Nicky Bang
Every season since 1994 Nick and his family have had the exact same seats for Stars home games, directly behind the visitor's goal at both Reunion Arena and now at American Airlines Center. For the past few years that seat has become fairly infamous in Stars lore, as Nick has made a name for himself as "that guy who bangs on the glass."
nicky bang
For nearly every single home game over the past decade Nick has become a staple of the American Airlines Center experience, standing in his front row seat behind the visiting team's goal. Nearly every single home game, you can see and hear Nick banging his heart out on the boards whenever the puck comes near or a big play occurs - or merely to do his best to distract and annoy the opposing goaltender.
It's the banging on the glass that has made him so noticeable, however, and it is that banging that has made him such an object of scorn and celebration. The banging is exceptionally noticeable on the Stars broadcast, where the parabolic microphones amplify the sound to a degree that sometimes overrides the play by play by Stars announcer Ralph Strangis. This constant banging, and the way the sound comes across on the broadcast, has led to many fans at home to constantly curse his name - adding to the growing infamy in which Nick finds himself embroiled in.
Talking to fans in and round Nick's section the responses were all universally the same; for those that attend the games, his banging on the glass is not seen as a distraction or a deterrence from enjoying the game, it's seen as a part of the game itself and something they don't want him to stop doing any time soon.
"I'm such a passionate fan, when I got into adult rec league people started to notice me," said Nick. "I was a very passionate, drunk individual five or so years ago - people would scream at me, whether they liked me or hated me, because of the banging on the glass. It just spread like wildfire, really. Sooner or later, people are high fiving me or asking to take pictures with me. Just because I like to bang on the glass."
The "guy who bangs on the glass" has been the target of many game thread frustrations here on Defending Big D over the years, as well as gaining some notoriety among fans of visiting teams. The criticisms about what he does come from far and wide, yet it's tough to find a more dedicated Dallas Stars fan than Nick Moroch.
While the season ticket holder base dwindled and attendance at the AAC flatlined last season, Nick was there through it all. He was there at almost every game, in the same seat and showing the same passion, through the frustrating seasons of the past few years and all of the ownership drama that embroiled the franchise. Some fans collect jerseys or autographs, some spend their days endlessly debating on fan blogs or forums; Nick shows his passion as a fan by being there through every up and down, banging as hard as he can on the glass whenever the moment feels right.
"They haven't met me," says Nick, when asked about how he feels about fans that talk badly about him. "I've changed a lot of people's minds about who I am and what I do. It's more about being annoyed and most Stars fans at the games know that it's just a part of the game. I'm just happy I get the chance to do what I do, which is bang on the glass very passionately." 041b061a72