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
Mitch
August 26th, 2010
2:21 pm
I’m not riled up. I am simply correcting Mark’s MISTAKE!
Border Dawg
August 26th, 2010
2:23 pm
MB…….this may be the best discussion ever!
Bama Fan
August 26th, 2010
2:24 pm
Yay Auburn! I have to give it to Auburn fans. They came up with some creative though ridiculous reasons why Alabama should not have been a National Champion. Maybe they should spend that much energy on figuring out why they suck!
Border Dawg
August 26th, 2010
2:25 pm
I wouldn’t bet on the GA/FLA game for anything…..and you’re knuts are bigger than your brain if you do!
Bmoney
August 26th, 2010
2:25 pm
This has got to be the most inaccurate article I have ever read. LSU and Bama fans are the worst. Auburn has been stable when it comes to coaches. Every school has problem boosters. Mark ?…Are you a journalist or a clown…my vote is for the latter.
Scott W.
August 26th, 2010
2:25 pm
GT fans = UF’s biggest fans after real Gators
lost dawg in TN
August 26th, 2010
2:26 pm
I happen to love Auburn fans! Auburn is UGA’s oldest rival, yet we have a mutual respect and I really don’t think they are very obnoxious compared to Vols or Gators.
I happen to live in Chattanooga, which is a battle ground for UT, UGA, and Bama, and there is NOTHING worse than a fat TN hillbilly wearing obnoxious orange and singing Rocky Top for 50th time that day! Hopefully Dooley (a true Red and Black) will bring some integrity to the program.
nolebasher
August 26th, 2010
2:26 pm
as we say “it’s UF or FU”
wells
August 26th, 2010
2:26 pm
you cannot be serious? Tennessee has the least obnoxious fans in the SEC and Auburn has the worst? I’m surprised you were capable of typing the article if you really think that. Have you ever been to an SEC football game, seriously? What a tool.
tc
August 26th, 2010
2:27 pm
Great job Mark. You ‘ve stirred up a hornet’s nest. Do any of these people have jobs?…….or a life?
Nasty
August 26th, 2010
2:27 pm
Maybe articles like this one are the reason that I had to ask, “Who the hell is Mark Bradley?” Nice call Mark……….I have traveled to most of the SEC stadiums and seen games and I have to say that your ranking looks nothing like how I would stack them. Then again, I wouldn’t be stacking them in the first place – not ONE WEEK from the start of the season. You must only interact with the fans when you are fetching Barnhart’s coffee for him. C’mon man……..
Mark Bradley is High
August 26th, 2010
2:27 pm
It’s true BD. It’s true, because IT’S MY OPINION!
Reality
August 26th, 2010
2:29 pm
I am not a fan of many SEC schools, I didn’t grow up here. I have a twist to share on the obnoxious poll. I think the fans that feel that they are still a top program or live off how “tough” their conference is how this should be ranked. Example: Alabama can’t be obnoxious because they have every right to say what they want they are the defending champs. Florida and LSU a little less based on not being the defending champs. So of the teams I feel qualify in this group; UGA, FL, Bama, Auburn, LSU and Tenn. I take away my bias and go with when was the last NC for each school. SO I have to put UGA number one as obnoxious fans. The fans constantly talk about how tough the SEC is and that they are one of the top tier programs (yet have won nothing,beating Hawaii in the Sugar Bowl does not count). The fact is you can not be a top tier program and not won an NC in 30 years and only have one NC to your name. So that is my opinion, the next closest obnoxious fan base is not in the SEC it lies in the Big Ten with OSU
bamafan
August 26th, 2010
2:30 pm
Auburn is # 1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and without 1/10th the justification that the # 3 team has!!!
Dawg In Exile
August 26th, 2010
2:31 pm
It is just amazing what passes for journalism these days.
BamaQ
August 26th, 2010
2:32 pm
The most obnoxious fans commenting on this article: No. 1 Auburn
Musashi
August 26th, 2010
2:32 pm
Mark,
FYI, your blog/link has been posted on at least two Auburn blogs which explains the large number of irate responses. Keep up the great work!
Linnie
August 26th, 2010
2:33 pm
Mark Bradley’s list of 12, plus the 348 comments here make me embrace my love and admiration of the Big 10 conference even more. To me, the SEC stands for Scandal, Embarrassment, and Criminals.
DawginLex
August 26th, 2010
2:35 pm
lawdawg,
You are wasting your energy with the interception idiot. He didn’t go to college. He rides the coattails of whoever is winning. He has Boise State stuff all over his ‘73 Pinto…………….
Bama Fan
August 26th, 2010
2:36 pm
Wow Linnie I am sure they are so much more sophisticated there.
AdamsHouseCat
August 26th, 2010
2:36 pm
Mark-
Did you make some huge mistake and this column was meant to be your ranking of the SEC schools with the most meddlesome board of trustee members?
