Big 12 hate meter: From Texas to Iowa State
 

Big 12 hate meter: From Texas to Iowa State http://assets.espn.go.com/profile/i/..._report_hi.gif
July 29, 2008 1:18 PM
Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin
Every Big 12 team has a rival that inspires hatred. It's just the nature of competitive athletics, and particularly football.
While the conference offices have made a sportsmanship mandate a prominent part of pregame activities across the Big 12, fans don't always think that way.
With that in mind, here's an unofficial Big 12 conference hate meter, with the most despised rival first and the others in descending order.
1. Texas -- Everything's bigger and better in Texas, or so they say. But what's not to hate about the Longhorns for the rest of the Big 12 -- their traditional dominance, unmatched facilities, deep talent pool and even their mascot?
2. Oklahoma -- Opponents don't like seeing the same team winning. And after running roughshod over the Big Eight for 50 years and continuing their wild stampede through the Big 12, rivals have long been tired of the Sooners' historic supremacy.
3. Colorado -- Opposing fans see their supporters as every Rocky Mountain stereotype -- tree-loving, granola-munching, hybrid-driving Greeners. And it's even worse when they are winning with some regularity.
4. Kansas -- Their fans have always been accused of being the conference's smuggest during basketball season. Their recent football success is spreading that haughtiness into a 12-month-a-year attitude, rivals say.
5. Missouri -- Once the program woke up under Gary Pinkel, a new generation of fans are acting like they invented football, according to some adversarial fans. And it will get even worse if they finally win a Big 12 title.
6. Kansas State -- Traditional losers became national powers overnight when Bill Snyder was coaching them. That ascension came a little too quickly to many rivals.
7. Oklahoma State -- Boone Pickens' deep pockets and Mike Gundy's rants aren't the best selling points for a Big 12 wannabe power.
8. Texas A&M -- Their military traditions are the bedrock of support for the school's former students. But the collies, cannons and male cheerleaders are considered borderline strange by opposing fans.
9. Nebraska -- Their historical domination always was tempered by their fans. Vanquished foes always receive polite applause as they leave Memorial Stadium. But a return to dominance under Bo Pelini could shoot them up the hate meter -- particularly if he has a few hot-headed moments like his postgame dust-up with Bill Snyder a few years ago.
10. Texas Tech -- If you believe most of what you read on rival message boards, Mike Leach might be one of the Big 12's most popular coaches because of his well-chronicled idiosyncrasies. It will be interesting to see if that support holds if the Red Raiders fulfill hype and develop into BCS challengers this season.
11. Baylor -- Old Southwest Conference foes still remember the days of Mike Singletary and Walter Abercrombie when Grant Teaff built an enduring, powerful program. But those days are far removed from the present as Big 12 rivals now perceive them merely as permanent South Division cellar-dwellers.
12. Iowa State -- Rooting against the Cyclones is like booing Santa Claus or Lassie. The Cyclones were a popular choice for many Big 12 fans during Dan McCarney's near misses in 2004 and 2005 -- particularly because the Cyclones haven't won a conference title since sharing the Missouri Valley Conference crown in 1912.

On a national level, Nebraska should be ranked higher than Kansas or Missouri.

No doubt. I'd switch NU and CU.

as if calling KU fans smug were merely an accusation...

1. Kansas
2. Nebraska
3. Texas
4. Oklahoma
5. Texas Tech
6. Texas A&M
7. Kansas State
8. Oklahoma State
9. Colorado
10. Iowa State
11. Baylor
12. Missouri - I'm a Mizzou fan so where else was I going to put them?

I don't think you understand Texas/Oklahoma or Oklahoma/Nebraska.

Being a Kansas fan on a predominantly mizzou board i would put mizzou at the top of the list JUST because of most the fans from this board. Nobody I like to see lose more than mizzou. For me, K-state is number two then CU. All the rest...no worries.

