Here is a thread detailing exactly why the SEC roots for one another so solidly for those from without who struggle to understand or empathize with the kinship and camaraderie many SEC fans share. (From the opinions of UK fans posed the question...)
http://kentucky.rivals.com/showmsg.a...id=888&style=2
Sports Illustrated had an article on this very subject in their SEC pre-season football magazine. Basically said it goes back to the 1800's and how the south has been portrayed since then. Always put down we're not educated all the stuff. Because of that, football has been the 1 thing that the south has been good at and dominated the other regions of the country and took such great pride in the fact that the south was actually winning at something.
Not sure if you can the article online or not but it made sense. I always pull for the SEC in every sport and I do take pride in being a southerner and love seeing SEC teams whip up on the midwest and east coast.The SEC cheer goes up in the NCAA basketball tournament every year the teams do something, just like football. The year Miss St. made the Final Four, the Florida teams that won and Tennessee did it last year when they beat Ohio St in the Sweet Sixteen. I'm willing to take a guess and say, if you're asking why we do this, you probably don't consider yourself Southern. The simple answer is we have a lot of pride and feel a close kinship with our sister states.If you have to ask why? no amount of explaining will make you understand it. Just know this, we Southerners stick together on every thing from football to elections. For everyone reading this, don't let these guys make you feel bad because you're loyal to all things Southern.Notice from that link that not everyone 'gets it' but I definitely align with the selected comments above. I love watching the SEC do well. In any sport.I went to the BBVA bowl game on Saturday, and every last Alabama and Auburn fan (and there were a ton of them) were yelling their butts off for UK to win. They chanted SEC, and raised hell when Kentucky was on defense. The guy behind me (an Auburn fan) kept pepping up the people around him saying "well I think we'll score this time" or "comon, cats, hold 'em!"
The SEC is not only the best conference in college football, they are the classiest. NO OTHER CONFERENCE cheers its teams on like the SEC does. I think that makes us unique. And, I think that's what it's all about. Pride.
Oregon gets a lot of respect from me. They are a damn good football team, not just a flashy gimmick.