Dford
August 26th, 2010
2:36 pm
This article is funny and true. Georgia should have been higher though. There poor fans think they are National Championship contenders every year.
DawginLex
August 26th, 2010
2:37 pm
that is because outside of Columbus and ann Arbor, no one cares.
pfk
August 26th, 2010
2:38 pm
Looks like someone got turned down a few years back at the AU admissions office…..
Gator Kim
August 26th, 2010
2:39 pm
“you were just driving like my grandmother, like most people from Florida do. If you are not doing more than 15 miles over the speed limit on I-75, you are just road kill! That is not a UGA thing, just a state of Georgia thing. It gets even worse the closer you get to Atlanta.”
I wish. I mos def wasn’t doing 90mph, but I was also in the right lane (when I wasn’t passing other cars). This was down near that hole, Tifton, where the “construction” is. SUV full of dudes ran up on my a**, then swerved into the left lane, swerved back in front of me, slammed on the brakes, etc etc. I finally called family with their tag # just in case of an accident. I went East on 10 & they kept on 75. Hopefully something horrible happened to them & their suburban assault vehicle (aside from the annual reality check).
Scott W.
August 26th, 2010
2:39 pm
Dear Big 10 or 11, er whatever,
Quit wasting everyone’s time.
Sincerely,
Everyone
Bama Fan
August 26th, 2010
2:41 pm
Hey Auburn be glad you got that number one ranking. Thats the only one your getting anytime soon!
PikeHog
August 26th, 2010
2:41 pm
LSU, LSU, LSU. Wear a red & blue shirt to a Baton Rude tailgatin’. You’ll be swimming in a PortaPotty in 5 minutes.
Mitch
August 26th, 2010
2:42 pm
Not to mention that it is ALL over Facebook now, too!
MIke Bobo 17 INT
August 26th, 2010
2:42 pm
Stick with Jeff Schultz, he is the only write objective about how bad the UGA program really is, and also how the UGA fans are off point.
Mitch
August 26th, 2010
2:44 pm
Bama Fan is the perfect example of “Obnoxious BAMMER fans”! Keep up the awesome work, Bama Fan!
Ace
August 26th, 2010
2:45 pm
Hopefully when you see Lowder in Jean Jorts he will be in prison for defrauding stockholders of Colonial Bank. AU lost 5 of its last 7 regular season games and one of the wins was over Furman. Is Chizik and improvement over Tuberville only time will tell and AU is not known for giving coaches time and a 3-5 SEC record is not really anything to brag about.
LawDawg
August 26th, 2010
2:47 pm
Reality,
you have no need to comment. You are a Tech Nerd and have to use gimmicks such as free hot dogs and cokes just to get butts in the seats. You are just jealous you are not part of the blog. Go over to the other site and blog about B backs and Pajama parties!
Bama Fan
August 26th, 2010
2:48 pm
Mitch, no Bama fan can begin to reach the levels of obnoxicity ( I made up that word so dont bother pointing out that it doesnt exist) that Auburn fans achieved during their 6 year reign of victorys so dont even go there. Let me guess…Auburn Fan???? haha
phil
August 26th, 2010
2:48 pm
Hey Mark:
Not bad, I’m pretty much in agreement with you on the obnoxious thing. In your comment on LSU you mentioned their pregame is great, I agree, but not No. 1 in the conference. I’ve seen games in every stadium and like you enjoy the differences in the pregame staging of the Teams’ entrances. What do you think of doing a poll on best pregame? My list
1. Tennessee – Splitting the T, “It’s football time in Tennessee”
2. Auburn – the Eagle soars
3. LSU
4. Ole Miss – walking thru the Grove included
5. UGA – chills when the trumpet sounds (and I’m a UGA guy)
6. UF – loudest stadium in the SEC, no contest
7. Alabama – you can hear “Big All” and smell Eli Gold, or is it the other way around
8. Miss. State – cow bell hell
9. South Carolina – Cock Boose, bout to bust loose
10. Arkansas – the Pouting Petrino’s – who cares?
11. Kentucky – shouldn’t this really be the Kentucky Derby?
12. Vandy – sound the fog horn, whoopee
Scott W.
August 26th, 2010
2:49 pm
The only reason Tuberville lasted 10 seasons at AU is because they didn’t want to buy him out and tried not to up until the end. When they were caught red handed they finally did give him money Even though he “stepped down”.
Lee
August 26th, 2010
2:50 pm
Hey at least Auburn can rightfully claim they’re #1 at something ..Will they have rings made is the question..
