"Our House Chant" Big Games Only or Every Home Win?

[Newton_14]

If I were calling my first game in Cameron, I think I might be a wee bit nervous, no matter how much experience I had coming in. The guy is new, and it will likely take him sometime to calm down and get into a rythym. I thought he did okay for his first time out.

We also have to remember he is replacing a legend, which again, certainly does not make it any easier.

Give him 5 or 6 games and see where he is at then.

And Uh No, this question is for you. As a veteran crazie, do you feel it is appropriate to trot out the "Our House" chant for a game like that? Just seems wrong to me. That chant used to be reserved for close victories against tough opponents. Loses its value when we use it in a 70 point victory against a DII opponent.

Just my view, but would like to know your thoughts on it, given you were a real crazie.

[El_Diablo]

As a veteran crazie, do you feel it is appropriate to trot out the "Our House" chant for a game like that?

I know this question was addressed to uh_no, but as a veteran Crazie I'll weigh in here too.

The previous use/meaning of the chant has been completely obliterated over the past few years. It's no longer used to fire up the team in true crunch time...it's just the automatic "1-minute remaining" chant now. Happens every time we're winning, no matter what the score is or who the opponent is. It irritates me that such an awesome chant has been diluted with misapplication and overuse. So no, I don't believe it was appropriate. But maybe that's just me.

On the flip side, I was very happy to hear the "...you suck!" dropped from the opposing player intros. I heard a few people throw it out there, but by and large the students as a whole refrained. Maybe they were rusty. Maybe they've matured. Maybe it was just because it was Parents Weekend. Whatever the reason, I hope it continues...we're not Maryland. :cool:

[Newton_14]

I know this question was addressed to uh_no, but as a veteran Crazie I'll weigh in here too.

The previous use/meaning of the chant has been completely obliterated over the past few years. It's no longer used to fire up the team in true crunch time...it's just the automatic "1-minute remaining" chant now. Happens every time we're winning, no matter what the score is or who the opponent is. It irritates me that such an awesome chant has been diluted with misapplication and overuse. So no, I don't believe it was appropriate. But maybe that's just me.

On the flip side, I was very happy to hear the "...you suck!" dropped from the opposing player intros. I heard a few people throw it out there, but by and large the students as a whole refrained. Maybe they were rusty. Maybe they've matured. Maybe it was just because it was Parents Weekend. Whatever the reason, I hope it continues...we're not Maryland. :cool:

Appreciate the feedback, and yeah I guess the question goes to all crazies whether current or former. May even deserve its own thread.

I agree on the "you suck" during player intro's. That is "Terpish" to the core. We should rise above that. Again, just my view, would like to hear from others..

[B-well]

As long as we are getting rid of "Terpish" things, isn't it about time to get rid of the "O" during the National Anthem.

Unbeknownst to most Crazies, the "O" got its start in Maryland at the Baltimore Oriole "O" games when a young man with intellectual deficiencies used to yell "O". It has spread to arenas in other forms with things like "land of the Wolfpack", but I think Cameron is the only place where a group of students perpetuate the cheer for a baseball team in another state.

With a little freshness and creativity, maybe the Crazies could find another phrase in the Anthem to recognize our place and our team.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

As long as we are getting rid of "Terpish" things, isn't it about time to get rid of the "O" during the National Anthem.

Unbeknownst to most Crazies, the "O" got its start in Maryland at the Baltimore Oriole "O" games when a young man with intellectual deficiencies used to yell "O". It has spread to arenas in other forms with things like "land of the Wolfpack", but I think Cameron is the only place where a group of students perpetuate the cheer for a baseball team in another state.

With a little freshness and creativity, maybe the Crazies could find another phrase in the Anthem to recognize our place and our team.

I was at the game Saturday with a longtime friend who attended the Naval Academy and is retired military. He was a Dukie before going to Annapolis. He was appalled at the "O" and pronounced it disrespectful of all those who have spent their lives defending their country.

[Newton_14]

This topic popped up in the thread about the new PA Announcer at CIS, and I felt it deserved its own thread.

There was a time when the "Our House" chant was used to inspire the team late in tight games against big name or ACC opponents. Now it seems to be just another chant at the end of home games. The chant was trotted out last night during the final minute of the St Aug exhibition game.

So to current and former Cameron Crazies as well as the rest of us, what say ye? Should it be a special chant reserved for those special, tight games with little time left?

Other topics such as the "You Suck" during player intro's and the "O" during the National Anthem are also open for debate in this thread..

[Cell-R]

This topic popped up in the thread about the new PA Announcer at CIS, and I felt it deserved its own thread.

There was a time when the "Our House" chant was used to inspire the team late in tight games against big name or ACC opponents. Now it seems to be just another chant at the end of home games. The chant was trotted out last night during the final minute of the St Aug exhibition game.

So to current and former Cameron Crazies as well as the rest of us, what say ye? Should it be a special chant reserved for those special, tight games with little time left?

Other topics such as the "You Suck" during player intro's and the "O" during the National Anthem are also open for debate in this thread..

