RAC atmosphere thoughts

[Rhuarc]

I swear I’m tempted to bring a little mini megaphone and get the old Cheesehead chant going again.

I had season tickets with him for our college years and a few years after that. He had a signal with the band director about when the cheer would start. As far as I know, they never met and it just kind of organically happened. It usual took place at the same point in the game but would move around if we were getting killed or if things were loud on their own.

Sitting next to him while he yelled his head off was kind of crazy. I was not the type of person who loved the attention of everyone staring in our direction but as a fan it was awesome.

Trivia fact for those on the current events board. A long time member of the Cheesehead ticket holder group in the late 90's to early 00's was the head troll himself, @T2Kplus10!

 

[littlenis5]

I think there’s a re-wiring that needs to go on. Cheering for football and basketball are two very different things, and the last decade of students were primarily football fans. The students will learn that it’s ok to chant on offense (Let’s Go Rutgers) and eventually that against a good team, you need to be screaming the whole game on defense.

My guess is as the team gets better and attracts more students who grew up college hoops fans, there will be better crowds again. Every school in 2018 overused the scoreboard and pumped in sound, but it doesn’t keep Maryland/Duke/Iowa State etc from being extremely tough to play in.

 

[Knight Shift]

Was not there, but curious on the thoughts of those who are there. Whenever Rutgers hits a three pointer (and I think a 2 pointer too), that voice of the PA that I think is saying threeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, sounds disconcerting and a little dumb on TV. How is that live?

 

[Jim_from_RU]

The RAC as it was and we knew it is dead...

Drama queen.

 

[bwrlaw]

Was not there, but curious on the thoughts of those who are there. Whenever Rutgers hits a three pointer (and I think a 2 pointer too), that voice of the PA that I think is saying threeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, sounds disconcerting and a little dumb on TV. How is that live.

It sucks live, IMO. As many said I like the old school. I see it as, this is the start. It was one BIG game. There needs to be continued improvement on the floor and the rest of the atmosphere will come. Perhaps the old school fans need to teach the younger fans how it’s done. Last thing, how do we get the fans to wear ONE color to the game. Did anyone else notice the guy in the high roller seats wearing bright yellow?

 

[RUJMM78]

100 level fans stink

Stop with the nonsense,Those fans have been season ticket holders for decades while the RAC has been half empty for many games.

 

[rufeelinit]

I agree with others who indicated it was the flow of the game or lack there of that precluded a real noise explosion. There were opportunities but either a missed shot or foul call prevented us from continuing a run. It was fun night but a tale of two halves.

 

[King of S]

Agreed. This is the biggest reason for the difference of the old RAC and the new. Also, tonight was a “sellout” but there were definitely a couple hundred empty seats in the wings of the 300 section on both sides of the RAC. I don’t know what the explanation is for that, but it doesn’t help the atmosphere.

It's still puzzling how the ticket office announced a sellout but yet there were at least 500 open seats in 300 sections. By announcing a sellout there is no chance for walk up sales.

 

[Scarlet83]

Maybe they can get those chants going with the scoreboard and chear team. Maybe they can adjust to big crowds versus Somerset patriots approach.

THIS!

Whoever is orchestrating the minor league baseball time out stuff needs to change their approach for bigger more intense games ASAP.

In big games, the season ticket holder recognition takes any emotion and cheering out and it needs to go. The sing along needs to go. And those are just a couple of examples.

In place of those warm fuzzy mellow minor league baseball timeout scripts:
1) how about some simple, slow, RRRRRRRR!!!! UUUUUUUUUU!!!! orchestrated cheers by the cheerleaders. Use signs, megaphones or even a microphone...just get it going!
2) How about the cheesehead cheer mentioned above where RU pre-records a video for the video board. The video is a cheesehead character with him leading the crowd in the cheesehead cheer (well described above)? That would bring back a cool old cheer and make it new using the video board.
3) The band is really good, organized and high spirited. Give them a couple more timeouts and ask them to orchestrate and lead us in cheers/songs with the cheerleaders.

IMO, the minor league timeout ideas are fine for weaker OOC games, but big OOC games and any B1G conference game needs a different approach using a lot of the ideas in this thread. I really hope someone from the R Athletic Department is looking at this.

