The SEC’s most obnoxious fans: There’s a new orange No. 1
Our inaugural ranking of the SEC’s most obnoxious fans was presented in 2008, and much has changed over 24 months. Mississippi State has switched coaches. Auburn has switched coaches. (Then again, when doesn’t Auburn switch coaches?) Tennessee has switched coaches twice. Kentucky’s coach quit. Vanderbilt’s coach just quit. Florida’s coach quit and un-quit.
Amid such flux, it’s only fair that our rankings don’t remain static. Indeed, I’m proud — actually, I’m not sure if “proud” is the proper word — to note that our new rankings are completely different. Not one of the 12 positions has gone unchanged, which says … well, I don’t know what it says. But there we are.
A note: I asked for your input the other day, and I have taken your thoughts under the deepest advisement. Indeed, the results of our little poll are included herein. But I must stress that these are my rankings, and I’m a neutral. (Full disclosure: I’m a graduate of Kentucky, which hopes one day to start a football program.)
Oh, and I probably should mention that I attended my first SEC game in 1969, covered my first SEC game in 1976 and have seen a game at every SEC stadium. Meaning: I might be an idiot, but I’m a well-traveled idiot.
And with that, I hereby unveil the 2010 rankings of the SEC’s most obnoxious fans. In honor of our previous champion, fans of the new title-holder are required by executive order to wear jean shorts for the next two years.
12. Tennessee (No. 7 in 2008, No. 4 in 2010 AJC.com poll): Purely a sympathy vote. The formerly Big Orange has seen itself massively devalued from within. It has a lousy AD who hired the brat Lane Kiffin, and now this program is in a world of hurt. (In a display of bravery, the lousy AD just canceled a series with North Carolina) Put simply, I feel sorry for Tennessee fans. They deserve better than ham-handed Mike Hamilton.
11. Vanderbilt (No. 10 in 2008, No. 10 in 2010 AJC.com poll): It’s never a good sign when a coach quits a month before summer camp convenes, but that’s what Bobby Johnson did. He did it because he was tired of losing. Johnson is a fine football man who stands as Vandy’s best coach in the past quarter-century. He went 12-52 in league play. Imagine having to watch that every season, world without end.
10. Kentucky (No. 11 in 2008, No. 11 in 2010 AJC.com poll): Big Blue football rooters didn’t do anything obnoxious these past two seasons. Big Blue rooters save the obnoxious behavior for basketball, a sport for which they have no peers regarding exess. They’ve only moved up — or down, depending on your point of view — to No. 10 because I happened to feel really sorry for Tennessee and Vandy.
9. Mississippi State (No. 12 in 2008, No. 12 in 2010 AJC.com poll): Backers of the maroon Bulldog believe Dan Mullen can win more than his share of games. If so, it would only trigger the scariest words in the English language: More cowbell!
8. Ole Miss (No. 9 in 2008, No. 9 in 2010 AJC.com poll): I can handle Rebel fans most years, but occasionally they’ll get all geeked up and start sounding like Georgia or South Carolina folks. (“This is finally our year! This time for sure!”) For the Rebels, last season was such a time. Naturally, they went 4-4 in SEC play, including an egg-on-the-face loss to Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl. And now coach Houston Nutt, who’s nutty, has allowed quarterback Jeremiah Masoli to walk on despite having been kicked off the Oregon squad and having pleaded guilty in separate incidents. Nutt has promised “zero tolerance” regarding Masoli. Me, I anticipate more egg on the Ole Miss face.
7. South Carolina (No. 6 in 2008, No. 7 in 2010 AJC.com poll): I keep thinking the Gamecocks are going to be really good this year. I also keep wondering what will happen with their fans — who have thought the Gamecocks are going to be really good every year since ‘92 (and I mean 1892) — are finally proved right.
6. LSU (No. 8 in 2008, No. 5 in 2010 AJC.com poll): Here’s where you and I disagree the most. I’ve always considered a trip to Tiger Stadium a treat. Then again, I don’t sit in the stands, an experience I’ve been led to believe is most challenging. But I will tell you this: The best scripted moment in all of college football is when the Golden Band from Tigerland and the Golden Girls conduct their pregame march to midfield. Beats Ohio State’s “Script Ohio” six ways to Saturday.
