UNT Boomer Cannon Unveiled at Apogee Stadium

Thanks go out to Firefightnrick for the video and his hard work on this important tradition. UH fans come prepared...this will likely be the loudest cannon in college football! GMG!!

Now this is the kind of music I'm looking forward to hearing in the new stadium. It is so DAMN loud y'all won't believe it! I just spoke with Mike Gallop the team's equipment manager and he said the first one really caught them by surprise inside the teams lockerroom. And there's this crazy ghost-like freight train echo immediately following each shot. Sounds like a Scott Davis pass zinging overhead.

A special thanks go to coach McCarney for stopping by and visitingng with me and the new Cannon Crew.

And a huge thank you goes out to all those who helped put today's event on, including Meangreenfreak and SoundMan. Both of these guys are currently working on getting the Bell and Model A up and going again. Without great alumni like these I don't know where we would be?

Rick

Edited August 28, 2011 by FirefightnRick

Thank you Rick and Cannon Crew! I love that we have such a storied tradition. Thank you for all of you all's hard work and I hope to hear the cannon often throughout the season!

Way to go CC!

GMG

Could we please point the cannon to the southeast after each game and give the Denia neighbors one shot each game?

Could we please point the cannon to the southeast after each game and give the Denia neighbors one shot each game?

There's also another neighbor south east of us that deserves a shot.

Edited August 29, 2011 by Green Crazy

There's also another neighbor south east of us that could use that deserves a shot.

I would slip cannonball in for that one. Delayed fuse

Could we please point the cannon to the southeast after each game and give the Denia neighbors one shot each game?

I was thinking just turn it a bit and aim it right at the opposing team...

That sounded great. I'm looking forward to ringing ears this season

Great stuff Rick! I can tell you that from my experience in the US Army, Field Artillery, and being close to 105mm howitzers on fire missions, that "echo sound" you hear in the stadium sounds exactly like that of an actual round being fired from a 105.

Great stuff Rick! I can tell you that from my experience in the US Army, Field Artillery, and being close to 105mm howitzers on fire missions, that "echo sound" you hear in the stadium sounds exactly like that of an actual round being fired from a 105.

Man! that was a weird echo. It was an unearthly sound.

Also, I was standing behind the cannon when it was being fired and I could really feel the concussion. I can only imagine how "suprised" our visitors will be when that thing goes off.

Pretty cool to get to see this from up close. Boomer's concussion literally shakes the Wing Zone. And you could feel it in your innards. Gonna be loud in there. Very cool experience today, and thanks to Rick for letting us know it was going to happen.

I can only imagine how "suprised" our visitors will be when that thing goes off.

How about everyone in Apogee Stadium's first game ever!

I happened to be there this morning in the parking lot. It scared the absolute crap out of me each time it went off. It is unbelievably loud. Just deafening. Well done Rick, well done.

Great job FFR and guys. i am almost afraid to hear it!!!!! Go Mean Green! Thansk for making traditions!

ParksAndRecRick

Absolutely exciting. I expected there to be a big whole in the wing section.

YES! That is awesome.

As someone who's never liked Boomer this is pretty cool.

I think what has always annoyed me about Boomer is the post game shot. After a frustrating loss there's nothing that drives me more crazy than being startled by a random 'boom' as I'm trying to leave the stadium. I know the reason the shot must be fired but why can't it wait another 20 minutes to let people leave?

Oh, this is going to be GREAT! I hope the paramedics are standing by as there may well be a heart attack or two when Boomer "speaks" for the first time. The finest cannon in college football will really show off a great UNT tradition for a packed house on the 10th. Thanks, Rick, once again Boomer roars!

The finest cannon in college football

I imagine every school with a cannon says the exact same thing.

I imagine every school with a cannon says the exact same thing.

Nope. I have seen several others...they can hardly even be called cannons. There is no doubt that boomer is the best and finest in the land. Boomer is also the only one in Texas to make "Texas Monthly's" list of the best traditions in college football. Really, one of a kind. Some "imposters" may try to make the claim, but simply "imposters" they are. Boomer is the finest in the land.

Thank you for the kind words, I had a lot of help, especially from Alex Balic finalizing and cleaning up my dirt dobbin welds on the fabrication. I don't know why but I forgot to get a group shot of all those who have contributed with Boomer. Maybe prior to or after a game some time?

By the way I also learned there is going to be pyrotechnics set up inside the stadium as well which should make for a great atmosphere on game day.

Rick

Edited August 29, 2011 by FirefightnRick

This, coupled with the "cozy confines" of Apogee will surprise many of the "old nestors." This is going to be so different from Fouts that some of these folks have no idea what they are going to experience in about 12 days. The mild reaction to Boomer, the ability to sit and visit during a game with your old friends, etc.., is going to be a thing of the past. Apogee will be rocking, loud and what a true stadium should be like. We are about to finally experience what a real home field advantage is all about. If Boomer is that loud, think what a 300 member Green Brigade with 30,000 people yelling is going to sound like. I may purchase some earplugs and send my boys out through the crowd selling them! Can't wait.

Here's a few more photos from the firing yesterday:

For those of with very small kids, remind me again when we fire this thing off--after we score, end of the quarter, kickoff? Any others? I will need to prepare my 3 year old and 5 year old to cover their ears or else I can see a massive amount of fear that will be damn near unrecoverable If I don't get ahead of this one now.

For those of with very small kids, remind me again when we fire this thing off--after we score, end of the quarter, kickoff? Any others? I will need to prepare my 3 year old and 5 year old to cover their ears or else I can see a massive amount of fear that will be damn near unrecoverable If I don't get ahead of this one now.

It's shot off when the team enters the field, at the beginning and half-time. After that it's shot off when we score (including TD's, Extra points, and FG's).

Here's one idea. Get your kids in front of the computer, turn the volume up as high as it will go, tell them that it's going to be a loud sound, and play the U-tube video. Tell them that it's going to be even louder at the games, but that it will not hurt them, and make sure that they practice holding their hands over their ears.

Do this several times before the opening game. Give them a chance to talk about any fears that they have about it. Besides the loud sound, the scariest thing for ANY child is the feeling of the concussion. They don't have any experience in their everyday world (well, at least I hope they don't) that can give them a frame of reference for how that concussion feels. You'll need to talk to them about that too.