LETTER

To the fans of Terrier (Ice Hockey) Nation:

Label me a cynic. Last year, the Boston University Terriers had one of the best seasons in the history of college hockey. As everyone is well aware, we won every tournament we participated in, from the Icebreaker in October to the Frozen Four in April. The title defense will prove extremely difficult because every team plays their best against the champs. Now that we have our first championship since 1995, it is time for us to act like the best.

Why is it that after each goal that we score, no matter the opponent, we feel the need to talk about Boston College? After our first goal against the U.S. Under-18 team on Saturday, just like every other goal, we yelled, ‘Rough ’em up, rough ’em up, BC sucks, SIEVE.’ We always repeat that line for each goal we scored up to that point in the game. That famous one-liner is also the chorus of ‘The Song.’ When I attended my first BU hockey game in the fall of 2007, I found the chant a bit odd and could not think of any similar scenarios across the world of sports.

Later during my freshman year, the Boston Red Sox stormed back and won the last three games of the ALCS against the Indians. After the final out was recorded, we ran down 13 flights of stairs to join all of the fans leaving Fenway Park for a party in Kenmore Square. We arrived to a frenzy with the majority celebrating in small groups. But as more people joined in, one chant united everyone and kicked the party off.

‘Yankees suck!’ was that chant. That night, I wondered why people were so excited to put the New York Yankees down. Why were we celebrating our upcoming trip to the World Series by making fun of our bitter rivals rather than cheering on our own team?

I see the same problem with the fans of BU Hockey. There is a fine line between rooting for your own team and rooting against your most hated rivals. BC should be yelling about how much we suck, not the other way around. Our season is not a direct comparison against BC; we have bigger fish to fry. In my mind, it is very ‘little brother-like’ to feel the need to repeat it each and every game, after each and every goal. I challenge all BU Hockey fans to root the Terriers on this season and come up with a better chant to get the Dog Pound going.

Jay Glasenk
‘ COM 2011