[Snorlax94]

Turn down that ridiculous PA system.  It's not creating a buzz or excitement.  It's simply obnoxious to most of the paid visitors. If the student body wants to hear a constant beat of dance club music during a football game, turn it on over there.  Let the rest of us enjoy the game.  Jeez Louise.  We sit near a speaker and my ears are still ringing.  OSHA wouldn't allow it; why does Stanford???

Not every third down is the OMG most exciting play in the history of football.   Not sure if that's still Steve Frost, but for the love of God, follow the game and stop screaming at us when least warranted.   Stanford can only create excitement on the field -- piping in loud dance club music and pretending like every third down is epic, is just annoying.

This presumes the purpose of the music is entirely for the fans. I bet the players prefer it. It must be kind of deflating to play in a "library," so I could see the sound effects amping up the players. It also helps get the fans louder. When the Ducks first brought their flashy clothes and constant uniform changes, I bet there were fans in the stands who didn't like it. "Wear the same damn clothes!," "The unis from the 1970s were the best!" etc. When Miami started awarding players ridiculously giant "turnover chains," gold plastic necklaces to reward players who got a turnover, there were probably some fans who found them too gaudy and ridiculous. Why not just a good old-fashioned pat on the back and a high-five after a turnover? But many people seem to like it, and the players definitely seem to like it. We're in a different era. I know when I get to Sharks games the PA system is much, much louder, and their sound effects are even more over-the-top, so it's not like Stanford is unique, or even particularly loud, in this respect.

Re the student announcers for the band: they need a new schtick.  That stilted cue-card reading drone isn't funny --  it's just more over-amplified noise people are trying to block out.  Also, I'm wildly pro-vaccine (got my booster on Friday actually) but why get all smug and condescending about it. It wasn't funny.  It wasn't helpful.  So why?  We should be building bridges, not 'cleverly' mocking from a mountain top. 

The bit about the vaccines got a mild chuckle out of me. I can't recall the whole thing -- I remember there were two announcers and one didn't want a vaccine because he was concerned about microchips. The Stanford band is a scatter band. They take stories from the headlines and make jokes. In the 90s, they made jokes about Oregon's endangered spotted owl and if I recall correctly the governor of Oregon wanted to band banned in the state. Also in the 90s, during the Notre Dame game, they had a flying nun in costume and band members searched the field for precious potatoes during a "potato famine." Even worse, the dollies dressed like devils with horns and little red tails. Such inappropriate and immodest attire! During the Rose Bowl, the band so inflamed the sensibilities of the Iowa state legislature several members wanted to pass a law banning any professors at any university in the state from collaborating with any researcher at Stanford university, which would have inflicted untold and incalculable damage to Stanford's research. The Stanford band is a scatter band. They take stories from the headline and make jokes. This is what they do. I think Harvard and Rice have scatter bands, and a number of other colleges. I actually think they have improved because with the better PA system, I can actually hear what they are saying. I love the band's general zaniness, but would agree the band's halftime shows aren't nearly as funny as they think they are. They have been drinking their own kool-aid as to what is funny for as long as I can remember. Given the fact that it's a pretty big live audience, I would think someone on campus could make it funnier more consistently.

On the plus side, the Covid verification tents were well-staffed and ran smoothly enough.  Pretty sure I could have gotten verified by showing them my old Blockbuster Video Card, since they barely glanced at it, but at least it wasn't a logjam. 

I agree that the system was slipshod, kind of to be expected during the first game. It appeared maybe 1 in 10 or 1 in 20 UCLA fans were not wearing a wristband. Maybe they tore them off after entry, but I expect rules should be enforced consistently, even if the review process is rushed and imperfect.

Oh, and the mighty Beavers beat USC even more soundly than Stanford did, extinguishing any lingering hopes that this team "has it in them" when they want it.  They might, and I hope they do, but that USC game says a lot more about USC than Stanford at this point. 

Having a head coach fired and getting a new coach two games into the season might have some kind of impact.