 

[zebnatto]

The crowd was most into it after our six-point play late in the game. Would have been full throttle had we scored again, but after our stop came the holding call on Issa who was on the other side of the floor.

 

[RC1978]

Disagree with a lot of posts on this thread. FYI 62 years old and remember going to the the first game ever at the RAC.

1. When we went on the run in the beginning of the game the RAC was loud. The volume of the RAC is dependent on the play on the court.
2. I will go against the tide of us "old guys" on this site. The student section is the loudest on timeouts etc when there is certain songs playing over the speakers. I love looking over there and see them dancing and singing.
3. There is no energy at all when the cheerleaders are on the court.
4. The only time the RU chant and Bells Must Ring really work is when there is a good run on the court then a timeout. We didn't have too many of those last night. Example was the last 10 minutes of the Seton Hall game. The RU chant we very loud throughout.
5. Agree the students are pushed too far back also a good chunk of 100 level fans need to learn how to cheer and get on their feet.
6. The 118 redesign is a total failure.

Last but not least. Did you notice how they blocked off from the students a good section of 110 last night to allow recruits, teams, truthfully I don't know who was allowed to sit there. But they were not Rutgers students, they were not wearing red and they did not get into the game like the real students. Not sure if any students were not allowed to sit in the student section once it filled up but if they were, that would probably send a bad message to a student that comes in a little late and see that a good chunk of seats were given to non students.

 

[Proud NJ Sports Fan]

How were there hundreds of 300 level seats empty when a sellout was announced days ago?

 

[Proud NJ Sports Fan]

Disagree with a lot of posts on this thread. FYI 62 years old and remember going to the the first game ever at the RAC.

1. When we went on the run in the beginning of the game the RAC was loud. The volume of the RAC is dependent on the play on the court.
2. I will go against the tide of us "old guys" on this site. The student section is the loudest on timeouts etc when there is certain songs playing over the speakers. I love looking over there and see them dancing and singing.
3. There is no energy at all when the cheerleaders are on the court.
4. The only time the RU chant and Bells Must Ring really work is when there is a good run on the court then a timeout. We didn't have too many of those last night. Example was the last 10 minutes of the Seton Hall game. The RU chant we very loud throughout.
5. Agree the students are pushed too far back also a good chunk of 100 level fans need to learn how to cheer and get on their feet.
6. The 118 redesign is a total failure.

Last but not least. Did you notice how they blocked off from the students a good section of 110 last night to allow recruits, teams, truthfully I don't know who was allowed to sit there. But they were not Rutgers students, they were not wearing red and they did not get into the game like the real students. Not sure if any students were not allowed to sit in the student section once it filled up but if they were, that would probably send a bad message to a student that comes in a little late and see that a good chunk of seats were given to non students.

You're talking about the first 10 rows of the student section near the MSU bench?

On TV, I noticed they were not cheering nor wearing red.
Who where they?

 

[T2Kplus10]

I had season tickets with him for our college years and a few years after that. He had a signal with the band director about when the cheer would start. As far as I know, they never met and it just kind of organically happened. It usual took place at the same point in the game but would move around if we were getting killed or if things were loud on their own.

Sitting next to him while he yelled his head off was kind of crazy. I was not the type of person who loved the attention of everyone staring in our direction but as a fan it was awesome.

Trivia fact for those on the current events board. A long time member of the Cheesehead ticket holder group in the late 90's to early 00's was the head troll himself, @T2Kplus10!

I troll therefore I am - René Descartes

Fun times at the RAC those days, never made a tourney, but there was hope and some years where that looked possible. I think we dumped tickets when the FH Jr Error began, right?

 

[kcg88]

The thing that's missing is stakes.

The casual fan -- let's say 75% of the crowd -- isn't going to be 100% invested in a team that hasn't made the tournament in 26 years. If it had been a one-score game under two minutes, you'd have gotten it. But there's no way it's going to happen throughout the entire game the way it used to when we're just trying to get out of the basement.

When we're in the serious mix for an NCAA tournament bid or it's a ranked vs. game and fans are invested, not just excited, then it will be fully charged.

 

[koleszar]

Different crowd from 30 years ago. Now we have the "I -phone generation" where everyone under 40 goes to phone instead of chanting during time outs.

I just don't get it. They take the time to chat via phone with someone who couldn't be bothered to spend time with them face to face , then the person who took the time to be with them. Fvcked up generation is what they are. Now don't get me wrong there's some good kids out there and they all have one thing in common. They had their values instilled in them by their parents.

