Bringing Glory Back to Ol' Georgia: Music

Continuing the mini series we started earlier this week, today's post focuses on the music inside Sanford Stadium.  It needs an overhaul.

PART TWO:

MUSIC

 

It simply has to get better. The minor league baseball playlist has to be scrapped.  These young players and recruits don’t relate to hard rock and alternative music. The music being played over the loud speakers needs to resonate with the players and recruits.  When the players feed off the music, the crowd does too (just look at South Carolina and ‘Sandstorm’). Furthermore, the ‘Name That Tune’ game that features various athletes and songs from the 70’s and 80’s and even 90's proves that today’s students don’t relate to the laid-back Bon Jovi saturated playlist we’ve been using at games.

 

In my opinion there has to be more rap and less “poolside” music.  If there's a timeout and the opponent has the ball, that’s the time for our band to be playing intimidating songs. Less Bulldog Bite and Bulldog Boogey.  Save those tunes for offensive timeouts and the ride over.  When the opponent has the ball, no matter the situation, the stadium should be deafening by the time their offense comes back onto the field…not by the time they are lining up.  That starts with the music man.  When we have the ball, use that time to play the video board games, or sing along games.  Every stadium I’ve been to does a better job at this than Sanford Stadium. 

 I realize there’s a ton of sponsors who have paid lots of money for their spot on the video board, but the “Karaoke Cam” doesn’t even have a sponsor.  It’s a time filler.  We can do better.  There’s a vast difference between the Georgia-Auburn game and used car night at Cool Ray Field in July…at least there should be.  Point in case:  We pinned Auburn inside the 5 yard line with 4 minutes to go in the half this past season…we played “Aint No Mountain High Enough" during that change of possession and as the Auburn offense was taking the field.  I don’t need to tell you that song does not energize the defense and get the crowd roaring.  We held Auburn, they punted, we couldn't do anything so we punted with just a few seconds to go in the half.  During that timeout and change of possession, (where Auburn is clearly going to down the ball with 12 seconds left to play in the half), the music

man cranks up “Seven Nation Army” which is a great 3^rd down/defensive song, but completely used at the wrong time.  This is an area that needs vast improvement and single handedly would make Sanford Stadium a better home field advantage once again. 

 

Over the past 4 seasons we've compiled a home record of 20-6. That includes losses to Missouri, Vanderbilt and a couple to in-state rival Georgia Tech; with near misses to Georgia Southern, Missouri and Nicholls State along the way.  We were at every one of those games mentioned and the stadium was dead.

 

If you've ever been to South Carolina, Clemson, Auburn, Alabama, Tennessee and even Kentucky, you know what I'm talking about.  If you don't, here's a few videos to give you a snapshot of what other places are like throughout the game...not just a few moments.

This video is just before South Carolina took us to the woodshed in 2012.  I can tell you it has been like that almost ever time I've been to Williams-Brice.  This particular game, the upper deck was moving back and forth and I told a friend before kickoff, this one wasn't going our way strictly based on the pregame atmosphere.  You could tell it was about to get ugly.

South Carolina

 

Wisconsin does a great job of incorporating a video board game into some massive hype.  They have a cartoon race and each cartoon is representing a section of the students.  The winning cartoon wins something free for every student in that section.  Watch and be amazed.  Have you ever seen people in Sanford act like this?  No.  Jump Around

 

This video from a UK fan during the Georgia game this past year is, ummmm....entertaining.  You see the crowd hype that was there all throughout the game due to music....This video is during a replay review.  Notice what happens after the announcement. Kentucky

I used to scoff at techno music in stadiums, but the truth is, it works.  We need more hype music and less rock classics.  You cannot argue the impact it has on atmosphere.

Uncle Verne 

Knowshon

 

If this is how the players react to winning the Independence Bowl, imagine their reaction in Sanford Stadium vs anyone.

Make the Redcoats Great Again

And Again