TULSA, Okla. – I recently traveled to Wichita, Kansas to experience a road game with my home team, the Tulsa Oilers. I must say I found the entire journey rather enlightening.
Just out of curiosity, is there some unwritten (or written, for that matter) protocol that visiting fans are expected to follow? This protocol would obviously address the permitted decibel levels on visiting fans voices’, the number of times they can clap for one play, if standing and clapping at the same time is even permitted, etc. After all, I am a teacher – I like rules and structure.
Putting my annoying analytical side away, I truly was baffled by my insecurities on how to act. Being the small fish wearing an Oilers jersey amidst an arena of sharks (it’s just an analogy people), I often found myself in a conundrum. Do I scream and cheer for my team as I would on home ice, drawing more attention to myself, or do I squelch my screams and cheers in order to blend in with the crowd? An answer I have yet to completely commit myself to.
Being the lone group of screaming supporters can be a very intimidating experience, especially with a hostile section in the home crowd. A group of Oilers fans who did cheer very loudly were accused of “it” being all “their” fault. This, of course, left me wanting to analyze exactly what “it” is and how”it” could possibly be the fault of anyone in the stands when they have no control of the game.
But then again, analyzing some of my comments like, “Hey ref, you need to remove the tampons from your eyes because they’re messing with your vision”, I am sure would make one wonder about me. And I would never say that at a road game. I find comfort in my obnoxiousness on home ice.
Another enlightening experience to this road game was the excitement of the home crowd. The cheering and chanting never stopped, the noise level was equally exhilarating, the fans were on their feet several times and the element of excitement was definitely in the air.
I must say I was pumped on the inside, whether I showed it on the outside or not. Whether the acknowledgement of that enthusiasm results from my sitting in a higher seat, a larger crowd and smaller arena, or just simply louder fans, I wish I could see and hear more of that excitement in the BOK Center.
Another major difference was the number of fights I witnessed in Wichita as opposed to the number of fights in Tulsa vs. Wichita. Being somewhat of a newbie to the Tulsa Oilers, that was the first time I saw gloves fly off and punches thrown. Is it the fighting that creates a more verbal crowd?
Through this experience I learned that road games are quite different. It’s kind of like being the duck out of water. I am still there to support my Oilers, but not freely, because I choose not to get in the water.
The cheering and the screaming and yelling…it’s part of what makes hockey so fun, be it at home or on the road. As for the fans, just be the example you want to see in other fans (minus any tampon comments).
On a personal level, I am still unsure where I stand on the whole road cheering thing, but I will figure it out. Until then, I will be in a seat or listening to Rob Loeber, cheering in my heart, as always and regardless of venue.
Contact the writer at julie.harmon@prohockeynews.com
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