The SEC is the elite conference in the nation, the conference which all others are currently measured against, and its members of it take great pride in that. We may absolutely hate each other when our teams are playing against each other, but we back our fellow SEC teams when they are playing a non-conference team. It's a southern brotherhood thing. If we don't have the chance to beat you ourselves, we take solace in the fact that one of our southern brothers can.
Exactly. That's like Texas fans saying that they would root for OU bc they are in the same conference. We all know that this is NOT the case.
Is there a reason for this bond? I ask because this really doesn't apply to anyone else, on a college or pro level. At least I don't believe it does. Heck, you can't even get Rockets fans to root for the freaking Mavs. And we're in the same state just 6 hours drive apart.
It's one of those things that is tough to understand if you are on the outside looking in. I do think one of the things that helps with the conference camaraderie in the SEC is there aren't as many superiority/inferiority complexes as in other conferences. I've seen some conversations here get ridiculously out of hand when you get fans of UT, TTU, and TAMU all together in one thread. Probably doesn't help that all those schools are in the same state though.
I realize this isn't a serious thread, but I'll see if I can adequately answer you. There isn't one concrete reason; it involves a multitude of factors some of which are somewhat nebulous. First of all, I think you can throw pro sports out entirely for this conversation. Pro is just different from college. I have traveled to opposing SEC universities and tailgated with some of their students and alums. That's just a whole different feeling than going to an away pro game. Pro vs. college is also different because of the nature of how you become affiliated with your team, as well as the way the championship is decided. I referenced traveling to opposing stadiums, and in that same vein, "southern hospitality" is a factor. Every place I've gone, some fans have been rowdy, but overall I've been blown away from the hospitality of opposing fans/alums. They'll invite you over, crack open a beer for you, offer up some of their bbq, jambalaya, etc, and ask you how your drive was. They give you a reason to respect them and to get behind them. Also, regarding respect, I think it helps that from top to bottom, the level of play in the SEC doesn't deviate too substantially compared to some other conferences. You build respect for each other because every team in the SEC plays each other hard and almost no game is guaranteed (I hold my breath every time my team plays Vandy, Miss State, or Ole Miss because they always give us tough games). Almost every SEC team has had some level of success, so the historical respect is there and there aren't many superiority/inferiority complexes amongst teams. Geography plays a factor, in a couple ways actually. One isn't really a direct factor, but I think it is a differentiating factor between pro vs. college. In the SEC, all the teams are grouped together in the SE states, whereas in pro, you can have teams in totally different geographic areas be in the same division. The direct way geography plays a factor, as stupid as it is, is because there still some latent civil war mentality of backing your southern "brother in arms." You may have your quarrels with your neighbor, but you back him when someone goes against him. Most obviously it comes down to the way the college football champion is decided. In the pro, it is always to your benefit to have the other teams in your division lose. Strength of schedule doesn't matter and you get playoff berths depending solely on record. In college, if other members in your conference are highly ranked and good beat non-conference opponents, it is actually better for your team. The increased public and media perception can lead to your team getting the benefit of the doubt (in preseason rankings and in being voted into the championship game). Does LSU get into the championship in 2007 without the SEC's reputation? Probably not. UF in '06 and '08? Maybe, maybe not. SEC teams have made some big statements the past four years in championship games and it has definitely helped them. Lastly, once the SEC has gained public and media perception as being the best conference, its conference members want that reputation to continue. SEC teams have seen the benefits it has reaped, and that want to maintain it.
All about the SEC. Chant it until the end of time. I am tired of watching high school offenses try and matchup in Title games with NFL defenses. Just make it an SEC vs SEC Title game each year. Our make it its own superior subdivision so the whiny crybabies don't get hurt.
I can't wait to hear the Staples Center erupt into a WES-TERN CON-FER-ENCE chant in June! Go Kobe! ...ach...grotesque. I remember the years the Jazz made the finals and wanting the Bulls to slaughter Stockton, Malone, and their children, and their children's children.
reading comprehension... it makes no logical sense for teams to root for one another in professional sports.. which Franchise clearly pointed out. In college our rankings depend on how the rest of our conference competes... so it's logically to root for them against other conferences as it boosts our rankings.
Yet no other conference denizens break out into song...before the game is even over...to celebrate their rivals accomplishments...rather than celebrate their own accomplishments. ...why is this, despite it being so logical? And btw it boosts Sagarin ratings in the NBA....so there.
Maybe other conferences would if they could. The only other conference besides the SEC to win multiple BCS NC games is the Big12, but those two Big12 teams did it five years apart and are bitter rivals.
What does that have to do with who you play in the playoffs? Nothing. What does that do college football? Decides who has the chance at the BCS title. Big difference. And maybe it would improve your conferences if you celebrated successes of the other schools in it against the SEC.. oh wait... that seldom happens so maybe the whole point is moot. Just because you don't do it and don't understand it doesn't make it lame. I think it's sort of cool.
Its those southern folks rolling into big city Hollywood in the bright lights and showing their regional cultural pride... is that the kind of answer desired ?
Wasn't SEC's bowl record like 5-4 or something? Not quite so seldom...MWC meanwhile was like 4-1.....would non-sarcastic MWC chants have erupted in Phoenix last Monday? Doubtful...it would have been TCU! or whatever they say. There's a difference between wanting your conf to do well to boost your team (not lame) and erupting in conference pride chanting (lame) Look, my studies indicate approximately a 75 percent chance of lame...the only support for it is some weird connection to "southern brothers" - which is a SLAP in the FACE of all dead Texas Confederate Veterans. SLAP IN THE FACE.
