Maybe it's because I'm a band alum, but I'm always shocked at how few people do the chant during the fight song. So here's my question, if you don't do the chant, why? Don't know the words? Can't hear the band?
The RU Rah Rah Chant
- Thread starter RUHotTrumpetMonkeyLove
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I've been doing the chant for years and know the words by heart. An issue that I've noticed, which I think has popped up recently, is that the band begins to play RU Rah Rah right after a touchdown, not even waiting for the extra point and/or two-point conversion to occur. I think it messes up the chant's rhythm a bit.
The tradition in seasons past was for the extra point(s) attempt to occur first, then the band would play RU Rah Rah while (hopefully) females are tossed into the air an amount of times requisite to Rutgers' updated score.
The tradition in seasons past was for the extra point(s) attempt to occur first, then the band would play RU Rah Rah while (hopefully) females are tossed into the air an amount of times requisite to Rutgers' updated score.
#2. Not enough there to get everybody pumped up. Can't hear a thing on the Rutgers side. Not to mention the piped in stuff makes it difficult to get that "college game feel"
My seven year-old grandson lives in California. A couple of weeks ago, he called me to advise that his teacher told the class that the password for something or other that they were doing is "RU RAH RAH." Turns out that his teacher is an RU alumna!
Are we making any progress toward becoming a Division 1-A band ? The University of Texas band has 380 members.
Less and less of attendance is comprised of alums. Not a bad thing .
During non exciting games you won't hear it as much.
During big games you will have way more people chanting
During non exciting games you won't hear it as much.
During big games you will have way more people chanting
When you can't hear our whoppingly large 175-180 member band (don't believe the lies, trust your eyes...and photos), from the other end of the stadium, and the student section can and is on top of the cheer, it's almost impossible, BUT the latter has always been the case. Only in big games, when playing well, do you really come close to getting the "stadium feel" for that chant. Much, much different than when the RAC was rockin'!
I brought a friend to the game who is now a fan so I actually had to teach him the words. In discussing it with him, I thought it would be a good idea to put the words on the video board-- it would help fans learn the words and hopefully get everyone singing along.
Too much stuff going on after a TD too-- a cannon, a horn, a horse, fireworks, fight song. Too much man, too much.
Too much stuff going on after a TD too-- a cannon, a horn, a horse, fireworks, fight song. Too much man, too much.
IMHO, the chant has never been impressive at a football game. Too many people not on the same page. Conversely, when the RAC is packed, the chant can rattle your bones!
New Jersey level apathy and laziness.
I thought the point of every break in the action was to give DJ Yoshi time to blast our eardrums with incessant noise. Are you implying that the fans instead use that time for cheering or something?
Agree. My young 2. 5 yr old son loves the train horn whether we're watching at home or live at the game he hears it.But why have the cannon and the horn? Get rid of it and just have the cannon followed by the fight song.
You are like a broken record about the band's size and the RU chant EVERY year... you dislike Kyle Flood as the coach ( since he was first named)and then you do exactly what the NJ .com minions do... you print up crap ... throw it against the wall and if it sticks that's just great... NUTS your like a broken record....btw: if the powers that be are satisfied at this time you aren't changing a thing anytime soon... so give it a rest already... be happy we have some kids who come and play music for dear old Rutgers on game day... if you are a former band member then lend your expertise to the recruitment of new musicians ...it's not because we haven't made it known to all high schools in New Jersey the past several years...when the Mason Gross Faculty allows ( as in many B1G schools) to receive substantial credit and the necessary time needed then and ONLY then will you get that 300-350 piece band...the RU chant was good at the Norfolk State ,and Washington State games... but if you're not part of the solution my friend then you are a B1G part of the Rutgers problem and it's perception...think about that .
I see you don't go to many home games...to make that statement is way asinine if you have been at most games...
If you think that the alumni are included, considered, respected or even thought of by this band director, then you have not been listening or observing. NUTS has every reason to be pissed. I am pissed. Many alumni are pissed. There is nothing we can do until he is gone. And you think otherwise, you should have stopped by the Band's 100th tailgate. That was more telling than anything else in recent memory.
Sorry. But don't yell at him. The situation is horrible. And newflash - the band is more than Mason Gross students.
I've been attending games at Rutgers Stadium since 1968 when I was four years old and haven't missed a home game since October 1999.
