SEC fans, why?

[elderboy02]

(Putting on my body armor)

Why do fans of the SEC feel so proud of their conference? Many other people besides me, and a local sports talk show host think the same thing. All you hear about is how good the SEC is. And yes, the SEC is the best conference right now. But why do you have to root for all the SEC schools?

For example, I am a Cincinnati Bearcats fan, but that doesn't mean I go rooting for other teams in the Big East (West Virginia, Pittsburgh, etc.)

Oklahoma doesn't root for other Big 12 teams (Kansas, etc)

I mean, when Cincinnati was getting destroyed by Florida, I heard people chanting "SEC, SEC, SEC" I mean, who really cares what your conference is?

Ok, flame suit on.

Southern Pride...if you don't live down here you wouldn't understand.

[Volt]

Originally Posted by Tombstone

Southern Pride...if you don't live down here you wouldn't understand.

Got to agree with him.. It cannot be explained if you were not raised in the SEC. It is a religion (and I'm not exagerating). One of the best/worst ass whipping I have ever witnessed was to an individual who made the really bad decision to bad mouth the Bear in Birmingham, AL. It just isn't done.

Every place has their little hang ups, in the South, we live and breathe for SEC football. To me a hogie, sub, grinder, etc is just a bunch of cold cuts on a long bun. My wife from Philly and Jersey has very big issues with what is served in VA. It is what it is.

I was born and raised in the south, and I don't understand it either. I, unlike other SEC school fans, do not cheer for other SEC schools no matter who they are playing.

Originally Posted by openendstraight

I was born and raised in the south, and I don't understand it either. I, unlike other SEC school fans, do not cheer for other SEC schools no matter who they are playing.

There are exceptions to every rule.

[pnoon]

I understand the southern pride but, by that logic, southerners should be rooting for all southern teams (Florida State, Miami, Georgia Tech, to name a few). Not just the SEC.

Like i said....if you don't live down here you wouldn't understand.

[pnoon]

Originally Posted by pnoon

I understand the southern pride but, by that logic, southerners should be rooting for all southern teams (Florida State, Miami, Georgia Tech, to name a few). Not just the SEC.

Originally Posted by Tombstone

Like i said....if you don't live down here you wouldn't understand.

You haven't answered my question. I understand southern pride. But why just the SEC? Why not the other teams in the south?

We're smart folks here. Give an explanation a try.

[Clampdown]

I would disagree with the OP. I am a huge supporter of the SEC, but at the same time I can't stand the University of Tennessee. I don't like their head basketball and football coach. I will cheer any team if they are playing UT. Some of that comes from the fact UK has not beaten them in 25 years, but most comes from the a-holes in charge. In football I will cheer for the SEC because if they win then UK wins because of the shared money from bowl games and media rights. So its a win win situation for the conference members.

I'm not sure "Southern Pride" has anything to do with it in fact in my case. I have lived in the DC metro area, although its VA, we tend to not think of ourselves as being the south, so I have zero allegiance to the southern states. It has more to the fact that so many teams hate the SEC (in football Alabama and UF are hated for their success, and UK is hated for the fans that are absolutely insane, myself included to a degree). So I think we have this us against the world complex.

[elderboy02]

Originally Posted by Clampdown

I would disagree with the OP. I am a huge supporter of the SEC, but at the same time I can't stand the University of Tennessee. I don't like their head basketball and football coach. I will cheer any team if they are playing UT. Some of that comes from the fact UK has not beaten them in 25 years, but most comes from the a-holes in charge. In football I will cheer for the SEC because if they win then UK wins because of the shared money from bowl games and media rights. So its a win win situation for the conference members.

I'm not sure "Southern Pride" has anything to do with it in fact in my case. I have lived in the DC metro area, although its VA, we tend to not think of ourselves as being the south, so I have zero allegiance to the southern states. It has more to the fact that so many teams hate the SEC (in football Alabama and UF are hated for their success, and UK is hated for the fans that are absolutely insane, myself included to a degree). So I think we have this us against the world complex.