 

[KnightTerrors]

Usually agree with OP but going to have to disagree here. RAC was rocking last night. Crowd was engaged, standing on big possessions, riding the refs, and did everything they could to will that team back.

No disrespect but I think some of our older fans get so hung up on the music.

The refs stole the game from us. Not saying we would have won, but should’ve been a lot closer.

 

[Plum Street]

Stop with the nonsense,Those fans have been season ticket holders for decades while the RAC has been half empty for many games.

Still don’t cheer enough

 

[bac2therac]

Usually agree with OP but going to have to disagree here. RAC was rocking last night. Crowd was engaged, standing on big possessions, riding the refs, and did everything they could to will that team back.

No disrespect but I think some of our older fans get so hung up on the music.

The refs stole the game from us. Not saying we would have won, but should’ve been a lot closer.

not sure what era you are from but compared to previous RAC games, it not even in the top 30. Thats the whole point I am trying to make, it has a loooooooooong way to go to get it back to where the RAC was being talked about. I do think last night was a very good environment and a certain buzz but the oldtimers do know that the RAC could be more...even where we are not a top team. The way things are run now I am not sure it can back to that though

 

[koleszar]

Usually agree with OP but going to have to disagree here. RAC was rocking last night. Crowd was engaged, standing on big possessions, riding the refs, and did everything they could to will that team back.

No disrespect but I think some of our older fans get so hung up on the music.

The refs stole the game from us. Not saying we would have won, but should’ve been a lot closer.

@Tango Two cue up the tape of past glory years for the young gentlemen. Sorry although good, quite tame when comparing to one of the best atmosphere's ever assembled.

 

[bac2therac]

Disagree with a lot of posts on this thread. FYI 62 years old and remember going to the the first game ever at the RAC.

1. When we went on the run in the beginning of the game the RAC was loud. The volume of the RAC is dependent on the play on the court.
2. I will go against the tide of us "old guys" on this site. The student section is the loudest on timeouts etc when there is certain songs playing over the speakers. I love looking over there and see them dancing and singing.
3. There is no energy at all when the cheerleaders are on the court.
4. The only time the RU chant and Bells Must Ring really work is when there is a good run on the court then a timeout. We didn't have too many of those last night. Example was the last 10 minutes of the Seton Hall game. The RU chant we very loud throughout.
5. Agree the students are pushed too far back also a good chunk of 100 level fans need to learn how to cheer and get on their feet.
6. The 118 redesign is a total failure.

Last but not least. Did you notice how they blocked off from the students a good section of 110 last night to allow recruits, teams, truthfully I don't know who was allowed to sit there. But they were not Rutgers students, they were not wearing red and they did not get into the game like the real students. Not sure if any students were not allowed to sit in the student section once it filled up but if they were, that would probably send a bad message to a student that comes in a little late and see that a good chunk of seats were given to non students.

something needs to be done about that 110 section, it really detracts from the full environment. Those seats should be reserved for students only. The problem are the students must not be using their full allotment. Back in the day, we had to travel to the RAC at AM and to wait in line on a certain Monday of each month to get tix Some of those seasons were just 17-15 type seasons yet the students would absolutely pack their sections and overfill the 300s for programs like St Bonaventure

 

[bac2therac]

guess what, I may be older than some of you, but you guys are old bastards at heart/mind--you are the same guys who always say stuff was better in the past --get a grip, you're not better than current students--you're living in the past and what you think were the "glory days"--don't chase those kids off your lawns

except I am not just talking when I was a student, I am talking about the Waters and Bannon years as well..even some Rice games.

 

[bac2therac]

I agree with this. The 2 most talked about home games on this board over the years have been the A-10 final and the UNLV game. It's not coincidence that these 2 games are the loudest but also the biggest home wins during that time.

that UNLV game was sick....I was in Row Z 109 all the way at the top. I have this stub somewhere I am going to have to start looking for it

 

[gregkoko]

again I am from 88-93 so while not a true old timer that can talk about how it was in the late 70s and early 80s, my era had RU had a plethora of charged loud atmospheres. I mean some of them truly insane..PSU, UNLV, SHU, Missouri, Temple. The RAC then revived itself under Bannon and Waters and many of those crowds approached just under the level of energy and excitement of the games I mentioned.

