No male ungulates allowed at Buck Shaw

Don’t bring your pet ram to Buck Shaw Stadium this year. The same goes for your companion buck or, for that matter, any male, hoofed mammal that sports bony protuberances from its head. You may ask why, and we will tell you that horns have been banned from the new home of the Quakes. (In addition to antlered animals, the ban extends to plastic horns, too.)

The decision was announced yesterday by Earhquakes ticket representative Anthony Perry, AKA BroncoQuake, on BigSoccer. The news was greeted with cheering, singing, and even drumming, all things that contribute to the unique atmosphere of Earthquakes games.

David Alioto, Earthquakes executive vice president, told us there were two reasons for the new guideline. “We’re taking into account the wishes of Earthquakes fans and we also want to be good neighbors,” he said. “We think it’s in the best interests of the fans and our partners at the university.”

We’ve already posted our opinion on the horns, so it will come as no surprise that we applaud this new policy. We think that the atmosphere at a game is enhanced much more by sounds that have a little personality to them, rather than the droning hum of the horns. Banning the horns creates the opportunity for the team’s two avid supporters’ groups, the Casbah and the 1906 Ultras, to take the lead in terms of creating an environment that will push the team to new heights — and make Buck Shaw a miserable place for the opposition.

(Oh, and if you really must have a horn, you can still buy one and use it at the team’s remaining games at the McAfee Coliseum in Oakland. It takes a lot of work to fill that place up with noise.)