JDUBBS1280
MN Hockey Enthusiast
As far as our dances are concerned, that's during breaks in the action, just like everywhere else. The chants and cheers that get the best response are the ones that are most directly tied to the game at hand in some creative way. It's just something that many fans find enjoyable, and students will laugh at silly things. There's kind of a family vibe in our student section, way more than at basketball games ("family" with regards to camaraderie/togetherness, not necessarily language). A basic but passionate "let's go red" has a different vibe, but is still enjoyable in its own way. Cheering to encourage good things to happen rather than only reacting after they happen helps keep up a good atmosphere even if the home team is losing. Also, something I've found is that people are more likely to be vocal in reacting to or encouraging big plays on the ice if they're mentally warmed up with some fun chants. The reason EODS and I wrote a lot about vulgarities and extra little things is that there are some annoyances that have become prominent, and there are alternatives that we prefer. As far as going to the hockey game, it's not really a big deal, like the walls of text might indicate. I certainly agree that the main reason for going is the hockey game itself. I might not be able to mentally analyze the Badgers power play (or lack thereof) quite as well from in the stands as opposed to on TV, but I don't really feel extra goofy chants and cheers take away from the watching of the game.
Fair enough. To each his own I guess. My experiences in Madison watching games (I'll admit it has been a while) have been a little different. The cheers and dances weren't just limited to breaks in the action and it always seemed like those doing the chants and dances during the action weren't as focused on the games.
I don't understand the context of your "sieve" chant in some occasions, but I understand why you do the chant when you do. I always thought the "we want more" chant was unique and got the crowd involved. And I understand the timing of that chant too. But the dancing and chanting during power plays, etc... alyways seemed a little bit like forced atmosphere that took away from actually watching the nuances of the game to me.
Just an outsider's perspective. No right or wrong answers. Appreciate the honest discussion