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Ahhhhh C Ya
03-01-2007, 10:41 AM
I would like to thank the entire Duke program, from the coaches and managers to the players to the trainers and the fans, for giving me over 20 plus years of excitement. I have attended games every year and always enjoy myself. However, I felt that this year The Cameron Crazies did not live up to their very high standards. There were fewer chants and cheers, synchronization slipped, and the enthusiasm was certainly lacking. Another observation was cheering while the band was playing, which pretty much cancelled each other out. This certainly is not an attack on The Crazies, hopefully just a wake up call for next year. The team relies on The Crazies. It is their enthusiasm and witty cheers that give the team the extra energy and fire! Duke sets the bar in college basketball, and The Crazies are a HUGE part of their success. Thank you for taking the time to read this post. Go Duke!

bfree
03-01-2007, 02:27 PM
I've posted this before, and I'm sure I'll post it again:

Cameron is always loud because of the students. But it only gets jet-engine, broken eardrum loud when the people above the rail stand up and cheer. Think back to every time it got so loud Sweaty Gary had to call a timeout last night, without fail they were the times the old people upstairs were loud. The students are doing everything they can, but Cameron is only truly intimidating when all 9000+ are loud, not just the 1500 students.

Ahhhhh C Ya
03-01-2007, 02:31 PM
I will certainly give you credit there. My sister and I sit in the back cheering and the obnoxious Twerp fans in front of us were the only others cheering.

devilish
03-01-2007, 03:26 PM
Ahhhhh C Ya,

I have to say I agree completely to your original post. In fact, I came to this board to post the same thing, then read your comments.

I will add that last night I was screaming at the students a few rows below me last night to "wake up." A few turned around and looked at me like I was crazy. Last night was a very big game for our team and the undergrads acted as if we were playing Holy Cross and had exams the next day.

I saw that Gary made some comments about the Crazys a few days ago, and I didn't even bother to read about it, because I knew the students would "step up." In fact, some neutral fans went with me to the game last night and I was telling them how wild things would be - Well, I had to admit that I was wrong, they agreed that things weren't that much different than the RBC Center for State vs. insert middle pack ACC team here.

Oh well. Go Duke. Beat UNC on Sunday!!!

Ahhhhh C Ya
03-01-2007, 03:31 PM
we don't ever resort to the ever so original BLUE....WHITE chant they use at the Dean Dome. Shoot me now. But I agree that some of the fans in the upper section could do some more cheering. And what is the deal with the stiffs beside the band? I think half of them had their arms crossed the whole time.

ricks68
03-01-2007, 04:03 PM
Gotta agree with the posters here. I expected some clever and loud responses after what Gary said before the game. The Crazies had the time and the incentive to do it, but obviously failed to come through. I noticed the dismal number of costumes, painted bodies, signs and gyrations exhibited. It was the perfect set-up for them. I think they failed the team, also. Senior night, the last home game of the season, a team that needs every bit of support this year, negative hype before the game, etc. I did notice, however, more than the usual standing and cheering of the fans sitting above the students. If we got it, why didn't the students get it?

willywoody
03-01-2007, 04:08 PM
we don't ever resort to the ever so original BLUE....WHITE chant they use at the Dean Dome. Shoot me now. But I agree that some of the fans in the upper section could do some more cheering. And what is the deal with the stiffs beside the band? I think half of them had their arms crossed the whole time.

i think i remember doing this "cheer" during the 80's. one benefit is to get the upstairs yelling.

Carter431
03-01-2007, 04:25 PM
I have felt like the crowd hasn't been up their "Crazie" standards this year. Last night I caught myself a couple of times yelling at the Crazies to get louder. It seems to me that the crowd is reacting more to the game rather than prompting cheers themselves. I miss the chants and the creativity.

MulletMan
03-01-2007, 04:36 PM
Perhaps Gary intentionallly is talking aboutthings not related to the game in order to take pressure of of his team. I mean, are you guys talking about the team? Are the Crazies talking about how to work the Maryland players? No, people are complaining about Gary... perhaps he gotcha.

Unless you are a current Cameron Crazy, your opinion of the cheer sheets is neither here not there. I have, and will continue to maintain, that the Crazies are thier own entity and they are neither better nor worse than when you or I were Crazies... they are what they are and they are whatever this incarnation makes them.

