Worst Fans in College Sports?

[marcshoe]

I'm hoping that Luck takes the problem seriously. The last game I was at in Morgantown (Maryland last year) things were better than I'd seen before, but there were still incidents. I noticed that security had been beefed up and was taking care of problems much more quickly

I hope that the current SEC situation helps fans know that portraying themselves as ignorant hillbillies is not a good thing. I doubt it will, but one can always hope.

[Roy Tucker]

I got to think that alcohol sales in college stadiums has a lot to do with this.

The saving grace for OSU is that they don't sell any alcohol in the stadium nor now do they allow it at tailgating on OSU property. People still manage to get pretty lubed up, but I can't imagine what the Shoe would be like if beer got sold during the game.

OSU also doesn't have much of a problem selling out (or nearly so) every game so they don't have to use beer sales as a lure to get people to come to the ballgame.

[jojo]

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?

He specifically said the entire SEC fanbase (with the exception of Tennessee and Vandy). There is not way such a blanket statement could possibly be true. I gave one case (Auburn) where the exceptional treatment of visiting fans is well known.

[jojo]

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.

If I had a dollar for every Bama fan that rooted for Auburn to win in any situation, I'd maybe have enough money to buy the Sunday paper.

Originally Posted by Reds/Flyers Fan

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.)

I'm wondering how many SEC member games you've actually been too. This as a phenomenon is way over blown. Tennessee is the only SEC team that plays tough road games out of conference? I'm again calling bias.

[BuckeyeRed27]

Originally Posted by Roy Tucker

I got to think that alcohol sales in college stadiums has a lot to do with this.

The saving grace for OSU is that they don't sell any alcohol in the stadium nor now do they allow it at tailgating on OSU property. People still manage to get pretty lubed up, but I can't imagine what the Shoe would be like if beer got sold during the game.

OSU also doesn't have much of a problem selling out (or nearly so) every game so they don't have to use beer sales as a lure to get people to come to the ballgame.

I'll have to see if I can find it online, but I actually read a study that said that schools that do allow alcohol sales at games have fewer instances of violence and arrests both during and after games. The theory was that when people can't buy alcohol at the stadium they drink more before hand than people who have the option of buying beer at the game.

[MWM]

Originally Posted by jojo

He specifically said the entire SEC fanbase (with the exception of Tennessee and Vandy). There is not way such a blanket statement could possibly be true. I gave one case (Auburn) where the exceptional treatment of visiting fans is well known.

My perception has nothing to do with attending games. I've attended a couple of games in SEC stadiums, but that was years ago and as a casual observer, not a fan of either team. I'm sure the experience attending games in the SEC is great. But that wasn't the point.

It's when they take off their team hat and put on their SEC hat that it's different, and it's not in the stadiums, it's in everyday interactions. And hey, it's an opinion, nothing else. I offered one based on my experience, so there is no right or wrong. It's my perception. Maybe its just as bad for outsiders living in Big Ten country. I can't really say. I just don't talk college football with people around here, and I stopped wearing anything that reveals my loyalties if I watch a game in public. Makes things more bearable.

[WVRed]

Originally Posted by MWM

My perception has nothing to do with attending games. I've attended a couple of games in SEC stadiums, but that was years ago and as a casual observer, not a fan of either team. I'm sure the experience attending games in the SEC is great. But that wasn't the point.

It's when they take off their team hat and put on their SEC hat that it's different, and it's not in the stadiums, it's in everyday interactions. And hey, it's an opinion, nothing else. I offered one based on my experience, so there is no right or wrong. It's my perception. Maybe its just as bad for outsiders living in Big Ten country. I can't really say. I just don't talk college football with people around here, and I stopped wearing anything that reveals my loyalties if I watch a game in public. Makes things more bearable.

The same could be said for every other conference. I don't know about pulling for your rival to do well in a bowl game (ex Ohio State fans pulling for Michigan), but if you are a member of a conference, you should want that conference to hold up in bowl games or March Madness.

I've seen Ohio State fans who flaunt the Big Ten and WVU fans who pull for the rest of the Big East teams to do well. It makes the conference and themselves look that much stronger.

And the SEC, well, things might be different if they hadn't won the last five national championships. If the B10 had done it, it would be the same in Columbus, Ann Arbor, etc.

[RANDY IN INDY]

No doubt

[WVRed]

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.

Seems like the Marshall-WVU argument makes its way into every thread. This isn't directed at anybody in particular, just seems that it always happens.

I've lived in Parkersburg for the past eight years, before that I lived in Kentucky outside of Huntington. I am a UK fan first, although I have been to a couple Marshall games and usually pull for the Herd when they are playing. My fiancee and her family are WVU fans so I usually follow the Mountaineers, but haven't really considered myself a "fan".

That being said, I have thought about jumping ship especially with my feelings toward Kentucky football. Basketball drives the bus in the bluegrass, similar to Kansas and the Carolina schools. When Rich Brooks retired (mostly due to his unhappiness with money being funneled everywhere but football), Joker Phillips, a UK alum and offensive coordinator, was named his replacement. Despite breaking the streak against Steve Spurrier last year, UK has looked pretty abysmal, even in the loss to Louisville and playing it close against Western Kentucky.

The problem isn't even with coaching, its with the fans and expectations. UK basketball fans expect to be in contention for a national championship year in and year out. Football fans are happy with just making it to a 6-6 bowl game. With Joker being a UK alum, he will likely get a longer leash than anybody else Kentucky has ever brought in.