Certainly tonights game was packed, albeit I saw some empties, student section full and energized, playing a top 15 team toe to toe for much of the game, yet something just isnt right. Some will say the RAC was back tonight but I was disappointed. Not sure it will ever be back given how things are done today. Maybe its the way the scoreboard music now just takes over everything in leading the excitement. In the olds days it was the crowd that organically created the buzz and excitement so you couldnt think or hear your friend next to you. Now we inundated with all kinds of so called music to pump the student section up and it certainly does its job. the student seem like trained lap dogs for certain songs to go crazy but call me crazy...where are the cheers..where is the RU chant, where is the Lets Go Rutgers, where is the bells must ring...seemed like they are being stifled for an artificial atmosphere. I know that some younger people will disagree with me but tonight there was only ONE RU chant,...are you kidding me. The band gets less and less time and in the college game they should be leading the charge. I will take criticism for this but how about less shitty dance music and more RU cheers and band playing. Do the students even know how to cheer or have they decided they will do it their way now. Actually its not their choice, its the DJ and scoreboard operators predictably playing all the song is similar sequence. You almost know what song will come when...bahhhh get off my lawn kids.

I just think the RAC can be so much more so while its better than the Jordan years, its nowhere near what it used to be in terms of trying to get loud during a big game

I'm 2003-2007 so I had the good Waters years. I thought the students actually sounded great last night. The problem was the other 80% of the crowd. People just sitting on their hands for the majority of the game. Any time the rest of the place got into it (after the Kiss dunk or when we cut the lead to 6 and it looked like Mathis was able to turn the ball over) something happened to stifle the energy for a few seconds and again everyone was on their hands again. This was not a problem against Seton Hall last year. I hope the rest of the place can step it up in future games because IMO the students did their jobs last night

 

[bac2therac]

I'm 2003-2007 so I had the good Waters years. I thought the students actually sounded great last night. The problem was the other 80% of the crowd. People just sitting on their hands for the majority of the game. Any time the rest of the place got into it (after the Kiss dunk or when we cut the lead to 6 and it looked like Mathis was able to turn the ball over) something happened to stifle the energy for a few seconds and again everyone was on their hands again. This was not a problem against Seton Hall last year. I hope the rest of the place can step it up in future games because IMO the students did their jobs last night

I think the scoreboard music may play into that. Its almost exclusively being targeted to generate student enthusiasm while disconnecting everyone else...How about a RU cheer instead

 

[bowlgoal]

Bac, I was with you for those same beginning years. Here’s why you feel what you feel? The raucous atmosphere really started in the palestra when we beat Temple to get to the championship game at the RAC against penn state. After winning that game, the craziness just continued through the years.

So what your missing is that it’s not real yet for the masses. You and I have seen it. We watched selection Sunday when we saw Rutgers get matched with Iowa in the opening round of the NCAAs.

You and I know what’s coming and that’s why we are so excited. Many of the fans got a taste last year at msg but we didn’t win anything or go to post season....... yet! When that happens, it will be what you’re looking for. It’s getting there slowly but surely. We didn’t play teams as good at MSU back then like we did last night.

This is the beginning of something special again!

 

[wheezer]

I agree with this. The 2 most talked about home games on this board over the years have been the A-10 final and the UNLV game. It's not coincidence that these 2 games are the loudest but also the biggest home wins during that time.

----
the most intensity of a game is when the game is actually on the line....waning seconds, anybody can win..... the UNLV game is a perfect example

I am absolutely positive the crowd would have been going nuts if we were within a couple of points with a minute or two to go...we just could not get there.

 

[Scarlet83]

I do think last night was a very good environment and a certain buzz but the oldtimers do know that the RAC could be more...even where we are not a top team. The way things are run now I am not sure it can back to that though

Exactly. The Athletic Department needs to change the way they script timeouts for big games. Get a Cheeseman type video cheer going. Get the band and cheerleaders to start more RRRRR. UUUUU cheers. Stop the season ticket recognition and other mellow things being done during a big game.

Just a small modification and some creativity will help a lot.

 

[PatrickRU92]

bac, one big difference:

we won a lot of games in the late 80s early 90s.

I love where we are headed but we're still losing a lot

 

[shields]

UNLV game was nuts, agree with BAC.