[Snorlax94]

Turn down that ridiculous PA system.  It's not creating a buzz or excitement.  It's simply obnoxious to most of the paid visitors. If the student body wants to hear a constant beat of dance club music during a football game, turn it on over there.  Let the rest of us enjoy the game.  Jeez Louise.  We sit near a speaker and my ears are still ringing.  OSHA wouldn't allow it; why does Stanford???

Not every third down is the OMG most exciting play in the history of football.   Not sure if that's still Steve Frost, but for the love of God, follow the game and stop screaming at us when least warranted.   Stanford can only create excitement on the field -- piping in loud dance club music and pretending like every third down is epic, is just annoying.

This presumes the purpose of the music is entirely for the fans. I bet the players prefer it. It must be kind of deflating to play in a "library," so I could see the sound effects amping up the players. It also helps get the fans louder. When the Ducks first brought their flashy clothes and constant uniform changes, I bet there were fans in the stands who didn't like it. "Wear the same damn clothes!," "The unis from the 1970s were the best!" etc. When Miami started awarding players ridiculously giant "turnover chains," gold plastic necklaces to reward players who got a turnover, there were probably some fans who found them too gaudy and ridiculous. Why not just a good old-fashioned pat on the back and a high-five after a turnover? But many people seem to like it, and the players definitely seem to like it. We're in a different era. I know when I get to Sharks games the PA system is much, much louder, and their sound effects are even more over-the-top, so it's not like Stanford is unique, or even particularly loud, in this respect.

Re the student announcers for the band: they need a new schtick.  That stilted cue-card reading drone isn't funny --  it's just more over-amplified noise people are trying to block out.  Also, I'm wildly pro-vaccine (got my booster on Friday actually) but why get all smug and condescending about it. It wasn't funny.  It wasn't helpful.  So why?  We should be building bridges, not 'cleverly' mocking from a mountain top. 

The bit about the vaccines got a mild chuckle out of me. I can't recall the whole thing -- I remember there were two announcers and one didn't want a vaccine because he was concerned about microchips. The Stanford band is a scatter band. They take stories from the headlines and make jokes. In the 90s, they made jokes about Oregon's endangered spotted owl and if I recall correctly the governor of Oregon wanted to band banned in the state. Also in the 90s, during the Notre Dame game, they had a flying nun in costume and band members searched the field for precious potatoes during a "potato famine." Even worse, the dollies dressed like devils with horns and little red tails. Such inappropriate and immodest attire! During the Rose Bowl, the band so inflamed the sensibilities of the Iowa state legislature several members wanted to pass a law banning any professors at any university in the state from collaborating with any researcher at Stanford university, which would have inflicted untold and incalculable damage to Stanford's research. The Stanford band is a scatter band. They take stories from the headline and make jokes. This is what they do. I think Harvard and Rice have scatter bands, and a number of other colleges. I actually think they have improved because with the better PA system, I can actually hear what they are saying. I love the band's general zaniness, but would agree the band's halftime shows aren't nearly as funny as they think they are. They have been drinking their own kool-aid as to what is funny for as long as I can remember. Given the fact that it's a pretty big live audience, I would think someone on campus could make it funnier more consistently.

On the plus side, the Covid verification tents were well-staffed and ran smoothly enough.  Pretty sure I could have gotten verified by showing them my old Blockbuster Video Card, since they barely glanced at it, but at least it wasn't a logjam. 

I agree that the system was slipshod, kind of to be expected during the first game. It appeared maybe 1 in 10 or 1 in 20 UCLA fans were not wearing a wristband. Maybe they tore them off after entry, but I expect rules should be enforced consistently, even if the review process is rushed and imperfect.

Oh, and the mighty Beavers beat USC even more soundly than Stanford did, extinguishing any lingering hopes that this team "has it in them" when they want it.  They might, and I hope they do, but that USC game says a lot more about USC than Stanford at this point. 

Having a head coach fired and getting a new coach two games into the season might have some kind of impact.