Georgia Bulldogs

February 28, 2007 | Leave a Comment

“UGA”
Ugamania isn’t reserved for Saturday football game at the University of Georgia, it’s a year round happening. UGA VI assumed the school’s mascot role on September 11 th, 1999 when he replaced his father UGA V in pregame ceremonies at Sanford Stadium. With the long legacy of mascot greatness that has been established at Georgia, UGA VI has big paws to fill.
Before UGA V passed away on November 22, 1999, The solid, white English Bulldog was heralded as the country’s best college mascot in 1997 by Sports Illustrated and was featured on the magazine’s cover for the issue rating America’s Top 50 jock schools.
UGA V showed he was much more than a cover boy when he made his big screen debut in the Clint Eastwood directed film “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.” This 1997 film set in Savannah, Georgia, also boasted the talents of former Dawg quarterback Buck Belue. UGA V expressed his apparent knowledge of the heated Georgia-Auburn series, when his actions following an Auburn touchdown had Bulldog fans cheering. This odd time for exuberance resulted from UGA’s attempt to bite the Auburn player as he ran through the end zone.
While howling with delight, Bulldog fans inundated Patricia Miklik, a photographer for the Montgomery Advertiser, with more than 600 photo requests for the photo that she took of the incident in 1996. Once copies were released UGA’s snarling leap became quite a popular Christmas present.
UGA VI, like all of his predecessors, is a white English Bulldog bred through a line leading back to the original UGA born in 1955. The Georgia mascots are all buried in the embankment near the south stands at Sanford Stadium at a site that’s marked by memorials made from Georgia marble.

Legendary High School coach Ricky Woods has stepped down at South Panola High School. Ricky has accepted a job at a high school in Georgia. He will be able to draw his retirement and make the regular salary that the school in Georgia pays.

Ricky has coached football in Mississippi for 25 years. I believe he started out his career in Columbus as an assistant coach at Columbus Lee high school. He later became the head coach at Ethel High School. He moved from there to Eupora High School, then to Ackerman high School. From there he moved to South Panola high school where he set a state record of winning 60 games in a row.

Coach Lance Pough has been picked to succeed Ricky at South Panola. I hope this works out for Lance but he is going to be under some tremendous pressure. Lance has coached the last nine years at Eupora Hign School. (This is the same Eupora High School that Ricky coached at earlier in his career)

Good Luck from Inseasonsports to both of these young men in their High School Coaching Careers.

CHIEF OSCEOLA DECLARES WAR
Perhaps the most exhilarating pregame ceremony in college football takes place at FSU home games when the school’s mascot stirs the passions of Seminole fans as they prepare for their opponent’s massacre. This frenzied moment includes a battle dressed Chief Osceola racing on to the field on an appaloosa horse named Renegade. The intensity builds to a climax when the chief heaves a flaming lance at midfield just prior to the opening kickoff. Perhaps fittingly this tradition was introduced just before a 1978 game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys.
Former FSU assistant coach and College Football Conference Call radio host, Max Howell, describes this exciting moment, “If you’re out there and you don’t get chill bumps, you’re a dead man,” he said. “That tradition is the most unreal that I’ve ever been around. It’s unbelievable.”
Opposing players that visit Doak Campbell Stadium often gain quite an impression from the pregame buildup as well. Former University of Tulsa quarterback Richie Stephenson still vividly remembers being shocked prior to his team’s 1985 kickoff against the Seminoles. “It’s the closest I’ve ever come to having a heart attack. We’d just won the coin toss and our offensive team was huddled on the field near the sideline. Suddenly the guy across from me eyes get as big as basketballs!”, Stephenson exclaimed.
“I turn around to see what’s going on and this huge horse with a screaming Indian riding it, is running straight at me and is nearly on top of me. The crowd’s roaring and the Indian is holding a flaming spear.” Pausing to laugh, Stephenson added, “I almost dropped to my knees. I thought I was dead.”
THE SEMINOLE WAR CHANT
The FSU Seminole war chant has echoed throughout many collegiate stadiums since its refinement in the early 80’s. The intimidating and sometimes deafening cheer was first started by the school’s band, the Marching Chiefs.
An added dimension of a chopping motion was developed by the FSU fans and included a repetitious bend at the elbow. This Seminole cheer grew into a national phenomenon when Atlanta Braves fans transformed it into the tomahawk chop during the 1991 playoffs and World Series.

