Wisconsin Hockey XXIX: Yes, this is the Rumpel Rink!

[WiscDC]

I'm not sure how realistic it is, but as you mention your roommates who know nothing about hockey, I'd suggest/ask about some sort of "intro" course before the season starts. Basic rules, etc. Heck, maybe the Crease Creatures could run/sponsor it.

That wasn't quite what I was getting at. I do know people who would fit what you described, and I've seen them get more and more into hockey. I'm talking about people who may have a basic knowledge of hockey (average minnesota sports fans who don't focus on it), but never give Badger hockey a try because.....reasons? We'll watch Wild games and whatnot, but considering what I've experienced at some hockey games exceeds any football game, last year's court-storming vs Michigan, etc, it bewilders me that people who aren't completely foreign to hockey and watch sports programming all the time don't get into it.

When it comes to capturing the interest of students, hockey is in a much different situation than football or basketball. Everyone knows about college football. People generally get what college basketball is all about. If they ever watch sports stuff, they'll be exposed to it. With hockey, you have people who want to watch lots of sports and be a fan who have never even considered college hockey. I had never even heard of college hockey until the 2009 Frozen Four. I'm sure there are plenty of NHL fans who don't really consider college hockey when they come to UW. The same cannot be said about basketball or football. We're spoonfed those. College hockey is just something "extra" to the general populace of sports fans.

Edit: To summarize this, I think getting the low-hanging fruit should be emphasized, because unlike in football and basketball, there's a lot of it. Whether they're hockey fans or just have a mild interest in hockey, there are quite a few people who don't get into Badger hockey when they're perfect for it.

 

[sweatpants]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXIX: Yes, this is the Rumpel Rink!

Suggestion for red-white scrimmage:

Add a skills competition before or after. You could also include some women's players and have co-ed teams compete against each other in a team like format. If this takes too long cut one period off the scrimmage or have an alumni game followed by a skills competition the night before. I realize you won't be able to get current pro players, but I do think you can get a decent draw if the right players were in involved.(Eaves, Johnson, Shuchuk, G. Suter, B. Suter, Norwich, Byce, etc.) And again you could add some of the more popular women alumni to the game as well.

 

[DoorCtyBadger]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXIX: Yes, this is the Rumpel Rink!

Badgers now at 5th in the PWR.....thanks to nodak for taking out st clown.....keep it rolling bucky that #1 seed is within reach...of course we will need a strong finish and little help from our friends

 

[firstpusk]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXIX: Yes, this is the Rumpel Rink!

Badgers now at 5th in the PWR.....thanks to nodak for taking out st clown.....keep it rolling bucky that #1 seed is within reach...of course we will need a strong finish and little help from our friends

You may get help, but you are badgers. You have no friends.

 

[Timothy A]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXIX: Yes, this is the Rumpel Rink!

That would be extremely difficult, especially if they want to capture the crisp sounds of that first guitar. I mean, it took me forever to recognize that they were playing "Pinball Wizard," because it sounds so different if you don't know exactly what to listen for.

I wish I were a composer, I can hear it in my head right now.

It would be really cool to do the men's/women's no check scrimmage/skills competiton. You could go straight up men vs women or have mixed teams. I'd pay some serious coin to see the gals go against the lads straight up. Just the chance to compare the speed and skills straight up in a game would be awesome. Too bad the "pre-season" for hockey is just so short it would be impossible to do it then, but maybe a post season event.

 

[Timothy A]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXIX: Yes, this is the Rumpel Rink!

The current sieve chant sucks. Every time I hear it, I kind of feel like the Indian in the old "Keep America Beautiful" litter commercials.

Singing "Sieve" to "On Wisconsin"? Just stupid.

EDIT: Get off my <strike>lawn</strike> snow.

Agree and disagree......agree the current seive chant isn't as good as the original......disagree on singing seive to On Wisconsin. I like the fact I get to say sieve 840 times a game, especially @ Labahn....they hear ya.

 

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXIX: Yes, this is the Rumpel Rink!

The only suggestion worth giving the AD is letting the **** band play, and knock it off with the canned entertainment. You have a band for a reason, it's a COLLEGIATE event which shouldn't aspire for a USHL/AHL/NBA/Arena Football environment. Canned entertainment (I'm now saying that since it has gone beyond music) keeps a silencer on the band and even worse prevents fans from having a lively experience at games. The AD should encourage passion in its fans, not remove it.

I hate to say it, but the rest of it is all on the students and the more vocal of the old people. The cleverness I cheers and chants, how involved you are... that's on you guys. The AD will not be able to force in atmosphere (that's how we get lame canned entertainment), you have to make it for yourself, and it's up to the Crease Creatures to be crass without being stupid (which, let's admit, is hard to do but fun when you pull it off).

 

[wjefwhite]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXIX: Yes, this is the Rumpel Rink!

I prefer creativity over crudeness and just adding d*ck to the end of each chant is rather pathetic coming from all these "bright" minds at UW. I think they can do way better than that.

I would like to see them get someone far less annoying and loud, to do all the talking during tv timeouts. The current guy is HORRIBLE! If you are going to add some arena microphone person who goes around during timeouts and intermissions, at least have them be good at what they do. Hire the girl from Green Bay Gamblers (if she is still there). He reminds me of Brett Bielema, and that triples my annoyance.