5. Alabama (No. 4 in 2008, No. 3 in 2010 AJC.com poll): Being old enough to have seen Alabama under the Bear, I dreaded the thought of the Tide rising again to eminence. In the ’70s and ’80s, there were no worse fans. (Except maybe Kentucky basketball fans, and even then it was a coin flip.) But I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the relative moderation that has accompanied Bama’s latest national championship. Maybe this has to do with Nick Saban, who never crows and is never satisfied. Whatever the case, I offer this relatively benign ranking as a thank-you.
4. Georgia (No. 3 in 2008, No. 2 in 2010 AJC.com poll): If it’s possible to have sympathy for folks who take pride in trashing their own campus, I have some sympathy for Dawg-lovers. Because I think every Georgia road game this autumn is going to be off the hook. I think this because of Damon Evans and red panties.
3. Arkansas (No. 5 in 2008, No. 7 in 2010 AJC.com poll): It wasn’t enough that Hog fans ran off Houston Nutt and welcomed Bobby Petrino as a conquering hero, not the sinking-ship-deserting rat he was. But now apparently you have to pass a loyalty test to work for an Arkansas radio station. (Reporter Renee Gork was fired after wearing a Florida hat to a press conference; being Petrino, he noticed and objected.) And Hog fans reacted as if her dismissal was a good thing. Where’s Edward R. Murrow when you need him?
2. Florida (No. 1 in 2008, No. 1 in 2010 AJC.com poll): I know, I know. It takes effort not to put the hated Gators — and they’re hated in every SEC outpost, not just Athens, Ga. — at the top of anything involving the word “obnoxious.” But I have to confess: I never understood why everybody hated Tim Tebow. He was a really good player who seemed like a really good guy. If he played for Georgia or Alabama, would those fans have not similarly lionized him? But if you’re asking me to defend jorts … well, that line I will not cross.
1. Auburn (No. 2 in 2008, No. 6 in 2010 AJC.com poll): Because Tiger fans still worship at the tainted feet of Pat Dye. Because they run off coaches on a whim. Because they’ve grown as arrogant as Alabama backers without one-tenth the justification. Because they’re still whining over the national championship they didn’t win in 2004. Because the world’s worst fan — the Montgomery banker Bobby Lowder — is an Auburn man. And because I would pay money (though not a lot) to see Bobby Lowder in jean shorts.
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1,009 comments Add your comment
ATLMaverick
August 27th, 2010
8:41 am
Mark,
Just who do you think you are? How high and mighty do you have to be to sit on high and rank Auburn fans as the most obnoxious of the SEC? Have you even been to any SEC football games? Your reasoning is beyond questionable. You hate Bobby Lowder. Guess what, SO DO WE! Just because he’s an Auburn fan does not make the rest of us obnoxious. Why don’t you actually drive the 1:30 it takes to get to the Loveliest Village on the Plains and see the welcome hospitality of the fans and family of Auburn.
trey
August 27th, 2010
8:45 am
funny, i went to an lsu game and had a bottle of piss thrown at me, went to georgia and had 50 year old men telling my girl friend they were going to F!%@ her, and had a man wearing a bama shirt try to sell me the 8 ball deal… Is that just my bad luck?? I dont think so… Who ever wrote this article has no grasp of reality…. maybe you should sit in the stands instead of your box and then make a decision….
Tony
August 27th, 2010
8:53 am
For the record Bradley, Auburn has only had 2 coaches since 2000 and 4 since 1990 which is statistically the most stable of all programs (tied with GA and SC). Alabama has had 4 coaches since 2000 and Vandy and Ole Miss have had 6 each since 1990. For a reporter your column is strangely absent of facts.
wetumpka
August 27th, 2010
8:55 am
Mark are you on drugs ? Auburn number 1. You my friend should find another job !
jbeggs
August 27th, 2010
9:00 am
Is Lowder a midget or what?
