Origin of traditions: Standers, key jinglers etc?

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A question about traditions:

I know the students like to stand during the entire game because it is a tradition. I get that. The Cameron Crazies did it years ago and it caught on at other Universities without traditions of their own. Now we see it everywhere.

Why do "some" apparent non students stand the entire game in isolated pockets throughout the Dome? I certainly understand standing when there is excitement but not just for the sake of standing. I see it at every game and it does cause resentment for those fans seated directly behind the standers. Just curious why they do it? It seems kind of rude or am I missing something?

Another thing...why do the students jingle their keys during kick off? It use to be we would jingle our keys prior to a "Key Play" (thus the use of the keys) such as third and one at a crucial moment of the game. Why did it evolve to the kick off?

Are there any "traditions" that are unique to Minnesota football? I would bet many fine traditions were lost during the past 40 years of apathy. Maybe we can research and bring some of the cooler traditions back now that we are back on Campus and the Gophers will be relevant in Football again. We have a great student section that seems thirsty for the fun and comradery traditions can bring.

Go Gophers!
 

Traditions

I am a stander, but to be polite I tried to get my seats as close to the student section as possible. I don't see it as rude because if someone wants to sit on their hands silently, there is a great spot on their couch. TCF will be more "stander-friendly" with the uncomfortable bleachers.

As far as the keys, I don't know exactly where it came from, but MANY students don't understand that you are only supposed to shake your keys when the Gophers kick off. I think it's a "go start your cars/bus because the game's over" type of thing.
 

I have been to numerous away games at Iowa, Wisky and once at NU and never had an issue with "standing fans". I would guess 99% of the fans in our area sat unless there was a big play. But I have never sat in a student section either.

Years ago when my season tix were in the lower deck, I got screamed at by a women three rows behind me when I stood up at halftime. She wanted to watch the band!! And I wanted to stretch my sore back.
 

key jingling to me has always been a basketball thing. and honestly i think it's lame in a football setting.
 

I thought the whole key jingling thing started at Northwestern. The students started doing it to mock the other team saying when they graduate the players on the other team will be parking their cars for a living.
 


Here are a few Minnesota football traditions off the top of my head:

"and that's another Goled Gopher... FIRST DOWN" - I'm sure some other teams do this but I'm not aware of any. I can tell you that it drives the opposing fans nuts.

the "RAH" at the end of spelling out MINNESOTA in the rouser. That was invented by PA announcer Jamie Verbrugge about 5 years ago.

There are a bunch of songs that the student section has various dances to - "Livin' on a Prayer," "Sweet Caroline" and some song where they do poses.

There is also a little dance and chant that the student section does when we gain a 1st down that is starting to catch on in the general seating.

Unfortunately, that's about it. We should have more traditions and hopefully we will in the new stadium.

Also, the standing up thing originated at Texas A&M in 1922 when the Aggies coach called up into the stands for a player when his team was dicimated by injuries. Since then fans in the Aggies student section stand to signify that they are ready to go in when called upon.

Go Gophers.
 

"RAH" has been used since at least 1965; the year I started attending. Back then students did not stand throughout the game.
 

TMac said:
"RAH" has been used since at least 1965; the year I started attending. Back then students did not stand throughout the game.
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I think the "RAH" may have ebbed or completely died for a while because I don't recall hearing it in the late 90's and early '00's.
 

I like the little running in place/dance that is performed for every first down. It involves the band and it is one of those things that looks pretty good when the entire student section is doing it. If a sea of fans does it once the games move to TCF... all the better. If the Gophers contend, I could see it taking off more.

I see all kinds of schools doing the key thing so I guess I have never considered it a Minnesota invention. Am I wrong about that?
 



Go Gophers Rah said:
Here are a few Minnesota football traditions off the top of my head:

"and that's another Goled Gopher... FIRST DOWN" - I'm sure some other teams do this but I'm not aware of any. I can tell you that it drives the opposing fans nuts.

There is also a little dance and chant that the student section does when we gain a 1st down that is starting to catch on in the general seating.

Go Gophers.
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For some reason, I can't stand the "and that's another Golded Gopher... FIRST DOWN" thingy....

I do like the student section first down dance and chant.
 

Go Gophers Rah said:
I think the "RAH" may have ebbed or completely died for a while because I don't recall hearing it in the late 90's and early '00's.
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RAH has been used in recent years, though I have noticed it used less (or maybe I'm not paying attention to it).
 

Schnauzer said:
I like the little running in place/dance that is performed for every first down. It involves the band and it is one of those things that looks pretty good when the entire student section is doing it. If a sea of fans does it once the games move to TCF... all the better. If the Gophers contend, I could see it taking off more.

I see all kinds of schools doing the key thing so I guess I have never considered it a Minnesota invention. Am I wrong about that?
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I also like the 1st down dance/chant.
 

-"Jump on It" between the third and fourth quarter is pretty good. If we could get the whole student section to do it that would be insane.
-I always thought that the key jingling thing was always stupid, regardless of where it is done. It does nothing.
 



Bayfieldgopher said:
I have been to numerous away games at Iowa, Wisky and once at NU and never had an issue with "standing fans". I would guess 99% of the fans in our area sat unless there was a big play. But I have never sat in a student section either.

