Blue Crew: What's in a Name?

[bluecrewprez]

My friend e-mailed me the link to the story about the Blue Crew being re-named through a campus contest and I've been gathering my thoughts about it all day. For anyone who doesn't know my history with the Blue Crew, I was President from 2005-2007 (the last 2 years of the Soderberg era...and still in the Scottrade Center). During my time in the Blue Crew and the three years since, I'm not sure anyone has thought more about what being a student fan means than me (just ask my dad). I have a lot more to say, and I'm sure I'll come up with more, but this is what I feel off the bat. I went running in Forest Park tonight wearing a Blue Crew shirt and it only made me more angry at what is about to happen...

Maybe it's just me not wanting to see my era of being a student fan end, or maybe it's my own pride of never being able to tell my kids, "I was the President of the Blue Crew" and they ask me what the heck that is, but I think that the name "Blue Crew" sums up everything that has to do with being a true Billiken Basketball fan. In my day (yeah, I just said that), the Blue Crew were the most dedicated student fans...the ones who would meet up 1.5 hours before game time, ate pizza, painted up, GOT ON A BUS and drove to see our team...even in our 9-21 season. Granted, that may have not been many students every time, but we were there. Blue Crew is a term of true Billiken pride. (Love them or hate them, you cannot knock the fans who actually showing up just because you wish there were more of them). It's amazing for me to go to games in Chaifetz and see what "Blue Crew" has become. The first time I saw the Blue Crew in action in the Chaifetz Arena I teared up (actually, it was the Xavier game and the White Out while they were body surfing the Billiken from the front row all the way to the back of the student section. That was amazing *sniffle*) To rename the Blue Crew is to nullify the work of and the TRUE fans of Billiken Basketball.

If you're going to rename the Blue Crew, you might as well change us from the Billikens to some other mascot. By renaming the Blue Crew, I will feel no personal connection with the student section anymore. It is just one more way that the Athletic Department is taking over what was once a STUDENT-RUN organization. To rename the Blue Crew is to negate everything that students did before that to build the program to what it is today.

Changing the name of the Blue Crew to something else will NOT make kids show up anymore then they already do. To rename the Blue Crew is to nullify everything that the founding members and the decade of student fans that have come and gone in an effort to build the student section. "Blue Crew" is a name that was created by a diehard handful of students who said to themselves, "We need a student section." I think they should honor the TRUE fans who didn't NEED an arena and most times didn't even need a RIDE to Kiel/Savvis/Scottrade Center (probably since most times the buses were never there). I think they should honor the students who worked to get the Arena and build the excitement.

If you're going to rename the Blue Crew, you might as well change us from the Billikens to some other mascot. By renaming the Blue Crew, I will feel no personal connection with the student section anymore. It is just one more way that the Athletic Department is taking over what was once a STUDENT-RUN organization. To rename the Blue Crew is to nullify everything that students did before that to build the program to what it is today.

When I was at SLU, the Athletic Department promised the "Blue Crew" a home in the Chaifetz Arena. Change the name, break that promise, turn your back on the fans that showed up before the idea of an arena was even possible...but then again it's the SLU AD.

(P.S. I've come to terms with the fact that I will most likely never work for the SLU Athletic Department lol)

[NextYearBill]

... wow, who cares

[JohnnyJumpUp]

My friend e-mailed me the link to the story about the Blue Crew being re-named through a campus contest and I've been gathering my thoughts about it all day. For anyone who doesn't know my history with the Blue Crew, I was President from 2005-2007 (the last 2 years of the Soderberg era...and still in the Scottrade Center). During my time in the Blue Crew and the three years since, I'm not sure anyone has thought more about what being a student fan means than me (just ask my dad). I have a lot more to say, and I'm sure I'll come up with more, but this is what I feel off the bat. I went running in Forest Park tonight wearing a Blue Crew shirt and it only made me more angry at what is about to happen...

