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.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
1,009 comments Add your comment
Albert
August 26th, 2010
11:12 am
The AJC’smost obnoxious writers
1. Cynthia Tucker
2. Jeff Schultz
3. Mark Bradley
The General Feeling
August 26th, 2010
11:13 am
Cowbells don’t make the MSU fans obnoxious. But it does make them stupid. But nothing screams stupidity more than the Bama fans erecting statues of worship for their coaches, past and present. Washington freed us from tyranny. Lincoln freed the slaves and saved the Union. Paul Bryant won a lot of football games. Nick Saban has won a lot of games the past two years. Stupidity reins in Tuscaloosa!
Vol
August 26th, 2010
11:13 am
BorderDog- I’m guessing you’re still bitter at the horrible thumping your puppies have received 3 out of the last 4 at the hands of UT. Suck it up Nancy. Your team is weak. No need to be ill at UT.
Mark Bradley
August 26th, 2010
11:14 am
I believe Curious George has identified one of my problems. I’m “dubiously hygienic.”
Border Dawg
August 26th, 2010
11:15 am
Dawg Trainer….thanks for your support.
uga_b
August 26th, 2010
11:15 am
Steve, I understand your inherent need to do math but USC fans would probably be the most delusional. For fun: USC, Ark, UGA, AU, Vandy, Ole Miss, LSU, UA, UF, UT, MSU, & UK.
Rebel Yell
August 26th, 2010
11:15 am
As a Rebel fan, you and I will have to agree to disagree about LSU, Mark. Like you said, you don’t sit in the stands. I’m not sure if you’ve ever sat in the stands of Tiger Stadium as an opposing fan, but I have, and I can tell you, LSU fans get my automatic vote for most obnoxious. Don’t get me wrong, Tiger Stadium is an outstanding place to watch a college football game, but if you are from the opposing team, especially Ole Miss or Arkansas, watch your back there.
Vol
August 26th, 2010
11:15 am
UGA: We do less with more! 45-19! We run this state!
Herschel Talker
August 26th, 2010
11:16 am
MB:
Gators like mullets
HT
so paul h let me ask you
August 26th, 2010
11:17 am
why would redneck toothless beer slurping tobacco chewing truck driving trailer living male an female ugag fans even consider going into the ugag library. excuse me but that would be contrary to their nature.
what is NOT contrary to their nature is for students who partay partay partay at the number one partay school in the country to go into their own library to urinate on the carpet.
this fact is one that is not going away any time soon. most people would find that as being out right disgusting. that alone should elevate the dogs into the top position.
there was article (google it) a few years back about a major network’s top broadcasting crew. this crew had been broadcasting big time games at national venues over decades. they all agreed that ugag had the most obnoxious and drunk fan base they had ever experienced. ‘totally out of control’
what is funny is ugaggers want their school to be taken serious academically. sorry gaggers but being a good academic school vs being the unanimous top partay school in the country are diametrically opposed.
you gaggers are just tooooooo much
The Man That Made Roswell Ed Famous
August 26th, 2010
11:17 am
Auburn as the most obnoxious fans in the SEC, yeah that’s the ticket.
Just wondering Mark who’s turn will it be in the rotation next year?
What’s in store for next week? Who has the best unis? Who has the hottest cheerleaders? Who has the best mascots?
We’re 1 WEEK away from kickoff and this is the best you can come up with Mark?
I think I’ll head over to Chuck Oliver aka The Kang for some real CB info.
Tide Rising
August 26th, 2010
11:17 am
“Auburn has switched coaches. (Then again, when doesn’t Auburn switch coaches?)”
Mark,
Did you get mixed up and mean to say Alabama? I’m a rabid Bama fan but before Saban we had a dang coaching carousel while AU has been largely stable with only a few coaches in the last 20 years.
Also, I find it hard to believe you put AU number one. As a Bama fan I’ve only had one bad experience at Auburn where a fellow Bama fan got jumped from behind. But other than that I’ve got 3 great friends that are all AU fans. None of them busted on me about the 6 in a row streak. Maybe a little ribbing but they were generally really good sports. I just can’t see them as the worst fans. Would like to but I just don’t see it.
