The unofficial online home for fans of the Western Michigan University Broncos. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

Our rivals have made success of some relatively easy catch phrases for their schools:

There's the Walmart classic: "Let's Go Blue"

Sparty's, "Go Green, Go White"

and of course, "Fire Up chips"

How many of us have watched one of their games (in the stands or on TV) and heard their fans screaming one of those simple phrases at the top of their lungs?

And they go crazy!

So, I was wondering... why can't WE do that?

Not to jump on the VaTech/Marshall boat (pun intended)... but as we search for "tradition" and identity at WMU, wouldn't it be good to start easy?

How about three relatively simple words:

1) We

2) Are

3) WESTERN

I think this would be an easy cheer for us to bring to Waldo (and UA and Lawson for that matter)...

You don't need a dj, you don't need the BMB (although a snappy drum cadence would help) and you don't need to mimic rowing of any kind.

You don't even have to commit the words to any long term memory -- there's only 3...

Again... (say it with me)

WE ARE WESTERN!!!

3 words... not nearly as complicated as our Alma Mater which many fine WMU alum have failed to learn.

WE ARE WESTERN!!!

There's even some nifty alliteration with two of the three words (and it wouldn't sound right replacing Western with central or Eastern... try it... see?)

WE ARE WESTERN!!!

One side of Waldo can say We Are, while the other says Western... or the entire stadium can shout all three words at the top of their lungs!! It doesn't matter... say it with me one more time...

WE ARE WESTERN!!!

In recent years, I've noted some on the student section trying a version of "Here we go Broncos, here we go!!" A noble effort, but it doesn't really catch on.

WE ARE WESTERN!!!

You can shout this at graduation, you can shout it walking through campus... shout it at away games (particularly in Mt. misery), put it on t-shirts... throw it in huge font on the video board (once we get one that doesn't look like it was stolen from a high school) the possibilities are pretty endless. In case you've forgotten, it's really simple...

WE ARE WESTERN!!

And if you check out this brief video from Huntington, the stadium doesn't have to be completely full for this to work...





Fans could even scream it on 3rd down... not to belittle our current "silent" third down chant...

Last time...

WE ARE WESTERN!!!

Hell, I remember going to games at Waldo in the late 80s where "great taste, less filling" got the crowd off of their hand sitting positions, at least briefly.

I have a feeling these three words will truly shock some much needed energy into Waldo... and if I were a player and heard everyone shouting this around me, how could I not get amped up? And dare I say, intimidate the visiting team...

WE ARE WESTERN!!

If half the folks who read this message board tried shouting those three words at our first home game this year, I have a pretty good feeling it would catch on immediately. It's easy, and it would be uniquely OURS!!! And if I'm wrong and it flops, we tried. There were a lot of flops in the stands (and on the field) last season as well.

But I for one, LOVE my Alma Mater, and I will absolutely be the first to proudly shout these three simple words at the TOP of my lungs:

WE ARE (dramatic pause) WESTERN!!!

DAMN RIGHT!!

... now if we could only get Bronco fans to actually wear our school colors at home games...(Whoops sorry, one thing at at a time.)

WE ARE, WESTERN!!


(climbing down off soapbox)

We have a 3 word phrase. ROW THE BOAT!!!! (dumbest thing ever by the way)


In all seriousness, I actually absolutely love this post and agree with you 100%. I was at the 2 MAC Title games at Marshall and remember then chanting that back and forth. The place was rocking. I've heard similar things at other venues and I agree, that it is simple and makes a ton of sense.

Not sure how well it would work in a half full stadium. Especially, when 1 side is filled with blue hairs and grumpy old men. That don't say boo the entire game anyways. And the other side clears out at halftime, never to return.

But, I love the idea. How great would that be during the pregame as the team is getting ready to run out of the corral and the fans chanting back and forth, WE ARE.....WESTERN!! That would be maybe the best thing I have seen at Waldo in quite some time. And I think it would get fans hyped up and into the game early and it would get the team hyped up as they get ready to come out. Do it turn the opening kickoff. Do it during timeouts. Do it all game long.

