If you support the orange of U of Texas ATX, you must be a moron

[Bukefal]

Absolutely. Although I disagree slightly on who has more of a vested interest only because I don't think that is something that can be accurately determined in a general sense, IMO that is more of a person by person thing.

I do though, get a kick out of those who do think that for some reason I am less of a fan because I don't live in the same town of teams I root for or went to the college who's team I root for.

Personally to me, a gauge of a true fan is what they do when their teams of choice are doing poorly. Its easy to back a team when they are winning, true fans stay even when their team sucks.

Well said, that's true. Ive never been called a 't-shirt' fan. ( I didn't even know what it meant) until this week by two. Because Im from Europe and support the Longhorns.

Does it matter? I bet many on here support a team which is not from their hometown or is a college they never went to, maybe even those two.

As Samikeyp said very well. It does not make you a less of a fan if you don't live there or went to that college. Of course if it's your own college, it can be more intense, that's true. But it's more about what you do when they are doing poorly.

I love the Longhorns, I've supported them for a very long time. Though, Im more into UT Basketball.

People should be glad that even people from another state or as far from Southern Europe like their teams. Instead, they are making remarks about someone being less of a fan.

And who knows, maybe I'll go study in Austin for a while in the future. My university has excellent relations with UT.

[bringbackmario]

Let them bail. I say that even though by everyone's definition, I am one since I didn't go there. I guess being a fan since the mid 70's and staying one doesn't count with the some of the current crowd of football fans who tend to dismiss things like that. Fair enough.

Thank you for a great post, the jackass that started this was obviously a gobblin probably from ou

[MajorMike]

Thank you for a great post, the jackass that started this was obviously a gobblin probably from ou

Yup; I found his car for you.

[Obstructed_View]

or an alumnus/student.

Well put. UT has more fans that have zero affiliation with the school than maybe any university in the country, at least when they're winning.

Props to the people that actually root for their school.

[Ballcox]

I've been going to UT football games since 1981, almost every game in person. This current situation we're in? It's nothing compared to some of horrible I sat through when McWilliams and the wine lover were our coachs.

We've had a great run of 10 win seasons, and I saw plenty in the 2nd half of the ou game to get optimistic about. It will be a bit of a re-building season, but we'll be right back in the mix soon enough. Hook'em!

[samikeyp]

I guess someone needs to explain the whole "t-shirt" thing. I was under the impression it was just someone who didn't go to a school who wears that schools gear and somehow this is bad.

thanks in advance.
-confused in Lansing.

[LoneStarState'sPride]

Dear Confused:

As a rule, I just don't wear another school's gear when I have no personal connections to the university. I rep the maize and blue of Michigan cuz it's my mom's school, and I even wore Baylor's green and gold a little back in high school cuz my dad was working for BU at the time. Still, the overwhelming amount of college gear I own is the maroon and white of A&M.

Problem for me comes when a.) the colors of your own school are outnumbered by the colors of others in your wardrobe, or b.) excessive representation of a school with which you have no connection whatsoever.

Hope this was of some assistance to you, as this is a major point of confusion for many Americans today.

Sincerely,

LSSP

[MajorMike]

mikey, its the same thing we refer to as the 'Trailor Park Fans.' Everyone who has grown up inbred generation after generation and has no affiliation whatsoever with the school, but their pappy remembers the good ol days when all that existed was uo football. Therefore they know no better and don't acknowledge the rest of the world exists.

[samikeyp]

LSSP...
Fair enough but I think where the problem lies is that some folks tend to enforce their rules onto others. I'm not saying you personally but others. There is no rule that says who someone can and cannot root for. I did not go to UT but have been watching Longhorn football since 1976. Living up here now, I follow Michigan State as well but not at the expense of my Longhorn fandom. The idea of someone using "we", "us" and "my school" in reference to a school they never attended is pretty silly to me but on by the same token, someone saying I am somehow less of a fan because I didn't attend that school is equally silly. (again, not you personally) The thing that I really don't like is (as I have stated in previous posts) people who are all about 1 team while that team is winning then jumping ship when that team is down. I don't get that but if someone wants to...its their choice.

[samikeyp]

mikey, its the same thing we refer to as the 'Trailor Park Fans.' Everyone who has grown up inbred generation after generation and has no affiliation whatsoever with the school, but their pappy remembers the good ol days when all that existed was uo football. Therefore they know no better and don't acknowledge the rest of the world exists.

Yeah but with Oklahoma...all bets are off.

That is one thing I want to know also...if its the University of Oklahoma...why the "OU" thing?

[MajorMike]

The official answer is that the B6 was trying to differentiate itself from everyone else WAY back in the day. All of the B6 schools decided to call themselves state first, which is why even tho they are all "University of ..." they all go by CU, NU, KU, MU.

Which is ghey, so they are still uo.