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If it isn’t fitting, just be sitting Gilby's teams must earn applause and respect By: Malamute, 13 Septebmer 2003
Artificial noise is not acceptable. As Johnny Cochran might say to the Huskies’ jury, if it isn’t fitting, just be sitting, for if the glove don’t jell, just don’t yell. And, certainly, don't feel guilty. If silence is generated by silent play, no fan--especially a que-tip--need feel guilty about being silent. Army defensive tackle Al Roberts remembers Husky Stadium, "70,000 screaming, yelling and stomping—that crowd was probably the biggest difference. The acoustics here are amazing, a huge factor. I’ve been around C-130 transports a lot, and this almost felt like I was on a runway." On a football Saturday, a din of iniquity can quickly turn into a den of inequity. But the din must be earned; it can’t be artificial. Yelling just to be yelling at Husky Stadium on a football Saturday is ridiculous. The team must earn that vocal response, which not too long ago was a trademark of the venerable old stadium and its loyal fans, the twelfth man on the field. After a game, fans that are artificially hoarse deserve the proverbial horse laugh, Cochran might say. I’m not saying that fans shouldn’t give the Huskies a boisterous welcome when they enter the stadium. I’m not saying fans shouldn’t standup and yell to create a few motion penalties nor respond to a cheer leader's beck and call. But the team needs to reciprocate by producing some sacks, by pummeling the visitors with ferocity and rabidity, and by being just plain inhospitable. Artificial noise is nothing but a cheap theatrical trick—like canned laughter on a sitcom, like recycled noise at Autzen, like mutating uniforms woven from nuclear waste. Fans need not boo lethargic play, either; let polite silence or mild applause voice displeasure. Fans, never boo a Husky who wears Purple and Gold. Genuine noise is best earned by playing rabidly on defense. Defense generates noise. That means recruiting some behemoths on the front line, recruiting some quick line backers and a skilled secondary. The UW needs a front four that penetrates quickly, one that forces the offense to secure the line of scrimmage. Paying extra attention to the quick penetration will allow the linebackers, who are all gifted, to roam free and make plays; the secondary can line up in a cover 2. It’s all about speed, and speed kills. It’s really quite simple in concept. Recruiting this kind of defense is not simple. But it can be done. If Pete Carroll can do it at USC, Keith Gilbertson can do it at Washington. Symbolically speaking, Gilby must eighty-six that two-year old muffler quieting the Huskies' engine; but in reality, his defense must do the disassembly. Otherwise, fans, if it isn’t fitting, just be sitting, for if the glove don’t jell, just don’t yell. Barbara Hedges (Huskies AD) and Coach Gilbertson will get the message. |
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Besides his won/lost record, Coach Keith Gilbertson will be
measured by the crowd noise his teams generate at Husky Stadium. Crowd noise on
a football Saturday is a Husky tradition, and its presence or absence will
either register boldly or not at all on Gilby’s applause meter.