Our defense, once the most feared in the league, is a joke.
I blame the Fans In The Stands.
Some of you will kick the teeth out of me for this post and so be it. You want us to win at home? Then make noise when our defense is on the field. As much as you can. Stand up if you are able and scream. A little, "Lets Go Defence Let's Go" never hurt any defence. Ever.
If you are like me and are getting older and can't yell as loud (or dont like a sore throat on Monday) then get a horn. Get a bell. Get something. Make a lot of noise.
It's important to make a lot of noise on defence not only to disrupt our enemies playcalling from both the sidelines as well as audibles at the line of scrimmage, but to raise the spirits of the men who will now go to battle for us.
Teamwork allows ordinary men to do extraordinary things. When we do our part as Fans In The Stands we become part of the team.
The fans in my section cost us the game on Saturday. They sat on their god forsaken hands waiting for something to happen like it was a hockey game instead of trying to affect the play. Like Zombies. The most noise they make is when the beer guy goes by and they yell, "Right Here!!!"
Don't blame the coaches. Don't blame the weather. Don't blame the refs. Don't blame the sun in your eyes and don't blame Bob Young.
Blame the Fans In Stands for our poor defence. It's hard to run a defence without noise.
I fully agree, I was in sec 118 last game and tried by 13thMan's best to get the crowd going while our defence was on the field, standing up yelling my head off, had no voice Sunday morning. I only reaction I got was a little old lady with hearing aids, giving me the dirtiest look. Only thing I could tell her was welcome to Ti-Cat football, maybe turn your hearing aids off!
Fan noise can help, no doubt. But over the years plenty of visiting teams have won in a home team's ballpark. Look at Winnipeg, they haven't done so well for the last couple of years, and yet, their followers are amongst the noisiest I hear.
Fan noise can't make tackles for you, or bat down passes.
This team's defense needs to acquire or develop the right mix of personnel and then give them time to come together.
Besides, 13 thousand even noisy fans will put you at a serious disadvantage compared to the rest of the league, if your theory is correct.
Ha ha ha!!! This same thing happens to me often. I’ve had a middle-aged soccer mom who was at the game with her family (who were making as much noise as I was) ask me to keep it down. And it was only the first quarter! Why do people go to a place where a large crowd is going to cheer and yell and act a fool if they don’t like those things?
While I do agree, as a whole we do have to get a bit more noisy when the team is on D. But what helps the fans go crazy is the defence actually making a play. Make a stop on 1st down, so the fans can go crazy over it. its disheartening when its 2nd and 1 all the time and we’re still expected to get loud.
Also. I sit in Sec 119. to the 3 drunk fans trying to get the crowd all rowdy and then getting angry when they didnt fufill your wishes. Understand that the Cats were on Offence. You dont get loud when the home team is on offence. Each home game you wonder which one game and done fan will it be this week acting stupid.
It's hard to get only 12,000 fans yelling when you figure lots of these fans are older season ticket holders than they get divided in half 6,000 on each side . Most of the rowdy fans are the younger ones that sit in the cheap seats their arent as many there anymore. Also the stands are so far away from the field It feels like your only yelling at the back of the guys head in front of you. The new stadium should help fix these problems.
Just how many of the fans at the last game were cheering for Hamilton? Several reports mentioned the multitude of Saskatchewan fans in attendance last game.
Also, how many new attendees from Guelph (and area) are neutral or new, and aren’t aware of the etiquette?
Good Post I totally Agree, I don't how many Times I've mentioned to fans on this site to Cheer on our Defense at Home games or bring in horns whatever and always get shot down by people like Bane who sit at home instead of supporting their team and whack their willys dreaming of a Win by the Tiger-Cats while true fans get out and support their team and shout like crazy to bring on noise to be the 13th man.
One fan said about my previous post if someone brought a horn to a game and sat beside him that he would kick the crap out of him, well if that's the case why not funnel some of that hatred and energy into cheering on your team instead of sitting on your arse at the game and doing nothing, like Toronto Argo fans do??
You owe this little ole lady an apology. Until you wear hearing aids you have no idea how bad it can be. That being said, the 13th man has been on the field for the Cats a few times. Sadly the other team still gained yards.
Do not cheer while the team is on offense unless the play had been made/concluded with positive yardage. Doing so can disrupt the snap count, disrupt instructions in the huddle and breaks communication on audibles and blitz pickup calls. A little know fact, linemen will often make line calls if they see blitz coming to warn other players that blocking assignments are going to change and get dicey.
Conversely, cheer loud on defense and make noise from the second the opposing team gathers in a huddle until the snap of the ball. This disrupts the opposing teams huddle instructions, snap count, audibles and blitz pickup calls. However pace yourself, there's no sense in making noise at the huddle during a commercial break. Also once the ball is snapped, additional noise of little additional benefit.
Touchdowns, forced safeties, sacks & turnovers are cause for celebration, so unload and cheer like crazy when they happen. Encouragement for the team on these plays is a good thing.
Singles and Field Goals - Generally enthusiasm should be curbed, after all 3 is good but 6 is better and constant encouragement of kickers can get them in an odd mindset. Typically either extending your team scarf in cold weather, or waving flags in warm weather is most appropriate.
Come prepared, most people can't yell and scream all game and make sufficient noise. Invest it a horn or cowbell or similar noise maker to cover for you when in case your voice gives out. However be respectful with these devices, don't blow an air horn, or ring a bell into someone's ear or in any way that might cause hearing damage to another fan. Also if another fan asks you to tone it down, do so.
Singing is generally for soccer, but if you have a group who know the words, it is allowed. The only acceptable songs to solo are The Tiger-Cat Marching Song or parodies of the opposing team's song, such as "Green is the color, losing is the game, we stole this song from Chelsea, because we're very lame..." etc etc. Also, you must know the words, don't try to BS it. Also, if Sweet Caroline is being played, it is important to at least ba ba ba during the song.
Clap respectfully for injured players coming off the field, no matter their colors, no matter what player. These players are people, and I'm sure you wouldn't like someone booing or laughing at you if you just got seriously hurt. If it's a dirty player and you can't bring yourself to clap, then just keep your mouth shut.
Keep an eye out for Pigskin Pete, and know the words to the Oksi Wee Wee. Oski Wee Wee, Oski Wah Wah, Holy Mackinaw, Tigers, Eat 'em Raw! Whiskey Wah Wah was phased out some time ago. Also it's Tigers, not Ti-Cats, as the original chant was done for both the original Hamilton Tigers NHL team and Rugby team. It is customary to cheer the chant at his direction, even if the team is on offense. Pay attention to him if he's at the base of the section, so he knows you are there and to start the chant.
Be mindful of your surroundings, generally crude chants should be avoided if young children are nearby. You can't build the fanbase if mom and dad won't take the kids to games.
If the team has won a game, it is widely regarded as a Jinx to sing Kiss Me Goodbye, unless the opposing team has been eliminated from the post season as a result of the win.
Even if we are playing Montreal, and you are trying to mock them. Just don't do the ole ole ole. It's a hockey chant, leave it there. If you want to ole ole, go do it at the Bulldogs game.
Despite what you might think, and who you might be playing, so long it's appropriate to cheer, it is always appropriate to chant Argos suck.
