is it OK to cheer?

[Greenshield]

To be honest, the best cheering section I have had to date was in the last Coronet list I entered.

I was in the finals with (then squire, now) Sir Ryan. The introductions were being done. Sir Ryan was introduced first. During my intorduction as soon as my name was called Thunder rolled across the sky. It was awsome. I raised my sword in challenge and the crowd went wild.

Later in the fight, while I had my opponent on his knees and was about to close in, thunder peeled again. I raised my sword in salute and attacked. I was victorious in that pass. The crowd loved it.

In the end I had the fortune of besting Sir Ryan 2 to 1. It was a very closely fought match and could have gone either way. Apparently Thor was on my side that day.

There is a reason why we call him Sir Ryan these days.

Greenshield

[Steve S.]

1. is it so in other kingdoms as well?

2. If so, why, to those of you who say no to cheering, why is it ok to cheer for your fighter during the honors course and not before or after? What is the difference?

Heheheh, you rock, Sir Camric!

1. is it so in other kingdoms as well?

Yes, here in Meridies, all the same honors are generally made before a bout: Honor Crown, Love, Populous. Usually these are met with no response from the sidelines.

2. If so, why, to those of you who say no to cheering, why is it ok to cheer for your fighter during the honors course and not before or after? What is the difference?

The difference is by cheering before a fight, neither fighter has lost yet, so there is no shame or honor really at stake. But by cheering after a fight, who's getting the cheering? Generally the guy who won. Which means, in the SCA's hyper "chivalrous"-sensitive environment, that you are, in a way, dishonoring the guy who lost. I think that's why everyone hesitates to cheer for specific fighters at the end of a fight.

Steve

[Hrolfr]

to quote HG Alaric-
"Is it insulting to cheer one fighter and not the other? I think that is the question.

Alaric"

Your Grace, I guess I believe it is fine to encourage and support someone who is a friend (or patron or squire or.....).

This needs to be done in an appropriate manner (proper decorum and language) without be denegrading or negative to the other combatant.

When a household roots for one of their own, the name of the household said in support is a good example.



To quote D.
""I would not enjoy entering a list where my opponent was booed."

Neither would I, but I really don't mind if I am the "hated" one

[Sean Powell]

Beyond the adrenalin rush of the cheers and the embittered egos of the booed there is one practical issue which should be considered. This is in part an "audible" game. I can judge how some of my shots land as much by sound as by feel and I like to hear the difference in the crack of rattan that tells me if my opponent is bouncing his attack or driving it through. Finally, as both a participant, a marshal and occasionally as a spectator I like to hear the "Good, light, tippy" comments. I'd hate to miss-hear a call of "low" as "light" on a hidden armor opponent and then crease him even harder in the side of a knee.

Now for demos, I like to hear the crowd. It means they arn't bored and I'm not so concerned with the technicalities of who is winning and loosing. I just want people to play safe and for the crowed to be wowed.

I have one regular opponent at practice who also plays a sniping and counter-punch game. We regularly trash-talk each other. It proves we havn't gotten winded yet. When I can make him shut up it means I'm making him work for it. We also egg each other on to work out harder. I don't think I would do this with anyone I wasn't already close friends with and I don't think I would want people who didn't know we were friends listening in but that of course is my choice.

Sean

[Hrogn]

I never really thought about this before. But around here we do have vocal supporters for some of us. But it tends to be polite. Around here, we tend to have some strong houses. And it isn't uncommon to have two guys from opposing houses meet in a tourney and have each house vocally cheer exclusively for thier own guy. But it is all in fun and good spirit. If I am fighting a guy who isn't affiliated with anybody, my group wouldn't cheer specifically for me and leave the other guy hanging with no support. But if I was fighting another guy who was affiliated, my house would back me and his house would back him and it would all be good.

If there is quiet after a fight around here, that isn't a good thing. Quietness usually indicates that the crowd didn't like something in that last fight. I much prefer coming off the field to a loud happy crowd than to a quiet one or a golf-clap.

[InsaneIrish]

At a recent tournament, I had a friend draw the visiting King of the Middle Bartok(sp?). Just before they engaged I cheered for my friend who was just coming back after a lng hietus(sp?). I specifically told him to "get'em!".

I felt no dis-honor at this, nor do I feel that I was dis-honoring the King of the Middle by cheering for my friend. The King still won...

[Aaron]

Encouragement is fine:

"You're doing fine Your Grace! Keep up the pressure!"
"Yahhhhhh!! Now that is some fine fighting out there!!"
"This rocks!"
"Nice power to the shield!"

Entrapment is not:
"What was a great shot Your Grace!"
"I wonder why he didn't take that one..."
"Nice combo your Grace! I bet he has a bruise from that one!"

The first group is showing general encouragement and enjoyment for the match. The second is trying to decide the match for the two fighters.

The best I've heard were the "ooohhhss" and "aaahhhsss" coming from the crowd at the Battle of 30. It was just the primal grunts of people seeing fine fighting that would have impressed anyone.