Thats another Golden Gopher FIRST DOWN!

[icepirate13]

I surely hope on real game days the PA does not say the "FIRST DOWN" part. It kind of took away the crowds part in the saying, kind of disappointed so hopefully he wont say it on sept 12th.

Did this bother any one else?

[CDH27]

I have been hoping that slogan would be left at the dome.

[jags1998]

I have been hoping that slogan would be left at the dome.

I agree. I wish we'd dump the whole thing.

[Ski U Master]

Yeah, let's scrap one of the few things the crowd actually participates in...:confused:

[Doc1001]

Cant put my finger on it---maybe it sounds kind of amateurish.

[nooram]

Cant put my finger on it---maybe it sounds kind of amateurish.


that would be it
and unoriginal

[GophBen]

I still don't understand why we celebrate getting a 1st down.

[jags1998]

Yeah, let's scrap one of the few things the crowd actually participates in...:confused:

I've overheard Gopher fans being mocked by more than one visiting fan for it. It's not like we invented this and its an integral part of GOpher history or something ...

[pharmacygopher]

Because it's one of the few things most people actually participate in and it probably annoys the opposing team/defense :)

I like it.

[gopherdudepart2]

If so we, wow, my goodness. First we have Davel Lee as the main
play by play man on WCCO radio broadcast with his scratchy voice and sketchy calls just say
PEW. Now we have a squirely sounding PA announcer with a pre-pubescent voice. If today's guy is the guy turn him off.
Can we boot him and get the guy from Williams arean, there is not comparison. Really if he is the best they can do for the PA, needless to say people are not going to be impressed. That guy is just not going to work.

[bkrownd]

Heh...I even remember that from over 15 years ago.

[Ski U Master]

I've overheard Gopher fans being mocked by more than one visiting fan for it. It's not like we invented this and its an integral part of GOpher history or something ...

Who gives two craps what visiting fans think??

[nooram]

. . . and it probably annoys the opposing team/defense :)

unlikely

[DarrenTheGreek]

If so we, wow, my goodness. First we have Davel Lee as the main
play by play man on WCCO radio broadcast with his scratchy voice and sketchy calls just say
PEW. Now we have a squirely sounding PA announcer with a pre-pubescent voice. If today's guy is the guy turn him off.
Can we boot him and get the guy from Williams arean, there is not comparison. Really if he is the best they can do for the PA, needless to say people are not going to be impressed. That guy is just not going to work.

This is truth. The PA guy today was lacking. I hope the main PA guy has more experience.

[skoalvikings]

I have been hoping that slogan would be left at the dome.

AMEN!

[goldygoon]

I hope he was just covering for the main one. He was quite annoying. Also hopefully they have more to talk about in TV timeouts instead of the 4 things he kept recycling.

[theTurning]

in all seriousness, they NEED TO GET RID OF THIS. it's beyond embarrassing.

[GoGoGophers]

You guys are right. It is embarrassing that we have a cheer that people actually participate in (especially the students), is realtively loud, and doesn't involve spelling something. Let's go back to "Marooooon...Goooooold", or how about "MIN-NE-SO-TA!" Those are awesome cheers that obviously don't suck. How about "I-O-WA!" Great cheer, right? I have a secret for you guys, the majority of cheers are stupid.

Would opposing fans make fun of us if we sat silently all game and read books? My god, sometimes I hate Minnesota fans. Is it the Scandanavian genetics that make people shake their heads when people stand up and cheer?

And Viking suckhole - your opinion really doesn't count for sh!t in my mind. Not only have the Queens attempted to steal that cheer, but the laser light show, smoke, pumped in crowd noise, and blaring of Hells Bells and jock-jams that permeates NFL games and gets the fans all lathered up is ridiculous. Please, go watch them and cheer for the purple dinosaur riding the snowmobile. That's obviously better than a marching band and student section cheer. Nobody cares about the Vikings here.

I do agree that the PA guys sucked and needs to go, but the one cheer that people get into is "First Down"...what's wrong with that.

[Schwab]

Agree..Either improve the 'Golden Gopher First Down' chant or drop it.

How about turning over this upgrade challenge/contest to the student body...

[gopherfaith]

I do agree that the PA guys sucked and needs to go, but the one cheer that people get into is "First Down"...what's wrong with that.

With you on this one, may be dopey but people do it and I kind of missed it not being "done right" yesterday.

[GopherRock]

If you haven't noticed, the ones who want the first down chant gone A) don't have very many posts and B) the majority of their posts have been complaining about the chant. I find it much better than the "First down Wisconsin!" said by the guy who a full octave above where a man ought to be speaking at.

Speaking of a full octave too high, that PA guy has got to go. I certainly hope that Jamie is back on the horn come Sept. 12.