I am glad to see this response. It has given me something to think about. Maybe it does have to do with the us against the world complex.

So I take it you won't be a fan at a stadium chanting "SEC, SEC, SEC" when a SEC team wins

[elderboy02]

Originally Posted by pnoon

I understand the southern pride but, by that logic, southerners should be rooting for all southern teams (Florida State, Miami, Georgia Tech, to name a few). Not just the SEC.

Exactly my point.

[Volt]

Originally Posted by pnoon

I understand the southern pride but, by that logic, southerners should be rooting for all southern teams (Florida State, Miami, Georgia Tech, to name a few). Not just the SEC.

Like I said - I can't. I was raised for the most part in LA so was a LSU fan most of my life, I still root for them. Moved to Bama where my Dad got his bachlors and masters at UAB, sister went to Auborn, my brother and sister in law went to Tenennesee, my cousin went to Georgia and is a Dawg, etc. No one ever said to me this is why, just was raised to pull for the SEC colleges. I know there is a lot of rivelry in college sports but have never seen/experienced it as compared to the SEC. It's sort of us against us and then whoever wins it's us against who ever

Could be in part the SEC still retains 10 of the original 13 from 1932, possibly the legacy and the rivelry????

But it as the OP posted. Having lived and worked in the Navy with people from all over the US, most everyone has a team to pull for but very few pull for the conference as a whole. As a side note, I am a Steelers fan ever since Terry Bradshaw went to the Steelers from LA TECH (not an SEC). I still pull for the AFC even if the Steelers don't make the playoff. Maybe I'm small minded

[DrDubzz]

I think, in part, it makes the have nots feel better about themselves

I have heard nothing but SEC trash talk from my arkansas fans...

They feel as if they're being in the SEC legitimizes that they suck, I really don't get it at all. Cheering for your rivals is retarded. their success is bad for you, plain and simple

[icehog3]

Alabama beat my team, Florida. If Texas beats Alabama, my friends who are Texas fans start hypothesizing that Texas would have beat Florida. Maybe it makes no sense to some, but that's how I think.

[Smokin Gator]

As a rule I do pull for all of the SEC teams except Tennessee. IMO their program and last two coaches have zero class. As for Georgia... I still despise them with a passion because of all *ss whippin's they put on us over the course of my childhood and when I was attending Florida. I also can't stand Auburn... I still pull for all the SEC teams though (except the afore mentioned Tennessee) because of the pride I have in our football heritage. I firmly believe that the brand of football we play in the SEC every Saturday is MUCH better than any other conference. I think many others take pride in that as well. That is why you hear the SEC chants. That is why I was pulling for Bama. That is why I let Ritchie, Greg, and any other Bama fan on here know I was proud of them going into the game and that they would have my support.

I can't explain it any better than that. If you are from the south and are a fan of an SEC school that is just how it is (for the most part).

BTW... I do pull for Florida State as well. Not a fan per say... I just want Florida football to do well. Miami, on the other hand... NOT!!!

[G G]

Originally Posted by Smokin Gator

As a rule I do pull for all of the SEC teams except Tennessee. IMO their program and last two coaches have zero class. As for Georgia... I still despise them with a passion because of all *ss whippin's they put on us over the course of my childhood and when I was attending Florida. I also can't stand Auburn... I still pull for all the SEC teams though (except the afore mentioned Tennessee) because of the pride I have in our football heritage. I firmly believe that the brand of football we play in the SEC every Saturday is MUCH better than any other conference. I think many others take pride in that as well. That is why you hear the SEC chants. That is why I was pulling for Bama. That is why I let Ritchie, Greg, and any other Bama fan on here know I was proud of them going into the game and that they would have my support.

I can't explain it any better than that. If you are from the south and are a fan of an SEC school that is just how it is (for the most part).

