The wisdom of crowds

[CanadienShark]

I never said there was an issue, just said they weren't the brightest bunch.

OK, and why are you entitled to make such a statement about the crowd? I'd even suggest that it's a little ironic that you're making such a comment about the crowd, without knowing a thing about anyone (or at least almost anyone) there. Normally when you want to make a statement about others' intelligence, you should make sure that your assertion is sensible. Yours is... illogical and asinine. Calling individuals in a fanbase dumb because of a group chant.. That's actually a fallacy, the fallacy of division IIRC.

 

[awfulwaffle]

OK, and why are you entitled to make such a statement about the crowd? I'd even suggest that it's a little ironic that you're making such a comment about the crowd, without knowing a thing about anyone (or at least almost anyone) there. Normally when you want to make a statement about others' intelligence, you should make sure that your assertion is sensible. Yours is... illogical and asinine. Calling individuals in a fanbase dumb because of a group chant.. That's actually a fallacy, the fallacy of division IIRC.

The facts are there. Unless of course I'm wrong, and they were just cheering Andersen when he was on the winning team. Who knows?

 

[CanadienShark]

The facts are there. Unless of course I'm wrong, and they were just cheering Andersen when he was on the winning team. Who knows?

I don't think you get it. They were just doing what any normal crowd would do in any regular game - jeering the other goalie. They were simply treating their team like they would any other time. The Jets fans love their team and don't boo or give up. I give their fans a ton of props for keeping on at that point, but apparently you think it's dumb.

 

[awfulwaffle]

I don't think you get it. They were just doing what any normal crowd would do in any regular game - jeering the other goalie. They were simply treating their team like they would any other time. The Jets fans love their team and don't boo or give up. I give their fans a ton of props for keeping on at that point, but apparently you think it's dumb.

Shoot, if I paid that much money to take in a playoff game only to get swept after how many years, I'd stick around too!

 

[vdB]

I would consider being compared to Katy Perry as a compliment. She's awesome.

 

[CanadaBacon]

Yeah I'm pretty sure walking out to 18,000 people cheering you on wouldn't fire you up at all

If a pro hockey player needs the crowd to fire him up, he wont be pro for long.

The vast majority of these guys have been playing in front of crowds since minor midget. One of the first things they learn going to junior is to block out the crowd. Big crowd, small crowd, no crowd, it doesnt matter. Thats why they are professional, you think you know what its like for them but you know nothing.

Crowds do not affect either team.

 

[Squantosawuss]

Is there really any way to "rattle" the road team?

Maybe not the road team, but definitely the road coach! lol

 

[Sanderson]

If a pro hockey player needs the crowd to fire him up, he wont be pro for long.

The vast majority of these guys have been playing in front of crowds since minor midget. One of the first things they learn going to junior is to block out the crowd. Big crowd, small crowd, no crowd, it doesnt matter. Thats why they are professional, you think you know what its like for them but you know nothing.

Crowds do not affect either team.

No one said anything about a player needing a crowd to fire him up, just that it adds to his usual level. And yes, crowds can have a tremendous effect on teams, suggesting otherwise is simply wrong and not based on any facts. There is a reason why small teams can suddenly play on a completely different level when playing at home (this is especially obvious in international tournaments). The combination of a team showing great effort and a crowd pushing it can make the team go on a roll that is very hard to stop, to the point were a clearly inferior team is dominating the opposition, based on nothing but adrenaline and emotion.

As if getting told to "block out the crowd" would allow a player to do just that, it's bollocks, even the very best at it would still be affected by it subconsciouly. A player can perform well against a crowd, he can also feed off an opposing crowd's energy, just like a team can crumble under the pressure of expectations or grow to heights no one thought possible. Everything you say gets contradicted by science and history.

 

[SillyRabbit]

As a Canucks fan I watched Calgary's crowd pump the hell out of Ferlund.

He was hitting everything that moved and when the crowd would cheer that seemed to just give him more energy.