Bama Aaron
August 26th, 2010
11:17 am
Interesting arcticle MB. I might have moved LSU a little higher up the list, but otherwise you nailed it. AU fans are the worst. I’ve never seen a group of fans so high-n-mighty over their team having accomplished so little.
Capstone Report » Auburn fans most obnoxious in the SEC
August 26th, 2010
11:17 am
[...] to Bradley, it is Auburn. He writes, “1. Auburn (No. 2 in 2008, No. 6 in 2010 AJC.com poll): Because Tiger fans still worship at [...]
Mark Bradley
August 26th, 2010
11:17 am
I have to say, Rebel Yell, that LSU fans are a polarizing group. I know some folks who think they’re the worst. I know others who consider them among the best. I’d put myself in the latter group. (And I have them where I do only because there’s an inherent amount of obnoxiousness in any successful program.)
Darth Fornicator
August 26th, 2010
11:18 am
Aside from just football, people in and around Knoxville are so uninformed and clueless about virtually every aspect of civilized & polite society, someone of such dubious cerebral integrity as Barry Obama might be considered the town oracle if he lived there.
Cock-a doodle
August 26th, 2010
11:19 am
I’m a Gamecock fan, and your comment on USC wer on the money, I hate to say. You gotta love the eternal optimists who continue to sell out Williams-Brice stadium.
MSU will be alot more quiet with gametime restrictions on those dag-blasted cowbells. no rining during the game except after touchdowns or during half time, if I am correct. Big fines will follow non-compliance.
joe
August 26th, 2010
11:20 am
Doesn’t C George realize that Deliverance was made in the N GA mountains, the capitol of red neck backwoods in-bred USA?? I guess that is where border dawg lives too, along with many of his B- Buddies.
K
August 26th, 2010
11:20 am
You are right about Auburn!
As an “objective Ga Tech fan,” living in Alabama, Auburn fans are the most obnoxious, arrogant fans you could ever be around!
Even compared to Alabama fans, which is saying a lot! And my daughter and son-in law are Alabama graduates and rabid Alabama fans at that!
uga_b
August 26th, 2010
11:20 am
Cousin Avi does a great impression of an obnoxious UF fan: We only count the years we were relevant! Please go tie up your hightops, pick out your nicest A-shirt and gold chain, pull up your little boy jorts, and remember to not put so much gel in the spot where your visor goes.
I hear the next Jersey Shore is going to be in Gainesville.
That was fun
.
Mark Bradley
August 26th, 2010
11:20 am
I do have great respect for Carolina fans, Cock-a-doodle. Tremendous loyalty.
RJM Dawg
August 26th, 2010
11:20 am
Cousin Avi… UGA is 2nd tier and should be compared to Ole Miss and Arkansas? I believe we have won 2 SEC championships this decade. How many has Ole Miss and/or Arkansas won?
I understand we live in a “what have you done for me lately” world, but come on. LSU and Florida have won 3, UGA has won 2, Auburn and Bama each have won 1…
Dr. Phil
August 26th, 2010
11:20 am
I have been attending SEC games since the early 50’s. In high school, I sold drinks and programs at Grant Field and ended up watching a lot of football games. I truly believe that Georgia fans are among the worst anywhere. I recall UGA students pelting the football team with ice and trash after a loss to Vandy in the 1990’s. In the great “blackout” and beatdown by Alabama, fans left in droves, beginning at the half. After Georgia loses to SC and AR, fans will be screaming for Richt’s head like they did for Willie last season. Some fans can be obnoxious during games, but I have found Auburn, LSU, and UK fans to be pretty good sports when the game is over. Not so UF and Bama. I have never been to an Ole Miss or MS State game at home.
Michael
August 26th, 2010
11:21 am
I got two degrees in Athens and the truly obnoxious fans truly suck. Even got one kicked out of a game. I think he was wearing jorts. GO DAWGS!
Christina
August 26th, 2010
11:22 am
Here is why everyone hates Tim Tebow. He was a good player who got elavated to Messiah status by the media. It began his freshman year when he would come into the game at the end of the drive to run for one yard and score a touchdown. The credit for those touchdowns belonged to Chris Leak and the rest of the first team offense, and instead Tebow came away as the savior. Then the media began fawning over his stupid “jump pass.” I watched Florida play most of their games for the past four years, and I never saw a situation where jumping was necessary. He just looked dumb doing it. All non-Florida fans were sick to death of hearing about him, and we are thrilled he’s finally gone to the NFL!
