The most intimidating Pre-Game Ritual

[The Great Evaluator]

If you haven't yet seen the Trinity Trojans Pre-game mantra it's worth a look... www.insidehighschoolfootball.com. It is listed as "THS-The Haka"in the current video section of the homepage. Highlights of their blowout win over Irving Nimitz can be found in the same section. These guys are legit, the only weakness I see is they are a little young on defense and need to shore up the special teams but the offense is as good as anybody's.

[Purple Haze]

Of course the Haka originated in New Zealand. You oughta see the Hakas the Kiwis do before a rugby or Australian rules football game. Serious stuff right there. I like it myself. Never knew any Americans were doing this- much less at the high school level. :rolleyes:

[CoveFan05]

I dont know if it is as intimadating but the Copperas Cove bulldawgs do something that gets them pumped up. I think its cool. As they finish their warmups( which is always before the other team) They walk all together toward the locker room yellin Whos House...Dawgs House... Theirs another one they yell maybe another cove fan can help me out...Its really good its something like Play a Dawg, Die a Dawg or something

[PurpleNation]

LOL I would take it more as a laugh then as intimadating. I know ET is a great team, but come on was that really called for. Sorry not trying to make fun of them but that is just to funny. So my answer no not intimadating. If that scares you then dont buckle you chin strap. You can loose to a team 40-0 but never fear them. Anybody can be beat on anygiven day.


2004-Garland 19 Lufkin 10

[PurpleNation]

2004-Garland 19 Lufkin 10


2003 not 2004

[pack0808]

LOL I would take it more as a laugh then as intimadating. I know ET is a great team, but come on was that really called for. Sorry not trying to make fun of them but that is just to funny. So my answer no not intimadating. If that scares you then dont buckle you chin strap. You can loose to a team 40-0 but never fear them. Anybody can be beat on anygiven day.


2004-Garland 19 Lufkin 10


That was the 2003 season not 2004

[CoppellCowboy57]

The Haka is pretty scary looking...but funny that all 50 football players do it all togeither...I have to say, you guys were more organized then your drill team :p

[baylordad]

LOL I would take it more as a laugh then as intimadating. I know ET is a great team, but come on was that really called for. Sorry not trying to make fun of them but that is just to funny. So my answer no not intimadating. If that scares you then dont buckle you chin strap. You can loose to a team 40-0 but never fear them. Anybody can be beat on anygiven day.


2004-Garland 19 Lufkin 10

It is not intended for intimidation. They do not perform the Haka in front of the opposing team. They perform it in front of the student section if the other team is out. Last week when they did it in the end zone, Nimitz was not on the field. It was put together during the spring by the Togan Players for UNITY. Seems to be working and I assure you no one is going to give any of the Togan community any crap about it.

[CLFalcon2006]

That's much more intimidating than the generic "run through the sign or inflatable helmet"

[DragonNation]

The Haka is one of the most respected pre-game rituals in all of sport. Fun to see the Trojans mimmicking the great All Blacks from New Zealand.

But fear not, the game highlights show a bad defense and not an intimidating Trinity offense.

[baylordad]

The Haka is one of the most respected pre-game rituals in all of sport. Fun to see the Trojans mimmicking the great All Blacks from New Zealand.

But fear not, the game highlights show a bad defense and not an intimidating Trinity offense.

Your right there DragonNation. We have a bad defense and not much offense and I sure do hope everyone else thinks like you do. Good luck to all.

[dragonsdaddy]

he was describing nimitz as bad. and btw, the intimidating thing about et isn't the haka, it's the rest of the game.

[toonman]

The Haka does indeed originate from the South Pacific, in particular New Zealand when the Maori tribes were doing battle. Today it is used by New Zealand, Tongan and other sporting teams, particularly in rugby. It is, in effect, "throwing down the gauntlet" and was originally designed to intimate the opponents by making the 'warriors' appear fierce and intimidating; prior to battle. The same design is now used in sporting ‘battles’.

There have been some great 'replies' by England rugby team when facing down the Haka. One such example is for all players to gather in a circle facing inwards; so everyone is looking into the circle and not out of the circle, with their backs to the Haka.

Another play by the England rugby team was to stand in line across the center of the field, arms folded and stare the Haka down.

I also heard of a recreational rugby team responding with their own Haka to the words of the nursery rhyme "Hickory dickory dock", complete with all the arm movement and jumping around.

I think staring them down all in line across the field is best reaction.

[Lufkin_Class_Of_08]

2003 not 2004
we also lost to garland 19-10 in 1999 i belive...i dont remember the score but i know we lost in the 2nd round

[wide-e-wide]

Thanks a lot for not being specific fellas...
No one said to scroll down and click on the HS school clip...