I don't think that last night's crowd was bad. There was no reason to get after Gary. He wanted the Crazies to do so. The Crazies were loud, supportive and did what they could to help the team. I grow weary of this discussion, and really don't know why I continue to respond to these posts about how much the Crazies suck.

Where's my pocket guide?

ricks68
03-01-2007, 04:47 PM
I really thought that doing exactly nothing would have been really interesting. I mean, like no one putting on face paint, or going mostly silent at certain times. Something that would have made a statement without possibly playing into Gary's hand, if that is what he was looking for, was what I expected from the Crazies. What's wrong with living up to the reputation? If it ain't so important, then why does Coach K so often express his desire for the Crazies to be very involved in support of the team?

ricks

Ahhhhh C Ya
03-01-2007, 05:17 PM
I never said that The Crazies suck. I just think they started something that must be upheld; creative chants, infectious enthusiasm, and a certain swagger that seemed to creep into everyone in Cameron. I feel as though there is almost a lack of leadership among The Crazies, which I find ironic because I feel like the team lacks that on court leadership. I have been to some great sporting venues, and perhaps I am biased being a Duke fan, but there is NOTHING like watching The Cameron Crazies at work. but in all my years of going to Cameron, this has been the least electrifying. And I do agree that the fans in the upper section could yell more, but I know many of them have been there throughout the years, you can't teach an old dog new trick, unless you're The Crazy Towel Guy. All I'm saying is let's make Dickie V proud!!!

Bluedog
03-01-2007, 06:26 PM
11e!! Is what you were looking for, Mullet Man. "The Cameron Crazies suck now; we were so much cleverer/wilder/more dedicated when I was 20."

Anyways, I agree with Mullet Man that the students were pretty loud last night - I'd definitely say one of the loudest of the season.

However, I also agree with the earlier statement that the cheers were not particularly clever or innovative, and there were not that many signs/painted bodies, etc. There were mostly the generic cheers, but I do think the student section did get fairly loud.

The bigger disappointment to me was the fact that it seemed like 25% of the fans upstairs left with about 2 min to go. We were down about 7-9 pts, I believe at the time, meaning a comeback was definitely improbable, but not impossible. If you argue that the Crazies were not up to snuff during the game showing subpar support for the team, I would suggest that fans leaving when the game is clearly not over shows much more lack of respect to the team.

Just my thoughts.

zingit
03-01-2007, 06:44 PM
These discussions have gotten real old. I was there in the student section, and we were cheering hard for the team; I thought the place was definitely not the most charged-up it's ever been, but still full of energy. We were being supportive of our team to the very end in--let's not forget this--a losing effort. There's only so much you can say to a team that is beating you for the second time this season. We wanted to give our guys (NOT Maryland's guys) energy, and show our guys that we support them. For crying out loud, even Coack K said in his post-game quotes that the crowd was great--but that is apparently not enough for you.

And maybe the more important thing than what we did last night was what we didn't do: we never made fun of DJ Strawberry's dad. Forget the loudness, the cleverness--that is what separates us from other fans.

MulletMan
03-01-2007, 09:48 PM
These discussions have gotten real old. I was there in the student section, and we were cheering hard for the team; I thought the place was definitely not the most charged-up it's ever been, but still full of energy. We were being supportive of our team to the very end in--let's not forget this--a losing effort. There's only so much you can say to a team that is beating you for the second time this season. We wanted to give our guys (NOT Maryland's guys) energy, and show our guys that we support them. For crying out loud, even Coack K said in his post-game quotes that the crowd was great--but that is apparently not enough for you.

And maybe the more important thing than what we did last night was what we didn't do: we never made fun of DJ Strawberry's dad. Forget the loudness, the cleverness--that is what separates us from other fans.


Preach on.

Now I will conceed that there is a lack of coordination right now with the Crazies. The fact of the matter is that it is a dynamic entity and the changes that the team has undergone were almost mirrored with the Crazies. New face coming in, old faces leaving. Things were a bit different this year.. however, that doesn't mean that next year won't be the best set of Crazies ever.

11E!!

Now if I could only remember who served the beer when all the parties were better...