The rest of the world
August 26th, 2010
11:22 am
We feel that all SEC fans are equally obnoxious (excluding maybe Vandy). Maybe it’s because it’s hard to understand all the ranting and posturing when it comes out in that ridiculous hill-billy drawl. But mostly it’s because they all coat-tail off the one team that does well in the conference. Teams like MSU chanting “SEC! SEC!” when UF wins a bowl game is weak.
David
August 26th, 2010
11:23 am
Absolute garbage article. I have traveled to every SEC venue (with exception of Arkansas), most on several occasions and Auburn fans rank the best in my book. Most friendly, welcome their opponent, proud of their beautiful campus and even though they get rowdy, loud and talk smack in the stadium – who doesn’t? I like their swagger (big difference than being cocky). They don’t have the product on the field they had 4 or 5 years ago, but their fans don’t change based on the performance of their team. The writer obviously has something out for Auburn to rank their fans the most obnoxious in the SEC.
Tim
August 26th, 2010
11:23 am
Auburn fans the most obnoxious? Nothing like pleading guilty to ignorance of truth. Did you just start following SEC football? Wow.
Border Dawg
August 26th, 2010
11:24 am
You too Vol. You’re making my point for me.
GP
August 26th, 2010
11:25 am
Mark,
You stated that you have covered 30 games at Auburn, and this is how you came up with this article. Were you DRUNK? LSU and GEORGIA fans are the most obnoxious. It’s not even close. I have been to every SEC stadium for games and these two fan bases are terrible. I think the redneck sidewalk alums make everyone think that bama is the worst, but they aren’t. You and Terrence Moore are two solid reasons NOT to read the AJC rag.
Dawglasville
August 26th, 2010
11:26 am
Enter your comments here
Mr. Marbles
August 26th, 2010
11:26 am
The AJC couldn’t have picked a better author to pen an article about “obnoxious”. Perfect assignment.
Reese
August 26th, 2010
11:26 am
Two Points:
- The words ‘Tennessee Volunteer Fans’ and ‘Dubious’ go together like peanut butter and Velveeta. Mmmmmm……
- If you father a child with an obese, chain-smoking girl who wears ‘Volunteer Orange,’ your potential for greatness in life just ended.
Thank you.
Big B CH 99
August 26th, 2010
11:27 am
As a GT fan & student I just don’t get how Auburn is # 1. I think it’s pretty clear that Mark Bradley just doesn’t like them, your letting 1 huge idiot (Lowder) that has way too much influence over that program give all their fans a bad name.
I don’t get how LSU is rated so low, a lot of people I’ve talked too say they’re some of the nastiest in the country.
We all know that the SEC as a conference is the nastiest in the country, & I think that’s b/c there are so many die hard redneck fans that have zero connection to the University. I’ve lived in Atl my whole life & have no problem w/ the UGA students & alum, you can have a very intelligent conversation w/ them, but the rednecks give them all a bad name. I was standing the UGA student section for the 08 Tech/UGA and didn’t see too many problems (I wasn’t the only Tech fan in there).
I don’t get S Car fans b/c they’re obnixous & aren’t even the best program in their state (Clemson). Clemson has historically been a more consistent program than S Car.
uga_b
August 26th, 2010
11:27 am
It’s all a matter of where you sit. I have been to many road games and been told numerous times by out of conference teams how nice of hosts we were. Road fans are the best for all colleges. I probably have had a bad experience with a fan from every college we played including my own. Usually it is boozed up students or the guy with a ripped shirt (probably better to just avoid this guy).
Hate to say it Mark, but at the UK game 2 years ago there was one fan who was eyeing down this cute UGA couple in front of me. He had a mtn man beard and weighed 300 lbs. Everyone was annoyed and even more so when he accidentally crowd surfed down a few rows due to an equilibrium problem. We all have those fans and he was not popular with his. The 7-year old little girl who told me we suck was just too darn cute.
For real?
August 26th, 2010
11:29 am
Parading Louisiana’s future career Hooter’s girls around on the field before the game does not even come close to something like Script Ohio. It’s not even in the ballpark; hell, it’s not even the same sport.
