We are writing to you in response to last week’s article about the Red Army trip to Boston to watch the RPI men’s hockey team battle Harvard at the Bright Arena. It was truly disheartening to read the article written by the Pep Band’s managers as they blindly jumped to chastising the Red Army without regard for the truth. It truly shows a lack of camaraderie and willingness to accept a new era of RPI hockey.

Fact: There were 66 Red Army members that went on the combined daytrip to Boston as well as the hockey game. The trip was designed to give students an opportunity to enjoy another college town and meet alumni while supporting the Engineers on the road!

We’d also like to address the Pep Band’s claimed lack of continued support from the Red Army. Fact: Every Red Army member stood up for the entirety of the game. Fact: The Red Army cheers were organized, united, and clear. It was truly the battle of the Red Army versus the Harvard Pep Band. Fact: For each cheer the Red Army started, it wasn’t difficult to notice that the Pep Band refused to join the cheer against our common enemy—the boys in maroon.

Each Red Army member that joined us on the trip helped make Bright Arena aware that the home fans were glaringly out-matched. Would the Pep Band itself make a difference in this? Doubtful. The sea of red from section 13 was the obvious difference. The fantastic energy being emitted from the Red Army section in support of our Engineers should not be overlooked. Did the Pep Band help make a difference? There’s no easy answer there. Maybe it could have made that difference but somehow we doubt playing the theme to Zelda would intimidate and quiet Harvard fans.

To say that the Red Army was silent while the Pep Band and alumni tried to prompt a “spark” in the third period is absolutely false. Were we cheering during every stoppage of play hoping to rouse the team to skate to the face-off circle faster? No, that’s the Pep Band’s job. Our purpose is to pick up where the Pep Band leaves off and cheer while the clock is running—something the Pep Band seems unwilling or unable to participate in. This double-standard coming from the TGI Fridays waiter wannabes can easily be corrected. Hey Pep Band—jump on it.

If the Pep Band wants the Red Army to be more like the Pep Band, we’d suggest they think about working with us instead of working against us. While they claim failure in our efforts, we’re looking for new ways to attract fans and provoke support. Fact: Attempting to undermine our initiatives adds even less support to the skaters than playing your instruments straight into plexi-glass.

Daniel Briar, CIVL ’07

Hannah Kim, MGMT ’07