I agree wholeheartedly that the "Our House" chant should be reserved for special occasions, although I'm not entirely sure how to convince the graduate section (who started the chant, I believe) to refrain starting that chant at the end of every game. As for the "You Suck" and "O" during the National Anthem, we (all Duke students, I'm a freshman) actually got an email informing us that Coach K was asking the student body to refrain from both of these during games this season. I completely agree with his sentiments - because those just aren't the kind of things we do. For the most part the "You Suck" was absent, but it ticked me off a little that the "O" was still there - mainly from people sitting behind the Duke bench and a few of the season ticket holders. Not saying that none of the students yelled "O", but from my few experiences in Cameron in the past it was noticeably quieter.

[CameronBornAndBred]

My thoughts on "our house".
To the originals that came up with it, congrats..it's now not only a piece of Cameron history, it will continue to be a part of its future.
I understand the complaint, but is anyone here going to go ask Singler to please redesign his shirt? It's a great chant, and it's fun. Now let's see if it stands the test of time. Will it be replaced with something like "Drive Home Safely" the way the "na na na na hey hey goodbye" was, or will it be a permanent fixture for decades?
P.S. I miss "na na na na"...maybe they still chant it but I haven't heard it my last few visits, and it was a staple.

[DevilHorns]

I know this question was addressed to uh_no, but as a veteran Crazie I'll weigh in here too.

The previous use/meaning of the chant has been completely obliterated over the past few years. It's no longer used to fire up the team in true crunch time...it's just the automatic "1-minute remaining" chant now. Happens every time we're winning, no matter what the score is or who the opponent is. It irritates me that such an awesome chant has been diluted with misapplication and overuse. So no, I don't believe it was appropriate. But maybe that's just me.

On the flip side, I was very happy to hear the "...you suck!" dropped from the opposing player intros. I heard a few people throw it out there, but by and large the students as a whole refrained. Maybe they were rusty. Maybe they've matured. Maybe it was just because it was Parents Weekend. Whatever the reason, I hope it continues...we're not Maryland. :cool:

As a veteran crazie myself, I wholeheartedly agree. The "Our House" has been diluted and should be a specialty cheer reserved for games against our biggest rivals... IMO that doesn't necessarily mean "close games"... for example, I think the "Our House" for UNC in the 82-50 whooping was very appropriate.

And I didn't know the "O" in the anthem was offensive to anyone. Always thought that was in good fun, but I definitely see the viewpoint from those that have served for our country.

[uh_no]

If I were calling my first game in Cameron, I think I might be a wee bit nervous, no matter how much experience I had coming in. The guy is new, and it will likely take him sometime to calm down and get into a rythym. I thought he did okay for his first time out.

We also have to remember he is replacing a legend, which again, certainly does not make it any easier.

Give him 5 or 6 games and see where he is at then.

And Uh No, this question is for you. As a veteran crazie, do you feel it is appropriate to trot out the "Our House" chant for a game like that? Just seems wrong to me. That chant used to be reserved for close victories against tough opponents. Loses its value when we use it in a 70 point victory against a DII opponent.

Just my view, but would like to know your thoughts on it, given you were a real crazie.

I unfortunately couldn't be at the game.....wind symphony concert for parents weekend....it happens....I like it for home games.....but think it should be reserved for more meaningful ones....like all games once acc play starts and any other big game (acc/big10 challenge, narional games)....just to remind the other team that you don't come to cameron and beat duke....

also an email went out from the HLM informing people that K specifically asked for the O and the you suck to be dropped...now typically there doesn't tend to be lots of cheering that sort of thing becuase the crowd is so diluted, but I think we'll here some smattering of it come real game time....hopefully we can get some more emails to squash it for good

[MulletMan]

Let me preface this by saying that I have always been a proponent of each generation of Crazies making Cameron what they want it to be when they are there. Having said that...

<begin rant:>

Things that have been diluted:

1. Chanting player names. Do you know how many times I heard the J-will chant in my time at Duke? Probably less than 10. Players used to have to DO SOMETHING IMPRESSIVE to get their names chanted by the Crazies. Oh, and let's not forget that there was actually creativity applied to those chants: (See: J-Will, J-will rock you!; Who's yo daddy? Battier!; Nate's a badass!; J-J-Redd-ick! Dyn-O-Mite!; etc.)

2. Chanting "Our House" at the end of every game. Oh yes children, when Our House was first chanted it was pulled out in games late in the second half against teams like UNC when the Dukies were behind and needed a pick me up from the student body. It was not the close out cheer for any game (I can't actually express how disgusted I am that that was chanted at a DIII school that just got blown out by 70).

3. Knowing what the hell is going on on the court. Yes... believe it or not, most Crazies used to know what was going on in the game and didn't boo EVERY TIME THE REFS BLEW THEIR WHISTLES. Yes, children, Duke players fo commit fouls. The refs aren't screwing you on every play.

4. Supporting the team when they are struggling. Yay, someone one dunked!!! Weeeee! Ask any of the players when they really feel the power of the Crazies and the crowd in Cameron. It is not after someone throws down a dunk to put us up 20. It is when we come out of a time out, up 1, with UNC having the ball and the shot clock off in the second half. It is when the student section makes the floor shake when Duke needs a stop and when the players feel that energy and they say, "No way am I letting you powder blue punks score right now... not with these 9314 people screaming their heads off and pushing me to play as hard as I've ever played for these next 20 seconds."