Great idea Anthony. If I am at the games I will do my part to help get it going loud and proud.

1. Row
2. The
3. Boat

(07-07-2014 08:54 AM)Hoekjeness Wrote:  1. Row
2. The
3. Boat

In other words you would rather have the fans stick with the status quote and do nothing?

Sorry, but Row The Boat
A: isn't going to catch on with the fans.
B: isn't going to become a chant in the stadium as is being discussed
C: is basically mocked by the majority of people other than.......well, we know the 2 of you that are on board.
D: is just plain stupid.

It was tongue and cheek...

If PJ wins 9+ games and brings us to Detroit in the next 2 or 3 seasons...it has a much better chance of catching on.

(07-07-2014 11:10 AM)EA3 Wrote:  If PJ wins 9+ games and brings us to Detroit in the next 2 or 3 seasons...it has a much better chance of catching on.

Do you think so?

Not asking that to be argumentative or start a fight. I'm being serious. Honestly, I just don't see it. Within the team, I'm sure its a big deal. Outside of the team, I just don't see it ever really having much impact.

Then again, I also don't see the 9+ wins happening anytime soon either, so that might make us both right.

It was already catching on with the students early last year, so yeah I could see it.

ROW THE BOAT

(07-07-2014 11:19 AM)wmubroncopilot Wrote:  It was already catching on with the students early last year, so yeah I could see it.

What a bunch of lapdogs and Fleck-apologists!

(07-07-2014 08:47 AM)WheresWaldo42 Wrote:  We have a 3 word phrase. ROW THE BOAT!!!! (dumbest thing ever by the way)


In all seriousness, I actually absolutely love this post and agree with you 100%. I was at the 2 MAC Title games at Marshall and remember then chanting that back and forth. The place was rocking. I've heard similar things at other venues and I agree, that it is simple and makes a ton of sense.

Not sure how well it would work in a half full stadium. Especially, when 1 side is filled with blue hairs and grumpy old men. That don't say boo the entire game anyways. And the other side clears out at halftime, never to return.

But, I love the idea. How great would that be during the pregame as the team is getting ready to run out of the corral and the fans chanting back and forth, WE ARE.....WESTERN!! That would be maybe the best thing I have seen at Waldo in quite some time. And I think it would get fans hyped up and into the game early and it would get the team hyped up as they get ready to come out. Do it turn the opening kickoff. Do it during timeouts. Do it all game long.

Great idea Anthony. If I am at the games I will do my part to help get it going loud and proud.

Thanks 42!!

It's something I've thought should happen for years!

When Fleck leaves, he's taking RTB with him.

WE ARE WESTERN can and should last as long as our Alma Mater has the word Western in it!

WE ARE WESTERN!!

PJ, KB, BMB -- you reading this??

WE ARE WESTERN!!

Let's just do it!!

(07-07-2014 11:18 AM)WheresWaldo42 Wrote:  

(07-07-2014 11:10 AM)EA3 Wrote:  If PJ wins 9+ games and brings us to Detroit in the next 2 or 3 seasons...it has a much better chance of catching on.

Do you think so?

Not asking that to be argumentative or start a fight. I'm being serious. Honestly, I just don't see it. Within the team, I'm sure its a big deal. Outside of the team, I just don't see it ever really having much impact.

Then again, I also don't see the 9+ wins happening anytime soon either, so that might make us both right.

It will catch on IF we win games (not just .500) and as long as PJ is here. RTB will likely be gone when PJ leaves.

Seems like as fans and alums, we should be supportive of whatever the current staff, BMB, and WMU student contingent are doing. As much as I agree with you that something more directly tied to WMU would be nice, it just doesn't make sense to create more division among the fan base. But that's just me. Alright, bring on the onslaught, I know it's coming.

