Third Down Thunder

[BrianTinBigD]

We need MORE COWBELL!!!!

[PlanoStang]

The primary (although there were others) problem with 3rd down thunder was that no one ever explained what it was. I sat through a game or 2 listening to the ridiculous annoucement for 3rd down thunder that was always met with stark silence. Then came the TCU game that we won a couple of years ago. Midway through the 4th Quarter as things were really getting exciting, workers at the stadium started handing out those "thunder sticks" throughout the stands and people started banging them together. Now I think the students have them at the beginning of the game but the west side of Ford never has them. During the TCU win in the last quarter, the noise was actually loud and when 3rd down thunder was announced everyone banged those stupid sticks together and at least I finally understood what 3rd down thunder was. I have not seen another one of the blow up thunder sticks on the west side of Ford since the TCU win. I do not really care for them, but if they are going to do 3rd down thunder, someone needs to supply the thunder.

The people around me stomp their feet on the bleachers. Its woken me
up several times.

[DiamondM]

Look, if SMU fans had any clue as to what to do when the other team is on third down, we wouldn't need Third Down Thunder (see, e.g., Arrowhead Stadium). But the sad truth is that SMU fans will sit on their arses with their lips zipped until some tells them that they should stand up and yell to try to actually affect the outcome of the game.

So until SMU fans learn how to actually act at a football game, we need Third Down Thunder or something similar. Me waving my arms and telling people to get up isn't enough for some reason.

[DiamondM]

(3rd down thunder) is the only time our fans make noise when our defense is on the field......not that there has been much to cheer about........ the kids love it when people are stomping their feet on the stands

But our fans can do that themselves...they don't need piped-in noise and a video of horses stampeding to accompany them.

Uh, "can" is far different than "will." Our fans (and actually I find this to be the case with most Dallas fans regardless of sport) simply won't make noise without some kind of prompting. There is no proactive, self-motivated cheering in the Dallas fan.

[DiamondM]

The primary (although there were others) problem with 3rd down thunder was that no one ever explained what it was.

mrydel, I do not understand why anyone should have to explain Third Down Thunder. If they need someone to explain "Hey look, the other team is on third down, let's make a lot of noise to see if we can't cause a false start, or some other screw up of some kind so we can cause them to punt and then we get the ball back," then there truly is no hope. The fact that it needed to be explained is Exhibit A on why Dallas fans, and SMU fans in particular, have no idea how to cheer at a football game.

[Stallion]

the 3rd Quater Lull is another specialty of the Smu "Fan"

[jtstang]

mrydel, I do not understand why anyone should have to explain Third Down Thunder. If they need someone to explain "Hey look, the other team is on third down, let's make a lot of noise to see if we can't cause a false start, or some other screw up of some kind so we can cause them to punt and then we get the ball back," then there truly is no hope. The fact that it needed to be explained is Exhibit A on why Dallas fans, and SMU fans in particular, have no idea how to cheer at a football game.

I agree, outside of the 1500, SMU fans are the most pathetic in college sports.

[FWMustangGirl]

Look, if SMU fans had any clue as to what to do when the other team is on third down, we wouldn't need Third Down Thunder (see, e.g., Arrowhead Stadium). But the sad truth is that SMU fans will sit on their arses with their lips zipped until some tells them that they should stand up and yell to try to actually affect the outcome of the game.

So until SMU fans learn how to actually act at a football game, we need Third Down Thunder or something similar. Me waving my arms and telling people to get up isn't enough for some reason.

Do you sit a few rows in front of us?

[mrydel]

The primary (although there were others) problem with 3rd down thunder was that no one ever explained what it was.

mrydel, I do not understand why anyone should have to explain Third Down Thunder. If they need someone to explain "Hey look, the other team is on third down, let's make a lot of noise to see if we can't cause a false start, or some other screw up of some kind so we can cause them to punt and then we get the ball back," then there truly is no hope. The fact that it needed to be explained is Exhibit A on why Dallas fans, and SMU fans in particular, have no idea how to cheer at a football game.

Third down thunder was directly based on the "thunder sticks" none of which were ever distributed to the west side of the stadium. Thus the need for an explanation as to why this guy with a microphone kept screaming this unrelated announcement over the PA system. When they finally brought a few of the thunder sticks to the west side it at least made sense. What was I supposed to think when I heard third down thunder? Was I supposed to make a lightening cracking sound? Or perhaps let my stomach growl as if it were thunder. If all they wanted was noise, he could have just said "let's make some noise". But, in contrast to what you may think, I did know to yell and scream, I just did not know what the heck third down thunder was.

[RednBlue11]

The primary (although there were others) problem with 3rd down thunder was that no one ever explained what it was.

mrydel, I do not understand why anyone should have to explain Third Down Thunder. If they need someone to explain "Hey look, the other team is on third down, let's make a lot of noise to see if we can't cause a false start, or some other screw up of some kind so we can cause them to punt and then we get the ball back," then there truly is no hope. The fact that it needed to be explained is Exhibit A on why Dallas fans, and SMU fans in particular, have no idea how to cheer at a football game.

Third down thunder was directly based on the "thunder sticks" none of which were ever distributed to the west side of the stadium. Thus the need for an explanation as to why this guy with a microphone kept screaming this unrelated announcement over the PA system. When they finally brought a few of the thunder sticks to the west side it at least made sense. What was I supposed to think when I heard third down thunder? Was I supposed to make a lightening cracking sound? Or perhaps let my stomach growl as if it were thunder. If all they wanted was noise, he could have just said "let's make some noise". But, in contrast to what you may think, I did know to yell and scream, I just did not know what the heck third down thunder was.

what you cant make that sound?

[SMU Football Blog]

Third Down Thunder predates thunder sticks.

[mr. pony]

Who can forget Texas Tech's memorable cheer on no down in particular?
"FU - SMU!" over and over and over - directed at our players' parents and families.

[RednBlue11]

thats why they will never amount to anything and they will forever work for us

[BIGHORSE]

Just for the record, I yell like a madman during the entire game.

[ponydawg]

Just for the record, I once had third down thunder in my pants.
It too, wasn't pretty.