Game Misconduct!
This week's CHF ECAC Hockey Trivia question should be an easy one for those who attended the tournament last weekend in Albany.
Q: How is it possible to be eliminated from the ECACHL Tournament twice?
(answer at the bottom of the post.)
What a weekend! Pretty much a constant adrenaline rush with the exception of the first two periods on Saturday that were instead lumped into the final twenty. Unbelievable resilence from this team from top to bottom. I've already got my plans set for Rochester next weekend!
But that's not why I'm here. I'm here instead to deliver a game misconduct to the RPI band for their antics over the past weekend. While this may not have been an "official' function, many members of their band made the trip to the Times-Union Center to cheer against Clarkson and to play along with the small Quinnipiac band contingent which braved the storm from Connecticut.
First of all, who travels to a neutral site arena for a tournament they're not even a part of, to cheer against a team? I'm all for bands that are in the tournament playing back and forth at each other, but I'm trying to figure out if this is just unsportsmanlike, stupid, or both.
Later on in the game, the hybrid band busted out Otis Redding's "I Can't Turn You Loose" better known as the theme that Joilet Jake and Elwood Blues enter with at the Palace, and even more famously known as the tune played when the Golden Knights hit the ice since 1982. I certainly hope this was just an honest mistake by the Quinnipiac band, and not a suggestion from the RPI band. For all I know it could be Q tradition from the MAAC and D2/D3 days. Regardless a down Clarkson crowd, became furious, and I hope it put a jump in the player's steps too. Imagine Ohio St. playing the Michigan fight song going into the 4th quarter winning 28-3. Not good.
To top it off we get a rendition of the RPI Fight Song, from the Quinnipiac section, in a tournament that RPI isn't at. Ridiculous. When you show up at an arena for your own ego instead of the hockey, turn around and leave. It's an insult to everyone else at the arena. What were they going to do if Quinnipiac won anyhow? It would've been the Bobcats time. Not theirs.
Despite my bitterness over the band situation, Quinnipiac and their fans traveled extremely well, and I'm impressed. They show more spirit and cohesiveness than half the teams in our league already. I was a little miffed that their band was given the cold shoulder at the opening of their new arena. I hope they become more of a tradition for their program, and will travel in larger numbers in the future.
As for the RPI members that traveled. Do yourselves a favor and think about good taste. Also, stop calling yourself "America's Pep Band." it makes my citizenship status hurt.
Oh, and the answer to the trivia question:
When you're RPI's band.
posted by ron at 9:01 PM
45 Comments:
RPI likes to go on and on about how great their school spirit is and how much they love RPI, but then show up in a tournament they're not in wearing another school's colors? You coudn't force me to wear another team's jersey and represent myself as one of their fans.
I'm a fan of college hockey and even as a Clarkson alum living in the capital district I bought RPI season tickets so I could get my college hockey fix. Even after going to almost every RPI home game I couldn't bring myself to join in on the RPI cheers of "Let's go Red" or their goal cheer.
Even if they wanted to lend support to another team, they made it about RPI hating Clarkson and not supporting Q. Playing Clarkson's de facto theme song and their own fight song was classless. The actions of the RPI band are seriously making me consider if I will continue my season tickets for next year.
10:42 PM
I'm a QU student... our band asked RPI's band to help ours' out because we didn't have enough numbers (it was spring break this weekend and last for QU)
Also, that tune is what we have played after goals since I've been here. Just a coincidence, I guess. We usually don't play it when coming onto the ice (Thunderstruck is played), but I guess the RPI kids are used to playing the tunes after goals and entering the ice)
Also, what's the big deal that they played the RPI fight song. They were there to help us out, and have every right to play whatever they want to play.
Thanks for the comments on the fans... I was underwhelmed with how few fans we had, I thought we should have had more. The students that did make it are the absolute die-hards, and the core group of about 10 students that were the loudest were the same students that went to Cornell the previous weekend, and RPI/Colgate last year during the playoffs.
But for this being our first time in the ECACHL Championship Game, we should have had more than 2/3 of a section.
10:46 PM
Speaking as a Quinnipiac fan, I can tell you that the Quinnipiac Pep Band has been playing the "I Can't Turn You Loose" song after each goal for the last several years, well before we joined the ECACHL. However, I haven't heard it too much this season. I don't think our band played that song out of disrespect to Clarkson and their fine band on Saturday night.