 

[RU848789]

Everyone complaining about how it was louder when you were in school...its cause you were in the student section where the noise comes from...

You all need to get over the glory days and recognize the fans were in it for most of the game until Mich State put it to double digits and kept hitting free throw after free throw.

Agreed. I was in the student section all through the 80s and into the early 90s and when we were good, which was much of the time, the RAC rocked. Then during some of Bannon's and Waters' years, at times, the RAC was just about as loud (but not PSU-89 loud, which will always be an outlier, IMO) when I was in 205 or in the student section (once in awhile I sat in the student section just to be in the crowd). Now I'm in the cushy seats and in the first half, at times, the place went nuts, but it wasn't sustained, because the team didn't sustain any real runs. We stood at times, but not all the time - but you can be loud without standing, too.

Having said all that, the loss of those 500 or so seats, the removal of students from the sides, and maybe most importantly, the loss of the 3-4 rows from the main student section (still no idea why they can't extend the bleachers back out a few rows) does make for a bit of difference. The other stuff, like the band vs. the DJ or the cheer teams or the chants, etc., is just peripheral and doesn't make any difference to me. If the game is good and the team is good and the place is full, it'll be loud, but probably never quite as loud as it was with more people and more students. Regardless, I had an awesome time last night, despite the loss and there were several points where everyone was standing and screaming and during those points, it was pretty freakin' loud to me.

 

[RC91CP]

Give it some time. I was there late 80's/early 90's. Those teams were battling for A10 Championships and NCAA bids. EVERY game was big. If this team continues the upward trajectory, the RAC will be rocking for years to come. I trust that the student section/band will come up with some unique chants and other stuff to get the crowd going. Build it, and they will come!!

 

[wheezer]

Was not there, but curious on the thoughts of those who are there. Whenever Rutgers hits a three pointer (and I think a 2 pointer too), that voice of the PA that I think is saying threeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, sounds disconcerting and a little dumb on TV. How is that live?

I might be one of the few, but I like the
enthusiastic call of a basket by this guy, over
who ever just calls it calmly..... we have a thread here that is looking for atmosphere, this
provides some.

 

[RutgersRaRa]

The place was jumping, but the experienced players on MSU knew how to take the crowd out of it. From a basketball standpoint it was pretty close to genius--as soon as our crowd got into it one of their guards would hit a shot and end our run or our hope at a run. Additionally there were a couple of fouls called on us that stopped play, and effectively ended our noisemaking. The crowd was back, but we were quieted down by an experienced coach and players.

 

[ru66]

genius idea by one of our most vocal "experts"--get rid of those in the 100,s who are the biggest givers (they virtually are the ones who support RU)--yeah guys like him will make up the $ difference--fat chance

 

[T2Kplus10]

not sure what era you are from but compared to previous RAC games, it not even in the top 30. Thats the whole point I am trying to make, it has a loooooooooong way to go to get it back to where the RAC was being talked about. I do think last night was a very good environment and a certain buzz but the oldtimers do know that the RAC could be more...even where we are not a top team. The way things are run now I am not sure it can back to that though

How did last night compare to the Troy Murphy / Rashod Kent game? :)

 

[RU-ROCS]

not sure what era you are from but compared to previous RAC games, it not even in the top 30. Thats the whole point I am trying to make, it has a loooooooooong way to go to get it back to where the RAC was being talked about. I do think last night was a very good environment and a certain buzz but the oldtimers do know that the RAC could be more...even where we are not a top team. The way things are run now I am not sure it can back to that though

I’m class of ‘85 and agree 100% - and it’s not nostalgia, it’s reality!

 

[bigbirdRU]

Wasn’t there last night, but how would people compare it to seton hall last year?

Also, I don’t think it’s fair to compare this game to any during years when Rutgers was winning it’s conference and going to the tournament. We still have a long way to go and the atmosphere hasn’t scratched its potential.

 

[bac2therac]

How did last night compare to the Troy Murphy / Rashod Kent game? :)

if that game was a 10, this game was a 4.

 

[Rhuarc]

How did last night compare to the Troy Murphy / Rashod Kent game? :)

That was a great game to watch. Might be a top 5 for me. The SHU game when Toney-El tackled Sherrod into the crowd and the impending chaos and heat was pretty good too.