A Sea Of Red

I'm not sure who took it upon themselves to do this, but our highest-profile fan group has decided to change their name.



Maybe they are not happy with JLFJR, but THAT'S NOT WHO THE GROUP WAS NAMED AFTER.

I’m pretty sure they were named after Jr. The group didn’t pop up til 2012ish. There was also the Becki’s Babes group for a little bit. None of those students had any interaction with Doc.

Jonathan Carone wrote: ↑July 8th, 2020, 5:52 pm I’m pretty sure they were named after Jr. The group didn’t pop up til 2012ish. There was also the Becki’s Babes group for a little bit. None of those students had any interaction with Doc.

If I recall, part of the original Joker's getup was a red power tie. That's not a Junior thing.

The movie the face paint was based on came out in summer 2008. That fall, our guys went Joker face paint and no shirts the first game of the season.

A few years later, a dorm brought it back as Jerry’s Jokers and their sister dorm started Becki’s Babes. Even if there was a red tie, the group was always about Jr first.

They were named after Sr, hence the white with a red tie paint job.

Well that flies in the face of everything I was told when they started. Interesting.

I remember them talking about sr when they first started yesrs ago. So that is odd.

Since it’d only been a few years since The LUnatics when they started, I talked to somebody about the organization and how to get money from the school to do things. My understanding was the name was for Jr with the nod to Sr with the tie. I was obviously wrong. Haha

Chances are they didn't have it all figured out yet as is the norm with college kids haha.

Good for them

Whether there are ties (pun not intended) to Sr, Jr. will probably move to end them, unfortunately.

The whole Jokers thing has run its course and is corny anyway. It looks like a bunch of nerds every time the camera shows them on TV. They have become an embarrassment.
Please let them go away.

My daughter hates it. Everytime I'm watching a game and they show them (which is all the time) she starts going on and on about how weird they are. She is 8.

Without the alliteration, the name just doesn't have the same ring, and while the Joker character is still a pop culture thing, it has taken on a more negative connotation. IMHO they missed an opportunity to start over with something new and better.

For example, if they want to link it to the coach, maybe something like "McKay's Bravehearts" (In omage to his Scottish name) and go with kilts and William Wallace face paint.

olldflame wrote: ↑July 9th, 2020, 7:03 am IMHO they missed an opportunity to start over with something new and better.

If they went away from the joker idea, they could be significantly more inclusive.

Jonathan Carone wrote: ↑July 9th, 2020, 8:45 am

olldflame wrote: ↑July 9th, 2020, 7:03 am IMHO they missed an opportunity to start over with something new and better.

If they went away from the joker idea, they could be significantly more inclusive.

No doubt. I'm sure there are a lot of students who have the same passion for their teams, but find the Joker thing off-putting. Yes, there are other student fan groups they can hook up with.

I'm cool with an off putting group of fans. That's part of their MO is to distract the opposing team from the game.

Class of 20Something wrote: ↑July 9th, 2020, 9:32 am I'm cool with an off putting group of fans. That's part of their MO is to distract the opposing team from the game.

My take on the role of groups like the Jokers is that they can set a standard of intensity and passion for the rest of the student body to follow. I don't think any opponent is going to be distracted by face paint. To accomplish that, you need to be creative and target individual players. The original LUnatics set the bar high with that, and I don't see any of the current groups doing it.

olldflame wrote: ↑July 9th, 2020, 10:07 am

Class of 20Something wrote: ↑July 9th, 2020, 9:32 am I'm cool with an off putting group of fans. That's part of their MO is to distract the opposing team from the game.

My take on the role of groups like the Jokers is that they can set a standard of intensity and passion for the rest of the student body to follow. I don't think any opponent is going to be distracted by face paint. To accomplish that, you need to be creative and target individual players. The original LUnatics set the bar high with that, and I don't see any of the current groups doing it.

They do a ton a research. You'll hear them go ballistic if they get a reaction. And they always do. They've come with embarrassing Facebook pictures and everything.

Class of 20Something wrote: ↑July 9th, 2020, 10:45 am

olldflame wrote: ↑July 9th, 2020, 10:07 am

Class of 20Something wrote: ↑July 9th, 2020, 9:32 am I'm cool with an off putting group of fans. That's part of their MO is to distract the opposing team from the game.

My take on the role of groups like the Jokers is that they can set a standard of intensity and passion for the rest of the student body to follow. I don't think any opponent is going to be distracted by face paint. To accomplish that, you need to be creative and target individual players. The original LUnatics set the bar high with that, and I don't see any of the current groups doing it.

They do a ton a research. You'll hear them go ballistic if they get a reaction. And they always do. They've come with embarrassing Facebook pictures and everything.

I wasn't aware they were doing that. That is the only thing that is actually going to distract opposing players, however minimal the impact. None of that has anything to do with the Joker name and face paint, and IMHO, by clinging to that, they are limiting their membership.

Personally I’m a fan of LUnatics. It’s ‘inclusive’ and can allow for all sorts of crazy dressing schemes. It’s not dependent on 1 person or coach so can have longevity. “Jokers” without “Jerry” is sort of like a mimosa without the champagne

Let it be known that Haize just endorsed one of my ideas.

Jonathan Carone wrote: ↑July 9th, 2020, 11:48 am Let it be known that Haize just endorsed one of my ideas.

Blind squirrels and stopped clocks.