[jags1998]

Who gives two craps what visiting fans think??

All I'm saying is I don't like the chant and I'm obviously not alone. You do - fine. I think its dumb (although I can be seen doing it from time to time when the mood and the, sigh, Metrodome beer catches me) and my point with visiting fans was that I tend to nod in agreement when I've heard their comments.
If they keep it, which obviously they are, I'm not going to drop my season tickets. Go Gophers.

[RodentRampage]

You'll take the first down cheer out of my cold, dead hands. Why should we rip away all of our traditions. Who cares if opposing fans don't like our cheers. They aren't supposed to like our cheers! If it irritates them, that is GOOD.

[GopherRock]

Besides, the reason why it works at Gopher games is because you have 10,000 students howling it.

It REALLY doesn't work at Vikings games because quite frankly, most of the people there don't care about what happens on the field, much less want to yell along for a first down.

[theTurning]

If you haven't noticed, the ones who want the first down chant gone A) don't have very many posts and B) the majority of their posts have been complaining about the chant. I find it much better than the "First down Wisconsin!" said by the guy who a full octave above where a man ought to be speaking at.

Speaking of a full octave too high, that PA guy has got to go. I certainly hope that Jamie is back on the horn come Sept. 12.

wasn't aware there's a minimum post count required to have an opinion. :rolleyes:

the fact is the first down chant is NOT a gopher tradition. high school teams were doing it 10 years before the gophs.

i'm all for chants, but come up with a decent one ffs. the first down chant is bush league.

[gopherguy05]

wasn't aware there's a minimum post count required to have an opinion. :rolleyes:

the fact is the first down chant is NOT a gopher tradition. high school teams were doing it 10 years before the gophs.

i'm all for chants, but come up with a decent one ffs. the first down chant is bush league.




You don't like the existing chant. Therefore the onus is on you to come up with something better. Lets hear it, or stop complaining...

[Schnauzer]

This thread reminds me of one of the only possible things I could "long for the Metrodome". The first down announcement yesterday was really crappy and a shadow of itself from the Metrodome. I agree with the original post in this thread. Overall, I like the way first downs are communicated (because it is something that everyone participates in) but NOT in the form it was presented yesterday.

[theTurning]

You don't like the existing chant. Therefore the honus is on you to come up with something better. Lets hear it, or stop complaining...

really??? i'm responsible for the gopher announcers? :eek: LOL

don't be such a homer.

[GoGoGophers]

wasn't aware there's a minimum post count required to have an opinion. :rolleyes:

the fact is the first down chant is NOT a gopher tradition. high school teams were doing it 10 years before the gophs.

i'm all for chants, but come up with a decent one ffs. the first down chant is bush league.

This is the stupidest argument re: cheers. Who started the "Lets go _____" cheer? Should we still do it if we weren't the first? What about the 200 other college teams who do it? Let's all sit down and figure out who started the cheer and only they are allowed to keep doing it.

What if a high school team started it? Did the Badgers start "Go Big Red"? Seeing as how that was a Nebraska cheer long before Barry (and the birth of Badger football), they should scrap it, right?

If the cheer works and people (most importantly the students and band) get into it, then it's great. Idiots like you can keep sitting on your hands with your mouth shut, and disapproving if you'd like. But more importantly, keep bitching and telling yourself it helps.

[GoGoGophers]

really??? i'm responsible for the gopher announcers? :eek: LOL

don't be such a homer.

No. Apparently your responsibility is to bitch and whine. We get it. Go away.

[Zeppelin Gopher]

I hope he was just covering for the main one. He was quite annoying.

This is the case unless the previous PA announcer has been replaced for the upcoming season. I'm hoping the usual PA man is on the mic come 9-12.

[HopHead]

I wouldn't worry about the first down cheer lacking in enthusiasm yesterday for two reasons:

The students weren't there in any numbers yesterday and they usually make up a bulk of the cheering.
It was a scrimmage. A big play for a first down means that your defense also gave up a first down. I did very little cheering outside of the team taking the field because every big play made meant that our team also gave up a big play.

[gopherguy05]

really??? i'm responsible for the gopher announcers? :eek: LOL

don't be such a homer.


You are a dumbass....

You don't like that cheer. If you can think of a better one, and get everyone to agree, then the better one would probably be used. Otherwise, the Gopher announcer is probably going to say what he has been saying for the past who knows how long and continue to piss you off...guess it sucks to be you. My guess is that it sucks to be you for more reasons then just complaining about a basic cheer....

