Every school has that one sport that dominates the student body and alumni as the favorite and everyone knows not to miss the games. It might be soccer, or football, or swimming, but for the University of Maine, it's hands down hockey, and here's why.
If you're in line three hours before the doors open, you're late. People start lining up in the freezing weather waiting for the doors to open and shouting the Stein Song for hours before they can file in and find the best seat in the student section. You'd better either make friends with the Maineiacs at the front of the line or plan in advance to get there early.
We have The Alfond Stadium. On campus. Some schools have a great basketball court, and other schools have a huge lap pool. UMaine has The Alfond, which is the temple for all of those that are obsessed and have hockey in their blood. It's state of the art, and it can handle the noise that the pep band and all the students, alumni, and fans manage to make during the entirety of the game... and after.
The student section doesn't give a sh*t. Yes, we will scream-sing the stein song. Yes, we will hang a monkey-ref from a noose off of the balcony while the pep band plays "Smiling Bob", which is a song from a male enhancement commercial. Yes, we do put a giant poster over the railing that says "SIEVE" as a special gift to the opposing team's goalie. Yes, we will chant consistently throughout the entire game.
The pep band is hardcore. Maybe I'm a little biased because I play the clarinet in the Screamin' Black Bears pep band, but I'm pretty sure that we're the coolest pep band around. We have dance moves, we play the songs that you want to hear, and the reason that we're there is to pump up the volume and the crowd, and it works every single time. We work hard to make sure it stays that way.
Our players play their hardest game every time. We don't underestimate any team, and we always assume that they're going to play their best game too. Our players know that as soon as you step on the ice, anything can happen, and the only thing that they can do to try and assure a win is play their hardest. And they do, every single time.