Maybe it's just me not wanting to see my era of being a student fan end, or maybe it's my own pride of never being able to tell my kids, "I was the President of the Blue Crew" and they ask me what the heck that is, but I think that the name "Blue Crew" sums up everything that has to do with being a true Billiken Basketball fan. In my day (yeah, I just said that), the Blue Crew were the most dedicated student fans...the ones who would meet up 1.5 hours before game time, ate pizza, painted up, GOT ON A BUS and drove to see our team...even in our 9-21 season. Granted, that may have not been many students every time, but we were there. Blue Crew is a term of true Billiken pride. (Love them or hate them, you cannot knock the fans who actually showing up just because you wish there were more of them). It's amazing for me to go to games in Chaifetz and see what "Blue Crew" has become. The first time I saw the Blue Crew in action in the Chaifetz Arena I teared up (actually, it was the Xavier game and the White Out while they were body surfing the Billiken from the front row all the way to the back of the student section. That was amazing *sniffle*) To rename the Blue Crew is to nullify the work of and the TRUE fans of Billiken Basketball.

If you're going to rename the Blue Crew, you might as well change us from the Billikens to some other mascot. By renaming the Blue Crew, I will feel no personal connection with the student section anymore. It is just one more way that the Athletic Department is taking over what was once a STUDENT-RUN organization. To rename the Blue Crew is to negate everything that students did before that to build the program to what it is today.

Changing the name of the Blue Crew to something else will NOT make kids show up anymore then they already do. To rename the Blue Crew is to nullify everything that the founding members and the decade of student fans that have come and gone in an effort to build the student section. "Blue Crew" is a name that was created by a diehard handful of students who said to themselves, "We need a student section." I think they should honor the TRUE fans who didn't NEED an arena and most times didn't even need a RIDE to Kiel/Savvis/Scottrade Center (probably since most times the buses were never there). I think they should honor the students who worked to get the Arena and build the excitement.

If you're going to rename the Blue Crew, you might as well change us from the Billikens to some other mascot. By renaming the Blue Crew, I will feel no personal connection with the student section anymore. It is just one more way that the Athletic Department is taking over what was once a STUDENT-RUN organization. To rename the Blue Crew is to nullify everything that students did before that to build the program to what it is today.

When I was at SLU, the Athletic Department promised the "Blue Crew" a home in the Chaifetz Arena. Change the name, break that promise, turn your back on the fans that showed up before the idea of an arena was even possible...but then again it's the SLU AD.

(P.S. I've come to terms with the fact that I will most likely never work for the SLU Athletic Department lol)

[eastsidejoe]

My friend e-mailed me the link to the story about the Blue Crew being re-named through a campus contest and I've been gathering my thoughts about it all day. For anyone who doesn't know my history with the Blue Crew, I was President from 2005-2007 (the last 2 years of the Soderberg era...and still in the Scottrade Center). During my time in the Blue Crew and the three years since, I'm not sure anyone has thought more about what being a student fan means than me (just ask my dad). I have a lot more to say, and I'm sure I'll come up with more, but this is what I feel off the bat. I went running in Forest Park tonight wearing a Blue Crew shirt and it only made me more angry at what is about to happen...

Maybe it's just me not wanting to see my era of being a student fan end, or maybe it's my own pride of never being able to tell my kids, "I was the President of the Blue Crew" and they ask me what the heck that is, but I think that the name "Blue Crew" sums up everything that has to do with being a true Billiken Basketball fan. In my day (yeah, I just said that), the Blue Crew were the most dedicated student fans...the ones who would meet up 1.5 hours before game time, ate pizza, painted up, GOT ON A BUS and drove to see our team...even in our 9-21 season. Granted, that may have not been many students every time, but we were there. Blue Crew is a term of true Billiken pride. (Love them or hate them, you cannot knock the fans who actually showing up just because you wish there were more of them). It's amazing for me to go to games in Chaifetz and see what "Blue Crew" has become. The first time I saw the Blue Crew in action in the Chaifetz Arena I teared up (actually, it was the Xavier game and the White Out while they were body surfing the Billiken from the front row all the way to the back of the student section. That was amazing *sniffle*) To rename the Blue Crew is to nullify the work of and the TRUE fans of Billiken Basketball.