PS....best of luck in the NCAAs. I'm pulling for you guys, along with SLU.
11:00 PM
Hey Seth, this is JFK of the Clarkson band. (The big guy with the trumpet and big green hat)
Let me start off and say that I have a lot of respect for you guys supporting your team and also that it was great to come to your arena, it's really very nice and I do dig the thunderstruck. But I really hope that you hear what I have to say as someone who's been a band member for more than 3 years now and also has been to every away game with the rest of the band this year.
Number one. To be honest, I really don't have any qualms with band-band friendly relationships. Personally we as the clarkson band are very tight with brown's band, and in time I hope that we can get to be tight with you guys too.
But with that being said, I think that it's fine if another band comes to a game to support another team. However, the moment they start playing instruments, they're immediately out of line. Not to mention, I can promise you, the only reason they were there was to play against us, and that they were local, believe it or not I'll bet they don't give two flying shits about your team. Or if the game wasn't in the capital district. You wouldn't see nearly as many of them either.
Number Two. Playing RPI songs at a Quinnipiac game. I very highly doubt that it happened by chance. Bands like them do that shit on purpose. One of our band members' parents both graduated from RPI. They hadn't seen a single RPI jersey up where you guys were, but they said they felt like they were at an RPI game just by listening, and these folks have been going there for more than a couple decades, so you can damn well better bet that they know what they're talking about. So to them, they really didn't hear anything to support the originality of Quinnipiac, but just an RPI band in disguise. Hell they even brought their one minute left signs.
Number three. Playing our songs. It's alright if you don't know what we do since you're relatively new here to our league, but they see us as such big rivals that they will do whatever they can to try and get a rise out of us, and ya know it gets to a point then it starts getting annoying and very much unsportsmanlike. You want another example? Cornell. They play our song every once in a blue moon just to spite us every time they get a chance and they're quite the cocky bunch about it.
Wow I got a lot down here in a short time, sorry about that, haha. In summary, dude, I got no problem with you or your band. It was great to see you there. All my anger is directed towards RPI. Mainly how they acted all 'nice' about how they wanted to play with you guys just to have another crack at us, even when their season was well over at this time. I hope you can take what I said seriously, and if you would like to chat more about it, shoot me a line on aim - Keilbasa35. Take er easy
11:11 PM
I hate to say this guys, but if we're getting this worked up over what RPI's band might have done this weekend, they got us.
11:27 PM
JFK, here's the thing about that song... we've been playing it at our games for years now. It has become our de-facto fight song. They didn't play it to spite you, they played it because it's basically our fight song.
You didn't hear it at The Bank this year because the people behind athletic marketing don't want our band playing at games -- they aren't very good. But at the NIP, it was played whenever we scored.
We asked them to play with us... they didn't ask us.
I can understand you guys have that rivalry with them (and I'm sure that had quite a bit to do with them agreeing to help us), but if we don't ask them to show up, they don't come.
BTW, love your band, you guys are awesome. I love how you interact with your fans... I wish our band did that once in a while.
11:42 PM
RPI wishes they were Clarkson's main rival. In my book the Knights' rivalries go SLU, Cornell, RPI. RPI seems to be like the third wheel of a bad love triangle. They want us to see them in the same way we see SLU, but we don't. So they resort to stupid stunts and other tactics to get our attention. At past championships they've teamed up with other school's bands to play against us.
Anyway, great job to Clarkson's Band. They got the fans and the team to really feed off each other in the third period.
10:55 AM
Technically, Brian, that'd be a square, but this isn't a geometry test.
For the rest of the fans, I propose a hypothetical situation:
The ECACHL championship is being held 15 driving minutes away from Clarkson University. RPI and Brown are playing in the finals (hypothetically), and Clarkson was knocked out in the first round (remember, hypothetically). Being friends with the Brown band, the Clarkson band gets in touch and offers free lodging, to save budget money. In the reply, the Brown band mentions that due to spring break, there will be a very small contingency making the trip, and any musicians that would like to lend a hand would be greatly appreciated, really help to round out the band's sound and get free admission to the championship game.
I ask the Clarkson band to honestly consider this situation, and how they would respond. Oh, and in response to the trivia question, the answer receives half credit due to poor grammar.