And when the balls rolls out of bounds after the great defensive stop, and you know that you just helped Duke beat UNC, then you realize why its more important to support them in the tough times than when we're killing someone.

<end rant/>

Sorry. But you asked.

[uh_no]

1. Chanting player names. Do you know how many times I heard the J-will chant in my time at Duke? Probably less than 10. Players used to have to DO SOMETHING IMPRESSIVE to get their names chanted by the Crazies. Oh, and let's not forget that there was actually creativity applied to those chants: (See: J-Will, J-will rock you!; Who's yo daddy? Battier!; Nate's a bad-I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this.!; J-J-Redd-ick! Dyn-O-Mite!; etc.)
In all fairness, aside from chants before the game, player chants RARELY happen during the game...TK-O a couple times, mason plumlee, and well...if you count zoubs, every time he's on the floor.....G-can-fly once or twice, d mark after a game a couple times....but i would say that its the exception not the rule to hear a players chant during a game (aside from Z, but he's special anyway)


2. Chanting "Our House" at the end of every game. Oh yes children, when Our House was first chanted it was pulled out in games late in the second half against teams like UNC when the Dukies were behind and needed a pick me up from the student body. It was not the close out cheer for any game (I can't actually express how disgusted I am that that was chanted at a DIII school that just got blown out by 70).

Agreed....don't like it for exhibition games....or cupcake games in general (penn), but every meaningful game, we have to remind the other team why they should fear coming here to play.....especially when certain maryland players forget who really lives here....

3. Knowing what the hell is going on on the court. Yes... believe it or not, most Crazies used to know what was going on in the game and didn't boo EVERY TIME THE REFS BLEW THEIR WHISTLES. Yes, children, Duke players fo commit fouls. The refs aren't screweing you on every play.
Coach K would disagree.....he told the crazies specifically to let the refs have it....saying something like 'yeah its true that marty doesn't foul, but none of us ever foul'...he said that he never sees kyle foul or nolan, and wanted us to let the refs know that we never foul....since we never foul, anything called against us would inherently be a bad call


4. Supporting the team when they are struggling. Yay, someone one dunked!!! Weeeee! Ask any of the players when they really feel the power of the Crazies and the crowd in Cameron. It is not after someone throws down a dunk to put us up 20. It is when we come out of a time out, up 1, with UNC having the ball and the shot clock off in the second half. It is when the student section makes the floor shake when Duke needs a stop and when the players feel that energy and they say, "No way am I letting you powder blue punks score right now... not with these 9314 people screaming their heads off and pushing me to play as hard as I've ever played for these next 20 seconds."

And when the balls rolls out of bounds after the great defensive stop, and you know that you just helped Duke beat UNC, then you realize why its more important to support them in the tough times than when we're killing someone.

<end rant/>

Sorry. But you asked.

[Battery]

The "Our-House...stomp stomp" chant/rally cry is the single most spine tingling chant in all of college sports. Especially if the game is going down to the wire, the rare occasion when our players are playing without energy, when Coach K has taken off his jacket, our defense is slapping the floor and the Crazies tell the upper deck to STAND UP...

It should be typically left for situations like that but certain exceptions should be:

a) when an opposing team is getting cocky and talking trash back to the crazies
b) when we're spanking unc
c) when we've gone undefeated at home and we're playing our last game at home

Any more exceptions?

[Dev11]

I believe the transition happened last year after the tragedy in Andre's family, after which we stopped doing "drive home safely." It was replaced as the one-minute-countdown chant with "our house." Add in the fact that we didn't really have a down-to-the-wire home game last year, and we need to do the cheer some time, right?

Plenty of current and recent Crazies on the board to chime in on this one.

[Kimist]

I was at the game Saturday with a longtime friend who attended the Naval Academy and is retired military. He was a Dukie before going to Annapolis. He was appalled at the "O" and pronounced it disrespectful of all those who have spent their lives defending their country.

At a game last season a "newbie" was in the upstairs seats beside me, and he expressed similar distress. (Actually, he just stood there shaking his head afterwards.....)

I have prior military service and a member of my immediate family is currently in the military.

I have always felt the "O" thing was disrespectful and inappropriate, especially from a school that, as others have noted, is "not Maryland." But my 2¢ opinion on the issue has not been worth much.

Also, in addition, one would think that Coach K, West Point graduate and former US Army Captain, might put an end to this with a few well-spoken/written words to the Cameron Crazies.

k

[dukebsbll14]

On the flip side, I was very happy to hear the "...you suck!" dropped from the opposing player intros. I heard a few people throw it out there, but by and large the students as a whole refrained. Maybe they were rusty. Maybe they've matured. Maybe it was just because it was Parents Weekend. Whatever the reason, I hope it continues...we're not Maryland. :cool:

In a email from the head line monitor, it said that Coach K wanted us to drop the "you suck" and the "O" during the national anthem. I agree with both(the grad students with the latter, do not ha).