If you're going to rename the Blue Crew, you might as well change us from the Billikens to some other mascot. By renaming the Blue Crew, I will feel no personal connection with the student section anymore. It is just one more way that the Athletic Department is taking over what was once a STUDENT-RUN organization. To rename the Blue Crew is to negate everything that students did before that to build the program to what it is today.

Changing the name of the Blue Crew to something else will NOT make kids show up anymore then they already do. To rename the Blue Crew is to nullify everything that the founding members and the decade of student fans that have come and gone in an effort to build the student section. "Blue Crew" is a name that was created by a diehard handful of students who said to themselves, "We need a student section." I think they should honor the TRUE fans who didn't NEED an arena and most times didn't even need a RIDE to Kiel/Savvis/Scottrade Center (probably since most times the buses were never there). I think they should honor the students who worked to get the Arena and build the excitement.

If you're going to rename the Blue Crew, you might as well change us from the Billikens to some other mascot. By renaming the Blue Crew, I will feel no personal connection with the student section anymore. It is just one more way that the Athletic Department is taking over what was once a STUDENT-RUN organization. To rename the Blue Crew is to nullify everything that students did before that to build the program to what it is today.

When I was at SLU, the Athletic Department promised the "Blue Crew" a home in the Chaifetz Arena. Change the name, break that promise, turn your back on the fans that showed up before the idea of an arena was even possible...but then again it's the SLU AD.

(P.S. I've come to terms with the fact that I will most likely never work for the SLU Athletic Department lol)

i agree. stay with Blue Crew

[joe_davola]

Hahaha...that is up there with the Edward Norton shot. Nice job.

[billiken_roy]

nice post prez. your passion while heading the early days of the blue crew was fantastic. i will never forget your taking on midnight madness and bring out a sizeable crowd.

you are exactly right, the name doesnt need to be changed. it is the perfect name imo. we just need more passionate student fans like you were.

[1SLUFAN]

WELL SAID PREZ!

[1SLUFAN]

You go girl! Tell it like it is. Next they will want to change the band in some way...enough! The "student section" is such an exciting name. Stick with "The Blue Crew" and build on tradition!

[HusakAttack]

My friend e-mailed me the link to the story about the Blue Crew being re-named through a campus contest and I've been gathering my thoughts about it all day. For anyone who doesn't know my history with the Blue Crew, I was President from 2005-2007 (the last 2 years of the Soderberg era...and still in the Scottrade Center). During my time in the Blue Crew and the three years since, I'm not sure anyone has thought more about what being a student fan means than me (just ask my dad). I have a lot more to say, and I'm sure I'll come up with more, but this is what I feel off the bat. I went running in Forest Park tonight wearing a Blue Crew shirt and it only made me more angry at what is about to happen...

Maybe it's just me not wanting to see my era of being a student fan end, or maybe it's my own pride of never being able to tell my kids, "I was the President of the Blue Crew" and they ask me what the heck that is, but I think that the name "Blue Crew" sums up everything that has to do with being a true Billiken Basketball fan. In my day (yeah, I just said that), the Blue Crew were the most dedicated student fans...the ones who would meet up 1.5 hours before game time, ate pizza, painted up, GOT ON A BUS and drove to see our team...even in our 9-21 season. Granted, that may have not been many students every time, but we were there. Blue Crew is a term of true Billiken pride. (Love them or hate them, you cannot knock the fans who actually showing up just because you wish there were more of them). It's amazing for me to go to games in Chaifetz and see what "Blue Crew" has become. The first time I saw the Blue Crew in action in the Chaifetz Arena I teared up (actually, it was the Xavier game and the White Out while they were body surfing the Billiken from the front row all the way to the back of the student section. That was amazing *sniffle*) To rename the Blue Crew is to nullify the work of and the TRUE fans of Billiken Basketball.

