Glass Bangers: True Fans or Morons?

by WpgMikos on May 1, 2009 3:29 PM CDT

I got the idea to write an article about this topic after we discussed the various people banging away on the glass during game 3 or 4 (I think) of the Hawks/Flames series.

Anyways, figured I would post it and you guys can let me know what you think.

Do those people who sit in the first row behind the glass and actively engage in ‘glass banging’ constitute a segment of the fan base who you would consider to be true fans who show their emotion by banging on the glass or are these people just a group of morons who think that banging on the glass with wild abandon somehow makes them a bigger part of the game?
Entire article here.

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Morons. No question.

NOW STOP IT RIGHT HERE

by mjthor on May 1, 2009 4:28 PM CDT reply actions

however, I don't think "true fan" and "moron" are mutually exclusive.

NOW STOP IT RIGHT HERE

by mjthor on May 1, 2009 4:29 PM CDT up reply actions

Saw some of them last night in Chi-town

But I can understand it when they were celebrating the OT victory.

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by WpgMikos on May 8, 2009 10:06 AM CDT up reply actions

+1

If I recall, you were thrown out of the old Chicago Stadium for doing that excessively.

And for nostalgia’s sake — as a kid I remember seeing this sign posted on entrances to the ice-level seating at the old barn. I assume the signs vanished in the 80s. I will paraphrase…

“Since many games are nationally televised, we urge that gentlemen wear suits and ties and ladies wear appropriate attire.”

A dress code, one of the artifacts of 1800 W. Madison.

by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on May 10, 2009 9:01 PM CDT up reply actions

hahaha

I think our conversation was the inspiration for the article.

And I agree with your 2nd point.

For more hockey news; www.illegalcurve.com

by WpgMikos on May 1, 2009 5:14 PM CDT reply actions

Like this topic.

This gets tossed about frequently while watching games with friends, and I have two theories:

1. These poor, non-season-ticket-holding souls, have just shelled out two weeks salary from their minimum wage jobs to attend the only hockey game they will see in person all year. Due to the gravity of the situation, they have taken it upon themselves to achieve a blood alcohol rating of .20 before even arriving at the game. They will be damned if they are not going to squeeze every penny out of this experience they probably will barely even remember tomorrow. Also, having their friends see them pounding the glass as if they were trying to escape an airborne pathogen will give them bragging rights for the rest of the year.

2. They’re brain-dead, drunken mongoloids, with insecurities about a small penis and issues of being weaned from the teat to early. Leading them to believe their mothers never loved them enough.

Basically, they’re the same goofs who scream, “Get in the hole!”, everytime Tiger Woods tees off on a par-5.

by kesrows on May 1, 2009 5:19 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs

Great Response.

haha.

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by WpgMikos on May 1, 2009 6:36 PM CDT up reply actions

Mind if I quote you on this one?

Too funny. I’d like to add it to the comments on IC.

For more hockey news; www.illegalcurve.com

by WpgMikos on May 1, 2009 9:10 PM CDT up reply actions

Go right ahaead

Glad you liked it. Really liked your article.
Cheers.

by kesrows on May 2, 2009 2:41 AM CDT up reply actions

They also alternate between “Hit someone!” and “Shoot the puck!” every four seconds.

by russellguldin on May 5, 2009 8:45 AM CDT up reply actions

A good player always knows when and when not to "shoot the puck"

As opposed to fans that have never played the game before and think that it must be easy to just shoot the puck at an NHL goaltender with 3 guys right on top of you (just like how it’s easy to keep a puck in at the blue line). Glass bangers are definitely morons but sometimes they make me laugh. But what’s wrong with “hit someone”?

Victim was found murdered with a Chelsea Dagger.

by pucknut on May 5, 2009 5:03 PM CDT up reply actions

get off your high horse

you make fun of these people who are hard working individuals. So what they can only afford a general admission tickets because they don’t have high paying jobs. They show up to support their team. Let them bang away on the glass. Better than banging on the door to morons like kesrows who make comments about people he/she thinks are beneath him/her. You would not talk so brash in their company I am quite sure.

by chipthejackass on May 6, 2009 8:25 AM CDT up reply actions

Depends on where they set thier beer.

by Bad Ass Burish on May 1, 2009 5:36 PM CDT reply actions

true

I have actually seen players seemingly target the beers of the morons who both bang on the glass and set their beer right there on the lip of the boards.

by runningquicklynowhere on May 1, 2009 7:26 PM CDT up reply actions

Seriously?

For more hockey news; www.illegalcurve.com

by WpgMikos on May 1, 2009 8:54 PM CDT up reply actions

Maybe its just learned behavior from the graphics in NHL 94.

Got more soul than a sock with a hole.

by chrome on May 1, 2009 5:50 PM CDT reply actions

Great game

I don’t have an SNES anymore but I still own the game.

For more hockey news; www.illegalcurve.com

by WpgMikos on May 1, 2009 6:38 PM CDT up reply actions

that was just the one guy though… and he at least went back and sat down after a while

Second City Hockey

by Killion on May 1, 2009 7:22 PM CDT up reply actions

He had an unusually long walk to get back to his seat.