The administration will never go for it as they don't want to be called Western. They want to be called Western Michigan, WMU or Western Michigan Broncos.

(07-07-2014 12:14 PM)jubbasubba Wrote:  The administration will never go for it as they don't want to be called Western. They want to be called Western Michigan, WMU or Western Michigan Broncos.

Then change it up a little. "WE ARE WMU". I think that works, and there is only one WMU in NCAA athletics.

That bogus Western Maritime Univeristy at the UN can bag it.

There's always
1) Go
2) Broncos

Even my non Bronco friends will tell me, "Go Broncos" on game day. I think that is our real identity.

(07-07-2014 12:41 PM)Broncobelt Wrote:  There's always
1) Go
2) Broncos

Even my non Bronco friends will tell me, "Go Broncos" on game day. I think that is our real identity.

There is that. That's what we all say to each other at road games when spotted, it works.

I was at Berlin Raceway a few weeks ago, collecting my sons payout for him at the end of the night. When the gal in the office saw my WMU jacket, got a big smile and a "Go Broncos" from her.

(07-07-2014 12:00 PM)Hoekjeness Wrote:  Seems like as fans and alums, we should be supportive of whatever the current staff, BMB, and WMU student contingent are doing. As much as I agree with you that something more directly tied to WMU would be nice, it just doesn't make sense to create more division among the fan base. But that's just me. Alright, bring on the onslaught, I know it's coming.

I chose WE ARE WESTERN because it's a true statement.

WE ARE WESTERN!!

This isn't about what past, present or future football coaches we're find of.

It's about simplicity and UNITY.

If you have even the slightest connection to the Brown and Gold and its fans, then YOU are Western!!

If over the years you sat in the cold rain at Waldo with only a few hundred fans watching the Broncos struggle against Akron... YOU are Western!

If you traveled to mt. misery and saw Tony Kimbrough run circles around sthe chips at kelly/shorts... YOU are Western!

If you watched the Hockey Broncos bash Michigan at The Joe... YOU are Western!

If you watched WMU's Bracket Buster game in 2004, and proudly told everyone around the bar how great your Alma Mater is... YOU are Western!!

If you've ever sunbathed on the hill during a game at Hyames Field... (And you know the answer to the trivia question, "Where were the first two college World Series held")... YOU are Western!!

If you remember the location of Mabee Hall... YOU are Western!!

You are Western, I am Western, WE ARE WESTERN!!

Why are we even reading this thread or any thread on this forum?? Because WE ARE WESTERN!!

And by the way, it would sound really cool if we were all shouting it in unison in the stands!!!

There's really no denying it...

WE ARE WESTERN!!

(07-07-2014 12:41 PM)Broncobelt Wrote:  There's always
1) Go
2) Broncos

Even my non Bronco friends will tell me, "Go Broncos" on game day. I think that is our real identity.

Go Broncos will always part of Western's DNA! I love it when someone spits me at a store (or anywhere for that matter) sees my Bronco shirt or jacket, gives me a thumbs up and says "Go Broncos!" I love it!!

Go Broncos is our equivalent of Go Blue or Go State. I wouldn't dare advocate changing or eliminating Go Broncos!

And our Go Broncos cheer is very.. Uh, wait... There really is no Go Broncos cheer.

Yes, there's the cheer where BMB leads us in spelling out B-R-O-N-C-O-S, followed by a Goooo Broncos, WMU!!! It's a good cheer... But, our recent football records not withstanding, fan participation in that cheer has almost always been less than stellar.

We've never really had a cheer centered around "Go Broncos" that truly electrified the crowd... It's no ones fault, it just hasn't happened.

As much as I may be absolutely dreaming, I really believe "WE ARE WESTERN" is exactly the unifying tonic our fan base needs. (That, along with winning a few games.)

GO BRONCOS!!

WE ARE WESTERN!!