Bad College Football Traditions

[Giant Squid]

Bad tradition? The ridiculous looking "Trojan" planting a sword into the field (USCw).

Really? I like that one a lot. Traveller, "Fight on," the band wearing sunglasses, the whole USC spiel.

Does anybody know where the name "Fightin Okra" came from? How can you take your team seriously if they are the "Fightin Okra'. Yeah, I know they are Delta State, but still........

Wikipedia says: Delta State has two mascots (one official, one unofficial). Since its inception, Delta State's sports teams have officially been known as the Statesmen because of the role State Rep. Walter Sillers, Jr. played in the location of the school in Cleveland. Sillers was speaker of the Mississippi House of Representatives for 20 years. The female teams are called the Lady Statesmen.

However, since the late 1980s, the student body has embraced a mascot that depicts a piece of okra (a fruit) wearing boxing gloves and brandishing a fierce expression.[10] The "Fighting Okra" grew out of humor among students about the improbability that anyone would find a "Statesman" particularly frightening. In the mid-1990s, a student vote was taken, resulting in the university taking on "The Fighting Okra" as an unofficial mascot. The "Fighting Okra" was featured in the "Okraphobia" episode of the Food Network show Good Eats.[11]

The popularity of "The Fighting Okra" grew so much that many myths started on how the mascot came to be, the most popular of these stating there was a stubborn okra plant at first base on the baseball field that grew back every time it was cut. The true origin of the fighting okra mascot was a discussion between basketball and baseball players in the "Court of Governors" dormitory. Basketball player Houston Williamson was lamenting the fact that "Fighting Statesmen" was not particularly frightening to their opponents. All present agreed that an alternate mascot would have to be mean and green. After a lively discussion and many suggestions, baseball pitcher Bob Black suggested that okra was green, fuzzy and tough. The DSU baseball team began using the chant "Okra! Okra! Okra! Okra!" at DSU basketball games.

WOW! I've read through this entire thread and didn't see anyone mention tearing down your own goal posts.

This is something that I don't mind when other teams do. If you're Texas Tech and you just beat Oklahoma, I say go nuts. Rush the field, tear down the goal posts, treat the win like the big deal that it is. Alabama is in a whole other sphere, but just because we shouldn't do it doesn't make it a bad tradition for everyone.

My vote goes to any "tradition" that comes from a marketing department.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

I fixed it for you Earl. :biggrin:

I'll have you know I was born in 1939! And it's "Earle."

 

[BamaMoon]

When I was a student @ the Capstone (during the Roosevelt Administration I believe... ), we did a Rammer Jammer at the beginning of the game. "We're gonna beat (etc.)" And IIRC, we only did it for the biggies.

p.s. - Fun thread! I've found myself reading through & saying, "yeah, I should've mentioned that one too..."

This is a thread I've been intending starting for several weeks, but Cheeze Nips Ford commercial with the pile of toilet paper on it just reminded me that some of these traditions are just plain stupid.

 

[BamaMoon]

I've got to disagree with a few mentioned:

USCw's Trojan is a great tradition...their overall tradition is one of the few schools that is recognizable as Bama's. And their fight song is got to be one of the top 5 in college football!

Although I'm not a FSU fan, I think their "war chant" is one of the great traditions in college football. I also think sticking the spear at midfield is pretty cool too.

 

[Zorak]

I absolutely HATE the FSU chant!!! O, O, O........O, O, O. And that stupid tomahawk chop while they're doing it. Drives me nuts, and I have a family full of FSU fans.

Does anybody know where the name "Fightin Okra" came from? How can you take your team seriously if they are the "Fightin Okra'. Yeah, I know they are Delta State, but still........

I don't think it's an issue of taking ones self seriously, no one is ever going to take Delta State, Scottsdale Community College (Fighting Artichokes) or Evergreen State Community College (Geoducks) seriously as far as athletics, but having something that sets you apart. I doubt anyone outside Bolivar County, MS for example would know Delta State exists but for their odd Fighting Okra mascot.

Side note: I actually like strange mascots. I have a Delta State t-shirt with the Okra on the back (has gotten me a lot of laughs over the years), and a plush Fighting Okra in my office. I have no association with Delta State, but I did do some work in Cleveland MS during my days back in the Magnolia State. I had some free time one day and went into the Delta State bookstore to buy the doll and shirt. The cashier told me those were the two most popular items, by far, in the store. (I also have an Evergreen State College shirt, and a Montgomery Biscuits shirt I wear around town every now and then to see people's reaction). Speaking of which, I think I need to get a SCC shirt. Didn't used to be able to get one unless you actually physically went to SCC and bought one, but I think they may have realized the potential moneymaking and advertising opportunity.

Go Chokes:

 

[dirtroadlizard]

 

[lincoln_osiris]

This horrible song played at every stadium, everywhere, before every kick off, and every crowd acting like it is their own tradition. I would rather have my toenails ripped out one by one than have to listen to this song.

 

[colbysullivan]

This horrible song played at every stadium, everywhere, before every kick off, and every crowd acting like it is their own tradition. I would rather have my toenails ripped out one by one than have to listen to this song.

Ahh yes, the old "Zombie Nation". Hate that crap too

 

[GADAWG1980]

Anything associated with michigan football. Im so tired of hearing about the maizin blue and how great they think they are(in their own minds)and how they dont get enough respect nationally. Also tired of hearing about their meaningless,overhyped yearly matchup with the other mediocre big ten team down the road from ann arbor(ohio state). That stupid hail to the victors fight song as well(didnt hear that to much in their season opener). Another one is that vanderbilt foghorn. They do it every chance they get.