A Sea Of Red

ballcoach15 wrote:I have seen Layer outside Vines Center one time since he's been here. He was at a softball game at old field, hide behind pine tree down right field line. He seemed to be afraid to watch game from bleachers like rest of fans. He should have been in stands interacting with fans.
I saw Coach Gill at a baseball game, he was not hiding.

Exactly, Coach Gill interacts with students every chance he gets. He goes to the other team's games, he comes to Convo before big games, he'll even talk to students at Doc's before and after the Flames Sports Hotline show during football season, and of course Gillville. Layer, the one time I went to Doc's when he was doing the show, got there right before he was supposed to go on, didn't talk to any students, and ran to his car as soon as he was done. Even Jeff Barber interacts with us when he's out of his office and not busy.

JakeP50 wrote:

ballcoach15 wrote:I have seen Layer outside Vines Center one time since he's been here. He was at a softball game at old field, hide behind pine tree down right field line. He seemed to be afraid to watch game from bleachers like rest of fans. He should have been in stands interacting with fans.
I saw Coach Gill at a baseball game, he was not hiding.

Exactly, Coach Gill interacts with students every chance he gets. He goes to the other team's games, he comes to Convo before big games, he'll even talk to students at Doc's before and after the Flames Sports Hotline show during football season, and of course Gillville. Layer, the one time I went to Doc's when he was doing the show, got there right before he was supposed to go on, didn't talk to any students, and ran to his car as soon as he was done. Even Jeff Barber interacts with us when he's out of his office and not busy.

If he were winning, what would it matter? Some people don't like crowds, meeting strangers, etc. Who cares if he wins!

You could clearly hear him at the Notre Dame game, and he even got some face time at the end of the first half.

Cider Jim wrote:You could clearly hear him at the Notre Dame game, and he even got some face time at the end of the first half.

Is that the person doing the obnoxious screaming/howling during opponents free throws?

Yes, that is our own JJ McCracken! And at home games, he stands in a box (literally) right beside the opposing team's bench, which is where our #1 fan Gary Householder used to sit. And just before player introductions, he kneels inside his box with the lid closed, and as soon as the first LU player is introduced, he jumps up like a Jack-in-the-box!

I don't miss that crap one bit.

Cider Jim wrote:Yes, that is our own JJ McCracken! And at home games, he stands in a box (literally) right beside the opposing team's bench, which is where our #1 fan Gary Householder used to sit. And just before player introductions, he kneels inside his box with the lid closed, and as soon as the first LU player is introduced, he jumps up like a Jack-in-the-box!

The jack in the box is clever

The cackling.....I'll defer to Lang

Chris Lang wrote:I don't miss that crap one bit.

He actually gave me a headache from three states away with the mics picking up his screaming yesterday. He was actually louder through ESPN's mics than he is when were both in Vines.

He got the chance to shoot for a free car today. After many attempts, he finally hit the layup and free throw, but never got to shoot the 3 ball or the half court shot.

Sadly, J.J. McCracken has officially announced his RETIREMENT (on Facebook).

Kind of a long self-reflection based on why I'm writing the last paragraph, but I think it's kinda cool. Of course, watching HSM3 while writing this post sets a reflective mood.

I officially started my track to being Da Cracken back in 9th grade, cheering on Sherando BBB. Though I attended both Millbrook and Sherando games, the Sherando ones had the most impact on me in 9th grade. By the 10th grade basketball season, I was pretty much solely just a Sherando fan. Also by this time, I had developed what most people today would recognize as my free-throw shooting scream. Still couldn't scream the entire game though, and I was hesitant to try to stand out when there weren't people I liked with me. Junior year is when I really started getting into fandom. This was the year I started tailgating with our Loud Crowd prior to home football games (I can't believe it was only just a few that I went to). These games were the first times I'd ever have my face painted. The first couple someone else did it for me, but after that I took to doing it myself before going to the game. Later that football season, I switched back over to Millbrook, and never looked back. That Christmas I got a blue shirt to wear as pajamas, but I additionally began wearing it as an undershirt to games (essentially building my future outfit around it). It would be later that sports season at our GBB state championship game that my transferring to Millbrook for my senior year of high school would begin to be set in motion. My box didn't make its appearance till senior year, but that hadn't stopped Millbrook's Loud Crowd from releasing me during games over the curse of my junior year. The box would, however, just add another item to the shenanigans of the Millbrook Maniacs. In my class's Senior Superlatives at Millbrook, I would be voted the most school-spirited guy. Oh, and who could forget being credited with "blocking" 306 free-throws.

Thank you to everyone out there who had a part. Friends. Fans. "Enemies." Even all the haters. I haven't forgotten about you, and never will.

Through the years I have had a number of various nicknames: Human Airhorn, Braveheart, Boxman, Jack-in-the-Box, Superfan, etc. Of course, that's not to mention all those unrelated to my fandom. Yet, My favorite (other than Joshy) will always just be that I've had on my box these past 5 seasons: Da Cracken.