Ahhhhh C Ya
03-01-2007, 10:42 PM
I guess I do rely too much on The Crazies. They have always had the energy, but yes, the upper level was very disappointing. I got a great seat near the balcony, with 3 minutes left, which I was forced to take from my sister because the jerks in front of me were doing their best to piss the crowd off. These guys yelled "And one" after every shot Maryland took hoping for the foul. Even if they got fouled and missed the shot they yelled "And one". Nevertheless, Duke never gave up, neither should the fans. Hello...how many comebacks have we had in Duke history. Not to mention the best in college basketball history, thanks Grant and Christian!

DukeCO2009
03-02-2007, 01:08 AM
You registered here just to bash the students? Please.

I've been to every game this season and thought it was one of the louder crowds of the year outside of Carolina and the end of the Clemson game. A little disjointed? Yeah, definitely--that I really can't explain. Truth be told, though, I think people like the thread starter should just do their parts and quit b*tching about the students. Get off your asses upstairs; like MulletMan said, the times when Cameron rocks hardest is when the alums are also cheering. People are quick to call out the Crazies for a "down game" or a "down season", but as someone who's literally been attending Duke games since age three, there has been very little change in the environment. There was a certain novelty about the Crazies in the early '90s that perhaps has worn down a bit; rest assured, though, that the spirit and passion of the fans is still as strong as ever.

devilish
03-02-2007, 07:38 AM
I agree, Ricks. Just didn't have that "energy." You know what I'm talking about, when you walk into Cameron and you can just feel it?

I think most people are focusing on undergrads here. Grad section has been the most energetic, creative, loud this season and most of the last few seasons, for that matter.

Also, I'm not one of those "we were better fans when I was a student" people, because I did not attend Duke. I have just been an "upstairs fan" for the last 20+ years and crowd enthusiasm has certainly waned recently. Quite frankly, I don't care if the students show up or not, cause I'll be there chearing the Devils either way.

jagger
03-02-2007, 09:14 AM
To those who reported actually yelling at the Crazies to "step it up," etc: I'm laughing at you right now. Not with you, at you.

Ahhhhh C Ya
03-02-2007, 10:02 AM
I never posted this thread to attack anyone, just constructive criticism. Maybe those of you that are replying to this thread were in the "loud" section of The Crazies, but there is no convincing me that The Crazies match years past. Granted, the early 90s probably won't be matched again, not with the success we enjoyed, but if there is a group of players that need support, it's this one. That is from the Crazies all the way up to the rafters! The only reason I called out The Crazies is because I know they would not like the criticism, and would prove me wrong! Have a great weekend, and Beat the Tarholes!

devilish
03-02-2007, 10:07 AM
To those who reported actually yelling at the Crazies to "step it up," etc: I'm laughing at you right now. Not with you, at you.

I feel so humiliated.

throatybeard
03-02-2007, 04:16 PM
These discussions have gotten real old.

Not only that, but can somebody explain what the point is in telling the students to "step it up" after there are no more home games this season?

imagepro
03-02-2007, 10:18 PM
I have stated here on numerous occasions my discontent with the upper section. I stand and shout and people behind me tell me to sit. I stand up and cheer a lot. A LOT. While I know some are physically challenged, if they can get to their seat they can, for the most part----stand up! Of course there are exceptions, and to those who can't, this obvioulsy does not apply.

On several occasions this season, I have seen students urging us to stand. And Marty Pocious does it ALL the time. When I see that, I'm going to stand up! I stand a lot and urge others to, and feel like a loner for doing so. People look at me like I'm crazy. It should NEVER be that way. If you can't stand and support this team, SELL your darned ticket and watch it on TV, then go to bed. I drive 3:30 hours for everygame. I get home at 2-3 am if we play at 9:00 ..If you don't want to support these kids---SELL YOUR TICKET to someone who will--- There- I SAID IT

DukeDevilDeb
03-02-2007, 11:11 PM
As one of the upstairs folks who cheers like hell, I get tired of reading that no one upstairs cheers at all.

But I was really distressed last night in Cameron at the last home game of the season with a Maryland team that was doing really well, THAT THE ENTIRE STUDENT SECTION WAS NOT FULL. What is going on here? There are people who would kill for the opportunity to see Duke in person. The stands filled in a bit as the game went on, and the crowd that was there expanded to fill some of the space, but I cannot even imagine what Coach K and the team thought as they came in and saw that the student section nearest their locker room had a bunch of empty seats.

