UW DC calls out ND fans.
The Biscuit - 11:38 am
“It’s not very loud” Washington Defensive Coordinator Nick Holt said of Notre Dame Stadium in a recent interview.
How sad is it when opposing team’s DC’s are calling us out, Irish Nation? How much does it hurt our squad that our home field advantage is cut in half because our crowds just don’t create noise? Noise that can disrupt communication for an opposing offense, causing mis-reads, bad execution and false starts/delay of game penalties?
Other stadiums do it – have you heard Penn State on TV? Washington’s crowd was absolutely nuts when they upset USC.
I know, I know. We have a lot of old, rich donors that don’t yell. But screw it, if you’re at the game, get loud. Even if you’re the only one yelling in your section. YELL. Stand up! CHEER! Because we’re not doing our job if visiting coaches actually call attention to the lack of noise in public statements. And if those around you complain? Yell louder.
It’s time to put a bit of noise in Jake Locker’s ear, not to mention Nick Holt’s.
Trey
Well, you guys can definitely lend more to this than i cam because ive only been to 2 gms at nd, but i have to disagree. When i was at mich last year, it was plenty loud most of the game. Msu was much less, so it seems like the quality of opponent has much to do with it. And of course, thats pretty common imo.
October 1, 2009 at 11:43 amThe Biscuit
Trey, you’re right that it depends on the game, situation, etc. But it also depends on where you are in the stadium. If you’re anywhere near the students, it’ll seem plenty loud. If you’re not near the students or another group of fairly loud folks, it can seem quiet. Unless EVERYONE is loud, like at some stadiums, it’s not ‘that loud’ for the opposing players on the field. It has to be pretty uniform, and loud from all directions, to really make an opposing team shake in their boots. And we know we don’t get that.
October 1, 2009 at 11:47 amDeepTeaKup
Since ND basically copied UM’s original stadium design, now you just need to add luxury boxes and a new press box to make it louder like they did.
October 1, 2009 at 11:59 amsan diego irish
DTK that would also have the advantage of getting some of the plaid pants crowd in the boxes and open their seats for younger louder fans.
October 1, 2009 at 12:20 pmThe Biscuit
DTK, yeah, you’re right. That oval shape with seats? All you guys. Super original. HA. I wouldn’t mind a few more boxes up around the press box area to be honest. But I wouldn’t want anything as monstrous as the big house. Just not our style.
October 1, 2009 at 12:28 pmjb
Get me some tickets and I’ll show that bastard a thing or two.
October 1, 2009 at 12:38 pmTrey
Dtk, originally, the base schematic may have been the same, but both schools have seriously renovated their stadia. I dont see how u can still claim that the two are all that similar.
October 1, 2009 at 12:58 pmAlicia
When I was at the Mich State this year, I was standing up and screaming most of the time we were on defense (and at every crappy call made by the p.o.s. officials). One of the yellow jacket guys came over and told me if I didn’t sit down and be quiet, I’d be asked to leave the game. Only after the surrounding gentlemen in our section told the guy that they were perfectly happy to see me yelling and cheering for my team would the guy relent and “allow” me to stand up and continue to get loud. It is incidents like this that make it pretty easy to understand why we don’t have a raucous rep.
October 1, 2009 at 12:58 pmThe Biscuit
Alicia, that is freaking depressing. Ushers should be trained to get the crowd FIRED UP, not the other way around. Glad you, and the folks around you, were able to keep it going.
October 1, 2009 at 1:19 pmChris
I went to the san diego st. game last year, hadn’t been to a game at ND stadium in years, and I couldn’t believe the demographics of the ND fans around me. Either really old, or families. Every time I yelled or would stand up for a play, I would be the only one in our section doing so. The UW DC is 100% correct.
October 1, 2009 at 2:34 pmMark
I have a similar story to Alicia. I sit in the Gold seats on the opponents sideline. I don’t curse, I don’t bitch or boo. I yell, cheer and encourage. I yell on every defensive possession and stand up on every third down.
After the game, a woman (in the neighborhood of 70-80 years old) grabbed me by the arm and said “I’m so proud of you. You got all of these people to stand up and cheer. I saw that State Trooper on the field pointing at you and talking to the Ushers, but I was not going to let them take you out. If they would have told you to stop I was going to beat them with my purse.”
That was the most satisfying comment I have ever heard in my life.
Still, what makes it difficult to make noise now is that you will be asked to leave. It’s very difficult for me not to be negative or curse and spit but I don’t. I, nor Alicia, or anyone else should EVER be asked to sit down or be quiet at a sporting event if we are supporting our team. The only thing worse than the old rich fans in the stands is the administration who wants it to be a day care center instead of a football game.
October 1, 2009 at 4:19 pmNeal Deesit
You mean no one in the stadium can hear me screaming at the TV?
October 1, 2009 at 7:02 pmBill
The Ushers completely kill the vibe in that stadium. One year I went with a group of 21, so we had strength in numbers to let the ushers know to satay away. Bring back the standing sections of Alumni alley.
October 2, 2009 at 1:18 pm