Mike
August 27th, 2010
9:05 am
The most obnoxious fans belong to the “tide”…in 1989, the first year ever that the bammers came to Auburn, a large group of tide fans wore t-shirts that said, “F…..Auburn” on them…For this reason alone, no other team will ever have worse fans…ever…
CrazyMan
August 27th, 2010
9:15 am
LSU has the most obnoxious fan base, and it’s not even close….
Loose One
August 27th, 2010
9:21 am
This may have already been noted, but this Mark guy (never ever heard of him before reading this article), is a real jerk not to mention a terrible sports writer. Most of what he cites as reasoning on the list has absolutely nothing to do with fans. LSU is about the band and dance team??? Auburn refers to the administration, has absolutely nothing to do with the fans. Tennessee all about the administration, Vandy all about the coaching, Bama???, obviously the guy has never listened to Finebaum if he thinks the mullet nation isnt on top of the world….has he not heard them annoint themselves national champs for the next decade, without playing a single game. Mark ,do some real research before writing next years article, go to games, mingle with fans and listen to sports talk shows before making an absolute fool out of yourself AGAIN !!!!
Postante
August 27th, 2010
9:22 am
Even as an Alabama alumn I thought this article was a joke at first. After realizing it is not, I have come to the conclusion that your journalistic “talent” and integrity most assuredly IS.
As the rival above all rivalries, I loathe the barn…however, their fans are HARDLY the most obnoxious….one could even argue they are the most ‘reserved’ and, at times, apathetic…
I’m wondering what must have happened to you when you were a younger, ungifted writer, that would cause such an obvious slanting of your views. Now that you are grown…and well, still an ungifted and borishly generic writer….I see that you have an agenda that is laughable at the very least.
AU WDE ATL 1
August 27th, 2010
9:23 am
I think you may have Auburn confused with Alabama in the “running off coaches” department. Auburn Coaches since 1981: Pat Dye, Terry Bowden, Tommy T and Gene Chizik. Alabama coaches since 1981: Bear Bryant, Ray Perkins, Bill Curry, Gene Stallings, Mike Dubose, Dennis Franchione, Mike Price, Mike Shula and Nick Saban. UGA has had 4 head coaches and UF 5 since 81. So what exactly so you mean we “run off coaches”?
Also, have you ever been to an Auburn game? We mention Pat Dye every so often, but it’s far from worship. I mean, he was a great coach, but I think Shug Jordan was a much better coach (he also brought us a national championship). I have yet to see an “Auburn Super Fan” with a full back tattoo of Pat Dye (or a major movie made and a statue erected of Tommy T after he went undefeated in 2004).
Look, every school has its obnoxious fans. I give you Lowder – he’s awful (and 90% of Auburn fans would agree with you). I’m just not sure your article makes any sense (it also seems as though you have a personal bias against Auburn).
Tom
August 27th, 2010
9:27 am
What are the worse fans is an opinion, but the comment about changing coaches should have been based on facts. Since Pat Dye was coach at Auburn they have had 4 (5 if you count Bill Oliver) coaches. Only UT and UG have had less. LSU 8, Alabama and Vanderbilt 7, USC UK ARK Ole Miss 6, MSU and UF 5. And if you really want to see how often Auburn changes coaches go back to the 1950’s. They have had 6 (7 counting Oliver).
Georgia fans
August 27th, 2010
9:31 am
Ga fans are the worst of any SEC team, and probably rank in the top ten nationwide—a group of drunken morons, embarrassing their university every game day. This article is true homerism—bradley sucks up to Ga fans to make them like him.
Timothy
August 27th, 2010
9:33 am
2 coaches since 1998 constitute a “when don’t they change coaches” or some such slobber…?
Anything you write from this point forward becomes irrelevent…
You lost any credibility you (may) have ever had..in one (failed) swoop
Just for “kibbles and sh*ts” Go count up how many HC changes there have been in their across-state rival
Georgia Trek
August 27th, 2010
9:43 am
Has the most obnoxious fanbase in the country
There is nothing worse than a bunch of douches who know nothing about football partially filling their ridiculous 50,000 seat stadium
They make the Duke basketball dorks look normal
Texan
August 27th, 2010
9:46 am
Don’t worry you idiots Bradley’s you fact are right.