Excuse me.... did you read what I said? ...perhaps our former band members are going about it the wrong way and I go back to 1968 as an undergrad...don't lobby Smith that appears to be a wasted effort...but certainly # 1 ) former band alums can lobby the high schools as a group #2 ) you can lobby those band alums who serve in perhaps a higher capacity in the university system...I remember when the "band was a band " with some size , depth and certainly a high performance level... waaaay before we entered even the old Big East...complaining is one thing ...acting upon it is what you wish and getting results is not an easy thing... if you are organized as a group you can change things slowly and surely...instead of bitching....start acting like Rutgers band alums...show some cajones.
I have known many former band members who care very little about what is going on with Dr. Tim Smith....this is typical of RUTGERS and always has been...if you have an agenda with Smith all these years and he still doesn't listen or at least acknowledge a problem... then you need to develop a plan....if and it's a B1G ( IF ).... you and others truly feel this way then do something about it.
1. They used to scroll the words along the ribbon board - they don't seem to be doing that this year. As someone said, there are a lot of non-alums in the stand. Scrolling the words was also a good visual cue amonst the multitude of distractions.
2. I can hardly hear the band playing it.
2. I can hardly hear the band playing it.
I was going to type the same thing...Than I just thought F-it, someone will do it for me.
I am sorry, I don't know you. I will keep this as polite as possible. You have no idea what you are talking about.
There have been groups that have tried. There is an alumni group. The band director doesn't care, he didn't even know what they were called. And the university leadership doesn't care it get involved - many have tried. This year's fund raising drive proved that level of apathy. And the support the university gives the band - please! The power of the alum have to sell a program is LIMITED when your selling points are: (1) if you are not brass or percussion, you will take a back seat, if you are guard, you are screwed. (2) You will have practice 4x a week but will not receive fair compensation - scholarships are non existent (there was a tall tale that 2 existed in my time), there is no money, you get 1 credit a year. AND you have to work all of your course work around these rehearsals/practices that take up 2 class periods/day 3 days/week. (3) You will not really have a drill. (that is a huge change from HS where you typically have one complex moving show a year). (4) You have to pay out of your own pocket for expenses. (5) You don't travel more than 1x a year.
It may look good on the outside - but is isn't. The majority of the alumni are disenfranchised. Why would any of them in the area keep trying when their help is shut down, their involvement is shut down and their passion is shutdown? Why would they care when all the alumni are looked to, by the University, is as a cash cow? And why would they recruit for an organization that looks to boost #'s by inflating figures but doesn't look internal to why turn-over is so high, why many active performers do not recommend it... When you recommend something, that is an endorsement - and I can't do that, nor can any alum I spoke to this weekend. I loved my time is Guard. You think I like what I see now? HA! No. But I also know that the University doesn't care either.
The rumor this weekend was that he had one more year... we will see. If things change, maybe the alumni will too.
Everything was rather quiet this past Saturday, mostly because the fans are pretty down right now. But two weeks earlier, when we had a very exciting second half, the stadium was rocking and the chant was very loud.
But a lot of it has to do with coordination between the band and the other noise going on in the stadium after the point after - those of us not sitting directly opposite the band have trouble telling when the fight song gets to the break for the cheer. And the PA system sometimes in blaring over the band while they're playing the fight song.
Also, we seem to score a disproportionate share of our TDs during the last four minutes of the first half when the band has already left its seats to get into position for the half-time show.
But a lot of it has to do with coordination between the band and the other noise going on in the stadium after the point after - those of us not sitting directly opposite the band have trouble telling when the fight song gets to the break for the cheer. And the PA system sometimes in blaring over the band while they're playing the fight song.
Also, we seem to score a disproportionate share of our TDs during the last four minutes of the first half when the band has already left its seats to get into position for the half-time show.
I chant it every time, and sing all the words to "The Bells Must Ring." I'm the only person in Sect 226 doing so, and the other people in my row (both of them) hate me for it.
Please please please do not call him Dr. Tim Smith. He's not a doctor. He has a degree in music from night school.
This saddens me to read.......... at the bar in So. Cal where we watch the games with other alumni , we chant RU Rah Rah after every score..........
....you should see the look on the face of USC fans.... :)
....you should see the look on the face of USC fans.... :)
Went to local high school game Friday night. The band never played a song while in the stands, the dance team and cheerleader stood on the track and didn't move because they had a do piping in rap music after every play
Actually, Bob, it's YOU who sound like a "broken record" and who, quite obviously, are beyond misinformed. Since I've been back - and really even prior to my banning - I NEVER had a bad word to say about you, and really didn't have anything to say to you whatsoever, but you have insisted on - INCESSANTLY - being up my ass. WHY? Let it go Bob...LET IT GO....and move on. I'm one of the biggest fans and promoters of Rutgers Athletics, out there, if you don't know/understand/see that, well, then you're blinder than those 3 mice. There's nothing I wouldn't do for ANY of our teams, if asked, can you say the same?
