Where was the crowd noise?

[DaveW]

i swear they should just hand out an Idiot's Guide to FB when you park your car.

For forty bucks they should give you the guide and throw in a beverage and swedish massage!

I was a Red Seat Loser in 2002 thanks to the fine folks at Pepsi Cola and a contest they had.
It was a great experience, but they didn't include parking and the beer was still $7.00 (except it was served at an actual bar near the fireplace and grand piano).
At the Jets game you were served Egg Nog before getting on the escalator.

I was so out of my element, but it was fun. (and I still got a tax form for my $10,000 value win )

 

[PatsWSB47]

Dungy wouldn't loan BB the crowd noise CD.

Whatda jerk.

lol No, those cheating Eagles were pumping in silence!

 

[oldskool138]

The biggest problem are the prudes in the stands.

I've been to three games (two with actual seats and one standing room). I had decent seats the first two times and in both games I had people in front and in back of me telling me to sit down on "cheering" downs. One even threatened me with calling security.

I don't know what it is with people who go to games at Gillette. Don't they watch other football games on TV? Seriously, where do they find these people? And don't label them as Red Sox fans who don't know anything about football because Fenway was rocking this year.

Kraft has effectively priced the real fans out of his stadium. I guess he has the right to do that but the crowd noise suffers.

 

[phimseto]

Kraft has effectively priced the real fans out of his stadium. I guess he has the right to do that but the crowd noise suffers.

That and the design of the stadium. In going for the cutesy bridge (which aesthetically I do like), they compromised the stadium noise levels.

A large part of it, though, is the people showing up to the games. It's the same people who go to rock concerts and spend their whole time sitting down. It's crap.

 

[WTE]

ask any player if they want quiet home fans jackass; ive personally talked to players on the 2007 team, and they cant believe how quiet the stadium is... 3rd down, make noise... there is a reason... if you dont understand it, pick up the FB for Dummies book on your way in... otherwise, stay home and let a real fan go.

I would imagine the players are pretty pissed with the crowd noise.

Did you see Asante after he caught the INT in the endzone? He turned to the fans for admiration and then looked toward the middle of the field with a look of disgust.

I immediately thought he was not happy that fans weren't going completely ballistic. That's what I think that look was all about.

 

[PittPatriot]

This sums it up pretty well. I go to all the Pats' home games and have been to enough rival stadiums (Baltimore, Washington, Pittsburgh, Meadowlands, Buffalo) to see and hear the difference. Gillette is unique in the way it's laid out compared all these places, being all spread out and open and with the club seats in a prime mid-field location. The building simply does not contain sound and I believe that was a big mistake when the Krafts had it designed.

I cannot speak for Baltimore, Wash, or Buffalo...but I have been to Giants stadium (last year) and Heinz field. The Meadowlands are definitely more conducive to keeping the sound in...but Heinz is about as wide open a stadium as there is in football. Therefore, I think the difference in crowd noise between Pittsburgh and Mass. is not the stadium, but more likely those who are sitting in it. Remeber, one zone at Heinz is totally open and the wind plays havoc on kickers.

 

[Tunescribe]

I cannot speak for Baltimore, Wash, or Buffalo...but I have been to Giants stadium (last year) and Heinz field. The Meadowlands are definitely more conducive to keeping the sound in...but Heinz is about as wide open a stadium as there is in football. Therefore, I think the difference in crowd noise between Pittsburgh and Mass. is not the stadium, but more likely those who are sitting in it. Remeber, one zone at Heinz is totally open and the wind plays havoc on kickers.

Heinz is closer quarters than Gillette. A BIG flaw with Gillette was the field layout designed to accommodate soccer, which pushed the stands further out from the stadium floor. In any other football stadium the stands hug the end zones and sidelines. Then, you have the big open end with the lighthouse/bridge in the north end zone and the 300-level upper decks vaulted into the stratosphere above double-tiered luxury suites. Gillette is an all-purpose facility masquerading as a football stadium; the Krafts weren't using their heads when they had the thing designed.

 

[Eugene Chung]

ask any player if they want quiet home fans jackass; ive personally talked to players on the 2007 team, and they cant believe how quiet the stadium is... 3rd down, make noise... there is a reason... if you dont understand it, pick up the FB for Dummies book on your way in... otherwise, stay home and let a real fan go.

When did I imply that home players like quiet stadiums? Stop reading into things that aren't there. If you had read my full post, you would have seen that I said the crowd sucked Sunday.

I've had season tickets for 10+ years. The Gillette crowd isn't as loud as the crowds in Baltimore and Philly (2 other stadiums I've been to), but if anyone thinks there isn't an abundance of "pink hat corporate types" at those stadiums, you're crazy.

 

[oldskool138]

I've had season tickets for 10+ years. The Gillette crowd isn't as loud as the crowds in Baltimore and Philly (2 other stadiums I've been to), but if anyone thinks there isn't an abundance of "pink hat corporate types" at those stadiums, you're crazy.

Okay, then how come they don't cheer their heads off on a big 3rd down situation? Or on any other "cheering" down?

