(Long post warning)
Total Disgrace....
Wow... didn't really think that one through now did you cheermore.
Did you really come up with that topic because you were hoping to engineer anything of benefit? If so then next time I suggest thinking a little deeper and working a little harder if you are truly interested in helping and not hindering "thinkmore"
Nevertheless some of the wisest of heads have still managed to objectively absorb your perhaps well intentioned but poorly constructed criticism and turn it into a means for learning and growth. Well done to you our Marinator leaders, your doing us all very proud indeed. But as to the responses of our more fiery heads... what else could anyone possibly expect??? Certainly reeks of TROLL. Otherwise the mind boggles that you "thinkmore" could feel morally sound in calling a passionate group of people who stand and sing till their voices go hoarse week after week year after year, make flags, run forums and everything else they do all out of their own time and UNPAID! And say what the f**k Willace??? That they are A DISGRACE?
Hang your head thinkmore. And THINKMORE! Much much more...
However in following the terrific example already laid out I'll now instead try to add my own constructive thoughts/suggestions to the discussion.
Problem # 1
Not loud enough.
Mitigating factors
* No roof -- No point dwelling on it - unless as has already been suggested
there is the possibility of moving the Marinators home bay.
There are clearly Pros and cons to be assessed in this regard and I personally at least would be interested to hear any discussion, or perhaps even a thread in this regard?
Next Mitigating factor -
*Too many young/non commited people clogging up the bay.
Well only two options I see here...
We can try to lay a policy down and then try and police it - which states that people are only allowed into the Marinators home bay supporter areas if they are committed to support their team through singing and standing (Don't shoot me here please - I'm not stating necessarily what I think should be done or how easily it would be done... but only what I think could potentially be done)
Now why I say policy is because to actually work, it would need I would think to be something that was approved/endorsed by the mariners & blue tongue offices, with sign-age to make it all official at a glance, so as responsibility would not rest too firmly on the heads of our committed Marinators in trying to police people - and also to accomplish what I suspect is probably the real crux of what needs to happen now - that is the education of our new emerging fan base -- because one on one conversations - chanting at people, or even a guy on a megaphone... is probably pretty unlikely to be very successful if there is no official support behind it. Validation and edification I think are essential ingredients. I would also mention the possibility of perhaps Marinator club membership as a potential entry requirement. I realise this would likely arise all kinds of concerns from finacial cross interests etc...to potential civil rights. However there is certainly already the precedent for restrictive seating areas and exclusion policies in all sporting grounds and as this is clearly in everyones best interests it should be achievable, and probably may well be just the kind of support that our "official supporters" require if they are going to be able to successfully fulfill the high level role which everyone clearly seems desirous/demanding of them to fulfill. All this angst I think actually shows how much the coast is looking to the Marinators for inspiration and leadership - which is really bloody exciting - and I personally think the Marinators have at the very least earned the right to ask for this level of official support in helping to grow the home fan base and align it with the long term goals of the Central Coast Mariners.
The second option - is to once again move the home bay to a gold membership area
and thereby allow the financial membership commitment to instead operate as a natural supporter filter if you will.
Next mitigating factor -
The chants and their tones and pitch. What I mean is, what sound carries and what doesn't... It's just the way it works that low deep sounds don't travel as well as high ones do. For example bay 16 chanting "C'mon you yellow" doesn't travel around the ground aswell in comparison to "Yellow Army" Most of our chants are all pretty simple, so I'm not overly concerned with that aspect as I really don't think its the issue - but I'm regularly asked on anything except, "yellow army" and 3 clap "mariners" what are the bay actually saying??? Subsequently and of little surprise the only chant we can ever get going outside of the bay are "yellow army' (just - sometimes) and 3 clap "Mariners" the boring but effective fav. Clearly I would say we need at least three differing chants which all travel easily until people become more educated and committed as supporters (I think we have to keep remembering that these people are all still just learning how to actually be a football supporter).
Next mitigating factor -
Not enough people using their voices.
Well besides some bearing by some of the former suggestions - its clearly about two things - fun (which I'll go into in a second) and education - In this regard clearly there are limitations and you can only work with what you have and what is achievable - that being - first as used before and fairly regularly re suggested, the megaphone - Jeff - for me I'd vote that organic is surely the ideal, but its one that looks like it needs to be evolved into, and it just may take some structure and corniness perhaps to get the train really moving on the track first IMHO. Pamphlets - I would suggest a mini brochure or double sided pamphlet (Do you guys already have sponsorship from a printing biz in this regard?) Titled something like "How to support your favourite team" or some such (again be nice to have official cooperation and collusion if possible on this one) then inside it talks of support and how powerful its affect is - with maybe a couple of quotes from some of the boys re the "twelfth man" etc, - then there are two sections - one "general support" - with the three key chants, and perhaps a couple of other songs songs - and then a "being in the bay" Marinator section which can indeed work as somewhat of a disclaimer for the bay, but more importantly tells what is expected of a bay supporter who intends to step aboard the Marinators flagship area. Also there should be a web addy for further songs and info. As well info on how to become a Marinator member, or become a financial contributor to the Marinators perhaps.
Anyhow, i'm sure there are other great ideas re educating people -- getting the promo guy who says "show us your yellow" and also successfully makes the vast majority of us into marketing whores for a thousand bucks each week could surely lend a hand (or mouth) Just a few words about -- Don't forget to learn your three chants! It's so easy... but makes so much difference...etc etc... just listen in for when it starts and then join in yadda yadda....
We need to build the right football supporter culture here and they really need to give us a hand I think.
Ok, lastly fun, (and then anyone who's managed to wade through this monstrosity can peel their eyes back off the screen - very sorry for that).
Right back to fun-- things catch on when they are fun, and kids generally only do things when they look like fun...
Chanting singing can be fun...
jumping up and down is fun...
twirling things above your head is fun...
Though scum and bling look outstandingly stupid doing it, however we of course would not.
pointing fingers in unison is fun fun fun...hell even mexican waves are fun!
Three claps is not so fun I think, but I must be wrong as it seems to go down a treat.
(from memory there were also some good suggestions about ones where everyone sits down everyone stands up - repeat - etc... that we could do too)
I would suggest that our key chants need these kind of activities.
It's not theory but fact that when a body moves it becomes more energised, that a person who is more energised experiences a greater sense of confidence, and it's obvious that a confident person is more likely to sing, and sing louder to boot.
Ok, right, I'm done.
Hope it's all of some value.
Besty Wishes All
and long live the mighty Yellow Army
verhead:
keep the chants going longer.
