Colorado Mammoth Message Board

Mr. Govett,

Do all NLL arenas announce the visiting team last and boo them on entry?

Do players really hear this, pay attention or care? I always figured I was screaming for my own good as the players were in their own world!

As a player what is it that fans do or do not do that motivates or distracts a player/team ... and tell the truth!

I have also always wondered whether it's harder for an offense or a defense to function when its loud in the arena. I assumed it would be the defense as their ability to communicate would be impacted.

I'd like to know too.... what do our guys think of the Cowbells?

I think there is a time when they should be used. I have a person behind me that insist on banging the large cow bell with a drum stick regardless of what is going on during the game. The person does not hold it up high, so the noise is directed right at my head. I swear i was deaf and my ears ringing by the end of the game.
If that person does it again at the next game and have a little friendly chat.

where do you sit?

I was more asking what the Mammoth Team thought of the Cowbells. If it bothered them, then I would gladly leave it at home. But if it psyche's them up at all - then I'll continue...

I ring mine pretty much through the game...

*When they announce our guys
*When we score
*When they put it up on the board go Cowbell Crazy
*When they ask us to make some noise
*When we're getting into a G-Fense groove (to the beat)

But I ring mine up high and hopefully not in anyone's ears and I'm kinda of surrounded by my own friends, so hopefully no one will try to take it away and stick it somewhere uncomfortable.

I guess I would say that it is up to the individual, as ticket buying fans you are entitled to do and say anything you like. Certainly the rules of good taste and morality should govern one's behavior but that is completely subjective as well.

All I can tell you is that I don't boo, and I teach my children not to boo. I try to teach my kids to cheer for great plays and great players.

Booing never made a player play worse, in fact, my experience has always been as a player that booing and negativity from a crowd was motivating. I used to love playing in the Aud in Buffalo because it was so loud and so intimidating that you played harder to "survive" and stick it back at them.

Most buildings in the NLL boo the opposing team when they are announced and there are great stories of the chant that follows the names of the players in Philly when they are announced as an opposing team. The players honestly think its funny and there are some pretty good jokes told afterward.

Mostly these guys are too focused to let it affect them. With all the music, interviews, announcers, dancers and crowd noise you learn very quickly to tune it out, in fact, most players talk about how you never actually hear the music.

The only thing that makes life difficult in the NLL for players with the noise is the loud noise when you are playing defense. It does make communication difficult however players generally know their assignments and system of playing defense so that communication is mostly understood and non-verbal.

I do know that the louder a fan base is after quick consecutive goals for a home team, the more fired up you become and momentum is so important in our game. The crowd is a huge part of the show, if they are loud and the atmosphere in the building is electric then it makes for a great entertainment spectle and the players do feed off of that.

SG