Tonight, I would like to announce the semi-retirement of my persona "Da Cracken." Now, I'll still be coming to softball and baseball games (as to the inclusion of semi-), but no full face paint, and of course no box. As for the next couple years, I might pull a Brett Farve at least a few times. Good night Flames Nation, good luck men's and women's basketball, and thank you all so much. #GoFlames #KeepCalmAnd #FanTheFlames

I wonder why...

There is more to this story

Too bad he didn't have more around him to make it more fun for him. I know he had a great time by himself and has gained friends and fandom, but it would have been great if he was just a part of a great student section.

He's GRADUATING in May.

Didlibertywin wrote:Too bad he didn't have more around him to make it more fun for him. I know he had a great time by himself and has gained friends and fandom, but it would have been great if he was just a part of a great student section.

Having a better product on the floor certainly would have been helpful

Students also spent more time making fun of him from what I heard. Kind of lame.

Sad to see how things have slipped. Back in the day we had to arrive at the game early to get good seats, fans were amazing, place was packed out and Jerry Sr and Elmer Towns joined us crowd surfing. That was 92/93 or 93/94. Ugh, I feel old... especially after seeing a recent picture of Hildebrand.

According to jerry's jokers going to all the home basketball games is too much work. When your most prominent student fan group says that it speaks volumes of the attitude on campus these days.

thepostman wrote:According to jerry's jokers going to all the home basketball games is too much work. When your most prominent student fan group says that it speaks volumes of the attitude on campus these days.

Forget the makeup and costumes, show up and make some noise. Support the team and the school.

Exactly. They got all butt hurt on Twitter when someone called them out. Once the team is winning consistently the crowds will come but the team this year deserved much more support from the students and community than they got.

Or course the athletic department is partly to blame for that but the lack of student support was terrible this year.

I remember for a few years in undergrad , the band kids had a nice size group coming to all the home games...so we'd get a great view of the student section filling up...I'm not sure how good of a turnout they get outside of the band itself these days

My last discussion with JB seemed to indicate plans for a smaller arena (Up by the med school, perhaps). Maybe creating our own "Cameron Indoor" would really help. The Vine Center is cavernous-especially with a small crowd.

Dalegarz1 wrote:My last discussion with JB seemed to indicate plans for a smaller arena (Up by the med school, perhaps). Maybe creating our own "Cameron Indoor" would really help. The Vine Center is cavernous-especially with a small crowd.

IM has also been quoted saying that a curtain system could be implemented to force those in attendance closer to the court.

Vines is unique in that LU absolutely needs it for Convo. Having a separate facility, the Master Plan currently pictures it where Doc's is, that maxes out at maybe 3-4k rather than 9k could really help the feel. It would also make the life of the facilities crew that has to convert Vines every other day much easier. The question is, they just spent how much money on new locker rooms, underground practice facility, and weight rooms all in Vines. Would Vines remain HQ for Basketball OPS or would it relocate with the gameday location? If LU makes the NIT the season a new facility is built and has a steady capacity crowd all season, do they move to the Vines if they host an NIT game?

Class of 20Something wrote:

Dalegarz1 wrote:My last discussion with JB seemed to indicate plans for a smaller arena (Up by the med school, perhaps). Maybe creating our own "Cameron Indoor" would really help. The Vine Center is cavernous-especially with a small crowd.

IM has also been quoted saying that a curtain system could be implemented to force those in attendance closer to the court.

Vines is unique in that LU absolutely needs it for Convo. Having a separate facility, the Master Plan currently pictures it where Doc's is, that maxes out at maybe 3-4k rather than 9k could really help the feel. It would also make the life of the facilities crew that has to convert Vines every other day much easier. The question is, they just spent how much money on new locker rooms, underground practice facility, and weight rooms all in Vines. Would Vines remain HQ for Basketball OPS or would it relocate with the gameday location? If LU makes the NIT the season a new facility is built and has a steady capacity crowd all season, do they move to the Vines if they host an NIT game?

I had read that if the crowd is expected to be big for a game or tournamemt, they'll transfer it to the Vines for the bigger atmosphere. Hopefully the men's basketball team will continue they grow so that the Vines will be their normal arena again. Lets say that is the case, the new arena will still be used for women's basketball, women's volleyball and wrestling matches. This is just what the article that I read pointed out. That idea of the arena being placed by the medical school will never happen. That are is only for the growth of the graduate campus in the future years and possible apartments for grad students and off campus (according to the LU master plan map). I may be incorrect on that but it just wouldn't make sense. By the way, where would the civil war chaplain museum be located when the arena is set to be arranged?

Remember LU has more money than it knows what to do with per JR. Now it has even more after lay offs and not having to deal with IVY Lake. So it shouldn't be a problem. Although a former board poster has a new title and salary to be accounted for