Auburn went through a bunch of coaches in the 1920’s.
Tenn fans are by all means better than Vanderbilt and Kentucky. They riot after the worst 1 year coach in history leaves.
Alabama has a reason right… what is this Championship number 13, 21, 8, 25, 52, 11, 9, or 19?
oh yeah and no need to mention how many coaches they had in the last decade. But they got statues.
And UGA has been the best since Dooley winning a grand total…(drum roll please)… 2 SEC championships.
Mark I see all you points. We are “definitely” 2 of a kind!
…I think my recreational time is up. They’re about to give me my meds and put me back in my personal blanket so I can hug myself. I really like the soft walls they give me too.
julio
August 27th, 2010
9:56 am
Mark, I fully realize that Hades will freeze over 17 times before you admit that the comment about Petrino being AU’s coach was garbage. I guess by your rationale Houston Nutt was also the coach at Nebraska, Rich Rodriguez was also the coach at Bama, Les Miles was the coach at Michigan, Bear Bryant was the coach of the Miami Dolphins back in the early 70’s,…oh well, you get the point. Suffice it to say that very few people would agree with the point you are trying to make there.
The truly puzzling thing is why you base the question of how obnoxious the fans are solely on the actions of the administration. Does that not even register with you? You talk about 2003 Jetgate with AU, but that was nothing but the actions of Lowder and Muse. Apparently you have forgotten that the reason Tuberville kept his job was that the AU fans found out about and completely revolted against the administration in support of Tubs. As to Lowder, no one hates him more than the AU fan base. I would also remind you that Bowden quit midseason rather than being fired. I will concede that he probably would have been fired at the end of the season, but Bowden was the one who made the choice to walk out on his players in the middle of the season. If you dispute that, just ask yourself why no school would hire the guy for another ten years (and then only a D-III school would do it). Your point about Dye is fairly accurate, but it’s just ridiculous to base the actions of Lowder and the administration on the fans.
Love to hear your comments in response.
Chris
August 27th, 2010
10:32 am
I always thought that everyone in the SEC considered LSU’s fans the most obnoxious. The funny thing is, they are proud of it.
I really don’t understand why sports media types continue to defend the female Arkansas radio personality–what she did was at best unprofessional (and that is giving her the benefit of the doubt)but mostly just dumb. She made the entire sports journalism profession look amateurish–especially when they leap to defend her.
annabelle bone
August 27th, 2010
10:49 am
I NEVER comment on statments of opinion, however, if you lived in Alabama, you would know that ALABAMA fans are far more obnoxious than Auburn fans and they all already wear jorts. Not to mention drape their RED vehicles in every obnoxious bumper sticker they can find! Probably the most obnoxious trait though is the fact that you had to hunt to find an Alabama fan until they started winning again! What is more obnoxious than an uninformed, jort wearing, bumber sticker flying, fair-weather fan? nothing in my opinion……..well, maybe a NASCAR fan…which are typically bama fans as well.
Steve
August 27th, 2010
10:52 am
@ Tom, how has Auburn had 4 coaches since Dye? You need to check your facts. Terry Bowden, Tommy Tuberville, and Gene Chizik. Olliver was an interim coach for 5 games when Bowden’s classless act walked out on us mid-season.
Dawgz Fan
August 27th, 2010
10:56 am
Having experienced the heated rivalry in Montgomery, that emminates from fans the week before Alabama and Auburn clash, one would have to consider Baghdad a safer place to be. It get’s downright ugly. Of course there isn’t much difference in either fan base, other than one group may know how to spell Mississippi.
Matt
August 27th, 2010
11:00 am
So Auburn has had 2 coaches in the last 10 years and the current one doesn’t appear to be going anywhere anytime soon, while TN is on it’s 3rd in a couple years, but Auburn fans get blamed for that? Great reporting!