12:44 PM
It's an interesting hypotheical question, but here's three things I do know:
Clarkson wouldn't wear Brown jerseys or t-shirts.
Clarkson wouldn't play against any particular team, but WITH Brown as I believe they've traditionally done in recent years.
They'd show up to support them regardless of the opponent.
Clarkson wouldn't play the alma mater.
1:27 PM
Well that was four, but whatever.
1:29 PM
On behalf of the Quinnipiac Pep Band I am the President and one of the tuba players so I thought I would leave a comment.
I wanted to let everyone from Clarkson band know that we have played Can't Turn You Loose every time QU has scored a goal for quite some time. Actually, when you guys came to play at our rink we played it then. You probably just couldn't hear it. I remember playing it multiple times that night. Normally Athletics shuts us out with their stupid program that plays songs with a touch of a button, so we they didn't want us to play it any more when we scored a goal, so that's why it hasn't been played much this year. Unfortunately because it was Spring break for Quinnipiac we could not get many people back to Quinnipiac to go to Albany and play at the ECAC finals so we did ask the RPI Pep Band to join us. We were not trying to disrespect anyone while we were there and there were multiple times (even when me and Bruce, our advisor, went over to talk to the Clarkson band) where they were making comments about our pep band that were not very nice...but it's all good, because it's in a way it's own competition. I can understand where you may not fully appreciate that another band was there with us, but we needed some players and they were very kind and helpful. I don't believe that they should be put down for joining us and wearing our colors. For that night, we were Quinnipiac Pep Band and we were all just there to play some music.
I appreciate everything you said and I hope that no one takes my comment disrespectfully...thanks
1:38 PM
Technically, Anonymous, what I said was: "RPI seems to be like the third wheel of a bad love triangle. They want us to see them in the same way we see SLU, but we don't."
RPI sees Clarkson as their main Rival. Clarkson and SLU see each other as their main rivals. Clarkson sees RPI as a big game, but not the big game. That's a triangle. If you'd like I could make it even more clear by joining the two sentences I quoted with a semi-colon. But this isn't a grammar test.
1:52 PM
"I wanted to let everyone from Clarkson band know that we have played Can't Turn You Loose every time QU has scored a goal for quite some time. Actually, when you guys came to play at our rink we played it then. You probably just couldn't hear it. I remember playing it multiple times that night."
If you only play it when you score, then you only played it once when Clarkson came to visit. The acoustics suck in your new arena.
Since we are venting about RPI, what is up with the "one minute" thing? Do they think we only say that to them? Is that why they have to do it at every sporting event? Who knows, they are confused about who their rival should be (Union maybe?)
8:03 PM
Details on the "One Minute" thing are sketchy at best, but it seems like it was probably started about 10 years ago as a joke by the then conductor of the pep band after a trip to Cheel where they were physically harassed by the fans. It quickly caught on even though it was only meant for the remainder of the season, and now it's a mainstay. Prior to that we shouted the name of the opposing team like every other school.
Now that that's out, what is the deal with the Bonesaw? Where did it come from, and what does it have to do with anything at all?
9:35 PM
No-one is saying that Clarkson owns "Can't Turn You Loose" (or "Blues Brothers" if you prefer). Our band plays it at the beginning and the end of every period. "Billboard" (or "The Gang Bang Song" if you prefer) is played at every Clarkson goal. Both songs have been staples of the Clarkson Pep Band since the early 80s, thanks to long-lost Mr. Ackner. But I've heard BC play "Blues Brothers" at basketball games, and personally I thought it was pretty cool. Personally, if you guys play it, great! Its all good.
Maybe Quinnipiac's band didn't realize that asking RPI's band to aid them in a game against Clarkson is a little like asking the cat to keep an eye on your gerbil while you go out. Your guys may not have known that, and I bet the RPI's band was MORE than happy to oblige the request. Our band knew at least some of RPI's band was going to show up, so hearing Blues Brothers was taken - at the time - perhaps as mockery.
10:04 PM
RPI's band was asked to help us for the entire tournament, though. Not just because it was Clarkson. They were going to be there for the SLU game, but our band got held up by the snow, and couldn't get up there.
We asked RPI's band because they are local. There was no other thought process behind it.
10:56 PM
I'd just like to take this moment to thank everyone for this civil and entertaining debate, and for providing us with our busiest day on the blog since we started it.