If you're going to rename the Blue Crew, you might as well change us from the Billikens to some other mascot. By renaming the Blue Crew, I will feel no personal connection with the student section anymore. It is just one more way that the Athletic Department is taking over what was once a STUDENT-RUN organization. To rename the Blue Crew is to negate everything that students did before that to build the program to what it is today.

Changing the name of the Blue Crew to something else will NOT make kids show up anymore then they already do. To rename the Blue Crew is to nullify everything that the founding members and the decade of student fans that have come and gone in an effort to build the student section. "Blue Crew" is a name that was created by a diehard handful of students who said to themselves, "We need a student section." I think they should honor the TRUE fans who didn't NEED an arena and most times didn't even need a RIDE to Kiel/Savvis/Scottrade Center (probably since most times the buses were never there). I think they should honor the students who worked to get the Arena and build the excitement.

If you're going to rename the Blue Crew, you might as well change us from the Billikens to some other mascot. By renaming the Blue Crew, I will feel no personal connection with the student section anymore. It is just one more way that the Athletic Department is taking over what was once a STUDENT-RUN organization. To rename the Blue Crew is to nullify everything that students did before that to build the program to what it is today.

When I was at SLU, the Athletic Department promised the "Blue Crew" a home in the Chaifetz Arena. Change the name, break that promise, turn your back on the fans that showed up before the idea of an arena was even possible...but then again it's the SLU AD.

(P.S. I've come to terms with the fact that I will most likely never work for the SLU Athletic Department lol)

I would imagine the reason they are wanting to change it is for a simple reason that you mention: "BLUE CREW" is associated with the days at Scottrade when they would have 5 fans in the front row getting yelled at by 50 fraternity guys 25 empty rows behind them.

Now the student section will (hopefully) be full for home games this year and most students who go do not want to be associated with Blue Crew because of what it used to be. Like it or not, it was not a cheering section except for 2 games (UNC and Xavier) at Scottrade. Just telling you what I have noticed. And if you want a rowdy crowd that can change the atmosphere, reach out to greeks.

[bluecrewprez]

I would imagine the reason they are wanting to change it is for a simple reason that you mention: "BLUE CREW" is associated with the days at Scottrade when they would have 5 fans in the front row getting yelled at by 50 fraternity guys 25 empty rows behind them.

Now the student section will (hopefully) be full for home games this year and most students who go do not want to be associated with Blue Crew because of what it used to be. Like it or not, it was not a cheering section except for 2 games (UNC and Xavier) at Scottrade. Just telling you what I have noticed. And if you want a rowdy crowd that can change the atmosphere, reach out to greeks.

The name "Billikens" also have a connotation to it that's not so positive, as we can all admit. Now that we're winning and going to have more recognition on the national stage, we are all able to say "I've been a Billiken fan before it was trendy." Same goes for Blue Crew. A student section is a student section, whether kids show up or not. Changing a name that has been a tradition for a decade (whether you like it or not) is a slap in the face to those 5 fans who actually went to games while we have losing records over and over again. Those 5 fans are more dedicated fans than 95% of the kids that are showing up now. Being in the Blue Crew is a SLU tradition, and just b/c we change the name doesn't mean those annoying kids who heckle the student section are going to stop squaking at them and it doesn't mean anyone on this board is going to talk about them differently.

I realize the Athletic Department is going for a full makeover of the basketball program, but changing a tradition is disconnecting alumni from the current student population. How are they supposed to build the tradition they want so badly when they're trying to CREATE traditions rather than nurture them?? Nice move AD.

[billibob]

bluecrewpres has it right. You build tradition on the collective memory of the group. The blue crew was electric when the game was going down to the wire against a capable opponent. Fill in the opponent (Dayton, Xavier, North Carolina). SLU has a program that is poised to excite the community and changing the name would have as much impact on swelling the ranks of student fans as would renaming the library. The AD should recognize the efforts of the students who were devoted to the program from the get go by carrying on the tradition and embelish upon it. Remember the 1200 students who came out to the old gym on the first day of official practice a few years ago? The band whooped it up, the students were crazy and the team was fired up. That all happened when the Blue Crew was the moniker. Would a new name help? I don't think so. How about a contest among students to come up with even more ideas of how to bring about more student participation? I have always been a fan of parades but that is just me. Or how about free "SLU brew"? Or maybe change the name of the AD to BC (Being Confused)?