P.S. – Most Auburn fans aren’t thrilled about BB but again, why blame the fans for something they can’t control.
DB
August 27th, 2010
11:08 am
I am the mother of a Vandy football player and while visiting the UT stadium, UT fans gathered behind me in the bathroom while I was washing my hands screaming “VANDY SUX”. Of all the stadiums I’ve visited, UT fans are the most obnoxious.
dawgfact
August 27th, 2010
11:09 am
These are stupid rankings. I know a LOT of Auburn fans, and a LOT of Alabama fans…there is no competition….heck, it’s not even close. Bamer fans WAY more obnoxoius. You’re way off Bradley
P
August 27th, 2010
11:12 am
You know its a great column when everybody hates the columnist. Do one about best co-eds with pictures. Ole Miss should top that list. As they say in Grove, we may have lost the game, but we never lose the party!
CC
August 27th, 2010
11:17 am
Mark Bradley is a buffoon. He has been covering sports for 25 years and has no credibility…..why you ask??? Because of articles like this. Its controversial but has no merit. He should be published in the funny pages.
Greg Campbell
August 27th, 2010
11:24 am
I don’t have time to read all the comments. But I ask how many comments are in support of your Auburn #1 pick Mark?
Clay Aiken
August 27th, 2010
11:46 am
Let it go, Mark. That guy from Auburn wasn’t into guys, and didn’t accept your advances. No need to take it out on their fanbase.
Corncobs are the most obnoxious « Loser with Socks
August 27th, 2010
12:10 pm
[...] The SEC’s most obnoxious fans: There’s a new orange No. 1 | Mark Bradley (the tebow/jort… [...]
heath
August 27th, 2010
12:23 pm
Please tell me you are joking when you say Auburn runs off coaches. I’m not delusional enough to think Auburn can compete with Bammer on national titles. But I also know they can’t compete with Bammer on Running off coaches. Please compare the post-Bryant era on number of coaches before you make such a claim that weakens your ranking.
antonio banderas
August 27th, 2010
12:24 pm
Alright it is obvious that Mark Bradley is biased.
When bama fans come to Auburn all they do is yell roll tide from cars and get in fights at any frat party they can find.
of course when they lost 6 years in a row you didn’t see bama flags fly. Fair weather assholes.
http://hellspawnedjavelinas.wordpress.com/2008/11/20/best-and-worst-fans-in-college-football/
this link seems more accurate
Auburn gets ranked tops in the SEC ... for most obnoxious fans lol - TideFans.com
August 27th, 2010
12:31 pm
[...] The SEC's most obnoxious fans: There's a new orange No. 1 | Mark Bradley We are number [...]
Charles
August 27th, 2010
12:36 pm
Ms.State is growing to become a contender, they just need more cowbells, I hear there are a lot at Auburn, around the coed’s necks.
Hong Kong Sooey
August 27th, 2010
1:05 pm
I’m guessing you guys forgot that, along with the Golden Band and the Golden Girls, you also are in danger of getting the Golden Shower every time you visit Death Valley… LSU fans not only smell like corndogs (soaked in cheap booze), but they tip over portajohns on opposing fans.
How you could classify anyone as “more obnoxious”, I don’t know…
Tally Dawg
August 27th, 2010
1:07 pm
The most obnoxious fans have to be from UF. I have been to the swamp to watch them play FSU and had full cups of beer or coke or whatever they could gets their little reptile hands on thrown on me from the student section. Without a doubt they are the worst! Even worse than Tennessee! Heck, we even had a FSU student shot by one of their fans after the game. Cannot get any worse than that. Enough said!
PSEC
August 27th, 2010
1:07 pm
YOU ARE AN F N IDIOT,
Auburn has had two coaches in the last 10 years, how can you argue, with all the other the other programs in the SEC that Auburn turns over coaches the most? Even by your logic above Bama had more coaches in Five years than Auburn in ten.
You are an absolute joke. How many degree programs did you get kicked out of at Georgia South State A&M Technical School of Atlanta before deciding on journalism?
Ben
August 27th, 2010
1:07 pm
I remember my first new column. Mark Bradley you are an idiot. Auburn? come on.
