SPORTS
Point-Counter Point: Best sports chant
Looking for a print version?
Simply choose ‘Print’ on your computer and a printer-friendly document will be generated.
Also by Dave McGrath and Michael Poppy:
- PCP: NBA Comeback POY (April 18, 2007)
- PCP: Worst ballpark (April 11, 2007)
- PCP: What's next for Amaker (March 21, 2007)
- PCP: Favorite to win NIT (March 14, 2007)
- Not the SATs: Spartans outwit, outscore Wildcats (March 9, 2007)
Related Stories:
- Point-counterpoint: Worst sound in sports (October 17, 2007)
- Dumb fans, dumber chants (September 13, 2006)
- Student sections duke it out for supremacy on UW-Madison campus (November 2, 2006)
- Best sports tirade (October 25, 2006)
by Dave McGrath and Michael Poppy
Wednesday, December 6, 2006
Poppy
Even though the Green Bay Packers don't have much to cheer about this season, one of Lambeau Field's chants remains as the Best Sports Chant.
"Doo da doo da doo da doo … GO! PACK! GO!" (Repeat: numerous times)
The chant may be cheesy, but it's catchy nonetheless. Countless days go by with the "GO! PACK! GO!" chant ringing in my mind, and while I won't necessarily say I like it, it must mean it's a pure genius chant if it's stuck in my head. Even if you don't like the chant, you somehow find yourself singing the tune.
The Packers' brainwashing aside, the chant is simply the best. Win or lose, it echoes across the Frozen Tundra's loudspeakers over and over again. And it never gets old.
Not only does the chant repeat itself beyond belief throughout the course of a single game, but the green-and-gold faithful participate from beginning to end of each and every game.
Even if not all Packer fans participated in the chant, it would still be the best ever. St. Vincent himself is the only man needed for a chant, period. Just look at St. Vinnie's outfit and staff, it's quite remarkable — but you should really hear the man on game day. He's something else.
However, I propose a change to the chant. Not that it's bad or anything — after all, it is the Best Sports Chant — but it could be better, much better.
Let's face it, the Packers have become a one-man band. Living legend Brett Favre needs only 10 touchdown passes to surpass Dan Marino on the all-time list and establish himself as the best quarterback in NFL history.
With that said, change the "GO! PACK! GO!" chant to "GO! FAVRE! GO!"
Doo da doo da doo da doo … BEST! CHANT! EVER! McGrath
Scooby-Doo is awesome.
The best cartoon dog this side of The Jetsons' Astro, Scooby has always held a place in my heart as the ideal canine companion. I mean, the pooch could talk, could walk and could eat more than that hot dog aficionado Kobayashi. I still really want to know what exactly is in a Scooby Snack — it couldn't have all been legal.
Everything Scooby touches is automatically awesome, which means that the University of Albany has been spiking the awesomeness Richter scale off the charts for years now. Albany, the only team in all of sports making purple look good, has the nickname the Great Danes. What Dane has ever been greater than Scooby-Dooby Doo? And before you say Niels Bohr, remember that Bohr's subject matter (chemistry) actually led to the invention of the word boredom.
Now what does this all have to do with the best chant?
Well, Albany is home to one of the most unique chants in all of athletics; it is a hybrid, blending the cadence of the soccer chant that is common in the World Cup (Ole! Ole, Ole Ole!) and the initials of Albany (UA).
You can see where it goes from there.
The chant has a mystical effect on the Danes and any opponent unfortunate enough to be within hearing distance of the war cry. This was no more evident than when UA almost became the first No. 16 seed to win a game in the NCAA tournament, holding a 12-point lead over UConn last year, mostly due to the magical chant. The Badger women's team better beware too, as Albany hits Madison Sunday and there are guaranteed to be at least three UA fans in attendance, shouting out the voodoo-like words of wonder. Look for an upset.
Point: Scooby and UA.
Anonymous (December 6, 2006 @ 9:10am):
I sincerely hope that your parents donated a wing of a building for you to be admitted to UW. If they did not and you still got in, we need to perform a clean sweep of all employees in the admissions department. Did you really just say "awesomeness Richter scale?" My suggestion would be for you to stop writing now.
Anonymous (December 6, 2006 @ 2:49pm):
Are you kidding me, US sports have no chanting, and when they do, it's go team go or some nonsense like that. If you want to hear clever, abrasive chanting, watch/listen to European or South American football.
