Red Army

[Thrawn666]

Has anyone else heard about the Red Army? Basically its a bunch of people the equivalent of Perth Glory's Shed or the Uni Loonies at Perth Wildcats games. I got handed a flyer at Subi before I went into the game on Friday night and it basically , for those who havent seen it , is as follows :

West Coast Eagles
RED
ARMY

Elite Supporters: 50 strong, every home game, all season, all red.
Unrelentingly brave, loud and committed.

It then goes on to say you get free reserved seating,uniforms, transport, partying, fame (?) . Theres also sponsorhip from Carlton Mid and The Wembley, theres also the West Coast logo which could indicate it's officially aligned to the club in some manner but I cant be sure of that. I was thinking of joining, ive been an advocate of such a group for a long time but there is one thing stopping me, ALL RED. I mean how stupid is that going to look when we play a team like Sydney or Essendon when we dont even have red in our team colours. I try to turn up to games as Blue and Gold (not ochre) as possible and the whole red thing is a little off putting. Anyone else thinking about joining? I have no idea how to get in but the number for recruitment if anyone else is interested is 9388 4566

 

[Mead]

Sounds good- but like you i'm a little curious about the whole red thing.. I mean, what do they do when they're playing sydney or essendon or whoever?

 

[Voice of Reason]

First I'd heard of it was the repeated adverts at Friday night's game.

I am opposed to it because it is ageist (have to be 18-30) and it is the wrong colour (red, as opposed to blue and gold or yellow or ochre or whatever).

Mark it down to another ccok-up by the Eagles marketing department.

 

[ONE EYE]

VOR you are right. Ochre should have been the colour.

 

[Mr Eagle]

Anyone rung up out of curiosity? I am tempted to...but my availability for all home games is not entirely certain. More's the pity

Red shmed, if you yell loud enough you turn red anyway...I just put it down to irony

 

[USAEagle]

It sounds like they are trying to force something to happen. These kinds of things are never planned - the shed, Uni Loonies, Barmy Army, etc. They start spontaneously with a few grassroots supporters and take off on their own. I always thought it was funny last season when the cheer squad walked around subi after doing the banner shouting "OI OI OI! Eagles Eagles Eagles...." It just doesn't work, because that is first of all a cricket thing, and secondly, it is something that is quintessentially Australian. (All respect to the cheer squad, they do a great job.)

Before I became a memebr, I always thought that the standing room area on the city end of the old Subiaco Oval was our version of the shed. But they took that away. Maybe they will take away our ochre guernseys without asking our opinion either - like they did to the old forum. Nah, they wouldn't do THAT to us...

 

[Mr Eagle]

Originally posted by USAEagle
It sounds like they are trying to force something to happen. These kinds of things are never planned - the shed, Uni Loonies,

Actually, the Uni Loonies were set up by Luc Longley and Andrew Vlahov to replicate what exists at US college basketball games.

Besides, you can't FORCE people to cheer madly. There's no way to fake passion for your team.

 

[Captain Random]

There's no way to fake passion for your team.

Yep. All credit to them for having a go, but I thought the idea was that you put on blue and gold and go to every game and barrack loudly

Next thing, they'll be handing out blue & gold shirts at the ground, a bit like what they were doing at the British Lions games over east

 

[Goldenblue]

Originally posted by USAEagle

Maybe they will take away our ochre guernseys without asking our opinion either - like they did to the old forum. Nah, they wouldn't do THAT to us...

We can only hope and wish...so hard for a guy like myself who is colour blind...plays merry hell on my eyes

 

[USAEagle]

Re: Re: Red Army

Originally posted by Mr Eagle

Actually, the Uni Loonies were set up by Luc Longley and Andrew Vlahov to replicate what exists at US college basketball games.

Besides, you can't FORCE people to cheer madly. There's no way to fake passion for your team.

Exactly my point - it is great that it works for the Wildcats, but the fact that they set it up to replicate what happens at US college basketball games is my whole point. First of all, there is no way on EARTH you could get the atmosphere of a Duke or North Carolina or New Mexico State Crowd in Australia.

Australian fans take note - no offense intended here, but even the noise at the MCG during the grand final doesn't match the intensity (if not the decibel level) of an American College Basketball Game. Firstly, the average college arena at the division one level seats 4 to 5 times the number of the Entertainment centre. Secondly, they never stop. They never sit down. They do the mexican Wave constantly. The cheer leaders (male and female) are constantly pumping the crowd. It is unreal and when you leave the place, your ears ring for hours and you are hoarse for a day (that is why New MExico State's arena in Albuquerque is called the house of pain)

I grew up in Seattle and still am a Seahawks (NFL gridiron) fan. I went to a "qualifying final" at the Kingdome (now demolished) in 1983 against the Denver Broncos. There were 64,000 + there, and it was so loud, the Broncos could not hear their signals being called. The only time it was quiet was at the quarter and halftime breaks. THis was not manufactured. (Seattle won by the way)

My point is that it feels to me like the Eagles are trying to manufacture something. Wouldn't it be great if we went to Subiaco, and the crowd was cheering the whole time? How offputting would it be for say Lloyd or Richardson to line up from 50 metres, and have a full fledged Mexican Wave (which was invented at the UNiversity of Washington, in Seattle at Husky Stadium during the 1969 gridiron season) go by in front of them in both directions? to have that sound going around and around the whole tiem they are getting ready for their kick? People here think the wave is a nuisance, but it is a potent weapon for putting off your opponents, and for pumping up the home side. I think it would be great if we actually got it really going at the derby. Australians (forgive me again) are too reserved for their own good.
Look I live here, and I love it, and I count myself an Australian in everything except the actual paperwork. How many Americans are WCE members? I went wild when we beat Melbourne last year. It felt like we had won a preliminary final - for one week anyway.