ANYWAYS,
I believe "Our House" should be used in the late second half situations where we really need a boost to pull a game out or to remind our friends in Chapel Hill (or any big opponent who took us down to the wire) that Cameron is our house near the end of the game.

Quick question: what happened to the "we're gonna beat the hell out of you!" song? Maybe they just didn't play it last night, but that was one of my favorites.

Well, now that I've finished writing this I see that the question I intended to answer has already been answered. Cool.

[El_Diablo]

In all fairness, aside from chants before the game, player chants RARELY happen during the game...

Perhaps, but at the St. Augustine game, I remember hearing a generic chant for Ryan Kelly after he had a pretty good stretch, and I am pretty sure there was one for Kyrie Irving at some point too. Just the "Player Name" clap clap clapclapclap types.

Mulletman, as for having more personalization, I've heard a "Spicy Curry" chant. And of course, "You got Czyzed on!" was echoing through Cameron as recently as last season. More personalization will undoubtedly come....er, be incorporated...in due time. On a side note, I was at the game which you referenced in point 4. Good times.

[Greg_Newton]

Agreed on the Our House and O consensus, and great post by Mullet Man. It seems that the ratio of "students who just want to have a fun night and say the were a Cameron Crazy"/"students who are intense Duke basketball fans and emotionally connected with the action" has dramatically increased in the last decade or so, unfortunately. There are certainly a lot of great crazies still out there, but it seems like it's become more about the party than to the game for some, which has taken away some of the edginess. IMO, of course.

And I realize I'm in a miniscule minority with this, but I actually liked the "Hi ___... YOU SUCK!" welcomes. That just always seemed like something that would make me smile if I was an opposing player, and I think I even heard an opposing player say something to that effect once. I guess I just took it as a good-natured ribbing or hazing for our guests rather than an angry, hostile, terpish thing. Oh well.

BTW, I'm generally not a fan of stealing chants, but I'd love to see something like this (maybe with a cooler into). This is who you're chasing, crazies::cool: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARpzavb7PQk

[loran16]

Uh, I like the O. Seriously, I never get people who are offended by this...just because we do the O doesn't mean we're disrespecting the flag or the country.

Now Orioles fans have better reason to do it, but are they all disrespectful? I think not. Is me singing O Canada as loudly as I can disrepsectful as I'm an American (when we play Canadian teams in exhibitions or in NHL games), I think not.

Seriously, the O is totally harmless and was/is a tradition. It should stay.

----
As for "You Suck", In my years (05-09), I thought it had mainly died out already (with us just doing HI <insert player name here> without the You Suck) except for maybe against Carolina. But I can see why that's offensive.

The O is harmless. It's tradition. I like it. Sooo, yeah.

[sagegrouse]

As long as we are getting rid of "Terpish" things, isn't it about time to get rid of the "O" during the National Anthem.

Unbeknownst to most Crazies, the "O" got its start in Maryland at the Baltimore Oriole "O" games when a young man with intellectual deficiencies used to yell "O". It has spread to arenas in other forms with things like "land of the Wolfpack", but I think Cameron is the only place where a group of students perpetuate the cheer for a baseball team in another state.

With a little freshness and creativity, maybe the Crazies could find another phrase in the Anthem to recognize our place and our team.

Wild Bill Hagy was a Baltimore cab driver of indeterminate age (fat and middle-aged, at least), who loved his beer and who led cheers for the Orioles during their improbable pennant run in 1983. He would get up in front of one of the sections in the top of Memorial Stadium and lead a chant O-R-I-O-L-E-S during the 7th inning stretch, contorting his pudgy frame into the appropriate shapes -- sort of. He also introduced the "O" in the national anthem, putting his hands over his head in a circle (just like in the 7th inning stretch cheer). It was cute when Wild Bill did it -- and the O's did have a fabulous season in Cal Ripken's second year with the team, beating the Phillies in five games for the World Series.

This was picked up by kids who attended the game and reintroduced at HS football and basketball games in the Washington area and -- presumably -- Baltimore as well. It was moronic at HS games because none of those teams were known as the O's.

It is submoronic at Duke: I mean, what the heck does it mean that is pertinent to Duke? It is disrespectful of the flag, the national anthem (a hymn, by the way), and the singer and musicians. It is an insult to the intelligence of everyone forced to listen and watch.

sagegrouse

[brevity]

Whether you believe the "O" chant is offensive or not, I think all accounts point to the fact that it's not original. Which might be a better reason to stop.

And we should replace it with... nothing. I understand that the fans want to keep newcomer opponents on their toes at every opportunity, but it's not necessary during the National Anthem.

[DukeUsul]

I'm all for the Crazies chanting whatever they want to chant as long as the "D! U! K! E! Who the f$&@ you come to see! Duke Duke! M#$%^# F*&$^#!" cheer that became popular while I was there in the late 90s never ever ever ever comes back.

[loran16]

I'm all for the Crazies chanting whatever they want to chant as long as the "D! U! K! E! Who the f$&@ you come to see! Duke Duke! M#$%^# F*&$^#!" cheer that became popular while I was there in the late 90s never ever ever ever comes back.