MattyB.
03-02-2007, 11:53 PM
TB, i love your insights, and your fandom for Duke is relatively unmatched, but why do you have a monopoly on what topics are worthy of posting? if some folks - and it appears, it's LOTS of folks - have an opinion on what the Crazies or the "people upstairs" should/shouldn't be doing, why is it "old" or "tired?" apparently, it's not a settled issue. sure, some are posting about how "it ain't like old times," but even so, that's their prerogative. (fwiw, i think ONE person told the Crazies - now, postseason - to "step it up." i think you missed the gist of the thread here) most, tho, are posting about how the Crazies are or aren't living up to their rep (largely in the light of Gary's comments) or more specifically, didn't for Wednesday's game. or on the other side, others posted on how the season ticket holders are/aren't supporting the team enough. is that a "tired" opinion? i think they're valid discussions. but more important than my opinion (or yours, or Mullet's or zingit's) is if two people wanna debate it, then, it seems valid enough for the boards, and not to be outright dismissed as "old" or "tired."

i can't go to games either due to my geographic limitations, but if Duke fans who can wanna debate about the atmosphere in Cameron, well, then, i say let 'em at it. if you don't wanna read about it, move on to another thread! the only thing i like less than seeing Duke fans dump on Duke on this site is when people play holier-than-thou with others' opinions.

apologies if that comes across as a bit harsh, but that's how it looks from here.

zingit
03-03-2007, 12:57 AM
Maybe you're right, I should just move on to a new thread now . . . but I can't help but add that from my perspective, nothing is more "holier-than-thou" than someone bashing the Cameron Crazies for not living up to THEIR standard. When the students themselves talk about this (and believe me, this is well-covered territory among the students), then it usually is a fine discussion. But when someone who is not a student wants to criticize us for what feels like the zillionth time this season, it gets a little touchy because then it feels like an attack on us. I have made small sacrifices to be able to go to every home game except one this season and I've cheered my butt off at all of them. I've defended the team to everyone who has said "This team sucks," or something along those lines. I was in Tent 3 for the men AND Tent 3 for the women.

(By the way, how often did the Cameron Crazies tent for the women or even fill up Cameron for the women during the "good old days"? Coach G says this has been the best year in terms of support for the women--but no one around here gives us credit for that. Just criticism.)

And yes, I understand that hard work and effort and loyalty do not equal cleverness (though, really, do you expect me to believe that the "golden-age" Cameron Crazies had something new and clever to chant at every single game?). Maybe y'all are right, we really are sub-par Cameron Crazies. But can you see why I get annoyed when someone tells me that I'm not doing my job? Coach K, after criticizing us earlier in the year, now approves. Coach G approves. Then I come on here and hear the same complaint I've heard all season about the Cameron Crazies. Give us a break.

Sorry, had to get that off my chest. OK, now I'm going to take your advice and move on . . .

ricks68
03-03-2007, 02:02 AM
Looking back on my previous posts, I can see that I was overly harsh in my judgement of the Crazies. My original intent was not to imply that the students were not great fans or supporters of the team, but really that I thought that they have lost their "edge" somewhat. In looking back at the past, there were a number of instances where they got well-deserved credit for their impact on our basketball program by drawing positive attention to their craziness. We can all look back at some of the hilarious stunts the Crazies have pulled off. Sure, there were some not so admirable instances of misbehavior, but mostly the Crazies' actions were just "crazy" fun. It's just that I expected a clever, inspiring response to what Gary said, and it didn't happen. There aren't a lot of "golden' opportunites that present themselves like that, especially on the last home game of the season where we really needed just that last little bit of spark to maybe help push us into the victory column. I guess I expected a "Speedo guy" type moment, or a "Lefty broken leg" moment, etc. that wasn't to be; something that would maybe spark the fans to realize what a unique place they are in, and just how lucky they are to be a part of something truly special every time they set foot in CIS. No, I'm definitely not saying that our team lost because of the actions of the fans, but that maybe if some really raucous clean behavior was afoot, the crowd might have raised the level of inspiration for the team to just get over the hump for the win. I also take great pride in the Crazies, being an alum, and think that in order to keep the rep we have, we need to remind ourselves, and others, as to why we have it. We are DUKE, and we have the rep for the greatest atmosphere in college basketball. I'd like to keep it that way. I was just disappointed in what I thought was a lost opportunity for the Crazies to really show how clever and inspirational they could be. Time to end this. Sorry for the length of the post.

ricks