The Best of Fans

[oudivesherpa]

Several posts on this board have commented that OU fans were not very good fans, we’re impolite and discourteous of fans from other teams. I disagree, I know some fans substitute sooner for Brave when singing the National Anthem, but really that’s a rather small transgression. Its how we act towards opposing fans that, in my opinion determines good sportsmanship
Besides being an OU fan, I’m a college football fan and I have gone to home games at Tennessee, Georgia, LSU, Texas, Illinois, Miami, Rice, Houston, Notre Dame and all of the Big XII campus with the exception of Iowa State. (I just feel like a weekend in Ames would be like spending a weekend in Stillwater only with much larger women).
While, many schools exhibit good sportsmanship and respect towards the fans of other teams, what I saw last Saturday at the OU/Tulsa game one of the best acts of sportsmanship I have seen at a college football game. I was sitting in section 35 row 41 and about four rows below me was a couple of Tulsa fans, a man and his wife decked out in their Tulsa Blue Polo shirts. Part way through the first quarter the wife was overcome with heat. The OU fans near her turned their backs on the game (literally) to aid and comfort the Tulsa fan. They gave her water, put a towel in front of her to block the sun, and gave her cold compresses. Four or five OU fans ignored the game to provide assistance to this lady as she was obliviously in the early stages of sun stroke, finally when all their efforts to revive this lady were not working, they left their seats and summoned first aid. The lady eventually recovered but did not return to the game.
So when I hear that OU fans do not demonstrate good sportsmanship my reply is you sample size is too small and you really don’t the kindness and consideration of OU fans.

Boomer Sooner.

[StoopTroup]

My Aunt wants her purse back BTW.















;)

[Curly Bill]

Was she hawt?

[mehip]

I had a similar experience at the Conference Championship Game vs the Buffs a couple years ago. I had two extra tickets so I gave them to friend and his wife. She is from New Zealand and was having difficulty dealing with the cold.

A couple of 'good ole boys' (and I mean that with complete kindness) in their overalls did all they could to help her and my friend by sharing blankets, extra gloves, and glove/boot warmers.

The kicker and what made it special to me......my friend had an obvious Louisiana accent and admitted be a LSU fan when asked about it. All they had to say to him about the LSU title game was 'man, you guys killed us in the first half of that game.'

[MyT Oklahoma]

I've been to Sooner games at home and away since 1974 and I've never seen anything by another Sooner fan that has ever caused me any embarassment. I am very proud of my fellow OU fans.

[mightysooner]

I think we're courteous to programs we respect. I was in town when Bama rolled in to Norman under Franchione and the Bama fans everywhere were remarking about how the red carpet was rolled out for them by OU fans. I was blown away by how well they traveled....but not surprised. They were treated like rock stars and I remember reading several quotes in the paper from them about their treatment here being such a positive experience.

Was also in town when the Huskers came through and I stood on campus corner and drank with Bug eaters all afternoon before the game. Was nothing but mutual admiration and respect. Great fans from great programs not named Tejas.

[oudivesherpa]

I have to agree with you on Husker fans, the most positive Road Trip I have been on is to Lincoln--the Bug eaters were gracious and kind. Programs that are used to winning usually have the best of fans. The worst road trip--to K. State.

[beer4me]

Was she hawt?

Of course she was pay tention

"early stages of sun stroke" :D

[Mississippi Sooner]

When it comes to how other fans perceive us, I'll never forget going to the OU-Bama game in 2003. Both before and during the game (our seats were in a never-ending field of houndstooth hats), it seemed we had a nonstop stream of Bama fans telling us how much they appreciated how they'd been treated in Norman the year before, and how much they respected our program.

Of course, after the fake punt and long bomb put it away for us, they didn't have a lot to say. Heh heh.

[MrJimBeam]

The worst road trip--to K. State.

Agree.

[tigepilot]

As far as personal experience at 'other than Norman' games with other fans, I'd have to say that:

Alabama fans were the best and most gracious.

Florida fans are the most annoying.

Kansas Sate fans are the rudest and most obnoxious.


I've heard that LSU and Texas Tech are worse than Kansas State but I can't speak of personal experience there.


As far as dealing with fans away from the stadium, the stereotypical reputations of each fanbase seem to apply really well.

[cougartroll2009]

BYU fan here. I have nothing but good to say about Oklahoma fans, based on my experience. In fact, after this year's game in Arlington, I regard OU fans even higher than before. Classy.

