What is loud, obnoxious and blue all over? The University of Memphis student section of course.
For many years The U of M has seen its ups and downs with athletics. From the early 90s when the city had a great interest in Tiger basketball, thanks to many victories and good showings in the NCAA tournament, all the way to the late 90s where Tiger wins were fewer and farther between.
Through all the cheers of victory to the cries of defeat the student section has been the one constant.
The blue-clad, face-painted warriors who were once labeled "those obnoxious Memphis students" by crowd favorite Bob Huggins, coach of the Cincinnati Bearcats. These are the same U of M fans that carried a mangled goalpost down Highland after the win over Tennessee in 1996.
For all of those wishing to be a part of this elite gathering of mindless mayhem, there are five rules one needs to know before stepping into the pit of recklessness called, "the student section."
Rule #1- Always show up early (the Early Bird Syndrome.) It's not very fun to be the guy dressed in a tiger suit with a basketball on his head sitting at the top of the Pyramid with the season ticket holders pointing and staring. If you're trying to get on SportsCenter remember the cameras don't go that high.
"I was always about two hours early," said Luke Sauber, a recent graduate of The U of M. "If you are showing up 10 minutes before tip-off, you just aren't going to get the sweet seats."
Rule #2- Feel free to express your opinion of the other teams players -- very free. (The Baseball Dad Syndrome.) The starting quarterback for Southern Miss may look like he is ignoring you, but you must believe, he wants to know if he made a bad pass so he can correct this mistake. Feel free to dump all your intelligence on him as loudly as you can. After all, it's appreciated.
Rule #3- Rampant school spirit (The Braveheart Syndrome.) Every once in a while you will spot a true-blue hardcore student. These individuals can be spotted by the blue and gray paint covering their face, the blow-up dolls they carry around with opposing coaches faces attached, wearing basketballs or blue wigs atop their head, or the famous "triple lettering." (Meaning that they are wearing three of the following at the same time: a tiger hat, tiger shirt, tiger pants or shorts, or for the truly hardcore, tiger underwear.) Shirt removal is only recommended for males and only if it is intended to show off paint written on the chest.
Rule #4- Leaving early is unacceptable. (The Where-ya-going-it's-not-over Syndrome.) There is no better way to disappoint your fellow students and fans than leaving with five minutes to go with your team down by 10. Nothing is more embarrassing than trying to get back into the stadium when they are up by two with one minute to go.
"You don't ever want to be that guy," said Daniel Boheim a long time Tiger fan. "I yell at those people more than the coaches."
Rule #5- Fans of other teams need our help. (The Great Crusade Syndrome.) When the knights of ancient England went off on the crusades of old they were doing more than just trying to spread their religion -- they were setting an example. The uneducated fans of other teams need to know how much better it is to be a Tiger fan. The signs of the non-Tigers are very easy to spot. They are often wearing the color orange, red or maroon. These lost souls need your help and it is up to Tiger fans to show them the way. If all else fails, resort to Rule #2.
Strict observance of these simple rules will make a regular U of M student into a truly "Obnoxious Memphis Student." As long as the rules are followed the torch will be passed. Adding new rules is always acceptable, especially if it causes problems for other teams. Learning them by heart and reciting them by memory will allow anyone to be welcomed with open arms into "the student section."