[Section2]

You don't like the existing chant. Therefore the onus is on you to come up with something better. Lets hear it, or stop complaining...
I'll jump in. How about "First down Golden Gophers (or minnesota)". And how about, if it's an important first down, you can get into it and say FIIIRRRSSTT DOWWNN!!!!! But if it's our only first down of the game, you can downplay it. The current chant is embarrassing, for example the michigan game last year... And that's ANOTHER GOLDEN GOPHEEEEEEERRRR!! (for our first, first down of the game, late in the second quarter.) Also, why do people think that there aren't enough cheers? The students have a bunch. And the rest of the fans yell and scream, and sing along with the band and spell minnesota. That's plenty. We could add a Ski U Mah or Mi Ne So Ta and that would be perfect. Some guys rightly rip on the vikings for all the manufactured atmosphere, well what do you call this?
Let the cheers emanate from the students, the band, and the cheerleaders, not the PA guy.

[pharmacygopher]

Just curious if the chant haters know that there is more than AND THAT'S ANOTHER GOLDEN GOPHER.........FIRST DOWN!? Then there's the 13 claps....Go Gophers...13 claps...Lets go! It's more than just a first down chant. Does everyone also do that??

[husker70]

When he had the PA gig in the dome. You just cann't get away from him. An awful tag line, and worse as a play by .......... anouncer.

[theTurning]

You are a dumbass....

You don't like that cheer. If you can think of a better one, and get everyone to agree, then the better one would probably be used. Otherwise, the Gopher announcer is probably going to say what he has been saying for the past who knows how long and continue to piss you off...guess it sucks to be you. My guess is that it sucks to be you for more reasons then just complaining about a basic cheer....

calm down weirdo.

the fact is many people, including myself, don't care for the chant. and since this message board is a place to voice our opinions for all things gopher football that's what we're doing. get over it.

'complainers' like me just care about the program. you don't agree, fine, just move on.

[theTurning]

The current chant is embarrassing, for example the michigan game last year... And that's ANOTHER GOLDEN GOPHEEEEEEERRRR!! (for our first, first down of the game, late in the second quarter.)

exactly. or when it's the fourth quarter and we're on the wrong side of a blowout, etc.

[Zales04]

Is it any worse than the Purdue whistle or the Northwestern "RAWR"?

[year of the gopher]

The chant gets under the skin of opposing fans when we rattle off a string of first downs. That alone should make us appreciate it. If I had a vote, I'd vote to keep it.

[DiehardGopher]

Who cares? I will cry about being mocked by the losing team all the way to the Rose Bowl. If it annoys the opposing teams fans then all the better imo.

[MNSpaniel]

I can give you perspective from a new comer. Been to two Gopher games in my life ...quite a few Viking games. Last year I went to a Gopher game on Sat & a Viking game on Sunday. There were more people at the Viking game but the atmosphere was WAY BETTER at the Gopher game. From the band to the cheerleaders and yes to the "It's another Gopher First Down" made it a great experience. Because of that experience we partnered up with a long time season ticket holder for some great seats for Gopher games this year.

[RodentRampage]

the fact is many people, including myself, don't care for the chant. and since this message board is a place to voice our opinions for all things gopher football that's what we're doing. get over it.

'complainers' like me just care about the program. you don't agree, fine, just move on.

No, the fact this that the vast majority of people want the chant. Only a very few people dislike it.

The fact is, it is a Minnesota tradition. That it wasn't invented here doesn't change that. Marching bands were not invented here either, nor was football.

So, you get to express your opinions, but everyone else should just "get over it" and "move on"?

If the opposing fans don't like the cheer, that is a very, very good thing. They aren't supposed to like it. It's supposed to irritate them.

[GoAUpher]

Can anyone who doesn't like the cheer give me an example of a good first down cheer? Seriously...think about it. Wisconsin (First and ten Wisconsin [crowd repeats]) = Lame. NW (wildcat roar) = Lame. I think Purdue toots that train whistle. Etc, etc. This doesn't strike me as an area of school spirit that is ripe with "cool" ideas.

The fact is, this is something that the whole crowd does with energy. Opposing fans hate it which is good. It's not the lamest thing I've ever hear (Wisky and NW are both way worse).

[swmngo4]

I haven't read this whole thread, but I'll go on record to say I like our "first down" chant and arm gesture and am glad it is coming to TCF.

Why? Here are reasons, many others have already said...
- It gets the entire crowd involved.
- The student section does that "extra" running and stuff afterwards and that's even catching on with the rest
- The band plays after the chant and before the student thing
- A couple of parents of our HS football team started it up at our games few years ago. No PA or band involved...just two dads yelling the first part and the crowd responding. People around us said..."oh cool...just like at Gopher games!". Anything that connects HS football to Gophers and that the vast majority of people like is a good thing to do in my book!

[casual observer]

I agree. I wish we'd dump the whole thing.
I'm with you - stupid, and corny dome leftover.
Can it.