That still exists in Duke Football games, but that we stopped at BBall games (That is obviously offensive). Of course,at football it's almost ironic.

[mkline09]

Uh, I like the O. Seriously, I never get people who are offended by this...just because we do the O doesn't mean we're disrespecting the flag or the country.

Now Orioles fans have better reason to do it, but are they all disrespectful? I think not. Is me singing O Canada as loudly as I can disrepsectful as I'm an American (when we play Canadian teams in exhibitions or in NHL games), I think not.

Seriously, the O is totally harmless and was/is a tradition. It should stay.

----
As for "You Suck", In my years (05-09), I thought it had mainly died out already (with us just doing HI <insert player name here> without the You Suck) except for maybe against Carolina. But I can see why that's offensive.

The O is harmless. It's tradition. I like it. Sooo, yeah.

I'm with you. I have no issue with the "O". I've been a fan of Duke since I was about 7 so I can remember it as long as I remember watching Duke. I would think if K was offended by it, it would have stopped a while ago. Obviously things have changed in the Post Sep. 11 world and many are more sensative to things like that. If it went I would be a little sad but would understand the driving force behind it.

Drive Home Safely still makes me cringe a bit after what happened with Dawkins sister, although I love the chant in and of itself. The you suck chant definitely sucks and needs to go. I just liked it when the students use to chant as friendly as could be Hey (insert players name). Our House I think is best reserved for rivalry games and not rivary games (Maryland). Not for D II school who don't have much of a chance to win in Cameron.

[uh_no]

I'm all for the Crazies chanting whatever they want to chant as long as the "D! U! K! E! Who the f$&@ you come to see! Duke Duke! M#$%^# F*&$^#!" cheer that became popular while I was there in the late 90s never ever ever ever comes back.

it still makes appearances on the C-1 heading back to east after games sometimes

[Bluedog]

First, the "you suck" is terrible and should be stopped. It seemed like it was stopped around '05, but has had a more recent resurgence by a small (but vocal) minority of individuals who like it (students and upstairs alike). It will probably be hard to 100% squash as there are some who think it's cool, but by and large, the vast majority of people don't do it. It's just that when you have 25 people shouting it when the rest of the crowd is quiet, you can still hear it. But, yeah, I'm not a fan.

The "O" thing doesn't really bother me, but I realize it's not original and makes no sense. And if others find it offensive and Coach K has specifically asked it to stop, then it should stop. End of discussion there.

And I agree with the original premise of this thread that the "Our House" chant should only be said at the end of big games when the team needs a pick me up. It definitely gives you chills when it's a rarer chant. It totally has lost its luster by overuse and I'm not a fan either as I recall a couple circumstances when you really felt the passion by it and I think it gave the team some extra energy too. Big and close games, any spanking of UNC, and the last home game of the season is my vote. NOT Every home win. Weak sauce.

The "D! U! K! E! Who the f$&@ you come to see! Duke Duke! M#$%^# F*&$^#!" chant is definitely chanted after games once outside the stadium (on some occasions, not all the time). I see no problem with that as it has been removed from the stadium during the game itself.

[IrishDevil]

I'm all for the Crazies chanting whatever they want to chant as long as the "D! U! K! E! Who the f$&@ you come to see! Duke Duke! M#$%^# F*&$^#!" cheer that became popular while I was there in the late 90s never ever ever ever comes back.

Seconded. That was still pretty popular when I graduated in '07. Glad to hear the "you suck" is fading, I hope that cheer and the O follow. While I don't find the O offensive, if it offends the members of our armed services, I'm all for dropping it. It seems that if we sing our anthem to pay tribute to our nation and those who fight or have fought for her, doing it in a way that offends those very men and women doesn't make much sense.

I see three kinds cheering behavior: cheering (1) because something interesting happened, (2) to show special appreciation to a player or team that did something of interest, and (3) to influence and affect the game by either supporting Duke or getting the opponent off their game. In my mind, true Crazies do all three, but its the third kind of cheering that sets Cameron apart. I also think that this third kind of cheering is becoming less and less common.

I think "Our House" is a microcosm of this shift - people use this cheer now to recognize a victory and show the players the appreciation that they deserve, but less people use it as a way to affect the game by energizing our team or demoralizing the opponent. Maybe the crowd buys less into the 6th man message now? I'm sure crazies from earlier years said that about Cameron during my tenure at Duke, but I also remember rattling Chris Paul so badly his first time to Cameron that he fouled out with only seven points and was frustrated to the point of tears. While obviously the players had much to do with that than the crowd, I do think the crowd had a part in it. If I wasn't already a die-hard crazie at that point, that would have convinced me of the 6th man's influence right there.

I don't mean to cast dispersions on the current crazies, I'm sure there are many in the crowd who buy in to the sixth man philosophy. I also know that exhibition games, just as they are the first time out for the team, are the first time out for the new crazies. Feel free to disagree, but the sixth man philosophy seems to be on a (perhaps temporary) downturn to me.

