CSNbbs

Hey gang, thought it'd be worthwhile joining the thread! I'm going to be announcing for Football this year, and I'd love to hear what you like and what you don't like to hear when you are at the games. I can't promise that every suggestion will be done, but I'll listen (or read in this case) all of them.

Lay it on me! I've got some cool ideas of my own to "spice" things up a little bit, and I'm hoping for a lot of fan interaction. Any suggestions or "pet peeves" you have would be greatly appreciated.

Look forward to hearing all of you as loudly as you hear me!

all i want to hear is "TOUCHDOWN RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRockets!"

Wow, someone seeking input from the fans. This is a very good sign!!

The only thing I would say is be enthusiastic without going too overboard and turning your calls into silly sound effects.
i.e., "Another Toledo first DOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWNNNNnnnnn....."

Calling the right player names is always a good thing.

Oh, and rather than call out player numbers, if you could send out a Hawaiian Tropic Girl to hold up a big card with the number, that would be really good.

I think you'll do fine, Kevin.

Sorry, Hawaiian Tropic ladies are reserved for the press box only. But I'll take plenty of photos!

thanks for stopping by the boards. Just do your own style, much like for b-ball and the Hens and I'm sure it'll be good. Energetic announcer = energetic fans. I seriously think a few past announcers were starting to fall asleep in the press box.

Would love for a couple chants/cheers to grow more which you could help with, such as the "T-O-L" with a response "E-D-O" and "T-O-L-E-D-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" before kickoffs. and any others that can get the crowd involved.

Kevin,

First of all, welcome aboard!

Second...wow...somebody from the University seeking input from the fans!!! I commend you with coming on here to solicit our thoughts and ideas to make the game better. I think you'll get a lot of good ideas from the guys on here.

I don't get to many games (I live in South Florida) but I look forward to hearing you on September 1st vs. Purdue...I'll be there!!!

My suggestion to you is to develop some sort of "catch phrase" that the crowd can chant along with you. For example, the Detroit Pistons PA says the following after a turnover to Detroit "Deee-troit Baasket-baallll". It's catchy and fans love chanting it.

I've gone to several Miami Heat games and the PA there loves saying "Alon-zoooo Mooooooornnnnnningg" in his best Michael Buffer impersonation. I love it!!!

Stick around here throughout the season as we'll come up with several knicknames for players....we might let you use a few of them.

Good luck on your new gig!

Go Rockets!!!!!!

I would love to see a version of the sideline chant that some larger schools do although I'm not sure how you could implement this from the press box.

For example, Penn State. One side of the stadium says "WE ARE" and the other says "PENN STATE!!!"

University of Florida has "BLUUUUUUUUE" and "ORRRRAAAAANGE".

Maybe we could do "TO-LEEEE-DOOOOO" and "ROCK-ETTTTTTTSSSSSS" or some other derivitive.

another thing i need to hear is.."picked off by Barry, Its Time for Church!"

Time4Church8 Wrote:another thing i need to hear is.."picked off by Barry, Its Time for Church!"

Have you been hanging out at Casears again????

From an opponents standpoint, all I ever ask if that you show class and respect and not go overboard. I remember a ladies BBall game at Toledo some years back and a Toledo gal hit a three and the announcer was still yelling THREEEEEEEEEE when BG was making a layup at the other end.

But I am old school.

Welcome AnnouncerKevin!!!

Anything you can do to get the crowd on their collective feet would be great.

At every other stadium the home team announcer helps create a "hostile" environment for the opposing team and their fans -- nothing unsportsmanlike, just supporting the home team. That has not been the case in the Glass Bowl. The previous announcer didn't create any excitement, particularly when the team really could have used the crowd behind them.

Coordinating things with the band director would be good (e.g., first down music) as well as the scoreboard graphics -- never figured out why the UT Athletic Department couldn't sweet talk the Mud Hens into some of their video (e.g., the Godzilla Stomp, etc.). Decent sound effects would work too. You're going to have to deal with the poor sound system in the Glass Bowl, something we fans have wanted replaced for some time now.

Two recent trips come to mind where the announcer made a huge difference in the atmosphere:

1. Fresno State and their "THIRD DOWN THUNDER" cheer (while they were on defense).

2. Iowa State - totally awesome game day experience. They had a pre-game where the fans were taught new cheers via the sound system.

I always liked Bob English's "That's good enough for another ROCKETS FIRST DOWN!!! cheer.

We've been trying to adopt a "ROCKET NATION" theme and are working on some "IGNITED WE STAND" t-shirts (thanks RocketRobert) for this upcoming season (http://www.therocketstore.com). We also have cowbells ("Rocket Ringers").

A cheap noisemaker is a 20 oz plastic pop bottle filled with 2-3 pennies ("Rocket Rattles"). They make a tremendous amount of noise -- imagine several thousand of those going at one time - a very cheap noisemaker that could become a Glass Bowl tradition with you encouraging fans to "shake their ROCKET RATTLES" at the right time.