PSEC
August 27th, 2010
1:10 pm
What is the rustling sound I hear? Oh, that is Mark Bradley flipping through the AJC looking for a new job because he is a horrible journalist
PSEC
August 27th, 2010
1:11 pm
you should move on to post cards and greeting cards, although I don’t think you are cut out for Hallmark by any means.
PSEC
August 27th, 2010
1:12 pm
What a loser
PSEC
August 27th, 2010
1:13 pm
I don’t know what is worse, UThug last or AU first. Both demostrate ignorance
alapolytech
August 27th, 2010
1:20 pm
When does Auburn NOT switch coaches? Starting with Ralph Jordan, the tenure of Auburn football coaches prior to the latest switch has been 25 years, 5 years, 12 years, 5 years, and 10 years. That averages out to hiring a new coach about every ten years. So, the answer to your question is “nine out of ten years”.
PSEC
August 27th, 2010
1:20 pm
Mark, please answer this question for me:
Are you smoking crack?
Did you have a frontal lobotomy?
Did you sustain head trama from a sustained beating by visiting fans during your time at UK?
Are you the AJC owner’s son?
How many “favors” did you perform to get your position at the AJC?
Don’t you agree San Diego State University will win the BCS Trophy this year?
Is Delaware part of Europe?
Did you need a map to answer the previous question?
Did you need a dictionary to answer any of these questions?
Did you need a thesauraus for the answers?
carol
August 27th, 2010
1:31 pm
At least they’re # 1 in something
Blank World
August 27th, 2010
1:36 pm
When hasn’t Auburn switched coaches? ‘99, ‘00, ‘01, ‘02, ‘03, ‘04, ‘05, ‘06, ‘07, ‘08. How many SEC schools can say that?
Credibility killed.
Voice of Reason
August 27th, 2010
1:38 pm
Have you noticed that Kentucky is one of only four SEC schools that have winning records in each of the last four seasons? Florida, Georgia and LSU are the others.
Austin
August 27th, 2010
1:40 pm
This is a bad ranking. Alabama’s fans are much more obnoxious as well as LSU, Tenn over Auburn. This guy is not very good at his job.
William Zimmerman
August 27th, 2010
1:40 pm
I’ve been a Tennessee Fan since 1958 and I disagree with your ratings. First, rating Alabama 5th is indeed a bad rating. Bama, like all teams have a few they wish they didn’t have, but overall Bama fans are excellent showing class and knowledge of the game. Of course I think Tennessee has the best fans. Florida is by far the worse fans in the conference. They are like lottery winners, they don’t know how to handle their new found wealth. Alabama, Tennessee, Auburn, and Georgia are like old money. They may have been up and down at times but they grew up with money and know how to handle it.
Jay
August 27th, 2010
1:40 pm
Good Lord, you are an idiot. I’m an South Carolina fan and have been to several games in Auburn. The fans are nothing but friendly and polite. Of course there will be heckling and jeering during the game but that’s just football. The people at Auburn worship Pat Dye no more than Alabama fans worship Bear. There is no argument there.
The most obnoxious fans, without a doubt, are the people at Tennessee. If they aren’t singing rocky top for the 3 millionth time, they are screaming at about God knows what just because you are cheering for your team. They get no sympathy here.
Cain
August 27th, 2010
1:45 pm
Funny, exactly when was Bobby Petrino a head coach at Auburn? Auburn fans had nothing to Petrino anyhow, one booster did.
Mark, also consider this – when was the last time a fan was shot or stabbed at an Auburn game? Can you say the same for Georgia, Florida, Alabama or LSU?
Your theories are about as sound as that of the average (and I give you credit for average) Kindergartner; do you write in crayon too? Come up with something that doesn’t show your pure bias, and maybe the teacher will give you a gold star.
Smash
August 27th, 2010
2:14 pm
Mark Bradley is uninformed and very biased when making his remarks about Razorback fans and Petrino. I realize what paper he reports for and what fans keep him employed but at least try to be objective when writing about a subject rather than running with the pack!