So what do I do?
I just click on play....what happens?
FREAKIN' BOOMER SOONER STARTS BLASTING OUT OF MY COMPUTER...!!!!!
AND BARRY SWITZER'S UGLY MUG IS TALKING TO ME...AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH HHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AND I AM TRYING TO EAT HERE....I swear I almost puked...thanks a lot.

[GTown02]

we also lost to garland 19-10 in 1999 i belive...i dont remember the score but i know we lost in the 2nd round
26-20 in 1999...

And wide... if you go to that website... scroll down about half way and you will see a box that says "Current Videos" and its the "THS - Haka"

[Tiger Dude]

wow, i'm scared.

[dragonsdaddy]

Thanks a lot for not being specific fellas...
No one said to scroll down and click on the HS school clip...

So what do I do?
I just click on play....what happens?
FREAKIN' BOOMER SOONER STARTS BLASTING OUT OF MY COMPUTER...!!!!!
AND BARRY SWITZER'S UGLY MUG IS TALKING TO ME...AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH HHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AND I AM TRYING TO EAT HERE....I swear I almost puked...thanks a lot.
would you rather it was goodbye to tu?

[The Lone Ranger]

If you've ever seen a Haka in person, it is one of the most chilling sights in all of sports. Even a badly done Haka will both pump up your team and intimidate the other team.

Perhaps the only more chilling thing in sports was the first ever response to the Haka, and also started a now famous custom: when the All Blacks played Wales, the Welsh players responded by singing their national anthem, "Mae Hen wlad fy Nhadau." Soon the whole stadium picked up on it-- I've never heard it personally, but on TV, 80,000 Welshmen singing their anthem is one of the most chilling sounds in all of life. This was the beginning of the custom of national anthems before sporting events.

BTW, the Trinity haka isn't a copy of the All Blacks' Ka Mate Haka, nor any other ugby Haka (Fiji, Samoa, or Tonga) that I've ever seen. Based on the article in Friday's DMN, it sounds like an originial composition.

[The Lone Ranger]

After watching the video, it IS the same Haka as the ABs.

However, the Maori pronunciation of the Trojans is horrible. The movements are also not correct. And the translation of the last line given in the DMN ("As One") isn't correct. It is actually "The sun is shining." The whole thing is about a guy who hid from enemies searching from him in a root cellar, and at the end is really glad to see the sun again.

For more info, visit http://folksong.org.nz/ka_mate/.


Why did the Tongans at Trinity do the NZ Haka? Why didn't they do one of their own? Every HS in New Zealand has their own original Haka. Couldn't Trinity be a little more original?

After seeing it, it is novel, but as a rugby player and fan, it's very dissapointing.

[Fleeman93]

Those guys are so good they could sit down with dolls and have a tea party and still be good. I'm sure it gets their blood flowing, but has nothing to do with the game between the lines.

[SLCDad]

I'm praying for Colleyville Heritage to hang on and make the play-offs. :eek:

[wide-e-wide]

26-20 in 1999...

And wide... if you go to that website... scroll down about half way and you will see a box that says "Current Videos" and its the "THS - Haka"


Now you tell me...
after I was forced to listen to boomer sooner and almost lost my supper...and nearly broke my keyboard smashing the volume button...

[Redneckn]

The "Haka". Well, since I'm at home I got to watch it. It was kind of odd in my opinion. But I guess if that's what gets the pumped... The "thrill" of it was beyond me.

I think the only time I've ever been at a HS game and a team came out and I was kind of "GOOD GAWD! That's kool enough". I don't even remember what team it was (get to that in a sec.) and They were playing ECA at ECA. They had a little paper sign thing made all up and the players were behind it in a little tunnel thing, they just kind of walked thru the paper and onto the field. Up till then, I had never really seen any team get all funny about coming thru some paper. It was kind of kool though.

I really cannot for my life recall what team it was. I do remember them getting the ball first and then get completely punished by ECA for 4 solid quarters. I clearly remember looking at my Xwife and saying "I wonder if they would have scored had they ran thru the paper like the rest of America". And then I remeber her (myX) looking at me and saying "I hate football". I remember thinking directly "this marriage wont last".

I think if a team were to send out a few linemen were to come out first and just beat an opposing teams fan on the 50 that would instill fear. Or do something really terrible to the opposing mascot. While playing Static-X over the p.a. or something. Even if it didnt make the other team fearful, it would certainly be in the newspapers and stuff.

[loboman]

Not intimidating but funny.