BTW... I do pull for Florida State as well. Not a fan per say... I just want Florida football to do well. Miami, on the other hand... NOT!!!

What he said except put the Gators where he put Tennesee.

[icehog3]

Originally Posted by Smokin Gator

BTW... I do pull for Florida State as well. Not a fan per say... I just want Florida football to do well.

You're killing me, Brent!

Originally Posted by ggainey

What he said except put the Gators where he put Tennesee.

[OLS]

I am sorry, I was doing something else. I know you ALL wanted to hear MY take on this LOL.
I also disagree with the OP, chanting SEC, SEC, SEC is like chanting USA,USA,USA at
the Olympics. When LSU ends up out of it, I can still watch football cause someone in the SEC
is still in it. I like the style of football that you get down here. But I HATE FLORIDA, everyone knows it,
and in the first quarter of the Sugar Bowl, when the back in the backfield makes this jerking motion, and
NO FLAG is thrown, and they gain 11 yards or something, I turned it off, cause it was just more of the
same crap that I got in trouble over during the season. I like Alabama, have since I was a kid, but I am an LSU
fan. So I watched the first half of the Champ game, but grew tired of "four plays and a commercial". and with
McCoy out, there was no drama left. But I live in Tennessee and hate UT, I think Vandy is boring, Georgia I always had alot of respect for and could watch, but something ruined it for me here. Auburn I can watch, I like Arkansas,
but UK bores me, as does USC. But when the SEC beats a team out of conference, I still have pride
in their SEC-ness. This is why I was surprised they got their a$$ handed to em so much this year. Really surprised.

As for "hating Florida" I still admire and respect their fans here, and alot of it has to do with the fact that
they come into Baton Rouge and take a severe heckling, and some would claim a shower of beer or beer
bottles, but they still have fun...and they SAY they had fun. That may be a LA thing, but like Power said
we respect each other...except for Vandy, lol.

[King James]

I am an Iowa fan, but will root for Big 10 teams in bowls (except for Ohio State) because it raises the prestige of the conference if they have a good turnout in the bowls.

[rizzle]

Originally Posted by elderboy02

(Putting on my body armor)

Why do fans of the SEC feel so proud of their conference? Many other people besides me, and a local sports talk show host think the same thing. All you hear about is how good the SEC is. And yes, the SEC is the best conference right now. But why do you have to root for all the SEC schools?

For example, I am a Cincinnati Bearcats fan, but that doesn't mean I go rooting for other teams in the Big East (West Virginia, Pittsburgh, etc.)

Oklahoma doesn't root for other Big 12 teams (Kansas, etc)

I mean, when Cincinnati was getting destroyed by Florida, I heard people chanting "SEC, SEC, SEC" I mean, who really cares what your conference is?

Ok, flame suit on.

I'll give you a take, but like others have said, you won't understand. And to borrow from you, flame suit on here as well...

First of all, I don't root for everyone in the SEC as there are bitter rivalries that have existed since long before my birth. Many teams in the SEC--I couldn't care less if they lost every game, but I do respect their programs and what they do and have accomplished. And when so many of those teams consistently do well it makes us all look good. And we are good. We're the best. Insert old saying--to be the best you have to beat the best.

That being said, this question generally comes from fans whose teams and conferences blow. How could you, as a fan of a team that blows, in a conference whose teams blow, be proud of that conference? You can't. And that's why this question even comes up. Jealousy and reality.

And to say there is no Southern Pride invloved would simply be a falsehood. Southerners, stereotypically and wrongly, get looked down upon by the rest of the country. You can argue that all you want but it's true and you know it. You WILL NOT look down upon us for our college football. And we will let you know that.

Why aren't we proud of ALL Southern schools? Hell, we just let Vandy hang around because somebody in the bunch needs some brains.

I'm gonna stop here... and I almost deleted this whole post. I could write a dissertation on it, but like has been said before, you wouldn't understand.