[Section2]

Can anyone who doesn't like the cheer give me an example of a good first down cheer? Seriously...think about it. Wisconsin (First and ten Wisconsin [crowd repeats]) = Lame. NW (wildcat roar) = Lame. I think Purdue toots that train whistle. Etc, etc. This doesn't strike me as an area of school spirit that is ripe with "cool" ideas.

The fact is, this is something that the whole crowd does with energy. Opposing fans hate it which is good. It's not the lamest thing I've ever hear (Wisky and NW are both way worse).

How about this for a compromise. The announcer mixes it up. Mixes up his excitment level for what he says, but just starts out saying "first down minnesota". THEN on a drive where we are really marching, or after a big 3rd down pickup, THEN pull out the golden gopher first down. I think this compromise works for people who like it, and it isn't embarrassing for those of us who don't care for it, I would get into it (and everyone else) if they only did it for big 1st downs. I just don't like hearing it for meaningless 1st downs or in blowouts.

[ButchNashGuy]

It is one of the few things that some of the crowd does. Just keep it. Hopefully with the excitement of being back home, the team playing well will lead to a some new spontaneous cheers.

[GoAUpher]

How about this for a compromise. The announcer mixes it up. Mixes up his excitment level for what he says, but just starts out saying "first down minnesota". THEN on a drive where we are really marching, or after a big 3rd down pickup, THEN pull out the golden gopher first down. I think this compromise works for people who like it, and it isn't embarrassing for those of us who don't care for it, I would get into it (and everyone else) if they only did it for big 1st downs. I just don't like hearing it for meaningless 1st downs or in blowouts.

That will just confuse people who aren't psycho about the details like all of us. :) I think of my parents, and they'd be doing when they shouldn't and not doing it when they should.

[GoldInDirt]

Why would we get rid of our most successful cheer? Are people against cheering? The Rowser and the First Down Chant have the most participation. Other teams, including my wife who is a Badger, hate them because they're good and successful. It's why I hate the Wisconsin cheers, the Michigan fight song, everything about Duke. I love that they hate it.

It was awesome doing the first down chant 7 times each series, every other one or two plays in Mason's tenure when we would just run, run, run the ball down people's throats they they couldn't stop it. Getting a first down is second in importance only to scoring points. Any true football fan should crave first downs and celebrate them.

If we come up with 3 or 4 other hugely successful cheers, then we can consider dropping this. But I think we need to add more good cheers and not drop the ones we have. If you don't want to cheer, stay home.

[rosevillegopher]

Is it any worse than the Purdue whistle or the Northwestern "RAWR"?

Having lived in Lafayette and attended Purdue games...nothing is wore than the constant "Boiler Up!" cheers followed by two blasts of an obnoxious train whistle. That being said, I'd like to see the "It's another Golden Gopher FIRST DOWN" go away.

[RodentRampage]

I have a compromise: The cheer remains as is. Forever.

You might say that is no compromise at all. But no compromise is all the compromise there is going to be.

[GopherinUtah]

Every school in Utah does the same chant. They also have fight songs, marching bands, cheerleaders, victory walks to the stadium, tailgating, etc...and in reality, are really stupid and childish...but these are the things that make college sports AWESOME.

College footbal is great because of the atmosphere which includes the corny chants and silly fight songs. A marching band high-stepping their way onto the field, creating designs while playing, all the while most fans are standing and clapping along...stupid, stupid, stupid, BUT GREAT FUN!!!!

Without the fun most people wouldn't watch college football.

I love:
- the t-shirts and pins with Goldy carrying a football, dribbling a basketball, and playing hockey.
- the hats with the ears on top.
- the Pride of Minnesota Marching Band.
- Cheerleaders not dressed like strippers who actually seem to care who wins.
- "Minnesota, hats off to thee...", especially after a goal at Mariucci.
- any cheer that involves the fans and gets them more into the game.
- college sports, especially the Gophers and their corny, silly traditions they maintain.

Go Gophers!!!

[anticallihan]

Can anyone who doesn't like the cheer give me an example of a good first down cheer? Seriously...think about it. Wisconsin (First and ten Wisconsin [crowd repeats]) = Lame. NW (wildcat roar) = Lame. I think Purdue toots that train whistle. Etc, etc. This doesn't strike me as an area of school spirit that is ripe with "cool" ideas.

The fact is, this is something that the whole crowd does with energy. Opposing fans hate it which is good. It's not the lamest thing I've ever hear (Wisky and NW are both way worse).

Wisconsin's is the worst, I feel bad they have to say it. It is just said so weakly.

At least you can really get into ours, and the fans hate it. I agree though, the announcer cannot say "First Down". I am not sure who that guy was, but I was not a fan.