McDermott letter to Students...
- Thread starter j4state
- Start date
i went ahead and posted it because it was kinda a pain to open..
February 2, 2007
Dear Cyclone Alley:
First of all, thank you for the awesome outpouring of support you have shown our men’s basketball team all season. Hilton Magic is alive and well because of your efforts, and I hope you know how much we appreciate it. It always gives our players an extra lift on the court when we hear you cheering us on; keep up the great work!
Cyclone Alley is also a great opportunity for you to represent our university and our student body. As a member, you have increased visibility and are regularly seen on television. It is wonderful when national crowds can see how many ISU students are packing Hilton to support the Cyclones. It results in things like increased television coverage, more benefits for Cyclone Alley members, and honors such as ISU being nominated by ESPN.com as a top school for student spirit in college basketball.
But with this opportunity to represent ISU comes great responsibility, and lately not all of our student section is representing the Cyclones in the classy way expected by those of us associated with ISU basketball. Avoiding classless chants and promoting positive cheers are things Cyclone Alley can do to further distinguish itself as the premier student spirit group in college athletics.
Please support our team with continued enthusiasm, but please keep your language clean and be respectful toward our visitors. Our crowd can still be intimidating and loud without stooping to such levels.
Further, I encourage you to support the Cyclone Alley leadership in chanting “Go State!” after we clap five times for each visiting starter. Other chants that have been heard lately during the introductions are inappropriate and, frankly, childish. Please know that they are not supported by me, my staff, our players, the Cyclone Alley Central committee, or our university administration. Thank you.
I am very proud to be the head men’s basketball coach at Iowa State University. Thanks for everything you can do to enhance all of our pride and help make us the classiest program, and fan base, in the Big 12.
We hope to see you in the crowd Saturday as our team takes on Baylor at 5 p.m., and also on Sunday as Coach Fennelly’s women’s team faces Missouri at 3 p.m.
Greg McDermott
Head Basketball Coach
February 2, 2007
Dear Cyclone Alley:
First of all, thank you for the awesome outpouring of support you have shown our men’s basketball team all season. Hilton Magic is alive and well because of your efforts, and I hope you know how much we appreciate it. It always gives our players an extra lift on the court when we hear you cheering us on; keep up the great work!
Cyclone Alley is also a great opportunity for you to represent our university and our student body. As a member, you have increased visibility and are regularly seen on television. It is wonderful when national crowds can see how many ISU students are packing Hilton to support the Cyclones. It results in things like increased television coverage, more benefits for Cyclone Alley members, and honors such as ISU being nominated by ESPN.com as a top school for student spirit in college basketball.
But with this opportunity to represent ISU comes great responsibility, and lately not all of our student section is representing the Cyclones in the classy way expected by those of us associated with ISU basketball. Avoiding classless chants and promoting positive cheers are things Cyclone Alley can do to further distinguish itself as the premier student spirit group in college athletics.
Please support our team with continued enthusiasm, but please keep your language clean and be respectful toward our visitors. Our crowd can still be intimidating and loud without stooping to such levels.
Further, I encourage you to support the Cyclone Alley leadership in chanting “Go State!” after we clap five times for each visiting starter. Other chants that have been heard lately during the introductions are inappropriate and, frankly, childish. Please know that they are not supported by me, my staff, our players, the Cyclone Alley Central committee, or our university administration. Thank you.
I am very proud to be the head men’s basketball coach at Iowa State University. Thanks for everything you can do to enhance all of our pride and help make us the classiest program, and fan base, in the Big 12.
We hope to see you in the crowd Saturday as our team takes on Baylor at 5 p.m., and also on Sunday as Coach Fennelly’s women’s team faces Missouri at 3 p.m.
Greg McDermott
Head Basketball Coach
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I think it's funny that they try to pass that off as a letter from GMac and not just a letter created by the PR dept that they attach his name to.
I support a message like this. I haven't been to any games but either there have been specific issues recently or the Athletic Department is trying to volley a preemptive strike before something gets out of hand. Regardless, in my opinion, it doesn't make any difference whose name is on it (as long as it has the backing of the athletic department) they recognize a need and let's support it.
We it does have a point with the "you suck!" chants that have been said lately after the 5 claps. It is pretty childish and classless.
Although I will admit I was guilty of the same stuff when I was a student and chanted some things regarding the refs off-court activities with sheep as an example.
Although I will admit I was guilty of the same stuff when I was a student and chanted some things regarding the refs off-court activities with sheep as an example.
I couldn't agree with this letter more. The 5 claps followed by "you suck" is classless. We certainly didn't do that back in the mid 80s.
Do you honestly think Greg is the type of guy that would be go with a message going out with his name on it without having some say in it?
I don't.
Agree with the letter, good move.
Let's not become another Missouri!!
We want to support our teams,but remember these teams AND fans are guests in our house.
Another idea for Cyclone Alley that I saw during some game the other night. When the other team was shooting free throws the students were sitting down then right before the player shot the ball they stood up and it looked like "the wave." The camera angle was the view from behind the player and it looked pretty distracting to me. I think if I was shooting a FT with that in the background it might mess me up enough to put too much behing the shot and FT would be long.
I haven't been to a game this season yet. But I haven't noticed anything I'd be ashamed of from the tv. In fact, I've been rather impressed with Cyclone Alley this season with the exception of the occassional goof in the front row making a dolt out of himself - but I was once in college too so who am I to speak....
Hadn't heard the 5 clap thing - that should stop. Otherwise I think the kids are great. On the otherhand (opp to slam another school), did anybody catch the UNI/Wichita St game the other night. A few students came across loud and clear in that game. And I had the "pleasure" of sitting next to the Iowa band and student section a few years back for the ISU game in Carver.
Now I'm sure Coach McD and/or the PR staff have their reasons for the letter, and that's all well and good. But compared to what I've witnessed by our in-state rivals, I personally have seen next to nothing the times I've been to games in recent years or on TV that would make me ashamed of our students.
Hadn't heard the 5 clap thing - that should stop. Otherwise I think the kids are great. On the otherhand (opp to slam another school), did anybody catch the UNI/Wichita St game the other night. A few students came across loud and clear in that game. And I had the "pleasure" of sitting next to the Iowa band and student section a few years back for the ISU game in Carver.
Now I'm sure Coach McD and/or the PR staff have their reasons for the letter, and that's all well and good. But compared to what I've witnessed by our in-state rivals, I personally have seen next to nothing the times I've been to games in recent years or on TV that would make me ashamed of our students.
Greg didn't write it, but there is nothing wrong with that, he read it and signed it - big deal, thats how things are done everywhere.
The "you suck" chant has been around for years and honestly I think the band started it in the first place. There's nothing wrong with it and if that's the worst the opponents hear out of the fans all night then they got off pretty well in my opinion.
I'm a cyclone alley member and I have to say that the "you suck" chant really annoys me. First off, there is no reason to do it. Secondly, we don't want the players we face to suck because we want to bring a competitive atmosphere to Hilton. Thirdly, it makes absolutely no sense, and is in no way witty, funny, or entertaining. Finally, the University of Iowa student section does the same thing, and we all know how good of an example they are. Please, just respect the wishes of the athletic department and other fans in Hilton.
the bull Sh$% chant needs to go too that is way classless if i was a visitor or a parent that would up set me. the game is supposed to be a family atmosphere sure there are goign to be a couple knuckleheads swearing but when you get 3-4000 people chanting its rediculous