[LoneRocket]

I guess if we have a state championship rematch, they will put a little something extra in that Haka.

[SLCDad]

I guess if we have a state championship rematch, they will put a little something extra in that Haka.Spike it with Kava and all those Tongans will be mellow, mellow, mellow . . .

[dawgdude86]

"the haka"
who was their dance instructor? Billy Banks doing tybo or what.

[CCDawgs05]

I dont know if it is as intimadating but the Copperas Cove bulldawgs do something that gets them pumped up. I think its cool. As they finish their warmups( which is always before the other team) They walk all together toward the locker room yellin Whos House...Dawgs House... Theirs another one they yell maybe another cove fan can help me out...Its really good its something like Play a Dawg, Die a Dawg or something

Ya Leary says "Bark Like A Dawg, Bark Like Dawg!" and follow him up with the sound of the dawgs....its our dawg pack thing...

[CoveFan05]

Thats what it was.. I was trying to remember what he was saying.

[KT2000]

That's a pretty cool video. If that what gets the players and the crowd ready to go then so be it.

I personally know a few coaches that would tell their own team after something like that happened pre-game...

"Well men, they can move and chant well. Now let's see if they can play football."

[ALLIN]

I remember like 5 years ago I went to watch Brownwood and Frenship play (4A). The playoff game was in Sweetwater and Frenship was a huge favorite. To start the game Coach Freeman from Brownwood brought the team down thru the stands on their side and it got everyone FIRED up. Helmets and pads on and walked in a straight line right down the center of the stands to the field. I got chills and I was rootin for Frenship. Needless to say frenship got it handed to them that day.

[ThEgReAtOnE]

Florida State Seminoles....Chief Osceola....the excitement...the attitude!

[drgnbkr]

Thanks a lot for not being specific fellas...
No one said to scroll down and click on the HS school clip...

So what do I do?
I just click on play....what happens?
FREAKIN' BOOMER SOONER STARTS BLASTING OUT OF MY COMPUTER...!!!!!
AND BARRY SWITZER'S UGLY MUG IS TALKING TO ME...AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH HHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AND I AM TRYING TO EAT HERE....I swear I almost puked...thanks a lot.

Okay Wide, we can get through this..take a deep breath, relax, it's not Saturday yet, they might need a lot more than Boomer Sooner this year...sip your beer, don't gulp it! okay, thats it....

[bhs06]

I saw the Haka dance when they played DeSoto and laughed. Nothing THAT intimidating.

Our "unleash hell" is what we call ours. We get in our helmet tunnell and do the "You got my back? I GOT YOUR BACK" thing about 10 times then do the "Raider Time". It should be featured on that insidehighschool site because when some of our players strolled into the JV game at MacArthur high school the Mac players were mocking us.

[dragonsdaddy]

all pregame rituals, even as simple as stretching ,are more intimidating when performed by teams that have been winning a lot lately. unis are the same way. any team that depends on intimidation in warm-ups to get an advantage isn't likely to be terribly successful long-term. really good teams make their own success, and don't necessarily depend on the other team's failure.

[stinger]

Who said any team DEPENDS on it to win games? They only do it for spirit and unity; which is two of the most important things coaches try to instill in players. They are not individuals, but a team. It starts before the game, and finishes a game, win or lose.

[slcsportsfan]

Not to sound like we are bagging on Trinity, I have to agree with DD. I remember in 2002 Arlington stolling out to midfield (at Dragon Stadium), their players all cocky and yelling crap towards our side of the field. I'm sure it made them unified. Got sent home with a loss. The next year, we played them at UTA. Same crap, an even worse defeat.

I understand the intent of pre-game rituals. IMO it still is stupid.

[KT2000]

I think anything that serves a purpose of bringing a team together is very positive, so I'm all for pre-game rituals and stuff like that. In the Trinity clip, it looks like their crowd is into it also so that's an added bonus.

[baylordad]

I think anything that serves a purpose of bringing a team together is very positive, so I'm all for pre-game rituals and stuff like that. In the Trinity clip, it looks like their crowd is into it also so that's an added bonus.

Your are right KT. The haka at Trinity is NOT about intimidation. It is about UNITY. It was approved by Lineweaver last Spring and IMO it is working (UNITY) pretty dang well. All of you that thinks it is "silly" ease on down to South Euless and tell a Togan!!

[ThEgReAtOnE]

I'm sure alot of teams would be doing the Haka, if it could help them unify, thus helping to produce a 10-0, if not 16-0, record!!! :D

[dada]

Florida State Seminoles....Chief Osceola....the excitement...the attitude!
Now THAT gets the blood flowing