11:56 PM
I think most of the other issues which were raised have already been dealt with by other people's posts (namely the playing of Can't Turn You Loose), but I'd just like to say as a member of the RPI band that we were there to cheer for Quinnipiac not against Clarkson. Did we get some pleasure from the fact that the opponent was Clarkson? Of course we did. But we would have been cheering just as passionately for Quinnipiac had they been facing anyother team.
Best of luck in the NCAA's, and my apologies to anyone who was overly offended by our presence. I'm sure we would ascribe similar motivations to the Clarkson band if they were to be playing with someone else against us.
2:43 AM
It probably would have benefited you more to ask for help from a band that doesn't suck, like Cornell.
2:55 AM
Wow, so I guess this means that the RPI band has successfully worked together with another rival school's band. I've seen them get along with Cornell's band, Colgate's, Dartmouth's, and now this, that is very interesting and fun.
Which school's missing from that list? :(
That's a shame, really. If the Clarkson and RPI bands ever got together it would be a rockin good time.
You guys should really get out more. At the WCHA Final Five, the Michigan Tech band has been coming for years, when they're A) much farther away and B) MTU is almost never there.
With RPI so close by, how can you not expect them to show up in some kind of capacity?
Jealousy rears its ugly head once again. Ah well, when you're RPI, you're used to jealousy from the North Country... :P
9:16 AM
Looks like RPI got the reaction it wanted.
And the RPI band has been friendly with other bands before ... except the Clarkson band.
After all, it was the Clarkson band that decided to try and show up the RPI band at Clarkson a few years ago. By surrounding the RPI band and blaring "Louie, Louie" right in their faces. After saying "This is what a real band is supposed to sound like." RPI, though, had the same song in their set, so they played it right back.
Gee, can't imagine why the RPI band would be all too willing to help out Q.
Duhhh "game misconduct" to the RPI band. Can't leave well enough alone, can you?
9:42 AM
I don't think anyone is upset with QU's band. Asking for help from another college band who actually knows what to do at hockey games is much more respectable than hiring a high school band like some other schools have been known to do.
I also don't think anyone is upset with them playing Can't Turn You Loose per se. If that has been your goal song for years, play it all you want when you score. Play it as a cheer during stoppages if you like; it's a song that a lot of bands have in their repertoire.
The problem from the Clarkson fan's perspective is that it appears RPI suggested playing it as your team hit the ice when it's been the Knight's theme since before most of the team was born. We're upset with RPI because it appears they pushed you into sports fan sacrilege. If that's what actually happened there's no excuse. RPI's band knows many perfectly legitimate ways to get under our skin (e.g. play Rollin' on the River at Tina Turner speed just after Clarkson's band plays it at CCR speed or play the theme from Monty Python).
Maybe when QU has called it their goal song on this thread they meant they've always used it for both goals and when the team hits the ice. If that's the case maybe this whole thing is a big misunderstanding.
9:45 AM
When I was at Clarkson we made attempts to get along with RPI. Unfortunately it turned out their band was more pizza and soda than wings and beer.
It looks like RPI's band is the Don Quixote here. I'm sure they had a much better time fighting windmills and achieving Pyhrric victories than the real Knights had winning real hardware this weekend.
10:01 AM
Jeeze that one anonymous poster sounds like a cross between a tard and Ric Flair.
10:07 AM
Pyhrric victory? The RPI band helped out the Quinnipiac band. Mission accomplished.
It seems like the Clarkson fans are spending more time here bashing the RPI band (and trying everything to fabricate reasons to do so) rather than celebrating the championship they just won. Don't you have anything better to do with your time?
The one positive to come out of this blog is that it's been a constant source of enjoyment to me for the past hour. Seeing Clarkson's true colors has been entertaining to say the least.
10:31 AM
1st: That was very entertaining.
2nd: Anonymous posts are fun.
10:54 AM
ha! i like the comment about great enjoyment for the last hour. its nice to see the Clarkson fans geting all worked up due to the RPI band! woooooooooooooooooo!!!!
10:58 AM
Yes, Pyhrric victory.
Your victory was angering the people on this blog who are mostly alumni and not current band members or students.
