Wake up call for the Oracle crowd

[Sleepy51]

So . . . which one of you guys wrote this?:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/st ... ons/080404

Q: As a Warriors fan who witnessed a truly unique fan experience last year, I feel the need to report that the fans officially jumped the shark (on Sunday night against the Mavs) when I witnessed The Wave at the Oakland Arena. Did you see it?
-- Mike, San Fran

SG: Yup, I watched it happen live and reacted the same way I did when Jaye Davidson revealed her member in "The Crying Game." For the real Warriors fans who stuck with the team through thick and thin and got priced out from home games after last spring's memorable run, we're feeling for you. Not only are we down to one potentially great NBA crowd and that's it (MSG if the Knicks ever get resucitated), but my "Roar of the Crowd" column from the 2007 playoffs officially feels like it was written 20 years ago. It's just appalling. I can't get over it. Is there any throwback experience that doesn't eventually get ruined in professional sports? Watching Warriors fans doing The Wave with one of their own players at the foul line would be like seeing Bruce Springsteen take over the "Our Country" commercials from John Mellancamp -- an indefensible, legacy-altering violation in every conceivable respect. This might have been the "Fair Weather Fan" moment of the decade.

In all seriousness, the crowd needs to get their Pietrus in gear for tomorrow night. I hope the marketers are doing something special to organize the fasionable goobers polluting Oracle arena these days. We need to invite Raider season ticket holders (all 4 of them) to set up a "black hole" behind the opposing team's basket or something.

We NEED a home court advantage tomorrow night. The only way the guys don't run out of gas through 48 pressure filled minutes against Denver is if the crowd gives them energy and carries them.

Can they just rip out all the seats and make everyone stand all game long?

[Chris Porter's Hair]

I think to some degree people have selective memory.

The energy in that building was incredible during the playoffs last year. And it has led to this fun reputation that we have one of the most amazing crowds in the league. But as someone that has attended 20+ games a year for 10+ years now, I really don't think the crowds were anything that amazing for most of last year (beyond the fact that people bought tickets after such a long bout of complete incompetence). The noise and wild crowds really only picked up in the playoffs; perhaps for the last 1 or 2 regular season games as it came down to the wire.

But in any case, the game tomorrow is just as important as any playoff game was last year. I'd hope the crowd gets up for the game. Me, I'll be stuck at home watching on TV

[Sleepy51]

Efff you moose!

Er . . . wait . . . nevermind, wrong dude.

[thetrueth]

To be honest, the bay area will never have that type of crowd for an extended period of time.

If you can afford to go to those games throughout the season, you're typically not going to base your life around the team. The people who have that type of money usually have a life outside all that; work, wife, kids, mortgage, etc. as well as travel, food, hobbies, etc.

The only time fans are completely die hard for their teams is when there's nothing else to do in that area, i.e. the kings, jazz, etc.

I love the warriors, but when i get to the point of having a family, career, investments, travel, etc. I doubt i could care as much as your average college student who has nothing to worry about. (edit) or your townie from sac or SLC. Living in the bay is too good, there's too much else to enjoy.

[Yi Jian Lian]

I'm a college student...how they hell am I suppose to afford those tickets now...

[cdubbz]

once the warriors start losing again the band wagoners will jump off and ticket prices will drop and i will go to more games !!!!! wooo

[Sid the Squid]

They should ban all the STH's from the Denver game and bring in the real fans for this game.

[Chris Porter's Hair]

They should ban all the STH's from the Denver game and bring in the real fans for this game.

Yup. You'll never get any dedication with people like me at the game. Who would be there to boo the starters?

[Sid the Squid]

-= original quote snipped =-


Yup. You'll never get any dedication with people like me at the game. Who would be there to boo the starters?

Trainwreck is starting?

[GSWhoopfan]

the pseudo fan does the wave....the pseudo fan goes to the bathroom during the game.

its bull now. like someone once said, during the losing era there were not hot chicks in the crowd.

[FNQ]

its bull now. like someone once said, during the losing era there were not hot chicks in the crowd.

What a lie... in HS the girls were the only reason to go to the games... sure wasn't to catch a glimpse of John freakin' Starks.

[iowarrior]

My son and I are lucky enough to have tickets to the game and I promise that we'll make noise for all of you. It will be our second game this season after seeing the W's beat Durrant in February.