Tom D
August 26th, 2010
2:51 pm
Sorry, but the fact that you have Tennessee fans as the least obnoxious totally undermines the validity of the rankings. There is no sympathy factor in obnoxiousness, and they completely deserve their current situation for their unthinking support for their incredibly obnoxious ex-coach. Speaking as an Alabama fan, Vol fans are much more obnoxious than Auburn fans, and they deserve full recognition for it.
Poor Mark
August 26th, 2010
2:52 pm
With the AJC in constant financial trouble, I find it amazing you are being paid. When did they change their motto from “covering Dixie like the dew” to “we try to make the most of what little talent we can find?”
Each university has a lunatic fringe (except for maybe Vandy), and everybody has a horror story to share. Should you still be employed and choose to revisit this topic again, I suggest an eleven way tie for #1 and Vandy at #12. That would be a funny article and a more reasoned opinion.
We all know about opinions. Everybody has one as well as a certain orifice. It seems the later would be a more apt description of you in general.
Derek
August 26th, 2010
2:54 pm
Mark Bradley
August 26th, 2010
11:38 am
Glad to, zach: Tommy Tuberville, Bobby Petrino, Tommy Tuberville again, Gene Chizik.
Really Mark? Can you please confirm how many fans were responsible for Jetgate? Was Bobby really under contract and Tommy fired?…lol That is your reasoning? Mark This was the first time I read anything you wrote and I will not ever read again. I never even heard of you before. Why is a fan obnoxious when it stands up for its team that they felt deserved to play for NC in 2004? Again, weak stuff dude. Noone pines away for 2004. It became a topic again due to USC being zapped so of course it became a topic of interest to Auburn fans. I also couldn’t care less who is more obnoxious then who I come to a game to cheer on a football team not do an eval on the fans. Stupid story, uncredible reasoning and sophomoric writing at best.
Another bama fan
August 26th, 2010
2:55 pm
My AU and Gator friends tell me LSU is by far the worst group. Nice to you during the day and at night will vandalize cars of opponents, cuss, just some rude folks. After them they say Georgia or bama and then themselves of course. But most people agree its LSU fans by far.
Dawwgrl
August 26th, 2010
2:56 pm
UT hands down has the most obnoxious followed by Auburn. As a UGA fan, I have to admit I was embarrassed by some of the fans last year at the LSU game. I love my team and like to talk smack and bark, but there is no reason to be rude and yell foul things at opposing fans. It was different when I was there, but then Goff was there too…
Another bama fan
August 26th, 2010
2:56 pm
According to fellow AU and Florida fans LSU fans are by far the worst and it aint even close. Next comes a tie between UGA and Bama from what they tell me.
Andy
August 26th, 2010
2:57 pm
FAIL…leave it to the AJC to actually bomb a football article/write-up this close to fooball season. Sad
That guy
August 26th, 2010
2:58 pm
Honestly this has been one of the best reads ever. People that are getting upset because of where their fan base is sitting is show why their fan base should be place at that spot.
41-14
August 26th, 2010
3:00 pm
Auburn-Not Top 5 IMO
All SEC fans are just passionate. We may be a bit much when playing a rival, but bottom line is we can all be as obnoxious as we’d like cause we’re the best conference in football with the most talent and have won it all the past four years. I like the fact that I will pull for other SEC schools in Bowl games just because I know their fan base “gets it”. I also like that Saturdays in the South are better than anywhere else. The best football atmosphere, best athletes, best fans. Go SEC!
Gator fan through and through by the way. And every fan base (especially with recent success) is going to have those annoying fans that like the idea of winning more than the team. (Rays Fans)
Ace
August 26th, 2010
3:01 pm
The Big Ten is all about Academics, you can tell Les Miles graduated from Michigan a Big Ten school, but at least Les is better that RR, Rod and Rita….If Les can graduate from a Big Ten school my Dog can be a graduate of a Big Ten school. Besides they should call it Ohio State and the little eleven now that Nebraska has joined. Well maybe Nebraska will make it back and maybe Harbaugh will return to Michigan a lot of ifs for that conference to return to being a power. Especially when Iowa and Wisconsin have both replaced Michigan in the pecking order and a so-so Nebraska team may be the second best team in the conference. I do hope Penn State plays better, hopefully Alabama will show them some mercy and not kill all their QB’s.
Derek
August 26th, 2010
3:01 pm
I have read other posts connecting Auburn fans to the ouster of Terry Bowden as well as others….lol…I think the next poll should show Auburn as #1 as “The Most Powerful Fan base that carries a big stick in deciding who is hired and fired” What a bunch of tools.
Chris
August 26th, 2010
3:01 pm
Well the only thing scary about Auburn is when they start shaking those shakers around like an angry retard. Someone is going to get their eye put out.
Billy Bob
August 26th, 2010
3:03 pm
Wow, actual thought, complete sentences and very little name calling. I would rather be made fun of for wearing jorts than be dominated for the last couple of decades. Just a thought.