Here's what you lost to achieve that: Your team didn't make the championships, playing Can't Turn You Loose only fueled the frustration the Knights vented with four goals once they figured out how to beat QU's trap, you had to watch the team you hate hoist the Whitelaw cup, you come off as caring more about getting under Clarkson's skin than you do about your hockey team, you've been too cowardly to even use a name when you post, and you've done a poor job of representing your school with the way you ended the "civil and entertaining debate" Gobe described when you joined the thread this morning.
How is that not Pyhrric?
10:58 AM
I've been a Clarkson fan for the past 15 or so years. The way you reacted to the RPI band helping out another is just embarrasing and pathetic. Nothing wrong with good sportsmanship.
11:24 AM
"How is that not Pyhrric?"
Allow me to list the ways:
1. RPI's playoff fate was determined before the QU band asked the RPI band to help them out. Nothing lost (as a result of deciding to help them out, at least).
2. Can't Turn You Loose is also QU's fight song, until they can come up with a suitable substitute. Also, to think that the players on the ice would need any more motivation than it being the ECAC championship game is ridiculous.
3. We saw 60 minutes of excellent hockey. Definitely no loss there.
4. If that's how you see it, then you're wrong, but so be it. From my point of view, Clarkson fans come across as caring more about opposing bands than the success of their own team.
5. I'll start posting my name, if anything differentiate myself from the other anonymous posters.
6. Actually, I joined the thread last night, posting the origin of the "One Minute" cheer at RPI. I'm still waiting to hear back about the Bonesaw.
The main reason the RPI band was at the game was to bolster a QU band that was on spring break. And in this particular game the most appealing reason to root for QU and against Clarkson was that it would have sent 3 instead of 2 teams to the NCAAs. Not only that, had there not been a significant snowstorm on Friday, we wouldn't have even played at the championship. But as a result of that, we got to see a great game and meet up with a great group of people. That's pretty good in my book.
11:47 AM
Yeah what the heck is that bonesaw thing all about anyways??
11:52 AM
To the Clarkson Fan for the past 15 years, I just called it like I saw it, nothing more nothing less. I didn't know the circumstances, but I certainly know how I felt as a fan. Based on your response, I highly doubt you were actual at the game to judge the response of your fellow Clarkson fans around you as all of this was occuring.
That being said, I AM pleased that a lot of this has been aired out, I've been corrected in many areas, but that doesn't change the way I and many fans felt when I initially posted.
As for Bonesaw. I can't even start to explain where that comes from, but it was essentially adopted by some students who are big fans of "Macho Man" Randy Savage's character Bonesaw McGraw in Spiderman. It's pretty much a phenomenon now. I can't explain it... then again most of us can't explain Randy Savage's career as a whole including his spectacular rap debut.
11:57 AM
Question: When, exactly, does QU's band play Can't Turn You Loose? It's been said on here that they play it after every goal, yet I don't recall it being played after QU's goals at the game. Maybe my memory is wrong. In fact, the only time I remember it played was when the teams took the ice for the second period.
So from my memory they didn't play it when their team scored. They didn't play it every time their team hit the ice. They only played it at the start of the second period after their Clarkson had looked terrible for the first 20 minutes and was in a big hole. I don't know any school who only plays their fight song once a game. That's why it looks like the incident had RPI written all over it.
To the anonymous Clarkson fan, what was so "embarrassing and pathetic" about the fan's response to those circumstances? Was it what they did at the game? was it what's been said on here? You may disagree with the reasons people have taken offense, but what has anyone done that's embarassing and pathetic?
12:34 PM
Chris, if those were your motives then your fine. Others have expressed extreme enjoyment that so many people were angered at the game.
I do disagree with one thing you said though:
Also, to think that the players on the ice would need any more motivation than it being the ECAC championship game is ridiculous.
If this were true, why even have bands a the game. The purpose of the band is to lead the fans in supporting the team. If the fans didn't have an effect there wouldn't be such a thing as home ice advantage. You could see this during the TV timeout in the middle of the 3rd period. Clarkson had been working hard all period and had really flipped the ice and the fans all got on their feat and cheered during the whole timeout. Then the team came out and scored two quick goals. 99% percent of the credit goes to the players; but being at the game yourself, can you really say the fans had no effect on the huge momentum shift of the third period?
12:52 PM
The Q/RPI group played Can't Turn You Loose at the beginning of all 3 periods and after both Q goals. If you couldn't hear it, more than likely it's because the Clarkson band was playing it louder or more clearly than we were. They play it a whole lot more than we ever have (or will) and will obviously be a lot more comfortable playing it so that everyone can hear it.
