With the train whistle and tying it to the Elmira Express a lot of people can that and damn is it amazing to hear that loud whistle after a score to get everyone really pumped up. At this point in our program it's about finding new ways to get butts in the seats. Number is winning, number two would be to tie in somethings casual fans and outsiders get we two great things we can be doing and don't. Elmira Express train whistle when we score and WHOSE HOUSE, OUR HOUSE every damn time we can, play the speech, just have the "loud" speakers say the phrase, and have some awesome hype video with this when the players come running in. I'm sorry but the Syracuse of old is gone and it's really time to move on a start brand new traditions as clearly the old ones don't work.

 

[SU68]

I'm going to miss the train horn that's for sure. But good improvements otherwise

The bell is SU tradition for decades but I'll admit it's kind of hard to hear in the crappy Dome acoustics.

 

[Cusefan95]

My understanding is they're trying to figure out how to make the quad work for what you are saying.

I'm tired of hearing the athletic dept talking about how they are "looking into" things to improve gameday experience. We've been hearing that for at least 15 years, and at best they haven't made significant improvements. This stuff isn't rocket science - just start fixing it.

Although I'll admit it may be more difficult than I thought; the fact that there are fans that think of ringing the bell as some iconic SU tradition that excites the fans and are thrilled they brought it back astonishes me. A big part of our problem may be that the guys trying new things to improve gameday experience are the same ones that thought bringing back the bell and eliminating the Elmira Express train whistle was a good idea. At least a dozen fans in my section were asking where the train whistle went and wanted it back. I don't think it's the biggest thing in the world, but it's an example of why we're at this point - there was a budding "tradition" that had fan support, which was abandoned before it had time to lock in as a tradition. Which is ultimately why we don't have any identifiable football traditions at SU.

 

[Bayside44]

I'm tired of hearing the athletic dept talking about how they are "looking into" things to improve gameday experience. We've been hearing that for at least 15 years, and at best they haven't made significant improvements. This stuff isn't rocket science - just start fixing it.

Although I'll admit it may be more difficult than I thought; the fact that there are fans that think of ringing the bell as some iconic SU tradition that excites the fans and are thrilled they brought it back astonishes me. A big part of our problem may be that the guys trying new things to improve gameday experience are the same ones that thought bringing back the bell and eliminating the Elmira Express train whistle was a good idea. At least a dozen fans in my section were asking where the train whistle went and wanted it back. I don't think it's the biggest thing in the world, but it's an example of why we're at this point - there was a budding "tradition" that had fan support, which was abandoned before it had time to lock in as a tradition. Which is ultimately why we don't have any identifiable football traditions at SU.

We are on our 3rd AD in four years, so it's a constant starting over. Anyway just repeating what I was told.

Part of me is with Scooch . Just give everyone thunder sticks and be done with it

 

[Cusefan95]

The bell is SU tradition for decades but I'll admit it's kind of hard to hear in the crappy Dome acoustics.

When was the last time Syracuse rang a bell for scores? I honestly don't know, and I've been going to games regularly since the mid-80s. Either it hasn't been used in a long time, in which case it's not really a tradition - or it's been used regularly over the last 30 years and I was t even aware of it - it which case it's an irrelevant tradition.

 

[PAcuse]

When was the last time Syracuse rang a bell for scores? I honestly don't know, and I've been going to games regularly since the mid-80s. Either it hasn't been used in a long time, in which case it's not really a tradition - or it's been used regularly over the last 30 years and I was t even aware of it - it which case it's an irrelevant tradition.

I saw the bell at the USF game last year, but yeah I was not sure why it was there or why they where ringing it.

 

[upperdeck]

the bell isnt an issue, it just isnt something to play after every score.. wheel it out for something else if they want it there.. now if they want to bring back the Cannon. thats different

 

[Cusefan95]

We are on our 3rd AD in four years, so it's a constant starting over. Anyway just repeating what I was told.

Part of me is with Scooch . Just give everyone thunder sticks and be done with it

I would fully expect Syracuse to try to turn something (thundersticks) that were kinda cool fifteen years ago into a "tradition" today.

 

[Scooch]

If the cheerleaders would start a let's go orange chant during a tv timeout, it would help.

Respectfully, no it wouldn't. A few hundred people would join in while thousands sit on their hands and stay quiet. Because SU fans are too cool for that silly college stuff.

I've seen it for 25+ years. When UConn, BC and Wichita State fans have more tradition then it's something I've given up on.

 

[Chip]

Could not hear anything on the PA.

Down right embarrassing.

I never remember having a problem hearing Carl. But since the Veley days every play seems like it's being called by Charlie Brown's teacher.

Some of it could be because I used to always sit lower Bowl and now we're upper deck endzone (albeit first row). Some of it could be because I'm losing my hearing I'm sure. But, like others, I just think the sound system is flawed.

 

[AAM62]

Just win

This is getting old

 

[dcorangeMEN]

I think the biggest issue is that this fan engagement needs to correspond with the dome atmosphere ... after a TD people are exited and need anything to keep them pumped up! Good music, loud train horn, etc. the bell goes against this concept. Then they need something to continue this excitement for the ensuing kickoff. Same for big third downs.

How many times have we tried to do cheerleader cheers after consecutive three and outs?? Stuff like that makes no sense at the wrong point in action. You want to have Otto goofing around do it when people are losing interest in the actual game. Get the dance team out during a timeout after a huge defensive stop.

Fan engagement should be about timing ...not predetermined to make it fair for everyone.

 

[shandeezy7]

Teams that still use traditions of "old" use ones that the whole sports world knows and even very casual "fans" get, please name one of these that SU Football has and can still use? With the train whistle and tying it to the Elmira Express a lot of people can that and damn is it amazing to hear that loud whistle after a score to get everyone really pumped up. At this point in our program it's about finding new ways to get butts in the seats. Number is winning, number two would be to tie in somethings casual fans and outsiders get we two great things we can be doing and don't. Elmira Express train whistle when we score and WHOSE HOUSE, OUR HOUSE every damn time we can, play the speech, just have the "loud" speakers say the phrase, and have some awesome hype video with this when the players come running in. I'm sorry but the Syracuse of old is gone and it's really time to move on a start brand new traditions as clearly the old ones don't work.

My buddies were livid that the entrance video didn't somehow incorporate that speech into it. I thought the entrance video was pretty lame actually. Didn't get me pumped up and then after it was over, everyone stood around for 3 minutes with some random music playing until the team just ran out. The game day production continues to be a completely disjointed experience.

 

[Killdozer]

I have a question that may have been asked already. Since SU wants to bring the bell back could they do something like play a bell sound (ACDC hells bells) to the actual bell ringing? Would make it louder. Just a thought. Personally I like the train whistle.