[BillikenROAR]

The "Blue Crew" has absolutely sucked. Change the name. I think the AD needs to get more involved and run it better because it has not been run very well in the past. The leaders were never good; they usually were all a small group of friends who didn’t have very many friends outside of the blue crew. The chants were always lame and never together or timely. Couldn't (and still cant but improving) draw a consistent student crowd. With a new era of basketball coming around there needs to be a change in the culture of the crowd. It pissed me off so much last year to look out and see everyone sitting down and acting like it was church instead of a game. The student section influences that. Get some knowledgeable "diehards" there instead of everyone watching 05 go on rants by himself. There should be 500 people yelling like he does. I agree that they need to get the Greeks involved. As much as it is lame to say that, it is true because they generally are the more outgoing fans who get rowdy and love sports and beer, not kids who get supers excited and run home to mom n dad to tell them how much they yelled at a sporting function.

[slu72 fan]

We need some basketball news, because this is a lot to do about nothing. Does it really matter what the student section is called. Why are they named anything? No offense meant Prez, (you did a great job) but the name just doesn't matter. All that matters, is that the students come out and support their team.

Bring on some hoops. In the meantime, its V-ball and soccer for me.

[billiken_roy]

The "Blue Crew" has absolutely sucked. Change the name. I think the AD needs to get more involved and run it better because it has not been run very well in the past. The leaders were never good; they usually were all a small group of friends who didn’t have very many friends outside of the blue crew. The chants were always lame and never together or timely. Couldn't (and still cant but improving) draw a consistent student crowd. With a new era of basketball coming around there needs to be a change in the culture of the crowd. It pissed me off so much last year to look out and see everyone sitting down and acting like it was church instead of a game. The student section influences that. Get some knowledgeable "diehards" there instead of everyone watching 05 go on rants by himself. There should be 500 people yelling like he does. I agree that they need to get the Greeks involved. As much as it is lame to say that, it is true because they generally are the more outgoing fans who get rowdy and love sports and beer, not kids who get supers excited and run home to mom n dad to tell them how much they yelled at a sporting function.

question roar, i assume by your post, that you werent part of that suckie blue crew. i.e. you were part of the problem. dont knock the kids that had the guts to sit in the front row and tried to make a difference. knock the a$$es that didnt. they were the problem. not the blue crew or the name blue crew.

[HusakAttack]

bluecrewpres has it right. You build tradition on the collective memory of the group. The blue crew was electric when the game was going down to the wire against a capable opponent. Fill in the opponent (Dayton, Xavier, North Carolina). SLU has a program that is poised to excite the community and changing the name would have as much impact on swelling the ranks of student fans as would renaming the library. The AD should recognize the efforts of the students who were devoted to the program from the get go by carrying on the tradition and embelish upon it. Remember the 1200 students who came out to the old gym on the first day of official practice a few years ago? The band whooped it up, the students were crazy and the team was fired up. That all happened when the Blue Crew was the moniker. Would a new name help? I don't think so. How about a contest among students to come up with even more ideas of how to bring about more student participation? I have always been a fan of parades but that is just me. Or how about free "SLU brew"? Or maybe change the name of the AD to BC (Being Confused)?

Those games you cited were win students outside Blue Crew came to the games. Blue Crew has and always will be a small group and have a negative connotation. They improved last year but people still do not want to be a part of it. Start over then there are no excuses for students. The Blue Crew always seemed like a seperate group on campus and it needs to be a blend of all the groups on campus for it to be effective.

[SShoe]

I agree that they need to get the Greeks involved. As much as it is lame to say that, it is true because they generally are the more outgoing fans who get rowdy and love sports and beer, not kids who get supers excited and run home to mom n dad to tell them how much they yelled at a sporting function.