Hope you guys win the Big 12 . . .

[TexasLidig8r]

A lot of times, it also has to do with the age of the fan you run into. If the fan is in college or college age and has a few cokes under his belt, the likelihood of Sir ****** rearing his ugly head is much more likely.

You get a geezer like me and you will get some intelligent humorous smack talking but... what's the point in being stupid.

After the Ohio State - Texas game in Austin, walking on 6th Street with my then 18 year old son.. we heard a number of Ohio State fans (yes, even the jort and game jersey wearing, buckeye necklace around the neck, mullet haired variety) say oh impressed they were with Austin, our fanbase, how friendly everyone was...

It's all relative.

[OUMallen]

LSU were the worst I've come across. Florida was surprisingly decent in January. Texas, but I don't even count them, and they're usually not complete jackasses unles sin the Cotton Bowl.

[SteelCitySooner]

Can't disagree with anything here, but I would mention that the LSU experience was the worst bunch of degenerates I had ever been surrounded with at a game.

At any rate, I think it also has to do with just the Oklahoma culture. I haven't lived in OK since I was 18 (north east now), but every time I go back home it's an adjustment. It's not that people aren't nice up here in Pittsburgh, but in Oklahoma, people GO OUT OF THEIR WAY to be nice, and even with complete strangers. So, it's probably less to do with being an OU fan than it is just being an Oklahoman.

[OKLA21FAN]

After the Ohio State - Texas game in Austin, walking on 6th Street with my then 18 year old son.. we heard a number of Ohio State fans (yes, even the jort and game jersey wearing, buckeye necklace around the neck, mullet haired variety) say oh impressed they were with Austin, our fanbase, how friendly everyone was...

It's all relative.

is it just me, but I rarely have issues with horn fans (and I live in Dallas). I have many horn fan friends that we have met over the years at Fair Park and for the most part, (99.44 % of the time) the interaction is all in fun.

Looking forward to me 1st UT home game in austin later this year as it is the only big 12 stadium I have not attended a game

[MI Sooner]

fan politeness seems to be a U-shaped curve, by and large, with the quality of the program on the horizontal axis. The really crappy programs (Iowa St., mid-majors, etc.) are fine, as are the elite programs (Nebraska, Michigan, etc.). The mid-range programs seem to be the worst. Also, traditional rivals tend to be bad, regardless of the quality of the opponent.

[tigepilot]

is it just me, but I rarely have issues with horn fans (and I live in Dallas). I have many horn fan friends that we have met over the years at Fair Park and for the most part, (99.44 % of the time) the interaction is all in fun.

Looking forward to me 1st UT home game in austin later this year as it is the only big 12 stadium I have not attended a game

It's just you. They're not the worst, but they're not the best either.


fan politeness seems to be a U-shaped curve, by and large, with the quality of the program on the horizontal axis. The really crappy programs (Iowa St., mid-majors, etc.) are fine, as are the elite programs (Nebraska, Michigan, etc.). The mid-range programs seem to be the worst. Also, traditional rivals tend to be bad, regardless of the quality of the opponent.

I've noticed this too. Also, nothing is worse than fans of a program that is having more recent success than they traditionally get.

[A Sooner in Texas]

In all fairness, having lived in Texas for 17 years now, I find them for the most part to be as down to earth and willing to help people as Oklahomans. Aggie fans are usually much more obnoxious in my opinion then Horn fans. That could be mainly because they have nothing at all with which to back up that obnoxiousness.
My Dad, a born and bred Razorback, believes OU fans are the most arrogant of all. He's lived in Bartlesville since 1952; he loathes Sooners, and I just can't seem to change his mind, nor can his granddaughter, who will graduate from OU in December. I grew up as the black sheep of the family for being the only Sooner fan.
Through all the OU games I've attended the nastiest fans I've come across are Miami fans. Be prepared, those of you going to the game.

[okiewaker]

is it just me, but I rarely have issues with horn fans (and I live in Dallas). I have many horn fan friends that we have met over the years at Fair Park and for the most part, (99.44 % of the time) the interaction is all in fun.

Looking forward to me 1st UT home game in austin later this year as it is the only big 12 stadium I have not attended a game

I was in Austin for a meeting 3yrs ago, boss lived in Austin, so he flew us in friday night and we went to the game on saturday. I was the only one wearing OU gear, a couple of them were wearing OSU gear. There were, of course some drunk hecklars giving me the business, but i laughed at them. Tailgating there was definitely different as they all tailgated in the parking lots of businesses located near the stadium. It was fun tho, great bbq, and took pics with the UT cheerleaders. They played, I think, Sam Houston that day.

