When, where, and how to cheer on your Gee-Gees
Photo: Marta Kierkus
So you’ve just become a Gee-Gee and understandably, the thought fills you with excitement. But before you attend your first game, there’s a few key things you need to know about being a Gee-Gee, whether you’ve always been interested in sports or just looking to start by supporting the U of O.
Know what a Gee-Gee is:
Be prepared for everyone, mostly Carleton students, to barrage you with the question “what the fuck’s a Gee-Gee?” Basically a Gee-Gee stands for two things; the first is garnet and grey (or garnet et gris, in French) which are the official colours of the university. A “Gee-Gee” is also a traditional term that refers to the lead horse in a race —which explains why our mascot is a horse.
Wear the colours:
Now that you know what Gee-Gee means, it would be wise to show up to a game wearing the school’s colours to represent the teams. You don’t have to buy an expensive sweater to show your school spirit, the school bookstore sells more inexpensive options such as t-shirts and tank tops. Also if you’re suffering from the aftershocks of tuition payments, you can always wear whatever you have that’s garnet or grey. Above all, don’t accidentally show up in red and black or you might be an outcast in the stands.
Get involved:
The best way to get involved is going to a game, and with so many sports to choose from, especially in the fall, it’s easy to pick one and take your friends with you. If you’re a sports fanatic and can’t bear to miss a game, the university’s Sport Services offers a pass to join “The Stampede” for $25. Being a Stampede member gets you into every home game, and free pizza at football games. This is a great deal If you plan on attending games frequently—if you just want to check out one game, then a one-time ticket ranging from $5 to $10 might be the best for you. When you’re at the game, be loud! Join in the chants, start a chant, and get involved in halftime games. Don’t be afraid to look silly, it’s all part of the experience.
Panda Game and Capital Hoops:
As a new Gee-Gee, an important thing to be aware of is the vicious rivalry between the U of O and Carleton. This rivalry explains why the Panda Game and Capital Hoops are the two biggest games during the school year. No, it doesn’t mean that you can’t have friends from Carleton, it just makes things more exciting in Ottawa, plus if the Gees do well you can win some great bragging rights.
The Panda Game is the traditional rivalry game between the Gee-Gees and Ravens, and has been a huge deal for the better part of a century. The name of the game stems from the stuffed panda that was given out to the winner in the early days. Pedro the Panda is now a trophy that the winner keeps for the year until the game is held at TD Place Stadium once more on Oct. 3. Last year alone, 12,500 attended the game.
Similar to the Panda Game, the Capital Hoops Classic is a huge game that hinges on the rivalry between the schools, but instead tests the skills of our Gees on the basketball court. The Gee-Gees, and Ravens have been consistently ranked the top two teams in the nation in recent memory, so the competition is always intense. Capital Hoops is held at the Canadian Tire Centre where the Senators play, with over 10,000 fans in attendance this past year. Needless to say, these rivalry games are a must-see event every year.
Regardless of what games you choose to attend, there are some rules that cannot be ignored: show up, wear the colours, and be loud, bold, proud, and unafraid to get silly.
