Greetings. I'm working on a magazine article on the CFL, and we're doing a short piece on game-day fan traditions for each team. For example, Calgary has the Touchdown Horse and tailgating, Hamilton has the Osi Wa Wa Osi Wee Wee cheer. What are some traditions at the Lions game? You know you're at a Lions game when. . . .
Hope you can help!
Game Day Traditions
Moderator: Team Captains
When I was a teen-ager I would listen to Lions games on the radio. The chant I remember a lot on the radio from the crowd was: B C
It was really loud. The game day staff have tried to ressurect it a couple times in the years I've been a season ticket holder. They used Crazy P to hold up signs urging us to chant. The main problem is the game day host from the radio station would scream into the mike and easily drown out anything the crowd could do. I don't know how the B C chant worked back in the 80's but let me tell you, it sounded awesome on the radio........
I remember one recent attempt at a gameday tradition (again started by the Lions). That was a logger who'd scale a pole everytime the Lions scored a TD.
BC Ferries set off a whistle blow everytime the Lions scored too.
I think there may be a thought here. The big fan-based effort was the giant beer cup snake and it was shut down by security. Much of the efforts are ones put forth by the club. The 'Roar you Lions Roar' reintro was certainly a concerted effort by the club to get us into it. Worked the first season a bit, I guess. Not so much now. I haven't got a clue how to motivate a crowd but maybe the club needs to take a step back (or at least not SEEM to be involved). Personally, I'd love to see the B C chant get going again. IIRC, it was short but loud when I listened on the radio, McConnell would strain to talk over the crowd!!!!
It was really loud. The game day staff have tried to ressurect it a couple times in the years I've been a season ticket holder. They used Crazy P to hold up signs urging us to chant. The main problem is the game day host from the radio station would scream into the mike and easily drown out anything the crowd could do. I don't know how the B C chant worked back in the 80's but let me tell you, it sounded awesome on the radio........
I remember one recent attempt at a gameday tradition (again started by the Lions). That was a logger who'd scale a pole everytime the Lions scored a TD.
BC Ferries set off a whistle blow everytime the Lions scored too.
I think there may be a thought here. The big fan-based effort was the giant beer cup snake and it was shut down by security. Much of the efforts are ones put forth by the club. The 'Roar you Lions Roar' reintro was certainly a concerted effort by the club to get us into it. Worked the first season a bit, I guess. Not so much now. I haven't got a clue how to motivate a crowd but maybe the club needs to take a step back (or at least not SEEM to be involved). Personally, I'd love to see the B C chant get going again. IIRC, it was short but loud when I listened on the radio, McConnell would strain to talk over the crowd!!!!
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Honour Dewalt
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Ya, this is not as easy to identify as you'd think. We had periods in the 90's where fans just didn't get into anything, a total disconnect with the team, which they have worked really hard to fix. So at the moment, I couldn't say anything like "you know you're at a Lions game when..."
I will say in the glory days, we did the BEST wave. Now it seems harder, or people are over it. OR people try to start on eat the wrong times.
The B-C chant was good too, but last game when they tried it, it was hard to know which letter I was supposed to be chanting. I saw the guy with the signs on the screen, but couldnt find him on the field so I didn't know which side I was on. He needs to be somewhere highly visible to get the best results. Also, Crazy George was so good at it in the day. He was almost MAD at you if you didn't do it, so you did it. Crazy P is slowly getting better, and coming into his own, so hopefully they keep him around long enough to get a personality.
Maybe you know you're at a Lions game when you notice the hottest cheerleaders in the league.
I will say in the glory days, we did the BEST wave. Now it seems harder, or people are over it. OR people try to start on eat the wrong times.
The B-C chant was good too, but last game when they tried it, it was hard to know which letter I was supposed to be chanting. I saw the guy with the signs on the screen, but couldnt find him on the field so I didn't know which side I was on. He needs to be somewhere highly visible to get the best results. Also, Crazy George was so good at it in the day. He was almost MAD at you if you didn't do it, so you did it. Crazy P is slowly getting better, and coming into his own, so hopefully they keep him around long enough to get a personality.
Maybe you know you're at a Lions game when you notice the hottest cheerleaders in the league.
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TheLionKing
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Up until a couple of seasons ago we had to put up with the guy from CFOX urging for more noise. Irritating
The only game day tradition I've discerned lately is trashing Rod Black.
Sports can be a peculiar thing. When partaking in fiction, like a book or movie, we adopt a "Willing Suspension of Disbelief" for enjoyment's sake. There's a similar force at work in sports: "Willing Suspension of Rationality". If you doubt this, listen to any conversation between rival team fans. You even see it among fans of the same team. Fans argue over who's the better QB or goalie, and selectively cite stats that support their views while ignoring those that don't.
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Lions4ever
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A noble and honourable tradition at that.sj-roc wrote:The only game day tradition I've discerned lately is trashing Rod Black.
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Honour Dewalt
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When Lui was playing I guess the Luuuuuu cheer was a sign you were at a Lions game. This was way before any Lu cheer for Luongo, and had the people who didn't know, wondering why we were booing the kicker.
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CardiacKid
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I think the Lions could take a hint from the Sounders and have a live band like Sound Wave. I attended a Sounders - FCBarca friendly a few years ago and they brought a great energy and vibe to Qwest Field; the fans were definately getting into their mix of march music, chant type rhythmns, rock and pop. Plus they lead a march to the stadium of whoever wants to join them before the game. Just a lot of fun and it would make a nice change from the mind-numbing electro cr*p that gets pumped into BCP.
I'd say The Wave is the Lions best tradition, although it has died out a bit over the past 30 years or so. At Empire Stadium it was electric when the end-zones were full and section by section the wave went around and around the stadium...inspired by Crazy George and also the BEE - CEE chant from each side of the stadium, which was done for many years. Not sure about the newer traditions at BC Place...show up late, leave early, complain about the loud music and ads and lousy food and expensive beer...the usual. 
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CardiacKid
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Maybe next home game I will start my own tradition, dressing up as Crazy Rod Black....
Leo the Lion looks like he might fail a steroid test these days. His 'arms' are big! Maybe get him in to play O-line if we lose a starter sometime.......
Leo doesn't make it too often to my part of the stadim (no big deal, IMO). Certainly seems to spend a lot of time getting photos with kids, which makes sense. Crazy P and Leo both seem to point into a crowd (making everybody in that crowd think "he's pointing a me" and then nodding. Crazy P uses his drumstick, Leo his index finger....
Leo doesn't make it too often to my part of the stadim (no big deal, IMO). Certainly seems to spend a lot of time getting photos with kids, which makes sense. Crazy P and Leo both seem to point into a crowd (making everybody in that crowd think "he's pointing a me" and then nodding. Crazy P uses his drumstick, Leo his index finger....