 

[SurMartin]

Of course crowds can impact the teams. It's part of the game in europe. Everyone already knows about the singing fan sections so I don't want to start that again, but there's also a matter of helping your team by putting pressure on the referees. For instance:

http://www.expressen.se/sport/kronikorer/magnus-nystrom/nystrom-vralades-skreks-och-visslades/
"In the second period, Adam Pettersson was wrongfully called for roughing after a hit on on Magnus Nygren.
The crowd became furious and then it started. They roared and screamed in almost every close combat.
And sometimes it pays to gape as hell. When Christian Berglund pushed Niclas Burström the audience reacted as if Berglund had pulled the stick in the skull of Burström. Berglund was called and in the subsequent powerplay Pierre-Edouard Bellemare killed the game with his 3-0.
The audience should have had an assist on that goal."

 

[Steve]

Crowds do not affect either team.

I know this is a completely different sport but consider soccer for a moment. Scotland has a team who plays in their top league named Celtic. This league is a significant gap below the EPL of any division is Europe but for some reason their home record in Champions League (until very recently) is quite staggering considering the difference in quality of players.

Their stadium is known to have the best (or one of) atmosphere in all Europe.

 

[Jets4Life]

I would consider being compared to Katy Perry as a compliment. She's awesome.

I did not care for the Katy Perry chant. It was rather lame, and not clever. Neither was the "Captain Rogaine" they did for Getzlaf.

The "Who's your captain?" chant for the Thornton incident, against the Sharks, was epic.

 

[CanadaBacon]

No one said anything about a player needing a crowd to fire him up, just that it adds to his usual level. And yes, crowds can have a tremendous effect on teams, suggesting otherwise is simply wrong and not based on any facts. There is a reason why small teams can suddenly play on a completely different level when playing at home (this is especially obvious in international tournaments). The combination of a team showing great effort and a crowd pushing it can make the team go on a roll that is very hard to stop, to the point were a clearly inferior team is dominating the opposition, based on nothing but adrenaline and emotion.

As if getting told to "block out the crowd" would allow a player to do just that, it's bollocks, even the very best at it would still be affected by it subconsciouly. A player can perform well against a crowd, he can also feed off an opposing crowd's energy, just like a team can crumble under the pressure of expectations or grow to heights no one thought possible. Everything you say gets contradicted by science and history.

Sure buddy, sure. "Science" has explained that "home field advantage" has a hell of a lot less to do with crowds than it does with a testosterone boost that begins before the crowds even show up. Its more relate to a sense of primitive territoriality. Some animals perform better in conflicts with rivals when defending their home territory than attacking foreign territory. One of those animals happens to be us, more specifically Men.

"History" shows that stanley cup champions home/away records are not much different and "science" has again explained these minor differences on travel fatigue, disorientation, and unfamiliarity with an idiosyncratic rink. Great teams are great team and they play great either home or away. But lets forget all that and just say it must be the crowd. You know, the one thing all these guys have been playing in front of for years.

A crowd can certainly work the refs though, no argument there. Players, not so much. I will take the word of actual players over random hf board psychologists.

 

[JWells16]

Not a hockey example, but crowds can absolutely get into players' heads.

 

[Finnish your Czech]

Maybe not the road team, but definitely the road coach! lol

No, I'm pretty sure they affect the whole team, too.

[Yt]sjupnYB5vUI[/MEDIA]

 

[DrunkUncleDenis]

The ability of Montreal fans to influence referee calls at the Bell Centre is unbelievable. They boo literally everything, and it's damn effective.

 

[holyprime]

Crowds usually react to the play, not the other way around.

 

[chupanibre]

Crowds usually react to the play, not the other way around.

I would say they feed off each other.

 

[Koonta]

Shoot, if I paid that much money to take in a playoff game only to get swept after how many years, I'd stick around too!

LOL another Coyotes fan crapping all over the Winnipeg fans because a few Winnipeg posters rustled their jimmies 4 years ago when the state of franchise availability was up in the air. How long are you going to be this bitter?

 

[Blueline Bomber]

I think the fact that the players can come out flat, despite having an arena that's completely sold out, have a playoff (or playoff-like) atmosphere and have almost 100% (if not 100%) of the crowd behind the home team, should tell you the crowd doesn't have as big of an impact on the team as one would like to think.