Also, so long as Tim Smith continues to LIE about the size of his band, I will continue to press the issue. Facts are facts and Smith is full of shit.
Put me on "IGNORE," Bob, if you don't like to hear the truth. Thank you.
NUTS
p.s. - this is a thread about the "RU Rah Rah" Chant. Not about the "RU" chant - which is a whole 'nother problem unto itself and a topic that I've never begun, myself, despite knowing exactly what the issue is thanks to a dear old friend of mine, on these boards, who is a cheer team alumni and has attempted to address said problems with cheer team leadership, however, has been essentially "shot-down" about them.
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People in my section always chants as soon as the touchdown is scored, not after the extra point is kicked. The problem is that Bells is supposed to be played after the extra point, not after the touchdown. Tell TGS to play Colonel Rutgers instead of the second ending of Bells if they still wanna play a school fight song after a touchdown so that people don't prematurely chant the fight song after the score.
I had noted this in my earlier post in this thread. Didn't the band begin playing the RU Rah Rah song after the extra point/conversion in years past, not right after an RU touchdown is scored as they do now?
You are correct, they have played the fight song after the extra point and not after the touchdown. This year, they also play after the touch in addition. I have no problem with the band playing immediately after, but by playing the fight song, people will want to chant after, but that'll be going on into the extra point kick. Rutgers has another fight song they can play that doesn't include a chant, which is what I'm suggesting so that the chant can be saved til after the extra point kick.
The University of Texas athletics, band, etc. has countless things we don't have, and never will.
Bob is up my ass - regarding everything I post - nonstop. I've talked about Tim Smith's lying only twice now, since last December, so I think I can get away with that one LOL! :smiley:
You are WAY off base in what you "think" you know. I am a band alum from the late 80s when the director actually did hold a doctorate in music and the band was at least 50% larger then the biggest they have been under Tim Smith. Just like there are kids who would like to play for certain coaches the band members stay involved when the experience is enjoyable and challenging which it is not under Tim Smith. The fact that they refer to him as professor is ridiculous. Band members receive one course credit for being in the band and like most schools we do not and never have offered scholarships for marching band. The kids participate for the enjoyment of the activity and to support their school. The fact that Rutgers, with 35,000 students in NB alone has to go to solicit county colleges for membership is absolutely unacceptable and speaks to the attrition rate year by year with Smith leading the band. MGSA holds him in such high regard that he does not conduct any ensemble that is geared towards music majors. We have tried to oust him given his complete disregard for the band alumni and the fact that we can't stand the fact that he ran the band into the ground. I made my voice heard when Andy Sisti solicited donations for the uniform fund and I informed him I would continue to donate to the student athlete fund but not to the band until a change was made in the director. I never received a response of course to even
As a freshman, we were required to learn the cheers and songs. I always sing the whole fight song (much to the dismay of my surrounding family members) who feel like "Fight,Fight, Fight, and RU Rah, Rah, " is sufficient.
The problem is the fight song is even more sexist than the Alma Mater and needs to be rewritten. For example, it starts "March men of Rutgers" and leads up to the part "and Rutgers men will Fight, Fight, Fight, Fight,Fight! (I do fell a bit silly singing this at the ladies BB games, where people can actuall hear you). Those words will probably have to be changed. Of course, the last two words have morphed to "GO Knights" from the original "TONIGHT", so it can be done. Tradition, de damned!
But I will continue to sing the whole fight song, whether I can hear the band, or not.
First down, Touchdown, GO RU!
VIVA la Rutgers Sons!! (Whoops, this needs to be changed too, I guess)
The problem is the fight song is even more sexist than the Alma Mater and needs to be rewritten. For example, it starts "March men of Rutgers" and leads up to the part "and Rutgers men will Fight, Fight, Fight, Fight,Fight! (I do fell a bit silly singing this at the ladies BB games, where people can actuall hear you). Those words will probably have to be changed. Of course, the last two words have morphed to "GO Knights" from the original "TONIGHT", so it can be done. Tradition, de damned!
But I will continue to sing the whole fight song, whether I can hear the band, or not.
First down, Touchdown, GO RU!
VIVA la Rutgers Sons!! (Whoops, this needs to be changed too, I guess)
Here's a question. Are there lyrics to the Colonel Rutgers song? I never learned any and can't find any on the Internets.