Florida Gators

February 8, 2007 | Leave a Comment

“SWAMPING” THEIR OPPONENTS”
Following the 1991 season, Gator coach Steve Spurrier dubbed the school’s Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field “The Swamp.” Since the former Heisman trophy winning quarterback returned to coach his school in 1990, Florida had developed quite a home field advantage. Florida spent most of the 1990s establishing one of the nations longest home winning streaks. Florida reeled off 30 straight home wins (1994-99) before falling to Alabama midway through the season.
The Gator’s often play in front of larger than capacity crowds (83,000) in the noisy and recently expanded stadium. The Sporting News dubbed Florida Field as the nation’s loudest in 1996 and ABC-College Football Analyst Bob Griese, has described it as deafening.
Florida ’s student section provides more trash talk than a New York landfill with words used that could make a sailor blush. Besides delighting in a Florida win, fans participate in the “Gator chomp,” an action that includes moving their arms up and down like a gator’s jaws. Another tradition is the “awesome slow-fast” wave and cheering along with Mr. 2 Bits, who has been a fixture at Florida games for years.
Florida student Amy Edridge has enjoyed hanging out in “The Swamp.” “It’s full of orange and blue and its tons of adrenaline,” said the political science major. “The whole game is awesome and it’s absolutely insane. Our fans get more involved and we have better chants than other schools. We don’t make Indian noises (take that FSU) the whole game.”
Edridge is quick to defend “The Swamp’s” reputation of being ruthless to opponents. “We don’t make fun of other teams because we’re too busy praising the Gators,” said Edridge.
FLORIDA-GEORGIA: WORLD’S LARGEST OUTDOOR COCKTAIL PARTY
Saying that Florida fans like to party is an understatement. At home games, the longstanding “beer run” tradition has been to issue passes so that people can leave the stadium to get a drink. Mix that Gator zest for a cold one with the rowdiness of Georgia Bulldog fans and watch out. The two schools battle annually in Jacksonville, Florida, in what is deemed as “The world’s largest cocktail party.” The neutral site for the SEC clash includes great tailgating that has spirits flowing in more than one way for the party that every year seems to have a game break out in the middle of it.

RUNNING DOWN THE HILL
This storied Clemson tradition of how the football team enters the stadium is described as the most exciting 25 seconds in college football. The homecoming version tends to last 35 seconds because Clemson dresses 120 players.
The drama builds when the players complete their last warm-up and retreat to their dressing room. The Tigers board two busses and drive around the stadium before getting off and forming at the stadium’s east side. When the cannon sounds and the band begins playing Tiger Rag, the frenzy begins.
Each player rubs Howard’s Rock and then charges down the 100-foot hill and onto the field. Needless to say, fan enthusiasm reaches peak levels early and opponents often fall quickly in “ Death Valley.” Tiger players began running down the hill in 1942, long before Howard’s Rock was set in Clemson stone. The tradition has continued every year since except for a two and a half break in the early 1970s.