Not sure that we're "fashionable goobers." Just plain goobers... probably.

[Chris Porter's Hair]

-= original quote snipped =-

What a lie... in HS the girls were the only reason to go to the games... sure wasn't to catch a glimpse of John freakin' Starks.

Yup. This is selective memory at work. While it would sure make it easy to complain if the arena had changed dramatically, I really don't think it has. As further evidence, as I'm trying to move my tickets back into cheaper seats, I'm finding that is going to be difficult, because a great deal of the lower bowl is full of people who have held season tickets for 10 years or more. Everyone wants to remember that the crowd was glowing yellow and screaming their heads off all last year, but it just isn't true. Now the playoffs...

[GSWbandwagon]

the 2nd round crowd sucked compared to rd 1. those were bandwagon fans.

expecting rd 1 style crowds all season is unreasonable. but there are definitely more people going to games now that don't care about the warriors and are just there because its an event now. cph, if you're in the good seats in the lower bowl then the fans around you may not have changed much. but the cheap seats (which aren't very cheap these days) have changed.

the bandwagon fans saw the energy of the crowds in the playoffs last year and want a part of that. at least a good amount of them do imo. they just don't know enough about what to do and when to do it. the "real" warrior fans need to lead.

[zero]

the 2nd round crowd sucked compared to rd 1. those were bandwagon fans.

expecting rd 1 style crowds all season is unreasonable. but there are definitely more people going to games now that don't care about the warriors and are just there because its an event now. cph, if you're in the good seats in the lower bowl then the fans around you may not have changed much. but the cheap seats (which aren't very cheap these days) have changed.

the bandwagon fans saw the energy of the crowds in the playoffs last year and want a part of that. at least a good amount of them do imo. they just don't know enough about what to do and when to do it. the "real" warrior fans need to lead.

agreed. once it became "trendy" it's just not the same. it's not like that for every game, but i can tell a difference. i think the real fans will be out tomorrow, though.

[mistatwo mayn]

I had noticed this in comparison to last year....

there were a lot of "families" at games last year... but even moreso this year.

This season, I haven't sat next to many people in my age range (except in the upper bowl when I had to venture there).

The ticket prices are too high now (esp. if you're a college student) and it doesn't help people marked the hell up out of them now.

Damm shame. They really need to hook students up with a discount. Not saying for myself.... but yes, last year's crowd was roudier than this years.

[mistatwo mayn]

when will our dumbass fans learn not to chant MVP during ft's?

[Twinkie defense]

Like Baron's defense, it's hard for the fans to get it up 48/82.

They know what's at stake Thursday, though, and will deliver.

[ranlamjon]

I agree, it's a BIG TIME wake up call for Oracle fans tomorrow night and the comments about our current fan base are 100% true IMO. I've attended (2) games this year; 1 against the Suns (when Shaq was just traded) and last night's game against the Kings. Two total different experiences for me; the Suns game was like a playoff atomsphere plus I had $90.00 seats which made the experience that much better!!! I felt like I was apart of the game and nothing could compare to that feeling. Last night I sat in the upper, UPPER bowl seats ($36.00 dollars) and those fans in that section are their for nacho's, french fries and teen age girls. They scream for no reason, want a pizza from Thunder and are annoying by getting up and out of their seats 5-10 times during the game to go text message one of their buddies!! I will never ever sit in $36.00 seats again, I would rather watch the game from my home. It's either the best seats for me or stay at home and watch the game!! Fans who buy the $36.00 seats just go for the experience of just going to a NBA game but the higher priced lower bowl seats are for real fans who totally get engulfed into wactching the best athletes in the world perform and do jaw dropping things. If/when we make the playoffs this year, I'm going to purchase a 10-12 game pack to watch basketball the way it's supposed to be viewed by real fans.. This is JMHO reagrding this topic....

I'm ready for tomorrow's game...

Dubs: 122
Nugzz: 117

I hope I'm correct with the prediction for tomorrow.....

Oracle Arena > Where incredible things happen (Boom dizzle dunk over AK47) and where incredible fans gather!!! I luv this game!!!......

[Mylie10]

The only acceptable WAVE would be from floor to ceiling behind the opposing teams basket when shooting FT's.

Give them balloons and then the sight of the wave going from bottom to top and then back down could be un-nerving to a FT shooter.