What I'd like to see, is less wavering of our fans. I t was discouraging to see us constantly kicking to opponents last year (especially against Richmond) It goes all quiet as soon as we give up the ball. What I'd like to see is it not ever going quiet.

SUbiaco needs to be called "Deaf Valley" because the opposing players can't hear each other because of the crownd noise.

I know I ramble a bit. Bring on the Red Army - called it the Blue and Gold Army, or the Screaming Eagles or something more in line with our club's traditions - but let's not just let it be 50 strong, let's make it 43,000 strong.

 

[thegur]

I've been thinking about this a lot. I have some experience to draw on .. I've attended a div.1 university in the USA, I've seen numerous football games in the UK, I've seen Australia play in just about any sport anywhere, and I've seen so many football games in Australia (of all varieties) that I've lost count.

Lets face facts, as much as Australians love their sport and their teams, went it comes to supporting them, the only positive that they show is that they turn up every week and pay their cash.

By far and away, US college basketball is just nuts. My favourtie sport non-grand final moment was being at a Temple v UMASS basketball game, featuring on rivals week on ESPN, unbelievable...

But the key point to remember, is that Aussie Rules is a completely different game to anything else in the world, the constant "critical" movement of the ball dictates that there are very few dull patches, hence it requires a greater level of concentration from the spectator which often makes chanting and singing secondary from watching the game, which I suppose is a good thing!!

In hoops, you have constant breaks, as well as the fact that the court is much much much closer to the crowd then in Aussie rules, hence the crowd could feel much more into the game.

American football speaks for itself, if the crowd didn't entertain themselves, they'd fall asleep, or start playing cards.

Soccer, well, it's the world's best game to watch when being played properly (see Liverpool this morning), however, the nature of the game also says that it can go great lenghts of time without excitement, but the immense amount of time spent building forward thrusts lends itself to chanting from the terraces.

AFL just doesn't have that time. Two kicks and your in your attcking 50, so while you may be ready to chant some great remark at Carey, just as it comes out of your mouth, you want to start singing "there is only one Troy Wilson" after he charges through a pack taking a mark ona strong lead.

I'm not sure where this is going.... I'd love to start singing and chanting at games, but does it have it's place at AFL?? Well, sometimes, but let's face it rarely.... The Richmond fans do get a bit of work out of "we've got the best full-forward in the the land", but the whole idea is to keep rotating the chants, something which no one does.

but have a go!! I'd love to see some quality terrace action from Subi!! Especially the "you must have come in a taxi" to the opposition fans, personal fav of mine!!

rant over

thegur

 

[iceman]

personally i think that having a "red" army is stupid cos we have never been associated with the colour red

who do these marketing people think we are?? Man Utd??

 

[Geonet]

I wish we were Man United I mean with their record and money. They and Real Madrid are in my opinion the greatest clubs in the world! I like our colours but if we were red and white like ManU, we could also be known as the red devils

 

[anchor man]

Originally posted by iceman
personally i think that having a "red" army is stupid cos we have never been associated with the colour red

who do these marketing people think we are?? Man Utd??

I know I am going to get bagged for coming in here to have a say,but here goes.
Well said Iceman,what the hell does REDhave to do with your club.Your club once prided it self on the BLUE and YELLOW that won you two flags and now you wear that so called away jumper thar looks worse than the dogs breakfast.Keep with your traditional colours.

 

[TheRealBuzz]

You won't get bagged for that, Anchor Man.

95% of Eagle supporters agree with you.

Still can't believe they scrapped our great jumpers for that disgusting ochre crap.

 

[Mr Eagle]

The Official Details

Courtesy of Sally Williams at the club:

"Thanks for your enquiry about the Red Army.

We will be having auditions for the Red Army next week at Champions Bar at Burswood. Basically the fifty chosen will be required to attend each game for the season. We have received a great response so far with lots of enthusiastic supporters registering.

Those chosen will:
Receive a comp drink at the Wembley prior to each game
Bus will deliver to Subiaco Oval
Reserved seating for the group next to the players race
Bus will take back to the Wembley
Red Army outfit will be supplied

If you are interested in auditioning, please contact Rod at Capital on 9381 1877 to book in for an audition. "

 

[thegur]

I really like our home jumpers. But like everyone else, our away jumpers, are without doubt, the third worst in history (original Brisbane and virtually any Hawthorn jumper that has blue).

However, I am a true believer in the proper away jumper principle, which is where the away jumper has no resemblence of the home jumper. Anyone who watches a West Coast game v Essendon, Richmond or Carlton, and plenty of other match-ups in the AFL has to agree. Is it that bigger a deal if every so often, a club wears a top which is completely different?

please end this red devil talk, it's making me ill.

rant over

thegur