Dawglasville
August 26th, 2010
11:30 am
The most obnoxious fans are the fans from schools who aren’t use to beating you. The two worst experiences I’ve ever had was leaving Columbia after being upset by Carolina. The fans were very nice before the game but it got ugly after the game. I would imagine we will be very obnoxious when we finally get around to beating Florida again.
WDE
August 26th, 2010
11:31 am
This is just a truly unjustified pick.
Mark Bradley
August 26th, 2010
11:31 am
I actually had the privilege of seeing the LSU and the Ohio State band on the same field before the BCS title game in January 2008. The Ohio State band was outstanding. The LSU band was fabulous.
Border Dawg
August 26th, 2010
11:31 am
Deliverance was based upon the mountain folk about 15 miles from where I live. Joe……you got a purdy mouth!
Hogs Baby
August 26th, 2010
11:32 am
Do you understand why Mrs. Gork was fired? Have you ever checked out her facebook or twitter account? How did Arkansas fans get her fired? Have you ever heard the podcast of how bad Bobby wanted the Arkansas job? Do you understand he went to ATlanta thinking Vick would be his QB? Do you know all the things Bobby was promised in ATL that he didnt get? Do you do your homework? Please answer some of those questions!
Musashi
August 26th, 2010
11:32 am
Pretty good Mark but I don’t quite understand all the sympathy for Tennessee. Ranked last … behind Vandy? No way Jose, should still be top five.
J
August 26th, 2010
11:33 am
Wait a minute “because they run off coaches on a whim”, really how about Alabama before Saban got there? Since pat dye we have had 3 coaches. tubberville had a nice stint there. Who cares about 04 its 6 years in the past, I agree if your still crying about that shutup and move on! I do not agree with Auburn being the most obnoxious fans, we are clearly beat out by florida and UT!!!!
Not even close
August 26th, 2010
11:33 am
I have to say you are wrong on this one. The worst part about Georgia is the guy who has had the seat behind you for 40 years and demands that you sit down so he can see when it third and goal on the 1. To many old farts in the stands. It is a very quiet stadium most of the game. Hardly the the crazy out of control football stadium. Compare it to the Swamp or Tennessee and it is a pretty nice place to be as an opposing fan as long as you didn’t try to sneak in with a Georgia student ticket. Auburn fans have always seemed very polite to me, but I am not a Bama fan. I think they both suffer from a year round sickness that can be heard on any sport radio show in Alabama. Their hatred for one another seems to make them pretty polite to the rest of the SEC when visiting. The Kentucky people were very nice when we came to visit and very nice at our home games as well. Vandy is another polite place to see a game. I think most of them are too worried about grades and paying for school to really care about football. The bells at Mississippi state have to go. That is the worst place in the SEC to see a game. They may be nice and polite but once the bells start you wish you were watching it at home so you could mute it. I think Georgia fans would be a lot nicer on these blogs if you would take a few seconds of your day to delete the trolls from tech that always make some insane statement on the blogs just to piss off the UGA fans. Every school has its drunks. I think Athens is doing a pretty good job of targeting them. They are going after the folks that make the school look bad in the stadium and out on game day.
Border Dawg
August 26th, 2010
11:34 am
Reese….I love you!
LawDawg
August 26th, 2010
11:36 am
AMEN, Christina!!!
Obnoxious
August 26th, 2010
11:37 am
Fans of winning teams are the most obnoxious. In the SEC–that would florida and alabama. The other fans have nothing to say.
Cousin Avi
August 26th, 2010
11:37 am
RJM Dawg… Yes you are 2nd Tier. Let’s recap 2005, your last SEC title and SECCG appearance. UGA back doors its way into the SEC title game with 2 losses to Florida and Auburn. And then proceeds to lose the Sugar Bowl to WVU (played in the GA Dome).
UGA football only seems to do well when they are in the underdog role. They do not step up to the plate and play when their expectations are high. Top tier teams play up to the hype and that is why you are 2nd tier in this conference.
zach
August 26th, 2010
11:37 am
Mark, please name the Auburn head coaches in the last 10 years. Thanks.
Mark Bradley
August 26th, 2010
11:38 am
Glad to, zach: Tommy Tuberville, Bobby Petrino, Tommy Tuberville again, Gene Chizik.