SEC fans, why?

[The Poet]

Originally Posted by andysutherland

It's not that way in the ACC. We have plenty of southern pride, but Carolina fans sure won't pull for Duke fans. State fans sure won't pull for Carolina.

Oh really? I'm not a Tar Heel fan - I am a Tar Heel, born and bred, matriculated and graduated, and with enough seasoning on me to take the larger view. I will pull for any ACC team over another conference, or in a bowl game or a tournament game, and as for in-conference I will pull for State or Duke or Wake or whoever else I need to win in order to help the Heels' standing. The only time I "hate Dook" or "hate Moo U" is when they play UNC. Some of my best high-school friends went to State, and some of my better friends at Chapel Hill came from Durham.

The above has nothing directly to do with the original SEC question, but it does apply to the general principle. Why is it wrong for school pride to extend to conference pride? When any team in "your" conference does well, it can improve your own school's program with the added exposure, status, reputation, and - dare I say it? - money.