This post is going to be a bit long, but I hope everyone will read it.
Most of you are like me, TU fans who have been following our school for years, probably decades. We have had lengthy discussions on here about attendance, and our lack of traditions. So I am proposing a couple of small things we can do, and I need your feedback and help.
I have reached out to the both the head of the cheer squad, as well as the new head of the sports marketing arm for TU. I have proposed two simple things we can do, to build fan unity and start/restart a tradition. I will tell you that both people I spoke with could not have been nicer or more receptive to my suggestions. The problem is, both people did not attend TU so they don't have a sense of any tradition at the school.
So here's one thing fans can do. Coach Monty started the Hurricane hand sign with recruits and commits. Look at any commitment pic and you will see the coaches and players making that sign. That's a Reign Cane hand sign....think of it like Hook Em Horns. So when you go to the game, show your friends the sign. If you happen to get shown on the big scoreboard, make the hand sign. If you happen to post pics to the #ReignCane Twitter feed, the one that they post the pics in tiles on the big board, then take pics making the Reign Cane hand sign.
I suggested to the marketing people that they should have a graphic to put on the scoreboard, of the hand sign with a picture of the real meteorological hurricane in the background, for the half of people in the stands who don't understand what the sign represents...a subtle way to educate people. Here's an example:
https://tulsa.rivals.com/news/gadlin-commits-to-Tulsa
The second tradition I discussed bringing back is the Golden....Hurricane chant. Done the way it used to be done, with perhaps the east and south stands chanting Golden, and the west Hurricane. But done slowly, so each side has a chance to respond. All you old timers know exactly what I am talking about. Neither person I spoke with was familiar with the chant, so I forwarded YouTube clips to show them. I proposed that the cheerleaders use placards to start the chant, and I also suggested it be done at the same point in the game, every game. That's the way traditions work. Hog fans know how to call the hogs, OSU fans know to wave their arms (is that called waving the wheat or something like that?) after every score, to their fight song. It's done the same way every time. That's what a tradition is. I suggested that we do the Golden Hurricane chant when the team is lining up to kick off. That's because either it's the start of the game or the half, or we have just scored so the crowd is pumped up.
Of course, there are marketing issues that create problems. Right now, there is music that is played while the team is lining up for kickoff. To me, that just sucks the energy out of the crowd. I hope they will consider modifying that to allow for the chant.
So how can you help? I would ask you to contact the people I spoke with, and voice your support. Like I said, both people were extremely nice and receptive. I just think that if they hear from more people than just me, it would help. So please be courteous and helpful, and don't vent your gripes. Both people are looking to make the gameday experience better, and griping really doesn't accomplish much.
Amanda Snider- Head coach of cheer: Amanda-Snider@utulsa.edu
Jason Malay- Head of sports marketing: jdm1020@utulsa.edu
Most of you are like me, TU fans who have been following our school for years, probably decades. We have had lengthy discussions on here about attendance, and our lack of traditions. So I am proposing a couple of small things we can do, and I need your feedback and help.
I have reached out to the both the head of the cheer squad, as well as the new head of the sports marketing arm for TU. I have proposed two simple things we can do, to build fan unity and start/restart a tradition. I will tell you that both people I spoke with could not have been nicer or more receptive to my suggestions. The problem is, both people did not attend TU so they don't have a sense of any tradition at the school.
So here's one thing fans can do. Coach Monty started the Hurricane hand sign with recruits and commits. Look at any commitment pic and you will see the coaches and players making that sign. That's a Reign Cane hand sign....think of it like Hook Em Horns. So when you go to the game, show your friends the sign. If you happen to get shown on the big scoreboard, make the hand sign. If you happen to post pics to the #ReignCane Twitter feed, the one that they post the pics in tiles on the big board, then take pics making the Reign Cane hand sign.
I suggested to the marketing people that they should have a graphic to put on the scoreboard, of the hand sign with a picture of the real meteorological hurricane in the background, for the half of people in the stands who don't understand what the sign represents...a subtle way to educate people. Here's an example:
https://tulsa.rivals.com/news/gadlin-commits-to-Tulsa
The second tradition I discussed bringing back is the Golden....Hurricane chant. Done the way it used to be done, with perhaps the east and south stands chanting Golden, and the west Hurricane. But done slowly, so each side has a chance to respond. All you old timers know exactly what I am talking about. Neither person I spoke with was familiar with the chant, so I forwarded YouTube clips to show them. I proposed that the cheerleaders use placards to start the chant, and I also suggested it be done at the same point in the game, every game. That's the way traditions work. Hog fans know how to call the hogs, OSU fans know to wave their arms (is that called waving the wheat or something like that?) after every score, to their fight song. It's done the same way every time. That's what a tradition is. I suggested that we do the Golden Hurricane chant when the team is lining up to kick off. That's because either it's the start of the game or the half, or we have just scored so the crowd is pumped up.
Of course, there are marketing issues that create problems. Right now, there is music that is played while the team is lining up for kickoff. To me, that just sucks the energy out of the crowd. I hope they will consider modifying that to allow for the chant.
So how can you help? I would ask you to contact the people I spoke with, and voice your support. Like I said, both people were extremely nice and receptive. I just think that if they hear from more people than just me, it would help. So please be courteous and helpful, and don't vent your gripes. Both people are looking to make the gameday experience better, and griping really doesn't accomplish much.
Amanda Snider- Head coach of cheer: Amanda-Snider@utulsa.edu
Jason Malay- Head of sports marketing: jdm1020@utulsa.edu