Saying we coerced Q into playing it just because we knew it was Clarkson's fight song? No such luck. It was Q's fight song when we went to play at a game at Northford in October, and it still was this past weekend.
I'm amazed by how this got blown so out of proportion. We weren't even originally asked to play for the Q/Clarkson game, we were planning on playing at the Q/SLU game on Friday. Count me among the people that was fully expecting a Clarkson/SLU final. Had that been the case, you would have found me and half a dozen others down in our seats in the lower level and not up top playing.
But Friday's trip was canceled due to weather...when Q won their semi game, their band informed us that the school was putting together a new trip for Saturday evening and asked if we still wanted to play along with them. We could have changed our mind and said no, lest we offend the Clarkson fans or band by showing up, but we made good on the offer we had made for the night prior and came to help out.
Shame we couldn't have made it Friday night as well, I'm sure everyone complaining would have been more than happy if we were playing with Q against SLU instead.
1:04 PM
We usually play it after goals and when we enter the ice.
This year, with the opening of the new building, it wasn't played, because the pep band was basically never allowed to play.
At the game this weekend, it was played at every period, and after every goal. You may not have heard it, but it was played.
1:05 PM
This year, with the opening of the new building, it wasn't played, because the pep band was basically never allowed to play.
And THAT is a real shame. Maybe the powers that be at Q will get a clue -- hopefully soon.
2:52 PM
Thanks for clearing it up. As I said earlier, if QU has been using it as their fight song for years I don't have a problem with it.
Why doesn't QU want the band at home games? Do they not want to take up seats that they can make top dollar on with the draw of the new arena? Do they prefer a DJ playing bad techno music (I'm not saying your DJ, if you have one, is bad - just judging from experiences at other schools) to a live band? I saw the Clarkson at QU game at the end of the regular season on TV and it looks like you've got a really good student section. Why wouldn't the school want a band to stoke the fires even more?
3:44 PM
The school doesn't want the pep band there because the band, earlier this season, had some tough times, and wasn't playing very well. So, some people in athletics decided they wouldn't enhance the fan experience, and decided to just use piped in music at almost all times.
The band plays MAYBE 2 - 3 times a period, no more than that. It's really pretty pathetic. Our games sound more like AHL games than NCAA games.
4:59 PM
Right now Athletics doesn't take our pep band seriously and we are trying to work on that. We can only hope that we will be more important than the machine they use to play music next year...but that is up to them. We definitely played "Can't Turn You Loose" every time QU got on and off the ice at the beginning/end of every period and after every goal at the game on Saturday, because we didn't have to worry about listening to when we could play and when we couldn't. Honestly, I had a great time at the game on Saturday and it was only because I got to see an excellent game and listen to Clarkson's band and play music. So, hopefully this is all resolved now...and everyone knows there was never meant to be disrespect towards anyone...
1:58 AM
I think what you guys need to do is pow-wow with every band that shows up at your arena and explain to them the situation. Then basically have each band take turns playing over the arena music until they give up. You CAN'T be the first to give up though or else they'll just keep playing. Obviously it'll be tough at first with two things going on at once but hey.
If we wanted to listen to the DJ music from the SIT, we'd go to Syracuse right?
5:47 PM
I hesitate to post this for fear of resparking the flamewars, but I know of the origins of this "Clarkson/RPI Rivalry" as I was there and have to claim some slight part in founding it.
1995 RPI was visiting Cheel for a regular season game and as one of the previous comments mentioned, it was a bit hairy. At one point a fan tried to light the RPI flag on fire. However, that same year, we (RPI) were hosted by you (Clarkson) at a post ECAC championship party. Fun time was had by all, and no rancor ensued.
During the 1995-96 and 1996-1997 seasons, some unfortunate words were traded, and thusly began the permanent substitution of Clarskson inside the One Minute shout. So, 11 years ago almost on the nose.
Personally, I was a bit uncomfortable with the level of ire directed at the Clarkson Band, but as of 1997 I was an alumnus and did nothing particular to curb it.