So what's your solution? As someone who was both a Greek and a member of the Blue Crew, I can attest that in my day (2000-2004), the majority of fraternity guys did not give a damn about SLU basketball, much less going to the game and getting rowdy. So until the Greeks get their heads out of their asses, the "geeky" Blue Crew will just have to do.

Personally, I think if you really want to get the frats involved, have them play intramural games against each other at halftime. If you let Sigma Chi and the Delta Sigs play at halftime, I think you'll get half of both fraternities to come just for that. And who knows, maybe they'll actually have fun while they're there.

[moytoy12]

Personally, I think if you really want to get the frats involved, have them play intramural games against each other at halftime. If you let Sigma Chi and the Delta Sigs play at halftime, I think you'll get half of both fraternities to come just for that. And who knows, maybe they'll actually have fun while they're there.

I like it.

Gotta love how this board can come up with good idea after good idea, but the AD rarely comes up with anything good.

Heck, anyone employed by the AD could have a cake job. Just read billikens.com and cherry pick the good ideas.

[Pistol]

Sorry, I'm having trouble understanding why people think the real fans should be pandering to the Greeks to get them involved. Isn't the reason they joined the Greek system to distance themselves from the rest of the student body? That was my experience with them, for the most part. If they're not willing to do anything that isn't self-serving, why should other students and staff give them any special treatment?

The name Blue Crew is fine to me. It's already there, it has at least a little steam behind it, and most of the kids there now don't have memories of a mostly-empty student section in a 20,000-seat arena. I think more veteran fans have all the negative associations, not potential new members.

My issue would be with the way it is managed. It seems to wind up being a smaller clique of friends instead of a wider-reaching group. This hit an all-time low, in my mind, the season they actually capped the number of members and rejected people who didn't come across as dedicated enough. I know that changed, but that probably torpedoed some efforts the next couple years.

Now that all that is long past, the people who run this group need to figure out how to make it a more campus-wide group- what incentives are there to join rather than just showing up at games? How can this come across as something everyone wants to do instead of something one person begs his/her friends to join and support? How is the gameday experience enhanced? What is the interaction with the athletic department, staff, and team?

[SShoe]

Sorry, I'm having trouble understanding why people think the real fans should be pandering to the Greeks to get them involved. Isn't the reason they joined the Greek system to distance themselves from the rest of the student body? That was my experience with them, for the most part. If they're not willing to do anything that isn't self-serving, why should other students and staff give them any special treatment?

The name Blue Crew is fine to me. It's already there, it has at least a little steam behind it, and most of the kids there now don't have memories of a mostly-empty student section in a 20,000-seat arena. I think more veteran fans have all the negative associations, not potential new members.

My issue would be with the way it is managed. It seems to wind up being a smaller clique of friends instead of a wider-reaching group. This hit an all-time low, in my mind, the season they actually capped the number of members and rejected people who didn't come across as dedicated enough. I know that changed, but that probably torpedoed some efforts the next couple years.

Now that all that is long past, the people who run this group need to figure out how to make it a more campus-wide group- what incentives are there to join rather than just showing up at games? How can this come across as something everyone wants to do instead of something one person begs his/her friends to join and support? How is the gameday experience enhanced? What is the interaction with the athletic department, staff, and team?

Good post.

[Westy03]

My issue would be with the way it is managed. It seems to wind up being a smaller clique of friends instead of a wider-reaching group. This hit an all-time low, in my mind, the season they actually capped the number of members and rejected people who didn't come across as dedicated enough. I know that changed, but that probably torpedoed some efforts the next couple years.

Now that all that is long past, the people who run this group need to figure out how to make it a more campus-wide group- what incentives are there to join rather than just showing up at games? How can this come across as something everyone wants to do instead of something one person begs his/her friends to join and support? How is the gameday experience enhanced? What is the interaction with the athletic department, staff, and team?

I agree 100%. I think the main reason for the name change is to get rid of the "clique" or exclusive group stereotype. When I was a student me and Jimbo would sit a few rows behind the blue crew because those seats were "reserved" for blue crew members. That was a joke. If you want to keep the name then include all students and get ideas from everybody not just a select few.