Got more soul than a sock with a hole.

by chrome on May 1, 2009 10:03 PM CDT up reply actions

I know that I have never banged on the glass

Then again, I have never sat “on the glass.” I prefer to sit in the 300 section, or right next to the camera men in the 200 section.
However, I was standing at the rail one game 5 or 6 years ago and screaming at the top of my lungs “KILL THAT MUTHERFUCKING KOHARSKI!!! KOHARSKI DIES!!!!” after a particularly stupid dive by a Dead Wrong that resulted in a power play. I turned around and saw that there was a guy with his 7-8 year old girl, and younger boy sitting right behind me. The guy looked at me and said “FUCK YEAH, KILL THE REF!!!!”
Does this mean that I did not bang on the glass only due to not being seated at rink side?
Probably, but I only would have hit it when Koharski was there. I do hate it when people bang on the glass when I am watching a thread, due to the fact that I get " Kane passes the puck to BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG and we’ll be back after this…" Cue the stupid fucking EEEENNNEEERRRGGGYYYYY commercial.

by burpchelischili on May 1, 2009 8:52 PM CDT reply actions

More of one, less of the other

More Boob Bangers like the Panthers chick, less of the Glass Bangers I say.

For more hockey news; www.illegalcurve.com

by WpgMikos on May 1, 2009 8:55 PM CDT reply actions

I think dave19019381 or whatever is having a wet dream somewhere right now. Oh wait, he’s not old enough for that. He probably just wet the bed.

by spell on May 2, 2009 8:15 AM CDT up reply actions

He should be happy

because the initial video on YouTube I found was a minute long and didn’t get to the good part until the last 15 seconds and was edited to cover her nipples…..but then as I was perusing YouTube for other video’s I found the same Panthers video, unedited and only 15 seconds in duration. In the immortal words of Jerry Seinfeld “I think I see a nipple!”

For more hockey news; www.illegalcurve.com

by WpgMikos on May 2, 2009 10:29 AM CDT up reply actions

If you think its bad in the midwest.....

you should see the morons here in Cali. They have no clue.

by Calihockey on May 2, 2009 10:42 AM CDT reply actions

Morons in Cali?

I, like, totally can’t believe it! OMG – did you hear what Lisa said to Patrick’s boyfriend? Drama!

Got more soul than a sock with a hole.

by chrome on May 2, 2009 4:16 PM CDT up reply actions

I can totally relate

Having manned a penaltry box for 14 years (12 in the UHL, the past two in the AHL), one of my pet-peeves would be the clowns who like to bang on the glass. They think they are helping/irritating the players, but they don’t. It’s like they’re in a zoo or something. Hell, they even bang on the glass when we walk by to man our posts. I once asked a guy why he did it, and when he couldn’t give me a reason, I asked him if he would like it if I came to his job and pounded on his door all day. Morons.

by SinBin Dave on May 4, 2009 4:31 PM CDT reply actions

Fantastic perspective

Do you usually sit in the home team or away team penalty box? I could only imagine the crap that you must hear.

For more hockey news; www.illegalcurve.com

by WpgMikos on May 4, 2009 5:24 PM CDT up reply actions

Good Lord!!!!

The things you must hear!! Now there is a book worth buying!

by burpchelischili on May 4, 2009 6:38 PM CDT up reply actions

You need to start a blog

I would love to read the stuff you’ve seen/heard!

by russellguldin on May 5, 2009 8:31 AM CDT up reply actions

I wish I would've kept a "diary"

I worked the visitors’ box for about seven years in the UHL, then moved over to the home box when our former supervisor passed away. Working with a bunch of different players in a AA league was pretty fun, especially since my “day job” is as a prison counselor. I also officiate high school and college baseball and football. Those skills came in handy in the penalty box, especially because the boxes did not have glass in the front. Guys would just hop over after I counted them down. When the franchise switched to AHL a couple of years ago, they moved the boxes across the ice and put tall glass on the front of them.

I did hear a lot of crazy stuff over they years. Some pretty original insults, and some pretty violent situations (mainly in the UHL). I got to know the players and officials pretty well. And I had the best seat in the house.

by SinBin Dave on May 5, 2009 9:29 AM CDT up reply actions

So any good AHL stories?

What would be your top 5 incidents?

For more hockey news; www.illegalcurve.com

by WpgMikos on May 5, 2009 10:39 AM CDT up reply actions

I have never understood the glass banging thing

I have had the opportunity to sit on the glass for P-Bruins and Wolves games, and one row up for a ‘Hawks playoff game (it does pay to work in a grocery store). It is inane. What I found mysterious is when people would bang on the glass for their favorite player. It is not a friendly sound; it’s not something that inspires a smile or makes me think “Hey, that guy really likes me!”

But, like Chris Pronger, it is an unfortunate part of the game and won’t go anywhere until there is the equivalent of an Air Marshal sitting in every section on the glass; one person who has carte blanche to punch the first idiot who bangs on the glass.

I’m down with boobs on glass, though. That sounds like it would be a beautiful tradition.

by russellguldin on May 5, 2009 8:39 AM CDT reply actions