Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
Oh my God, those sandwiches … heaven.
Memorial Stadium Game Day Experience
- Status
Was there a I-L-L chant? Didn't hear one on tv, did hear a Pro Iowa chant that quickly got drowned out with boo's
Ryllini
- Lombard
Yes, only one ILL chant got off well. With the students on another planet, that chant is kind of chaotic and gets lost in the stadium. No one knows what to do.
yeah it's like a lot of fans don't even know how it was supposed to work. Kind of understandable; we've been bad for so long. Those things will come back eventually. On my way out of the stadium, a guy was trying to get a chant going, but was saying "ILL" really, really fast. I taught him the proper cadence and we got a little one going. It'll take time, but it's coming.
I was amongst the boos and was so glad that the Iowa chant got drowned out right away. Was going to be tough sledding to get an ILL INI going with so many people who probably haven't been to a game in years, but I wasn't going to stand for Iowa getting a chant going in our stadium.
When we were in the NEZ I seem to recall the student section leading with I-L-L and the rest of the stadium shouting back I-N-I
Thought it worked well back then.
Personally, I miss the east/west version.
blackdog
- Champaign
You're welcome everyone.
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To wit: I passed a young lady on my way into work the other day who had an Illini shirt on. I yelled "I-L-L" and got nothing in response. Granted I'm in Montana, but still...
IlliniKat91
- Chicago, IL
Conversely, we were at an Oktoberfest event yesterday with some friends here in Chicago. There were plenty of folks wearing Illini gear (myself included) and I was happy to see that we out numbered the other Big Ten fans there. We got several I-L-L, I-N-I chants going, but you could tell some folks were surprised by the prompt. You might have just surprised her
Yeah, i considered that. May not have expected it up here. Plus she was walking out of the hospital and more than likely that cheer was probably the last thing in her mind.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
I’ve only lived in Chicago since August 2019 … but the linear progression in Illini “presence” in the city has been amazing and encouraging.
IlliniKat91
- Chicago, IL
Having lived here all my life, it's been dead since our basketball peak in 2005. The resurgence has been great to see
Agreed on the showtune singers. Lame. In general, though, I've enjoyed the Marching Illini this year. Nice sound and crisp technique on the formations.
It started with East Block vs West Block in the 60s, or at least it was the only place I heard it.
But now, with the students in the NEZ, students vs everyone else it must be. Why not just tell everyone over the PA system that students are going to I-L-L- and it’s the responsibility of everyone e everyone else to-I-N-I back.
I agree with the “featured performers” being a disappointment. The MI should be the featured act.
I think it sounds weird though. The distribution of 5000 students yelling I-L-L to the rest of the stadium yelling I-N-I acoustically sounds terrible.
It was way more evenly distributed when it was east/west. Hell, I’d even settle for a 50yd split. But something where the same people are shouting both.
Just my opinion though.
Ransom Stoddard
Ordained Dudeist Priest
- Bloomington, IL
The beer checkouts were also having trouble with their devices--internet connection, I believe. "No cash" sounds good and all, but it puts everything at the mercy of technology.
One of the funniest things I heard last night was that people were going out in the beer garden chugging as many beers as they could, then paying for just one as they came out. Horribly mis-managed.
Traffic control after the game is still a significant issue (there wasn't any on Goodwin or Florida), and people were very impatient trying to get out of parking lots and onto the streets. I was nearly hit by a guy who felt it was his privilege to ignore the rights of pedestrians.
Penn State does “We are/Penn State” call and response. Cool story behind it: PSU was going down south to play Alabama(?) and when the buses stopped at one restaurant for dinner, they were told the black players would have to eat in the kitchen. Hearing this, the white players turned to leave, and when asked “why, because everyone does that down there,” one of the players said, “Not us. We are Penn State.” (I may have the details wrong on that, but that’s the gist of the story).
I heard Rutgers shouting “We are RU.” To me, however, it sounded like “We are. Are you?”
Haha! Love the Rutgers line!
Also, I meant to say “same number of people” saying ILl as are saying INI. Not “the same people”. Big difference!
blackdog
- Champaign
Yea it can be really difficult to hear the students sometimes and even when you can the south end of the stadium is far enough that there is a noticeable difference when the north side says INI vs the south. East/West would definitely be the way to go.
Maybe the stadium board can point to east or west for ILL-INI to help get it started. They don’t do that. Last night was great though
I have been dragging my 15 year old and my wife for years. They normally humor me about having fun. But both of them said that was the most intense and fun 4th quarter they have seen.
I have been dragging my 15 year old and my wife for years. They normally humor me about having fun. But both of them said that was the most intense and fun 4th quarter they have seen.
- Status