West Virginia has stupid fans. Every fan base does but in Morgantown being drunk and ignorant seems to be a prevalent theme among the student section. I was there last year for the Rutgers game and it could be because of the lackluster product on the field (WVU still won), but most of the student section clears out at halftime.

That was the first I had heard of Marshall putting billboards in Morgantown bragging about "championships" (which is kind of a soft spot for WVU unless you count the rifle team). It is kinda silly though, would be like Morehead State putting up billboards in Lexington. WVU putting billboards in Huntington shouldn't be a big deal, as WVU is the flagship school of the state, but I've lived close to there and Cabell County is not too receptive of people from "Morganhole".

I'll always contend that the Friends of Coal Bowl should have been played, except about five years too late from when it started. Marshall put a scare into WVU at Mountaineer Field, and with the fan treatment there from reds1869 described and others i've talked to (WVU fans making shirts making fun of the plane crash), I think a return trip to Huntington the following year would have likely resulted in a WVU loss and probably embarrassing behavior on both sides.

I think the calming down of Marshall has more to do with them moving to C-USA (a huge mistake) and having to deal with probation and the mediocrity of the Mark Snyder years. I'll be interested in seeing how they do Saturday against Virginia Tech in Huntington. One of the football magazines here in Parkersburg has both writers predicting WVU to beat LSU and Marshall to beat the Hokies. I doubt it happens.

[RANDY IN INDY]

As much as I dislike wvu, I can see them upsetting LSU in the "hole." No way that I see the Herd making the game competitive against Tech. Hope I am wrong on both counts.

[reds1869]

Originally Posted by RANDY IN INDY

As much as I dislike wvu, I can see them upsetting LSU in the "hole." No way that I see the Herd making the game competitive against Tech. Hope I am wrong on both counts.

If the Herd that played Southern Miss shows up they can make it a game. If the Herd that played Ohio shows up it will be ugly. As for the 'eers, I think they have a good shot at LSU.

WVRed I think you probably have a pretty good idea why a Herd fan who grew up in Parkersburg like I did would have less than friendly feelings towards WVU. The MU/WVU debate has certainly cooled because MU has been down. It is really only diehards of both schools who give it much thought right now. But much like the other rivalry I'm passionate about--Xavier/UC--it will heat back up once both teams are good.

[Scrap Irony]

Originally Posted by WVRed

The problem isn't even with coaching, its with the fans and expectations.

We're going to have to agree to disagree on this one, WVRed. UK football fans are among the best the country has to offer. They're almost universally positive, appreciative, and willing to spend, travel, and support a team that is historically abysmal.

They continually rank in the upper 25 in attendance despite poor records and poorer coaching. Too, when they inevitably lose, there's no anger directed at opposing teams, just glazed expressions as they silently file out of the stadium.

They are also willing to tailgate with anyone, regardless of of team affiliation. (Heck, Louisville and Kentucky fans regularly hand out together.)

Basketball is another kettle of fish. (I've posted my feelings on those people before.) But football in Kentucky is universally pleasant.

[WVRed]

Originally Posted by Scrap Irony

We're going to have to agree to disagree on this one, WVRed. UK football fans are among the best the country has to offer. They're almost universally positive, appreciative, and willing to spend, travel, and support a team that is historically abysmal.

They continually rank in the upper 25 in attendance despite poor records and poorer coaching. Too, when they inevitably lose, there's no anger directed at opposing teams, just glazed expressions as they silently file out of the stadium.

They are also willing to tailgate with anyone, regardless of of team affiliation. (Heck, Louisville and Kentucky fans regularly hand out together.)

Basketball is another kettle of fish. (I've posted my feelings on those people before.) But football in Kentucky is universally pleasant.

I think there's some miscommunication somewhere (possibly on my end). The issue isn't with fan behavior (and I think you summed up all the positives of Kentucky football fans), but the attitude of fans when it comes to settling for mediocrity.

Most UK fans are happy with going 6-6 every year and going to the Music City Bowl. That is where my problem is. The program is trending backwards since Joker Phillips took over and really IMO Joker is in over his head. We fired a basketball coach two years in, albeit one who had no Kentucky ties and was completely abrasive.

With the possibility of WVU coming into the conference as well as Texas A&M on a rotating basis, scheduling three cupcakes and picking off some wins against the worst of the SEC is going to be a lot harder. Not to mention I believe eventually its going to reach a point where the mediocrity bowls for 6-6 teams will eventually be done away with.

I think a coaching change would work, especially right now. Two coaches I think would possibly come to Lexington in Mike Leach and Rich Rodriguez. This program needs to spend money to show that its committed to winning, and a coach with a new philosophy and a niche to attract recruits would be a nice way to start.

But it ultimately starts with the fans expectations. I'd like to see UK compete for a BCS bowl sometime in my lifetime. I might be the only one though.

[RANDY IN INDY]

I would too. Have always liked UK.

[WVRed]

If reports I heard today are true, the WVU-LSU game could get very nasty tomorrow.

Some LSU fans who made the trip to Morgantown showed up in WVU classrooms today and chanted "Tigerbait!" and "SEC". Theres been several posts about it on WVU message boards, but nothing official anywhere else.

I think the game should be renamed the "Inebriation Bowl". Nothing like getting Mountaineers and Cajuns together in a football stadium.