 

[Eugene Chung]

Okay, then how come they don't cheer their heads off on a big 3rd down situation? Or on any other "cheering" down?

You guys are generalizing everything. From what everyone is saying, if you have a pink hat or you sit in the red seats, you're a terrible fan. Anyone that sits in row 21 of section 331 is a much better fan than someone sitting in the red seats. This isn't true. There are plenty of "pink hat" people up top. My seats are in 329 so I should know.

Should fans be cheering on 3rd downs? Of course. Quiet fans aren't helping matters. This is why teams like Denver and Indy have great home field advantages. Coaches say it's impossible to use snap counts in these stadiums. That is a HUGE advantage. If a fan at Gillette isn't cheering on 3rd down, he or she is not helping the team, but to insinuate that he or she is an awful fan isn't true.

 

[Patsobsessed]

Here's question coming from someone who's never been lucky enough to attend a game so forgive me if this sounds dumb: Why don't they put a flashing sign on the jumbotron screen on 3rd downs saying something like "Hey Pats fans STAND UP and make some NOISE!"" That way, when people tell others to "sit down" you can just point at the sign. I would think that a call to action would get through to some of the more lazy fans in the stands. I think Pats fans are awesome but the crowd noise issue bums me out.

 

[PaulNEPats]

It's their money, they can do what they want. For anyone to say that a fan should have to act a certain way, after paying the cost of admission, is naive and lame.

 

[Mogamedogz]

Here's question coming from someone who's never been lucky enough to attend a game so forgive me if this sounds dumb: Why don't they put a flashing sign on the jumbotron screen on 3rd downs saying something like "Hey Pats fans STAND UP and make some NOISE!"" That way, when people tell others to "sit down" you can just point at the sign. I would think that a call to action would get through to some of the more lazy fans in the stands. I think Pats fans are awesome but the crowd noise issue bums me out.

They urged the crowd on over the PA on Sunday night, saying "In 30 seconds all of America will be looking in on Foxboro and YOUR NE PATRIOTS. Lets get up and make some noise and let the nation know who the best fans in the NFL are!!"

The response from the crowd (as the Pats took the field) was WEAK (to say the least).

 

[nepatz11]

I definitely DONT think it is the stadium. Even in the fourth quarter on Sunday the place was deafeningly loud. I have been to almost every game there and I know it CAN get extremely loud and hostile in there. Sorry but it is the fans who are at fault. We are very spoiled and some dont feel it is their obligation to make noise. It frustrates me to no end! But the fourth quarter was great at least.

 

[since67]

I wish all the NFL stadiums were built like Gillette (not conducive to major crowd noise). I think the crowd noise home advantage factor has nothing to do with 2 teams FAIRLY competing on the field and I wish it did not have a place/effect on the game but we all know how huge a factor it really is.

 

[Jacky Roberts]

The crowd was too busy fighting with Philly fans and booing the Victorias Secret model.

ps- Im a Pats season tix holder, but I'll freely admit that our crowds suck. Spoiled?

 

[speed]

I wish all the NFL stadiums were built like Gillette (not conducive to major crowd noise). I think the crowd noise home advantage factor has nothing to do with 2 teams FAIRLY competing on the field and I wish it did not have a place/effect on the game but we all know how huge a factor it really is.

Do you really wish that? I love to see the crowds across all sports going nuts. I was watching the Cameron Crazies jumping up and down last night at a Duke basketball game. I have no allegiances to Duke or whatever, but it was pretty fun to watch the blue painted crowd jumping up and down the whole game. Maybe I misunderstood your opinion. Do you really think that the home fans should not be loud and screaming due to the fairness to both of the teams competing?

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

Here's question coming from someone who's never been lucky enough to attend a game so forgive me if this sounds dumb: Why don't they put a flashing sign on the jumbotron screen on 3rd downs saying something like "Hey Pats fans STAND UP and make some NOISE!"" That way, when people tell others to "sit down" you can just point at the sign. I would think that a call to action would get through to some of the more lazy fans in the stands. I think Pats fans are awesome but the crowd noise issue bums me out.

Because that would violate the rules of the game.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sports/2003266386_hawkchart20web.html

The NFL is not called the "no fun league" for nothing.

 

[oldskool138]

Because that would violate the rules of the game.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sports/2003266386_hawkchart20web.html

The NFL is not called the "no fun league" for nothing.

That's pretty ******ed. All the other major sports do something like say "Let's make some noise" on their jumbo-trons and announcers are constantly pumping up the crowd at basketball games.

Why does the NFL have to be a stick in the mud?

 

[Dozer]

I was stunned at the lack of noise in Gillette when the Eagles were on offense last night. I know this is not a new issue, but it was more glaring than ever last night in my opinion. Could have been the broadcast, but I doubt it. This was a close game from start to finish and from my seat in front of the TV the crowd never really contributed. It's unfortunate because the Razor can truly be a 12th man when the effort is there (see Week 2).

I was at the game. There are only so many 3rd downs we can yell for, and it seemed like it was doing no good. The D played like crap. Eventually yelling had no effect since Philly had no problems converting most of them.