[The Ghost of Mex]

Several posts on this board have commented that OU fans were not very good fans, we’re impolite and discourteous of fans from other teams. I disagree, I know some fans substitute sooner for Brave when singing the National Anthem, but really that’s a rather small transgression. Its how we act towards opposing fans that, in my opinion determines good sportsmanship
Besides being an OU fan, I’m a college football fan and I have gone to home games at Tennessee, Georgia, LSU, Texas, Illinois, Miami, Rice, Houston, Notre Dame and all of the Big XII campus with the exception of Iowa State. (I just feel like a weekend in Ames would be like spending a weekend in Stillwater only with much larger women).
While, many schools exhibit good sportsmanship and respect towards the fans of other teams, what I saw last Saturday at the OU/Tulsa game one of the best acts of sportsmanship I have seen at a college football game. I was sitting in section 35 row 41 and about four rows below me was a couple of Tulsa fans, a man and his wife decked out in their Tulsa Blue Polo shirts. Part way through the first quarter the wife was overcome with heat. The OU fans near her turned their backs on the game (literally) to aid and comfort the Tulsa fan. They gave her water, put a towel in front of her to block the sun, and gave her cold compresses. Four or five OU fans ignored the game to provide assistance to this lady as she was obliviously in the early stages of sun stroke, finally when all their efforts to revive this lady were not working, they left their seats and summoned first aid. The lady eventually recovered but did not return to the game.
So when I hear that OU fans do not demonstrate good sportsmanship my reply is you sample size is too small and you really don’t the kindness and consideration of OU fans.

Boomer Sooner.

Well Sherpa, I have to take issue with this post. While I do agree that, by and large, Sooner fans are very respectable and fine sportsman, I do not accept the premise of your story. What you witnessed was not good sportsmanship; it was brotherly love and compassion for your fellow man IMO. Just because they’re wearing a different colored shirt a good dead shouldn't be confused for good sportsmanship. But I love the story never the less. And I would attribute the act to the same good nature of most Oklahomans and some good upbringing by some wonderful mommas. IMO. I mean no disrespect.

[MichiganSooner]

In all fairness, having lived in Texas for 17 years now, I find them for the most part to be as down to earth and willing to help people as Oklahomans. Aggie fans are usually much more obnoxious in my opinion then Horn fans. That could be mainly because they have nothing at all with which to back up that obnoxiousness.
My Dad, a born and bred Razorback, believes OU fans are the most arrogant of all. He's lived in Bartlesville since 1952; he loathes Sooners, and I just can't seem to change his mind, nor can his granddaughter, who will graduate from OU in December. I grew up as the black sheep of the family for being the only Sooner fan.
Through all the OU games I've attended the nastiest fans I've come across are Miami fans. Be prepared, those of you going to the game.

Your dad has lived in Bartlesville since 1952 and is a Razorback. Did he play trumpet in their band? Is he a retired engineer? Does he live down my street a couple blocks? Does he have the same name as a world famous songwriter/singer? James Taylor? If it is James, he is pretty nice to me. Gave me his SI magazine with AD article in it. But I know he generally hates us OU fans.

My opinion of ugliest fans is KState is about the worst. Bad experiences with a few punks at the Big 12 game. They ganged up and started beating up on elderly man who turned around and told them to shut up. Somebody from Missouri busted off both of our OU flags that were on our car at last years big 12 game. Ohio State fans can get pretty obnoxious if you are for Michigan.

[Sooner24]

As far as personal experience at 'other than Norman' games with other fans, I'd have to say that:

Alabama fans were the best and most gracious.

Florida fans are the most annoying.

Kansas Sate fans are the rudest and most obnoxious.


I've heard that LSU and Texas Tech are worse than Kansas State but I can't speak of personal experience there.


As far as dealing with fans away from the stadium, the stereotypical reputations of each fanbase seem to apply really well.



Notre Dame fans just edged out Bama for best away game experience and friendly fans.


Oregon was the most annoying fans of any non-conference away game I have ever attended

Missouri fans without a doubt are the rudest and most obnoxious fans of any Big 12 school at their place.

I have been to K-State many times and have never had any problems. Even been invited to tailgate with some KSU fans before. But then again I wasn't kept awake by horns honking and yelling all night long. ;)