There is an old saying ... when in Rome, do as the Romans do ... meaning it's probably okay to do something that does not necessarily come natural to you ... they are having fun, follow their lead ... and it is apparently successful here ... go with it.
Well here we are in the SEC so why don't we start doing SEC things? Especially those things that enhance the game day experience.
Pre and Post Game ... I guess its a given that the tailgating experience is what you make of it, but it seems so fractured around the stadium. I have used paid parking passes at the nearby lots, I have parked in the garages and tailgated at the various fraternities. All have their plusses and minuses, but you would think that with all the tailgate knowledge coming in from KC (annually a top-rated NFL experience) we could have a better coordinated pre and post game tailgate. I know one advantage that is inherent at Arrowhead ... there exists this single, massive parking lot for people to congregate at. Is that what is needed at Faurot Field?
During the action ... Shut down that damn scoreboard and its misplaced, mistimed and unappreciated jabber. I have said on numerous occasions that immediate and more importantly ORGANIC fan response is necessary to provide an SEC-like environment. I don't care if there is 40K or 60K in the stands, if the fan response is natural, they will provide an organized crescendo from the stands that covers the whole field more effectively that a mechanized blurt from loudspeakers.
If the cheerleaders can re-establish themselves, cries of DE / FENSE, Block that Kick and an especially loud M-I-Z ... Z-O-U could effectively help our defense during an opponents offensive drive. The fans ought to be able to take their game cues from Marching Mizzou and the Golden Girls, every other SEC venue seems to follow the band much more that we do at Missouri. Why? Because at Faurot Field we have the constant interruption of the scoreboard message system.
At the Kentucky game, just prior to the last (and winning Kentucky drive) Missouri had downed a punt just inside the Kentucky 20 yard line. The student section began to belt out an ultra-appropriate and more importantly, ORGANIC chant of M-I-Z that was never answered. The opposing grandstand of Missouri fans could not discern the chant because the scoreboard system had sprung into action ... killing, not only the charged atmosphere, but eliminating a chance for the fans to affect and possibly intimidate the visiting team. Instead, the stadium went quiet and the Kentucky coaches and players could communicate with each other easily.
Any improved game experience needs to be embraced by the Spirit Squads and the fans, but we need a little help from the administration to strangle the artificial noise and canned enthusiasm from the scoreboard intruder. BTW, the helmet shell game is boring, outdated and does not need replacing, just a burial.
Well here we are in the SEC so why don't we start doing SEC things? Especially those things that enhance the game day experience.
Pre and Post Game ... I guess its a given that the tailgating experience is what you make of it, but it seems so fractured around the stadium. I have used paid parking passes at the nearby lots, I have parked in the garages and tailgated at the various fraternities. All have their plusses and minuses, but you would think that with all the tailgate knowledge coming in from KC (annually a top-rated NFL experience) we could have a better coordinated pre and post game tailgate. I know one advantage that is inherent at Arrowhead ... there exists this single, massive parking lot for people to congregate at. Is that what is needed at Faurot Field?
During the action ... Shut down that damn scoreboard and its misplaced, mistimed and unappreciated jabber. I have said on numerous occasions that immediate and more importantly ORGANIC fan response is necessary to provide an SEC-like environment. I don't care if there is 40K or 60K in the stands, if the fan response is natural, they will provide an organized crescendo from the stands that covers the whole field more effectively that a mechanized blurt from loudspeakers.
If the cheerleaders can re-establish themselves, cries of DE / FENSE, Block that Kick and an especially loud M-I-Z ... Z-O-U could effectively help our defense during an opponents offensive drive. The fans ought to be able to take their game cues from Marching Mizzou and the Golden Girls, every other SEC venue seems to follow the band much more that we do at Missouri. Why? Because at Faurot Field we have the constant interruption of the scoreboard message system.
At the Kentucky game, just prior to the last (and winning Kentucky drive) Missouri had downed a punt just inside the Kentucky 20 yard line. The student section began to belt out an ultra-appropriate and more importantly, ORGANIC chant of M-I-Z that was never answered. The opposing grandstand of Missouri fans could not discern the chant because the scoreboard system had sprung into action ... killing, not only the charged atmosphere, but eliminating a chance for the fans to affect and possibly intimidate the visiting team. Instead, the stadium went quiet and the Kentucky coaches and players could communicate with each other easily.
Any improved game experience needs to be embraced by the Spirit Squads and the fans, but we need a little help from the administration to strangle the artificial noise and canned enthusiasm from the scoreboard intruder. BTW, the helmet shell game is boring, outdated and does not need replacing, just a burial.