All it comes down to is students showing up and giving us a true home court advantage. They made great strides last year but they just need to take the next step. Who cares about a name just show up and be rowdy, not that difficult.

[slufanskip]

So should most St. Louisans not come to Billiken games even as they are becomimg a better consistent tourney team until the name is changed?

I mean come on, Billiken games isn't that the thing that 6k senior citizens go to watch so-so basketball?

Maybe if the name is changed it will actually be something different.

[Clock_Tower]

I agree. Changing the name means nothing to me. The name is fine. Based upon comments from those closer to the situation, the organization is not. Not surprised since student run organizations, w/o school support and guidance, often change too much each year based upon personalities.

Believe no one is asking the larger question. Is SLU trying to form a single, all-inclusive name for the entire student body or is it trying to replace one sub-group for another. Seems like we should have both: a name for the students at large and retention of the Blue Crew for the interested die hards.

By comparison, Mizzou has both a student section and a section reserved for the student run group - The Antlers. If the general students section body wants to be called its own name, then go for it. If the Blue Crew wants to remain, then go for it as well. Maybe the Blue Crew can still remain a smaller, more intimate "sub-group" more equivalent to the Antlers. Unless things have changed since I was a college kid, general student body sections often don't have names. If the students want a new name, go for it.

[billikenfan05]

I agree. Changing the name means nothing to me. The name is fine. Based upon comments from those closer to the situation, the organization is not. Not surprised since student run organizations, w/o school support and guidance, often change too much each year based upon personalities.

Believe no one is asking the larger question. Is SLU trying to form a single, all-inclusive name for the entire student body or is it trying to replace one sub-group for another. Seems like we should have both: a name for the students at large and retention of the Blue Crew for the interested die hards.

By comparison, Mizzou has both a student section and a section reserved for the student run group - The Antlers. If the general students section body wants to be called its own name, then go for it. If the Blue Crew wants to remain, then go for it as well. Maybe the Blue Crew can still remain a smaller, more intimate "sub-group" more equivalent to the Antlers. Unless things have changed since I was a college kid, general student body sections often don't have names. If the students want a new name, go for it.

I disagree. I think the goal is to get rid of the stigma of the two separate groups. I think what needs to happen is that people who buy season tickets get a "Billiken Basketball" shirt and everyone who comes to the first 2 exhibitions get (insert student section name here) t-shirts. That way everyone will have a shirt with the new name.

[Clock_Tower]

I disagree. I think the goal is to get rid of the stigma of the two separate groups. I think what needs to happen is that people who buy season tickets get a "Billiken Basketball" shirt and everyone who comes to the first 2 exhibitions get (insert student section name here) t-shirts. That way everyone will have a shirt with the new name.

Just read the other thread and now see Bonwich is asking the same question as me. What is the purpose of the group and will the school/AD not allow a "sub-group" known as Blue Crew. If Blue Crew is student run, then hold a fund-raiser or raise $100 to $200 in dues, make Blue Crew shirts and wear them to the game. Blue Crew members can still be members of the school's un-named group. The school can not only name the new, inclusive, entire student section group which gets its own membership list, which gets reminders from the school/AD, which gets the free food, the White-Out and/or Blue-Out shirts, foam sticks to waive, etc. Cannot believe that SLU/AD is trying to put an end to a small student led group that may or may not want to co-exist with the new un-named group. Instead, sounds like the school/AD wants a student group of 300 to 500 kids and if the name "Blue Crew" is a stumbling block to that, then form another group and get the students to show up.

[willie]

I agree 100%. I think the main reason for the name change is to get rid of the "clique" or exclusive group stereotype. When I was a student me and Jimbo would sit a few rows behind the blue crew because those seats were "reserved" for blue crew members. That was a joke. If you want to keep the name then include all students and get ideas from everybody not just a select few.

All it comes down to is students showing up and giving us a true home court advantage. They made great strides last year but they just need to take the next step. Who cares about a name just show up and be rowdy, not that difficult.

So why didn't you and Jimbo join the Blue Crew?