First off- to answer posts from a couple of weeks ago, since i haven't been
on in a while.
 
The former RPI mascot was a bee called the Swarm. NOT THE PUCK GUY. His last
season was 1991-92, and was supposedly pulled by Buddy powers. A lot of us
want to see him back.... and I'll do my best as a concerned vigilante-fan to
do it....
 
The uniforms are a step down from last year. Whereas the lettering on the
back is better, the front looks more like a Harvardish jersey. IMHO, it is
extremely BAD to try and make major changes to a team's look IMMEDIATELY
FOLLOWING A CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON. I think they should go back to the 1985-era
uniforms...
 
 
Talking about fan behavior: I would like to address particularly appaling
displays by the fans, specifically in the first two home games, but can
apply at any time I guess. I'm not talking about obscene chants, throwing
stuff, etc, but something far worse I believe. That is: LEAVING THE RINK EN
MASSE BEFORE THE END OF THE GAME. In the opener back on 10/21, people were
leaving in the last three minutes of the game, leaving many sections less than
half full, and looking completely embarrassing in the process. RPI was down
by two goals at the time, not necessarily an insurmountable deficit by any
means. On friday, people did stay around long enough to see us tie vermont
with less than two minutes to go, but as soon as vermont went ahead in the
last half minute, you should've seen a quarter of the fans bolt for the exits.
No cheer or horn blowing (screw the virtually nonexistant noise rule!) could
get these fans into the game. I was so PISSED on Friday that i stood up and
completely ripped into a group of departing fans near my section. i didn't
think they expected that!!  >:)
 
In my opinion, if you can't stay to the end, you ain't a real fan. When the
Seattle Mariners lost the playoffs, their fans stood and cheered for A HALF
HOUR after the game ended. i was at a Blue Jays baseball game in August where
Kansas City beat them 10-3, yet the party atmosphere remained throughout the
game, all the way to the end. So why can't this be the same with RPI hockey?
These guys ain't the overpaid pros people complain about. if they lose, they
tried and should get our full support all the time.
 
I DO NOT want to see mass exodi EVER AGAIN. If you feel the need to abandon
your support and leave hastily before the game ends, do yourself and me a
favor and don't pass section 15 on the way out, and think about giving your
tickets for the next game to someone who CARES. So you lose 5-10 minutes of
departure time out of the parking lot. Who cares? You've got the lion's share
of the weekend night still...
 
 
To move on- here's another pet peeve. Now i don't mind the cheerleaders
selling raffle tickets to support the squad and athletics. I've purchased a
lot myself. As a matter of fact, I just wait until the big Freakout jackpot
rolls around and then I buy, buy ,buy! (Last year, I accounted for over 2% of
ticket sales I estimate.) However, the Cheerleaders have not cheered at a
game in about 5 years. I'm a working man, and if I wouldn't get paid for not
performing, I don't see why the cheerleaders should either. Anyone can dress
in red and white to collect money at a game, and when I see the squad members
not cheering but selling tickets, all i see it as is a game of chance with a
50% house edge. I'm not looking for high-liability stunts - I know they were
banned back in 1987 - but circulating through the aisles and leading the
crowd in cheers the traditional way, or performing on-stage next to the pep
band like in the old days, woould be acceptable work at a game for them to see
financial support from me at future games. Until then....
 
                        NO PERFORMANCE, NO PAY!
 
 
Whatever happened to the fun contests they've had, where a lucky seatholder
could go out on ice in the second intermission to try and shoot a puck through
a small slot in a board in front of the net to win a car? (1988-89 season).
That was FUN. Or the pep band would take to the ice. They should bring it all
back, plus maybe some new traditions to boot.
 
 
look for many of these comments to appear soon in a letter to the editor in
the poly. The Athletic Environment w.r.t. fans especially needs a serious
facelift, in my opinion.
 
 
And lastly, RPI vs Rensselaer: It's RPI, dammit!!!! If there's a serious prob-
lem, take it to the students in a referendum during the next GM week voting.
Students invest enough money to be shareholders in RPInc. referenda should
decide the name,mascot,etc. issues!
 
-Rich Vehlow  "REV"   RPI '91 '93 'xx    [log in to unmask]
 
PS: The Noise Rule is less enforced than JAYWALKING, people!! Bring as much
noise as possible! The Engineers need it.
 
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