[flyingdutchdevil]

Agreed on the Our House and O consensus, and great post by Mullet Man. It seems that the ratio of "students who just want to have a fun night and say the were a Cameron Crazy"/"students who are intense Duke basketball fans and emotionally connected with the action" has dramatically increased in the last decade or so, unfortunately. There are certainly a lot of great crazies still out there, but it seems like it's become more about the party than to the game for some, which has taken away some of the edginess. IMO, of course.

I'm a little amazed that so many people on this forum are upset at the Cameron Crazies. Here are a few facts about our school:

1) We have an undergraduate enrollment of 6,400
Insight: We are a small school. And not everyone will be interested in bball or Duke bball. Die-hard fans will not be a dime a dozen.
2) We are ranked top 10 academically
Insight: Students are at Duke for the academics. That is priority #1 and it should stay that way.
3) We are growing more diverse and international each year
Insight: Basketball isn't the interest of everyone
4) Duke basketball has been one of the best programs in the last 3 decades
Insight: To many, games are seen as a tourist attraction. That way be unfortunate, but it is reality.
5) Students are becoming more involved in other activities
Insight: Less and less are interested in queuing up for 6 hours before a game (not to mention tenting for at least 2 weeks)

When I first arrived at Duke in '03, I liked the NBA and didn't know anything about college basketball. In 3 months, I became a hardcore Blue Devil and have loved our program ever since. I am the exception; not the rule. However, unlike many, I do not resent those students who prefer to follow another activity on a Wednesday night rather than jumping up and down in Cameron.

[dukeENG2003]

The O is stupid. If you think its offensive, you need to get over yourself. If you think its DUMB, you are correct.

Our House is definitely overused.

I'll agree that I wish the Crazies were more like they were "back when I was a student" but realize that part of it is just having fonder memories of times past as those times fade away. The crowd is great this year, much better attendance for the first preseason game than last year (obviously us being returning champs and #1 has something to do with that, but still).

If you are unhappy with the way the crowd is, be a leader, get loud and crazy, be excited about the games. Its infectious. If you want the crowd to be more creative, come up with something (just realize that the "muffled voice" test is a good way to gage whether anyone will be able to understand what the heck you are saying; Don't get the crowd chanting something that sounds like "Insert Pen. . ." well, you get this picture).

[El_Diablo]

Although I think my favorite player-specific chant was the one for Matt Christensen:

"The monster's outta the cage! The monster's outta the cage!"

[noyac]

I thought the under one minute chant was GTHCGTH (go to hell carolina go to hell) regardless of the opponent.

This is by far my favorite chant because no matter who we are beating it still shows our disdain for UNC.

[Exiled_Devil]

BTW, I'm generally not a fan of stealing chants, but I'd love to see something like this (maybe with a cooler into). This is who you're chasing, crazies::cool: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARpzavb7PQk

Steal chants! If they are good, not crude and creative. This one seems to fit the bill.

I came out last year against the 'you suck' and am glad to have Coach K speak to it this year. Maybe it can be countered with something else, like "Hi Tyler, How's your dog?" or some other mundane conversational question.

[DukieInKansas]

I thought the under one minute chant was GTHCGTH (go to hell carolina go to hell) regardless of the opponent.

This is by far my favorite chant because no matter who we are beating it still shows our disdain for UNC.

I like this as the under one minute chant also.

Regarding the O - I'm against it. I was also very opposed when attending Chiefs (yes - they have earned the i back) games and people would end the national anthem with home of the Chiefs instead of "home of the brave". I think both are inappropriate.

[uh_no]

I like this as the under one minute chant also.


Since when do we schedule in game chants? chants happen when they happen....we don't say 'oh 1 minute...gotta cheer this or that' GTHC arises from a spontaneous feeling of hate for UNC amongst crazies....it could happen 5 minutes into the game, or at every timeout....I should also note, students will do what they do regardless of what is deemed appropriate here....generally only pressure from K or the line monitors elicits significant change

[noyac]

I didn't necessarily mean it had to be chanted under 1 minute but I was under the impression that it was chanted at every home game regardless of the opponent and the score.

I thought this was a Cameron tradition...please correct me if I am wrong I will not be offended.

[gam7]

Hate to say it, but I actually thought the "you suck" during intros was kind of funny and not offensive at all. The "hi so and so" was overly friendly for a crowd and the "you suck" kind of immediately cancelled that out. Yeah it's not too creative but it was amusing to me. Of course, bathroom humor still amuses me too.

Edit: sorry just saw Greg newton's post! I'm with you brother.

[DukieInKansas]

Since when do we schedule in game chants? chants happen when they happen....we don't say 'oh 1 minute...gotta cheer this or that' GTHC arises from a spontaneous feeling of hate for UNC amongst crazies....it could happen 5 minutes into the game, or at every timeout....I should also note, students will do what they do regardless of what is deemed appropriate here....generally only pressure from K or the line monitors elicits significant change


I didn't necessarily mean it had to be chanted under 1 minute but I was under the impression that it was chanted at every home game regardless of the opponent and the score.

I thought this was a Cameron tradition...please correct me if I am wrong I will not be offended.

