(11:54 AM): There are currently more people on the field than in the student section.

That just about sums it up.

There is no bigger pain in the ass/knees than those chairs. Plus the people that rent them always seem determined to get their monies worth.

There is a Wine and Cheese element to our crowd that didn’t used to be there. Ticket prices got to the point where some of our more rowdy fans had to stop coming and those seats were taken over by people that lack the pride to stand up and make noise even when things aren’t going well. Very big generalization there, but I’ll be honest, the 2003 VT crowd used to be the norm. Now people with short memories look back on that as the best the crowd has ever been. Wish everyone could have been at the 1984 PSU game just for reference.

who do not cheer ever. They sit completely silent, sometimes completely ignoring the game at crucial moments to chat with their g/f or whoever.

It just blows my mind. Why are you at the game? You don’t even applaud great plays let alone make a little noise to help out our defense. Go home and give your ticket to someone who cares about what’s happening on the field.

As far as students go, they just need to be given less space and tickets. They don’t deserve what they have. They act like Marshall students.

I was disgusted with the showing by the students in the game Saturday as it was my first and only game I attended this year since I now live in NY. I agree that if you take away some of the supply, you will increase the demand. However, I feel that taking the lower sections away may be the wrong avenue. Those lower sections are usually filled with the non drunken student types (at least that’s the way it was when I was a student a mere 2 years ago), and those fans shouldn’t be punished.
I also think that there should never be pass-outs for anyone. I’ve never seen such a ridiculous rule at any other stadium. Like you said, sneak some liquor in with you because let’s face it, it’s not that hard (I used to bring in a six-pack into the stadium every game, minus the cardboard of course). It makes the stadium emptier than usual at the beginning of the second half when people are already usually in the bathroom and not back in their seats.
The video board is fun, and sometimes entertaining. And it has its place at NFL games. But since the band is trying to play during stoppages in the game, shut the damn thing off.
I could not agree more about standing at the games. I’ve heard the argument for both sides as well, and I see the sitting peoples’ point, but I say stand and be loud.
Also, I think there is an outlying issue here that seems to be killing the student section. It has been going on since I was there and continues to get worse. The administration is trying to kill student drinking. Which is why they want less night games, and even less afternoon games. 12 noon games are way too early to get up and properly tailgate beforehand. Move the games into the afternoon and more students would come and stay. That’s my theory and I’m sticking to it.

I hate poeple who know nothing about football and complain about everything the coaches and players do. Case In point I was at my Fomer High School watching a game in the “student section”(if you want to see less enthusatic fans for a team that is playing very well go to Ravenswood High School this week) our QB is being sacked in the endzone and he is on his way down just throws a ball directly to a D-lineman returns it for a two TD. I why not jsut take the saftey and one of mine friends turns and says to me “why” I could not respond I was shocked that someone didn’t understand that 2points is less than 7 and our Defense had been shutting down the other team all night so why take the two points and let our defense continue to play the way they had. This is why I watch football by myself in my basement

I was at the Liberty and Colorado games this year. At the Liberty game a lady told me and my brother to sit down, she couldn’t see. I told her that if I wanted to sit down and watch the game I would have stayed home and maybe she ought to think about that the next game. Then at the Colorado game there a guy that sat the row behind me a couple seats down who complained about everyone standing the entire game. I was in section 101 row 3.

Shady, I sit in 101 and understand your frustration completely. It doesn’t get any worse than the folks that sit in 101.

There has been a distinct lack of both in the student section lately. We paying ticket holders may be more ‘whine & cheese’ due to the increase in ticket prices (separate topic) but there is no excuse for serenity and composure from a bunch of 18 to 22 year olds. Some good free-spirited behavior on the part of a full student section gets the whole crowd into the game and livens things up. Charlie has a point. I say take away some of their seats and their pass outs. When I went to school there, we all sat around staring at each other after a game because none of us still had a voice. I’m guessing that’s not happening today.

There are plenty of real fans willing to pay for tose seats that those students dont use..I agree, our fans arent the same anymore…I live in Columbus and I hate the Buckeyes but I will say these people are loyal Buckeye fans who look at Buckeye tickets as an honor and they show up are loudly voice their support. I am willing to join in on the " get you ass to the game" campaign.

who stays the entire game every game, I think you are right on Charley. I disagree with you about nixing the senior spirit section though. I think it is important to keep students near the field. Take a look at the picture you posted. I would like to see the upper student section that’s above the senior spirit section turned over to better fans. Here is my idea, I am not sure if it makes much sense and it will probably piss a lot of students off, but it might work. Our tuition pays for our tickets right? So how about we lower our tuition a little bit and make students pay $15 a game. Students already have to order their tickets online a week in advance. There’s nothing like people wanting to get their money’s worth to motivate them.

1. The students should lose sections 205 and 206 in the upper deck. However, they should get section 121 in the lower deck. To me that brings with it two big benefits.

First, the students would get closer to the field and make the north endzone loud and intimidating. It would also make it easier for the cheerleaders/Mountaineer to get cheers started. Students seem to be more in tune with cheerleaders and thus both sides have some helping in getting with the cheers.

Second, the University would get a ton more money from donations because sections 205 and 206 are great seats. Maybe more wine and cheese but also more money.

2. No pass outs for anyone. Bring it in with you at the start. Having people run out to get liqour’d up at half just makes them more incoherent and less likely to pay attention in the fourth quarter. Just keep a steady pace.

3. The music on the video board is stupid. I don’t need the NFL bells and other shit to get excited it just makes people lazy and less likely to make noise themselves. It also lends to the “entertain me” feeling rather than fans creating the atmosphere.

4. Sit, stand, lay or kneel just make some noise other than complaining. The fans around me only say anything when something goes wrong. Cheer them on don’t break them down assholes.

I have been going to games since 1981, and I think you guys are right. The crowds aren’t what they used to be. My personal highlight would have to be the 1993 Miami game (17-14….incidentally, how many fans would be happy with that score now – a game that was won with defensive stops and improving field position and not glamourous, video-game style 70-yard plays?). But in a way, I might be somewhat responsible, just as the current students may be. I was 23 in 1993, and I left many a Mountanieer game tthen with voice that was broken. I mean, really broken, as in I couldn’t speak without rasping until the following Thurdsay. Now, I am nearly 40 and I stand and cheer on almost every play (something which sadly annoys a lot people in Section 217). But I am not cheering, unfortuately, like I used to.

I don’t know if the next generation cheers quite like we did, if for no other reason, they might be texting, or talking on the phone. We didn’t have those kinds of distratctions. When we were at the game, we were at the game – incommunicado for those four hours. I do think that the loudest cheering is really a younger fan’s duty, because, well, aging sucks. It makes me wonder if today’s students and twenty-somethings are as interested as we were.

I will say this, though…I think all the people that make the most noise are those that travel to the road games. I have been at the old Pitt Stadium and felt that our visitor’s section was louder than their entire half-filled stadium. And last year’s bowl game was one of the best and loudest crowds I was ever lucky enough to be a part of.