AnnouncerKevin Wrote:I've got some cool ideas of my own to "spice" things up a little bit, and I'm hoping for a lot of fan interaction.

I think the Kiss Cam thing can stay w/the MudHens....

Welcome aboard Kevin! You've done a great job w/UT basketball..I'm agreeing with everything posted above - just get people involved! I think it would be cool if we could get different sides of the stadium participating in a chant, or the ever popular wave.

Redwingtom Wrote:From an opponents standpoint, all I ever ask if that you show class and respect and not go overboard. I remember a ladies BBall game at Toledo some years back and a Toledo gal hit a three and the announcer was still yelling THREEEEEEEEEE when BG was making a layup at the other end.

But I am old school.

I might agree with our friend from BG... I love your enthusiasm but let's keep it classy and friendly--we "middle-aged geeks" from the Physics and Astronomy Department don't always understand in your face exuberance.

I must be old school also.

Time4Church8 Wrote:all i want to hear is "TOUCHDOWN RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRockets!"

That would be great. I'm in the band, so you can coordinate with me (or the director) if you want any music played for different cheers. Music played on the speakers would be great...but don't over do it! A lot of us in the band wonder why we're at the games when we are told not to play because of upcoming announcements/songs.

When the band is in the tunnel formation before the football team comes out, half the band can't see the video. Another video before the kickoffs with "jacked up" hits would be a great way to pump up the crowd for Rocket Football. The intro or parts of "So Cold" by Breaking Benjamin would go great with the highlights (http://www.myspace.com/breakingbenjamin) Maybe someone can find the video of the hit on the EMU QB a couple of years ago! That would be a great way to end a video highlight. :ncaabbs:

Sideline cheers would be fun to do, or you can have cheerleaders go around the stadium and have different sections scream a letter of T-O-L-E-D-O.

Quote:That's good enough for another ROCKETS FIRST DOWN!!!

I have always really liked this line above.

And please use "ROckets" in your phrases as opposed to "Toledo".
It rolls off the tongue, is more energentic and sports teams should be referred to more often by their mascot/moniker as opposed to school name.

Touchdown Rockets sounds better than Touchdown Toledo.
Rockets First Down sounds better than Toledo First Down.
And so on.
Saying First Down Toledo is what we hear when you're the visitor.

Definately didn't expect this kind of turnout in just the few couple of hours...I LOVE IT!!! Keep it all coming! You've been going to Rockets games for longer than I, and I want this to be an enjoyable experience for all...

I'll throw out the idea of pregame "training" with the fans...I have a visual of doing the wave while SCREAMING T-O-L-E-D-O before the kick off...

The Rocket Rattles could be really annoying on 3rd downs (when we're on defense of course). ...Wonder if promotions might give something like that out sometime during the season...

Hope you'll all be my sounding board throughout the season. You cannot offend me, I understand that not everybody will love my style, but I'll do my best to keep everybody excited!

In response to a couple of the "old school" comments...I'm right there with you...I consider myself to be more of a 'background' announcer 90% of the time...

I don't introduce myself throughout the games, and I try to stick to what I'm there for...giving you the information that you might not already have...

The other 10% of the time, I consider myself to be a really loud cheerleader...sometimes fans need a little encouragement (or permission) to make noise...I'll be more than happy to grant you that permission.

BOTTOM LINE...LET'S HAVE FUN THIS YEAR...LET'S GET LOUD...AND LET'S WIN SOME FOOTBALL GAMES!!!!!

AnnouncerKevin Wrote:Sorry, Hawaiian Tropic ladies are reserved for the press box only. But I'll take plenty of photos!

Whoa there, Kevin. You should leave that to a professional. I will make the sacrifice and make time in my shooting schedule to cover that too.

-Dan

hi kevin, great to have you here, my suggestion, if allowable, some Homer Simpson sound effects, like "DOH" when the other team turns it over, i love the "BORING!" sound effect at he mud hen games when the pitcher throws to first, the crowd really responds and joins in with that one, it's hillarious. some things like that and really psyching up the crowd would be great.

FtLauderdaleRocket Wrote:I would love to see a version of the sideline chant that some larger schools do although I'm not sure how you could implement this from the press box.

For example, Penn State. One side of the stadium says "WE ARE" and the other says "PENN STATE!!!"

University of Florida has "BLUUUUUUUUE" and "ORRRRAAAAANGE".

Maybe we could do "TO-LEEEE-DOOOOO" and "ROCK-ETTTTTTTSSSSSS" or some other derivitive.

How about "BLUE" and "GOLD"

sylvaniarocketfan1 Wrote:hi kevin, great to have you here, my suggestion, if allowable, some Homer Simpson sound effects, like "DOH" when the other team turns it over, i love the "BORING!" sound effect at he mud hen games when the pitcher throws to first, the crowd really responds and joins in with that one, it's hillarious. some things like that and really psyching up the crowd would be great.

This is classic. I'll second that.