Dear Steemit,
As you could find out in my previous articles, I’ve got a lot of hobbies and interests.
One of them - NCAA, college football league.
Girls from cheerleading - my weakness =)
In my country American football (aka gridiron, football, rugby) is not popular at all. We have somehow near
0,000000001% fans
from all population, half of them bandwagons Patriots and half - Seahawks. And of course, NCAA less popular then NFL (you know, no Brady - no game).
I think it’s so unfair!
First of all, NCAA and NFL are two sides of the same coin: tough and pragmatic NFL and innocent student sport with dozen of trick plays, lazy defence and inspired offense.
In NCAA you can take a first look on future famous players, like Peyton Manning or Andrew Luck, watch how young coaches getting better and grow up (fe Pete Carroll) or famous coaches do their best with young players (Jim Harbaugh, for sure).
Speaking about me, I believe that most interesting and beautiful part of NCAA is fan culture.
So today I will tell you ten most interesting traditions in college football.
10.Mascots. WuShock as most awkward…
Yeah, that’s right - there no football WSU team these days, otherwise WuShock was born as football mascot in 1904. The meaning is simple - lots of football players used to work in the wheat fields.
Some fans may say that it looks scary and stupid, but WuShock truly beloved in his home town, started from the bottom…
then get there.
Also, it has brother in Russia (left)
9.___… and the Oregon duck as most awesome
Chicago’s Benny the Bull changed our image of mascots as optional add-on to the game. The Oregon duck did exactly the same in NCAA.
Based on Donald Duck, he fought Shasta, took part in dozens of video, quoted DJ Khaled on twitter and lots of more. 70 thousand followers couldn't mistake.
8.Florida State’s Sod Cemetery
I love this story so much. It began in 1962, when Florida State University professor Dean Coyle Moore asked footballers to «bring back some sod from between the hedges at Georgia». FSU suddenly upset Georgia 18-10, that’s why team captain Gene McDowell pulled a small piece of grass from the field in memory of this game.
Till now, after so-called «Sod Games» (fe, Seminoles vs favorite team, Seminoles vs Florida team, all ACC finals and Bowls), in case of win FSU players must take small piece of sod and put it in the special place - Sod Semetery.
7. Clemson Players Run Down the Hill
Clemson University has great amount of traditions, not only cool linebackers. I can tell you about Howard’s Rock, Homecoming, First Friday Parade and even the Tiger mascot, but nothing of it so stunning and expressive, like usual Tigers game exit.
When the cannon shoots, all the players run down the hill, like orange river, leaded by chants «Clemson».
6.Penn State’s White out
White is a new orange. In 2005, fans of Penn State Nittany Lions decided to visit home games only in white tees.
Imagine: one hundred thousand people chanting «We are.. Penn State» so loud, that you couldn't hear your neighbour. Players, Penn state students, NCAA fans - everybody loves this spectacular tradition. Except visitor team, i guess.
5.Boise State, Lyle Smith Field at Albertsons Stadium
If we mix white and orange with blue, we will get Boise State stadium turf. «Why turf on Bronco Stadium should be green? We don't have this colour in our team!» -Gene Bleymaier, Boise State athletic director thought.
And that why green lawn turned into Smurf Turf, unique symbol of Boise State team. Hint: Boise State players in blue uniform takes advantages of being less predictable.
4.Tennessee’s Vol Navy, The Univercity of Tennessee
This beutiful tradition linked with Neyland Stadium, which is situated near Tennessee-river. That’s and traffic jam inspired in 1962 broadcaster George Mooney to take to the game by his boat.
Nowadays this tradition is so popular, that many «Vol Navy» members prefer to tailgate near the bank - because of traffic jam. Yeah, on the river.
3.Calling the hogs, University of Arkansas.
Chants and songs are popular in college football, that makes it closer to the english soccer style of support. Otherwise, how could you imagine "Woo Pig Sooie" chant on the, for example, West Ham home games?
This chant was created by a group of farmers willing to wake losing Razorbacks team in the 1920s. Through the years, tradition changed and now "Woo Pig Sooie" is a call for players to come on the turf and show their best.
2.Dotting the "I" at Ohio State
The "Dotting of the i" is one of the most exiting traditions in all sport games. The story of modern performance of Ohio State's marching band began in late 1800s and finally formed in 1936, when John W. Brungart, trumpet had become the first person to dot the “i» letter.
The complexity of figure and aesthetics of writing made this tradition one of the most recognisable in the world.
1.Your favourite team tradition.
As of me, the best thing in NCAA traditions is unlimited creativity and passion of people, who loves their team, University and State. There are plenty of mascots, orchestras, lawns, mosaics, writings, symbols, chants, activities, kits and tailgating that makes your favorite team unique and interesting, even if it is Shippensburg:)