Auburn Tigers

February 2, 2007 | Leave a Comment

FEATHURED TIGER AND AUBIE
Nearly thirty years later the student had become an Auburn faculty member. He took the bird to the first Auburn-Georgia football game, an 1892 contest played in Atlanta’s Piedmont Park. When Auburn scored the first touchdown, the aging eagle broke free from his old friend and began to soar above the field. When Auburn fans looked upward and saw the eagle they shouted “War Eagle!”
Auburn defeated Georgia on that day, but their fans were saddened when War Eagle died after giving his all for an Auburn victory. However, the eagle’s spirit stills soars today when Auburn faithful stand and shout, “War Eagle,” after a victory.
In 1932, a group of Auburn fans got together and purchased a second eagle from a farmer for $10. However, because of economic problems caused by the great depression, the group could not afford to feed the bird. Therefore, they decided to give it away to a carnival that was passing through town.
Nearly 30 years later, in 1960, auburn received a wounded eagle from Dr. Dell Hill of Talladega, Alabama. An Auburn architecture student, Jon Bowden, cared for War Eagle III for a few months before eventually giving him away to another student, Elwyn Hamer. The eagle’s new caretaker was a member of the Alpha Phi Omega fraternity and ever since, the brothers of that fraternity have taken care of Auburn’s eagles. Having the aviary, which houses the bird, named for him, would later honor Hamer.
During the week before Auburn’s game against Alabama in 1964, War Eagle III escaped and landed in a nearby backyard. The owner of the property shot and killed the eagle, claiming it was attacking his children. Auburn fans claimed the culprit was a jealous Alabama fan.
The following year, the City of Birmingham obtained an eagle from the Jackson, Miss. zoo and presented the eagle to Auburn. War Eagle IV soared 15 years for the Tigers which is the longest reign of any eagle to date.
The next eagle to spread his Auburn wings was War Eagle V, who joined the Auburn faithful on the Saturday before the 1980 Alabama football game. The eagle that they acquired from Land Between the Lakes, Ky., arrived just in time for coach Doug Barfield’s final game, and helped to usher in the Pat Dye coaching era.
The current mascot is War Eagle VI. Her seven-foot wingspan can be witnessed at Auburn athletic events and numerous public appearances. With talons that can squeeze down with a grip of 450 pounds per square inch, it’s too bad that Auburn coaches can’t line her up in the backfield. She’d never fumble the football, considering that Tiger running backs are lucky to squeeze 20 pounds per square inch with their grips.
Instead of dining on live animals, War Eagle VI consumes a diet composed of ground up meat, vegetables and vitamins. According to 1998 Tiger assistant trainer Aaron Wheeler, safety is the main concern when filling out Tiger’s menu.
“Tiger is not allowed to hunt because it would promote violent and aggressive behavior,” said Wheeler. “We don’t allow that because she’s so close to the public.”
AUBIE
Auburn ’s Eagle is not the school’s only mascot that has a soaring reputation. A costumed tiger named Aubie helps to cheer university teams to victory. Aubie has notched several impressive wins as well. The Universal Cheerleader Association elected him as the nation’s No. one college mascot several times in the 1990s.
Aubie’s existence began as a cartoon character that first appeared on the Auburn-Hardin Simmons football program cover in 1959. Birmingham Post-Herald artist Phil Neel, created the cartoon tiger that continued to grace Auburn football program covers for the next 18 years.
Aubie’s look has evolved through the years. In 1962, he began to stand upright, and the next year he dressed up for the first time, wearing a blue tie and a straw hat. Good fortune accompanied Aubie’s appearances on game programs for Coach Ralph “Shug” Jordan’s squads. The Tigers won the first nine games he appeared on the cover, and in his first six years, Auburn was 23-2-1 at home. The Tiger’s home record during Aubie’s program cover 18 year span was 63-16-2. Despite these impressive numbers, they did not include Aubie’s name in the naming of Jordan-Hare Stadium.
They transformed Aubie in 1979 when he came to life in the form of a costumed character at the SEC Basketball Tournament.
A New York based costume company, Brooks-Van Horn, used two program covers from the early sixties as a reference for creating Aubie’s outfit. The firm, which also provided costumes for Walt Disney, designed and produced the tiger costume for $1,350.
“WAR EAGLE!”
To help symbolize the Auburn battle cry, “Warrrrrr Eagle!” the school has a Golden Eagle nicknamed “Tiger” as its official live mascot. Her official name is War Eagle VI and she continues a mascot legacy that few if any schools can match.
How the Eagle first soared into Auburn athletic history is a debated subject. Auburn athletic officials cannot authenticate the facts, but this is the legend’s most popular version.
The story begins with the struggles of an Auburn student who was wounded while fighting for the Confederate Army during the Civil War’s Battle of the Wilderness in Virginia. The soldier was left for dead as the two armies retreated after a vicious day of fighting. When he regained consciousness, the only form of life he found existing on the battlefield was a baby eagle. The Rebel soldier took the wounded bird and nursed him back to health. When he returned to the university after the war, the eagle came with him. The soldiers called his feathered partner War Eagle because of where it was found.
Nearly thirty years later the student had become an Auburn faculty member. He took the bird to the first Auburn-Georgia football game, an 1892 contest played in Atlanta’s Piedmont Park. When Auburn scored the first touchdown, the aging eagle broke free from his old friend and began to soar above the field. When Auburn fans looked upward and saw the eagle they shouted “War Eagle!”
Auburn defeated Georgia on that day, but their fans were saddened when War Eagle died after giving his all for an Auburn victory. However, the eagle’s spirit stills soars today when Auburn faithful stand and shout, “War Eagle!” after a victory.

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