I took your 1 minute to mean at the end of a game - not necessarily just the final minute. (For the St. Aug game, it probably could have started in the 1st half as the game was basically over once it hit 30-1 - but that would have been really rude.) I recall the GTH, C, GTH cheer being used throughout games, especially at the end of a victory. I always like the opponents confusion/consternation that the fans were cheering against a different opponent while they were losing to Duke. (I also liked the confusion of the Green Shorts cheer when half the crowd didn't know what it meant.)

Obviously, students and others in attendance will do what they want during the games and what is discussed on this board really doesn't make any difference to that. However, that has never stopped a discussion in the past and it won't in the future.

[Acymetric]

Since when do we schedule in game chants? chants happen when they happen....we don't say 'oh 1 minute...gotta cheer this or that' GTHC arises from a spontaneous feeling of hate for UNC amongst crazies....it could happen 5 minutes into the game, or at every timeout....I should also note, students will do what they do regardless of what is deemed appropriate here....generally only pressure from K or the line monitors elicits significant change

We're not talking about scheduling chants, but there are some chants that are typically done at the end of games ("our house" now, for instance). GTHCGTH is almost always at the end of a game if it shows up, excepting the unc game where it shows up anywhere.

[uh_no]

I didn't necessarily mean it had to be chanted under 1 minute but I was under the impression that it was chanted at every home game regardless of the opponent and the score.

I thought this was a Cameron tradition...please correct me if I am wrong I will not be offended.

usually comes out at least once a game....sometimes it doesn't, sometimes it does....can happen anytime....

UNC fans do not understand that this goes on at every game, thus the meaningfulness of refraining from using it after eve carson was killed was lost on many of them

[magjayran]

BTW, I'm generally not a fan of stealing chants, but I'd love to see something like this (maybe with a cooler into). This is who you're chasing, crazies::cool: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARpzavb7PQk

That is awesome. Really awesome. But too awesome to steal.

[Lord Ash]

I'm all for the Crazies chanting whatever they want to chant as long as the "D! U! K! E! Who the f$&@ you come to see! Duke Duke! M#$%^# F*&$^#!" cheer that became popular while I was there in the late 90s never ever ever ever comes back.

I have never heard that chant; nor have I ever heard OF that chant. So bizarre.

[DevilWearsPrada]

That is awesome. Really awesome. But too awesome to steal.

THAT is totally awesome. Winning Team Losing Team....


I felt really bad for St Aug in the first 5 minutes. I told the parents (freshman) sitting beside me, the score would be 100+ for Duke and about half the amount of pts for St Aug.

The "Our House" is great. But probably not appropriate for St Aug exhibition. They are Div 2 or 3, and did win their championship last season.

I think the GTHC GTH would have been much much better. The St Aug kids played very well. They graduated alot of kids, and have a new coach. Those kids were playing at Duke, and basically the National Champs team, minus Zoubs, Jon and Lance. But Duke bench is loaded. No reason to put down a good St Aug team.

Whatever the Crazies chant...... is fine. I am glad they arent saying.. U Suck, anymore. I didnt like that.

[DukeUsul]

I have never heard that chant; nor have I ever heard OF that chant. So bizarre.
We were both there around the same time right? I'm '99. There was a clear contingent who tried to get this one going at many, many games.... I'm going to say 97-98 or so. I think it's fine if anyone wants to yell it on the quad or bus, but not for Cameron.

[Dukeface88]

"You suck" and "O": "You suck" should definitely go. I think the number of people doing it declined as the season went on (although there were still too many), so hopefully that trend continues. I know the guys I went with made it a point to give dirty looks to the people who did that. I don't really care about the "O"; if other people are offended then it should go, especially now that Coach K has said something about it.

Our House: I agree that the cheer should not be an automatic end-of-game. I think that makes it both too common (in games where it isn't warranted) and too restrictive (in games where it might be appropriate to do at some time other than the last minute). Not only because it would have a bigger impact; between "drive home safely", GTHCGTH and the Alma Mater IMO we had too many "end of game" chants already, and they tended to get rushed together. I'm pretty sure we skipped GTHC at a few games last year, which bothered me (as far as I can recall, when we did it in the middle of games it was because a UNC score was being shown during a timeout).

[gam7]

We were both there around the same time right? I'm '99. There was a clear contingent who tried to get this one going at many, many games.... I'm going to say 97-98 or so. I think it's fine if anyone wants to yell it on the quad or bus, but not for Cameron.

I'm T'99 and know the guys who started that chant (also T'99). It's a much better chant after 6 beers.

[DevilHorns]

I have never heard that chant; nor have I ever heard OF that chant. So bizarre.

I'm T'06 and I swear I pretty much heard that chant at every football game through my 4 years or on the bus after most basketball games my freshman year.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

Seconded. That was still pretty popular when I graduated in '07. Glad to hear the "you suck" is fading, I hope that cheer and the O follow. While I don't find the O offensive, if it offends the members of our armed services, I'm all for dropping it. It seems that if we sing our anthem to pay tribute to our nation and those who fight or have fought for her, doing it in a way that offends those very men and women doesn't make much sense.

I see three kinds cheering behavior: cheering (1) because something interesting happened, (2) to show special appreciation to a player or team that did something of interest, and (3) to influence and affect the game by either supporting Duke or getting the opponent off their game. In my mind, true Crazies do all three, but its the third kind of cheering that sets Cameron apart. I also think that this third kind of cheering is becoming less and less common.

