Worst Fans in College Sports?

[RANDY IN INDY]

Without a doubt, wvu. I have never been treated worse at any stadium. Most anywhere you go, you will run into someone who has had a bad experience in morgantown.

Interesting..........

http://www.dailymail.com/ap/ApTopStories/201109200966

Even the athletic director knows they have a problem........and wants to promote a "more favorable image."

http://www.msnsportsnet.com/page.cfm...ws&story=19264

The worst were the WVU fans who came to Huntington for the game wearing t-shirts that said, "We are Marshall" on the front, and on the back, a picture of a plane crashing with the words, "'No you're not."

wvu fans could take a lesson from Virginia Tech........... Classy!

http://www.hokiesports.com/football/...110920aaa.html

Can say the same about ECU fans who treated my son and I like we were part of their family when we attended a Marshall/ECU game in Greenville, a couple of years back.

[MWM]

Originally Posted by jojo

Sounds like someone just doesn't like the SEC.

Auburn is an incredible football experience for visiting fans. The game day atmosphere is generally electric and the home fans are very courteous and friendly toward visiting fans.

The question was asked and people have answered. Why can't it just be because that's their experience with the fanbase instead of some hatred towards the conference?

And it's not the fans of individual teams. When they're fans of their team, it's not so bad. It's when they are "SEC Fans" that's the problem.

[Sea Ray]

Originally Posted by MWM

The question was asked and people have answered. Why can't it just be because that's their experience with the fanbase instead of some hatred towards the conference?

And it's not the fans of individual teams. When they're fans of their team, it's not so bad. It's when they are "SEC Fans" that's the problem.

That's quite a broad brush you're using

[Reds/Flyers Fan]

Originally Posted by MWM

The question was asked and people have answered. Why can't it just be because that's their experience with the fanbase instead of some hatred towards the conference?

And it's not the fans of individual teams. When they're fans of their team, it's not so bad. It's when they are "SEC Fans" that's the problem.

This is exactly right. SEC fans have asked - demanded - to be thought of as one entity with their actions and antics toward teams and fans of other conferences. When SEC fans would rather see their bitter rivals win (Alabama fans rooting for Auburn; Georgia fans rooting for Florida) against teams outside of the SEC, then they're inviting the pack mentality that the rest of the nation pins on them.

The "SEC ... SEC ... SEC" chants during non-conference games are a big turnoff. I'll give an exception to Tennessee fans because they don't seem to engage in that behavior: their football team actually leaves the southeast on occasion to play road games against good teams, the ones I've met are embarrassed by the "SEC uber alles" attitude, and they're very interested in the traditions of other schools. (Plus their coeds are incredibly hot.)

[jmcclain19]

UCLA has the worst fans I've ever seen. Watching a football game w/ UCLA in the Rose Bowl is one of the most terrible experiences I've ever had. And I was dumb enough to go twice.

It's the "Gee I hope I dont' get stabbed" tonight variety.

I'll take loud and proud of their schools all day long. The chants and what have you don't bother me. UCLA's fans fight, throw bottles and generally intimidate when their teams don't win.

[marcshoe]

WVU always has problems with the fans who think that being drunk and ignorant is a good thing (I don't get college students having that attitude, but it is what it is.) Have to admit, though, that Marshall's putting up billboards in Morgantown about how many "championships" they had won, using a really loose definition of that word, contributed to Marshall/WVU incidents. Marshall goaded for quite a while, acting like WVU was an inferior rival, and got the expected, if awful, response. I've noticed things have calmed down now around Marshall. Don't know if there are any hopes of WVU fans growing up.

[reds1869]

Originally Posted by tixe

WVU always has problems with the fans who think that being drunk and ignorant is a good thing (I don't get college students having that attitude, but it is what it is.) Have to admit, though, that Marshall's putting up billboards in Morgantown about how many "championships" they had won, using a really loose definition of that word, contributed to Marshall/WVU incidents. Marshall goaded for quite a while, acting like WVU was an inferior rival, and got the expected, if awful, response. I've noticed things have calmed down now around Marshall. Don't know if there are any hopes of WVU fans growing up.

Because clearly fans throwing objects is similar to an athletic department buying advertising.

[*BaseClogger*]

Notre Dame and all of their NBC-watching fans across the country who still think their football program is relevant...

[marcshoe]

Originally Posted by reds1869

Because clearly fans throwing objects is similar to an athletic department buying advertising.

I didn't say anything remotely like that.

[reds1869]

Originally Posted by tixe

I didn't say anything remotely like that.