Years ago when my season tix were in the lower deck, I got screamed at by a women three rows behind me when I stood up at halftime. She wanted to watch the band!! And I wanted to stretch my sore back.
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I got yelled at last year for standing at halftime too. Old man 2 rows back wanted to watch the band. :mad: Problem is that I like to watch the band too and like you, I need to stretch my back. Thank goodness for the open concourses and plaza at the new stadium! :clap:

Iowa has a big group of fans that refuse to sit during the game. It drives people nuts. Here's the deal people.
1) If you are in the student section...you stand unless it's a timeout.
2) If you are in the general sections...sit unless it's a 3rd/4th down play, the Gophers score, the Gophers get a turnover, the Gophers sack the QB, the Gophers rattle off a big play.
 

first down chant = good
"jump on it" dance = good
first down dance/cheer = good

keys = lame
 

The Key thing has changed alot since I been around.

The keys, when I was a student at the "U" 1988-1991 we jingled our keys on "key" plays, 3rd and long etc....don't know when it started for kickoffs. I like the 1st down chant and dance, anything to piss off the Cheese dicks and piglovers is fine by me.
 

Personally I like the "first down" chant. Quite simply the more chants means we're cramming the ball down their throat and you know the defensive players can hear it too. If 50,000 people can do it in unison the defense has got to feel befuddled & lifeless...
 

Can someone describe the "jump on it" thing? I guess that one has escaped me.
 

The "first down" chant is solid and about the only thing that most of the fans in the Big Inflatable Toilet would do.

"Jump On It" sounded cool and looked solid but I was on the other end of the stadium to really see what they did and the music was so damn muffled that I couldn't figure it out.

Not a fan of the keys though, more annoying than anything.

From what I hear they are really trying to get Caddyshack's "I'm Alright" with the gopher dancing on both of the big screens for big plays this year. They are having licensing issues right now but are hopefull they will have it by the first game.
 

Schnauzer said:
I see all kinds of schools doing the key thing so I guess I have never considered it a Minnesota invention. Am I wrong about that?
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The rhythmic clapping and motions and "Go Gophers! Let's Go!" after the usual "Golden Gopher.... First Down!" started in about 2003 and was a joint effort between the band and cheer squad. If anyone wants to get a chant or cheer started you have to have cooperation between those two organizations.
 

High school teams were doing the "First Down" thing years before the U picked it up. It's lame at any level and certainly not unique to the Gophers.
 

theTurning said:
High school teams were doing the "First Down" thing years before the U picked it up. It's lame at any level and certainly not unique to the Gophers.
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I don't believe anyone would call our first down cheer lame if you heard Wisconsins.

They say... First and 10 Wisconsin... but they say it very girly. I am not even just trying to rip Wisconsin because they are Wisconsin, but it is lame and I think many of them dislike it as well.
 

iowa state does almost the exact thing we do for first downs except their speaker system is just terrible and the guy screams "FIRST DOWN" as hard as he can.

Tried to find a video of it, but i guess no one cares that much about iowa state football :p
 

theTurning said:
High school teams were doing the "First Down" thing years before the U picked it up. It's lame at any level and certainly not unique to the Gophers.
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The only posts you've ever made are about disliking the First Down cheer, which is weird to me, even if you personally dislike it, because it's one thing people actually do, so I don't know why you'd want to kill it - and - about not liking the key thing, which I actually agree with.

Just curious why these subjects draw you into commenting but nothing else about Gopher sports does.
 

dont forget about the superman theme whenever goldy shows up, or before he does his pushups.... the students hold their arms up and pretend to fly (a la Superman)

there are several original chants that flow through the student section, many of which correspond to the different drum cadences (the ''who hates iowa" one, the 'better dead than red'' one, and the ''kill, maim, pillage'' one (see my signature below), etc.)

then of course there are several ones which are too inappropriate for the band to have started (wink wink)

i cant say i mind the keys or the first down chant.

we really have to get the three part 'Ski' 'U' "Mah!' chant going at the new stadium. Hopefully they get people to practice this at the warm-up game in august
 

This is a great idea.

MrGopher said:
we really have to get the three part 'Ski' 'U' "Mah!' chant going at the new stadium. Hopefully they get people to practice this at the warm-up game in august
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I totally agree with this, I really miss the old Min-Nee-So-Ta cheer from the old Mariucci, love to hear the Ski-U-Mah at TCF.
 

I still have no idea what "jump on it" is. I go to every home game and sit near the student section and it's not ringing a bell with me.
 

MrGopher said:
dont forget about the superman theme whenever goldy shows up, or before he does his pushups.... the students hold their arms up and pretend to fly (a la Superman)
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Yep, that is a good one too and visually noticeable when the whole student section does it.
 

My first year with student season tickets was 2000, and we jingled the keys on Gopher kickoffs. There were some who did it when the Gophers would receive, and we would yell "NO KEYS!" to remind them that we only did it when the Gophers kicked off. By the time I left the student section in 2004, everyone was jingling their keys on each kickoff, and I'd given up on reminding people.
 

beatles said:
I still have no idea what "jump on it" is. I go to every home game and sit near the student section and it's not ringing a bell with me.
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Its a Suger Hill Gang song the band plays where the students do a dance in unison. I believe it started up this past season and caught on pretty well.

Here's a clip from the movie Drumline so you can hear a band play the song (skip forward to the 8 min mark for the song...you can also see the drum majors doing the dance).

And here's a YouTube that has the original song.
 

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