I think "Our House" is a microcosm of this shift - people use this cheer now to recognize a victory and show the players the appreciation that they deserve, but less people use it as a way to affect the game by energizing our team or demoralizing the opponent. Maybe the crowd buys less into the 6th man message now? I'm sure crazies from earlier years said that about Cameron during my tenure at Duke, but I also remember rattling Chris Paul so badly his first time to Cameron that he fouled out with only seven points and was frustrated to the point of tears. While obviously the players had much to do with that than the crowd, I do think the crowd had a part in it. If I wasn't already a die-hard crazie at that point, that would have convinced me of the 6th man's influence right there.

I don't mean to cast dispersions on the current crazies, I'm sure there are many in the crowd who buy in to the sixth man philosophy. I also know that exhibition games, just as they are the first time out for the team, are the first time out for the new crazies. Feel free to disagree, but the sixth man philosophy seems to be on a (perhaps temporary) downturn to me.
Overall this is a very good post. The portion in bold is particularly insightful. Most of us have voiced our opinions in terms of ourselves and our own feelings. Every active or retired military personnel who has voiced his/her opinion in my presence has been appalled and called the practice disrespectful.

[cameroncrazy3104]

I say that they use the chant in 3 situations

1) if we beat unc and maryland no matter how much we win by

2) after a close game (10 points at the max)

3) if another player like Greivis Vasquez says something stupid like Cameron is his house
then after we win and who ever it is dose nothing they chant it all night long

[weezie]

it still makes appearances on the C-1 heading back to east after games sometimes


Ahhh, good times for the youngsters.
And, can we really be at that stage of the year when we start fussing and regulating what the current Crazies should or shouldn't do?!
Gosh, the year has flown!

[DU82]

If we're going to steal, er, borrow a national anthem tradition from a pro team, I say we go with the Chicago Blackhawks. Everybody sing the anthem as loud as you can (in tune), regardless of the singer. This'll have the added benefit of drowning out those that feel that singing the anthem is about them, rather than about the anthem. Then, perhaps, the honor of playing the anthem will return to DUMB, which can then lead the crowd.

I will give credit to the group, and in particular their leader, that sang the anthem Saturday. Although I'm not fond of the melody changes they make, the leader did recognize that the Army ROTC honor guard was not in place when the group was announced, and waited until they were set before starting.

Regarding the "automatic" cheers, I do think "Our House" should be reserved for certain key moments (as already outlined), the "Hi..." cheer was originally intended to be sarcasm (as in, here we are, so nice to you, just wait.) And could we stop with the "Crazy Towel Guy" already? I'd rather talk about the weather.

(Note regarding the "Hi..." cheer. Back when exhibition games were often against national teams from other countries, one of the eastern European teams came in. When the fans said "Hi" and their name, the players thought the crowd was serious and waved back. Got a kick out of that.)

[jlear]

I don't think the O is meant disrespectfully but, I think it is stupid. I like the idea of the whole crowd singing the anthem loudly.

I love the you suck cheer and take part loudly...for the UNC only.

I love the our house cheer when the game is close. I think it would be cool before the MSU game in Dec.

This is the earliest in the season I have seen the OLD crazies talk about how much better they were than the new crazies, since we haven't played a game yet, please give it a rest for a few weeks.

[Greg_Newton]

I'm a little amazed that so many people on this forum are upset at the Cameron Crazies. Here are a few facts about our school:

1) We have an undergraduate enrollment of 6,400
Insight: We are a small school. And not everyone will be interested in bball or Duke bball. Die-hard fans will not be a dime a dozen.
2) We are ranked top 10 academically
Insight: Students are at Duke for the academics. That is priority #1 and it should stay that way.
3) We are growing more diverse and international each year
Insight: Basketball isn't the interest of everyone
4) Duke basketball has been one of the best programs in the last 3 decades
Insight: To many, games are seen as a tourist attraction. That way be unfortunate, but it is reality.
5) Students are becoming more involved in other activities
Insight: Less and less are interested in queuing up for 6 hours before a game (not to mention tenting for at least 2 weeks)

When I first arrived at Duke in '03, I liked the NBA and didn't know anything about college basketball. In 3 months, I became a hardcore Blue Devil and have loved our program ever since. I am the exception; not the rule. However, unlike many, I do not resent those students who prefer to follow another activity on a Wednesday night rather than jumping up and down in Cameron.

I don't see the relevance of points 1 & 2, as Duke has long been that way. As for 3-5, those are good explanations for the shift, definitely. Doesn't mean I'm happy about it, though. There's something to be said for tradition and character, even if it doesn't look good on a resume... and I'll leave it at that, in the interest of keeping things PC.

[uh_no]

I don't see the relevance of points 1 & 2, as Duke has long been that way. As for 3-5, those are good explanations for the shift, definitely. Doesn't mean I'm happy about it, though. There's something to be said for tradition and character, even if it doesn't look good on a resume... and I'll leave it at that, in the interest of keeping things PC.

you're preaching to the choir here.....