Totally agree on that guy. They can kill the whole thing. He is awful with a face only radio could love. Thats why he is at the Big 1070 in Madison where he should stay.

 

[DoorCtyBadger]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXIX: Yes, this is the Rumpel Rink!

I prefer creativity over crudeness and just adding d*ck to the end of each chant is rather pathetic coming from all these "bright" minds at UW. I think they can do way better than that.

I would like to see them get someone far less annoying and loud, to do all the talking during tv timeouts. The current guy is HORRIBLE! If you are going to add some arena microphone person who goes around during timeouts and intermissions, at least have them be good at what they do. Hire the girl from Green Bay Gamblers (if she is still there). He reminds me of Brett Bielema, and that triples my annoyance.

have to agree Gandalf 80% of student section cheers suck.....take it in the rear song....how disgusting is that, they took one of the all time great sieve songs and ruined it.....how many other student sections countdown and then yell halftime....halftime for what there isn't a break in the action.....agree if we have a PA guy/gal during breaks bring Frenchie from the gamblers in at least she knows how to connect with the crowd...

 

[WiscDC]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXIX: Yes, this is the Rumpel Rink!

have to agree Gandalf 80% of student section cheers suck.....take it in the rear song....how disgusting is that, they took one of the all time great sieve songs and ruined it.....how many other student sections countdown and then yell halftime....halftime for what there isn't a break in the action.....agree if we have a PA guy/gal during breaks bring Frenchie from the gamblers in at least she knows how to connect with the crowd...

You're the only person I've ever heard of who hates the mildly amusing and completely harmless "halftime" countdown. (How many others do it? It's probably not as big as asking how much time is left when there's a minute to go, but it's close.) And it is "sound of me" and "in the ear." Pretty much everyone doesn't know it, though. Still better than Michigan by a very large factor.

 

[WiscDC]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXIX: Yes, this is the Rumpel Rink!

I hate to say it, but the rest of it is all on the students and the more vocal of the old people. The cleverness I cheers and chants, how involved you are... that's on you guys. The AD will not be able to force in atmosphere (that's how we get lame canned entertainment), you have to make it for yourself, and it's up to the Crease Creatures to be crass without being stupid (which, let's admit, is hard to do but fun when you pull it off).

This is pretty important. Things like sign policies, ticket prices and purchasing procedures, the band, keeping the general public informed about what's going on are influenced by the athletic department. This has mainly turned into a discussion about specific things the students chant, which a) are not controlled or influenced at all by the athletic department, b) are not nearly as bad as plenty of other student sections, and c) are still, in general, under a culture of keeping it creative and not just dumbed-down swearing.

 

[DoorCtyBadger]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXIX: Yes, this is the Rumpel Rink!

This is pretty important. Things like sign policies, ticket prices and purchasing procedures, the band, keeping the general public informed about what's going on are influenced by the athletic department. This has mainly turned into a discussion about specific things the students chant, which a) are not controlled or influenced at all by the athletic department, b) are not nearly as bad as plenty of other student sections, and c) are still, in general, under a culture of keeping it creative and not just dumbed-down swearing.

tell them to keep discounting those 3rd deck seats......

 

[WiscDC]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXIX: Yes, this is the Rumpel Rink!

tell them to keep discounting those 3rd deck seats......

That was defintely one of the things I wanted to bring up if nobody else did. I'm sure they've seen the success of it, but it's something I've felt pretty strongly about.

 

[DoorCtyBadger]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXIX: Yes, this is the Rumpel Rink!

That was defintely one of the things I wanted to bring up if nobody else did. I'm sure they've seen the success of it, but it's something I've felt pretty strongly about.

two things we talked about for years...discount the 3rd seats and play more Sat/Sun matinee games like MSU.....the people I hang with believe these 2 minor issues will help keep the building full

 

[RedFreak]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXIX: Yes, this is the Rumpel Rink!

Decades long Friday and Saturday night fan here. Absolutely agree with More Band, Less Canned music.

 

[WiscDC]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXIX: Yes, this is the Rumpel Rink!

Barry Alvarez was at the women's game today.

 

[Crainer]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXIX: Yes, this is the Rumpel Rink!

More dead rodents!!!

That is all.

 

[Gandalf the Red]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXIX: Yes, this is the Rumpel Rink!

Totally agree on that guy. They can kill the whole thing. He is awful with a face only radio could love. Thats why he is at the Big 1070 in Madison where he should stay.

I'm in disbelief that guy is even on the radio. I need my own radio program then, all of us do.

Someone mentioned Ask a Badger, they still do it at Women's Basketball games, and I miss that feature. I think people appreciate getting to know the players, and usually get a few laughs at the same time.

 

[MadCityRich]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXIX: Yes, this is the Rumpel Rink!

Totally agree on that guy. They can kill the whole thing. He is awful with a face only radio could love. Thats why he is at the Big 1070 in Madison where he should stay.

Who is it?

 

[TUSCHWI]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXIX: Yes, this is the Rumpel Rink!

Barry Alvarez was at the women's game today.

He must have gotten lost on his way to the McClain practice facility.