Perhaps not, but to me your comment below sure sounds an awful lot like saying "they were asking for it." It attempts to justify the "response" by WVU fans with some perceived action by Marshall. And for the record WVU puts up plenty of billboards in the Huntington area.

Have to admit, though, that Marshall's putting up billboards in Morgantown about how many "championships" they had won, using a really loose definition of that word, contributed to Marshall/WVU incidents. Marshall goaded for quite a while, acting like WVU was an inferior rival, and got the expected, if awful, response.

[RichRed]

Originally Posted by RANDY IN INDY

wvu fans could take a lesson from Virginia Tech........... Classy!

http://www.hokiesports.com/football/...110920aaa.html

Can say the same about ECU fans who treated my son and I like we were part of their family when we attended a Marshall/ECU game in Greenville, a couple of years back.

I can't stand Va. Tech, but that's probably because I see their Johnny-come-lately fans around here all the time. I do think they're pretty well-behaved though, for the most part.

My brother is an ECU grad, so I've been to a couple of games there, and I agree that the atmosphere is pretty good.

My votes for worst fans all come from the professional ranks: Dallas Cowboys, Phillies, Eagles, and Steelers. I've heard the Maryland fans can be pretty nasty, but I haven't witnessed it first-hand.

[marcshoe]

Originally Posted by reds1869

Perhaps not, but to me your comment below sure sounds an awful lot like saying "they were asking for it." It attempts to justify the "response" by WVU fans with some perceived action by Marshall. And for the record WVU puts up plenty of billboards in the Huntington area.

Have to admit, though, that Marshall's putting up billboards in Morgantown about how many "championships" they had won, using a really loose definition of that word, contributed to Marshall/WVU incidents. Marshall goaded for quite a while, acting like WVU was an inferior rival, and got the expected, if awful, response.

Perhaps having worked in Huntington at the time, hearing Marshall fans tell me how they would beat WVU regularly and decisively if they only got the chance to play them taints my views a little. I'm not talking equivalency, though. What I'm saying is that the WVU fans' behavior didn't occur in a vacuum. Again, WVU fans' behavior has been inexcusable--I've been clear on that here and elsewhere.

btw, my Masters' is from Marshall. I've known quite a few guys who played football there. I'm not anti-Marshall at all.

I am a realist, and for a while there, Marshall fans could be pretty obnoxious. I don't blame them; they were winning and had a handful of great players (more than WVU at the time). It's just that they were unrealistic about what all this meant. The hubris of new success, I guess. I don't see that now, though. The hatred for WVU has subsided from what I see. I've never believed there was a reason there had to be rancor between the two schools.

To be clear, I think your mistake is assuming that I'm "justify"ing anything. I'm simply giving the background; that does not justify. Saying that the background should not be given, otoh, means that we point figures in a dark cave. I also in no way said "they were asking for it". Attempts at understanding do not equal justification. The WVU fans who acted in this way (not all of them, btw) were dead wrong in what they did, but that did not mean they were a mindless horde of ogres sent from the depths of Mordor.

[dabvu2498]

Originally Posted by jojo

Sounds like someone just doesn't like the SEC.

Auburn is an incredible football experience for visiting fans. The game day atmosphere is generally electric and the home fans are very courteous and friendly toward visiting fans.

I agree. I've been a lot of places in the SEC as a visiting fan, with my team's gear on. Everywhere but Arkansas, Miss State and Auburn, in fact. Only place I've ever gotten any grief, above good natured ribbing, was UT. And that came no where near the level of crap I took off of Michigan fans as a visitor in Ann Arbor.

[Sea Ray]

Originally Posted by Reds/Flyers Fan

This is exactly right. SEC fans have asked - demanded - to be thought of as one entity with their actions and antics toward teams and fans of other conferences. When SEC fans would rather see their bitter rivals win (Alabama fans rooting for Auburn; Georgia fans rooting for Florida) against teams outside of the SEC, then they're inviting the pack mentality that the rest of the nation pins on them.

I think it's a positive to see Ga fans rooting for FL. In fact I'd find it petty to root against a team just because you "hate" them. One is a positive act, the other negative.

[RANDY IN INDY]

The thing about the wvu fans is that the bad behavior isn't only when they are playing Marshall. It extends to any team that happens to take the field. I travel quite a bit and when I meet people and they ask where I am from, the exploits and stories of the wvu fans and the way they treat visiting teams and their fans is almost always brought up. When I tell them that I am a Marshall fan only, they always lighten up.