With respect to the Clarkson/Qunnipiac game, without having been there with the QU/RPI bands, I can't say what their intentions were, but I hope that other bands in the ECACHL would be willing to volunteer their time similarly to RPI if asked to support a fellow school. I'm sorry to see that you guys didn't advance, nor did Clarkson. Better luck next year. Likewise, I'll be cheering for RPI as usual, but when it comes to the NCAA's I'd hope that we can all pull for our conference.
10:43 PM
I can lend some information as to the origins of the "one minute" cheer. I was the conductor of the band during the 1997-98 season, and the topic of Clarkson's "One minute, and $OPPONENT still sucks" cheer came up during rehearsal one day towards the end of my tenure. I jokingly stated that the band should shout "...and Clarkson still sucks!" regardless of whom we were playing, as a jab at our perennial rivals and to mock Clarkson's cheer.
I moved on, the band did it at games a couple times, and that was it. I thought.
Today I'm frankly embarrassed at what it's become. Apparently a few people thought that the cheer was funnier than I did. Signs were made, t-shirts were printed, and now rather than a few people yelling it as a one-time amusing joke, ten years later it's practically become a motto for the RPI band and fans. I cringe when I hear the cheer at games live or on the radio, and I hate seeing it in print.
I'm an RPI fan through and through, and I believe that rivalries make the game more fun. Poking fun at the other band or the opposing fans can create a game-within-a-game which can be good for some laughs and can make victory or defeat that much more sweet or bitter.
This isn't really intended as an apology for the cheer, for I never figured the cheer would have the legs it's had. But I did want to clear up that the RPI community as a whole has had as much (or more) to do with propagating that cheer than the band itself.
2:00 PM
as ajz416 wrote, Q asked RPI to join them to play as it was their spring break, so their numbers would be low.
Clarkson's spring break started that weekend, and we still had 25ish band members still there to support the team, not to mention the thousands of fans for the team.
however, I thought it was classless to be playing the RPI fight song when you guys came on the ice for periods 1 and 3, and OUR THEME for period 2. I wouldn't have minded if you guys played the same theme as us (as you claim it was your guys theme before you joined the ECAC) if you played it all the time. Playing RPI's fight song was classless. RPI wasn't playing in that game; Q was, so play your own fight song.
as a wimpy anonymous poster said
"The ECACHL championship is being held 15 driving minutes away from Clarkson University. RPI and Brown are playing in the finals (hypothetically), and Clarkson was knocked out in the first round (remember, hypothetically). Being friends with the Brown band, the Clarkson band gets in touch and offers free lodging, to save budget money. In the reply, the Brown band mentions that due to spring break, there will be a very small contingency making the trip, and any musicians that would like to lend a hand would be greatly appreciated, really help to round out the band's sound and get free admission to the championship game."
being a member of the aforementioned Clarkson Pep Band. I know this is what we would do (as we have done it in previous years). We would come proudly dressed in our Clarkson jerseys. We would play with them the songs that they were playing, but you wouldn't here us playing the Oopma-Lumpa song when the ref's come out (well, maybe...) or the Blues Brothers theme when their team came out.
RPI really shouldn't have tried to hide being members of the Q pep band, rather, they should have been in their own uniforms. If it had been Brown vs. Q in this years playoffs (hypothetically) or Brown v. RPI (hypthetically, or most other teams, and we were asked to help, we probably would have come, but we would not have worn the colors of Brown, we would be wearing our own colors.
with all that being said, I hope that you guys can push your maarketing to new members (by possibly playing at something that all freshmen have to go to?) so that, ven when you do go on break, you can bring you own pep band.
9:37 PM
As anonymous wrote,
"however, I thought it was classless to be playing the RPI fight song when you guys came on the ice for periods 1 and 3, and OUR THEME for period 2. I wouldn't have minded if you guys played the same theme as us (as you claim it was your guys theme before you joined the ECAC) if you played it all the time. Playing RPI's fight song was classless. RPI wasn't playing in that game; Q was, so play your own fight song."
Maybe you couldn't be bothered to read the rest of this thread, but your "facts" are flat out wrong. Q played Blues Brothers as their team was entering and leaving the ice for every period (I wouldn't expect you to hear it from across the arena while your band was playing it at the same time) and after the two goals they scored. Like they always do. RPI's fight song was played once during the second period break with permission of the Q band. Nothing that hasn't been said at least 10 times in this thread by different people with ties to Quinnipiac and RPI.
Those are the facts. Get over yourself.
9:46 PM
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