There are no fans on planet earth that are as bad as Nebraska fans. Not all of them, but there's a lot of horrible ones.

I used to feel that way but SO MANY years of sucking and getting some absolute beat-downs have mellowed most of the ones I know.

I've been away from the midwest for awhile, so I don't know the "new" fans. The only fans that were ever close to as bad were Iowa fans. Back when they sucked, they'd be coming off a 1-10 season and I'd listen to moron after moron tell me how they had an outside shot, or even a great chance, to play for the national title the next year. LMAO Then once they got good, they all pretend like the Iowa State game doesn't matter (after they get whipped of course). Ferentz has been owned by Iowa State, but the fans will tell you it's Iowa State's superbowl, or how it doesn't matter, even though they'll go on and on before the game about how big it is, after they lose it's suddenly no big deal. Idiots.

It'd be kind of fun to listen to it now, I'm sure they'd tell you the recruits that picked other schools instead of Iowa, with off the field trouble being one of the reasons, that the kids are going to suck anyway or something. I can hear it now, Iowa is perfect, and only loses games and players that don't matter. ROFL

The following exerpt is from The Lost Continent, by Bill Bryson (who is originally from Iowa).

"For a long time I couldn't decide whether the original settlers in Nebraska were insane or just stupid, and then I saw a stadium full of University of Nebraska football fans in action on a Saturday and realized that they must have been both. I may be a decade or so out of touch here but when I left America, the University of Nebraska didn't so much play football as engage in weekly ritual slaughters. They were always racking up scores of 58-3 against hapless opponents. Most schools, when they get a decent lead, will send in a squad of skinny freshmen in unsoiled uniforms to let them run around a bit and get dirty and, above all, to give the losers a sporting change to make the score respectable. It's called fair play. Not Nebraska. The University of Nebraska would send in flamethrowers if it were allowed. Watching Nebraska play football every week was like watching hyenas tearing open a gazelle. It was unseemly. It was unsporting. And of course the fans could never get enough of it. To sit among them with the score 66-0 and watch them bray for more blood is a distinctly unnerving experience, particularly when you consider that a lot of these people must work at the Strategic Air Command in Omaha. If Iowa State ever upset Nebraska, I wouldn't be at all surprised if they nuked Ames. All of these thoughts percolated through my mind on this particular morning and frankly left me troubled."

I'd say that pretty much sums it up. :D

I'm back for another football season!

I don't know why it would be higher on a national level, outside of the conference no one really gives two shits about Nebraska either way. OTOH, I can understand some anger issues with the old Big 8 conference foes.

I didn't think we were that bad...until I got an internet connection. I'm truly embarrassed by the majority of them.

Nebraska has the best fans in the big 12 hands down, especially when you consider loyal and respectable.

That's not really true - certainly you guys have fallen on hard times of late (AWWWW TOO BAD) but typically you're players on a national scale come bowl time.

I could see where people got sick of us for a while in the mid 90's, but other than that we've never really got a lot of national attention. At least not that I'm aware of, maybe that's something that's better answered by those who live elsewhere. I just can't imagine people thinking, "Man, how the hell did Nebraska get in the Alamo Bowl AGAIN?"

Heh, braying.

I remember Nebraska clear back to the 60's. Oklahoma was always just as good but would only beat Kansas 48-7. But with Nebraska it was always 73-6. If they found out we wanted a kid they would recruit him and stick him on the 5th string. So, if you get a chance to pound Nebraska, you do it.

See, there's the deep-seated anger issues I was referring to. :D

Other than Oklahoma and sometimes Colorado, you basically owned the rest of the old Big 8 schools for years. It wasn't all that long ago that Missouri hadn't won against you in over 20 years. Other than the odd fluke win, the best teams like us and Kansas could generally hope for was a respectable loss. That gets really, really old after awhile.

Yep, it's going to be hard to shake.

from experience and going to road games, i would definetly rank OU 1 and Mizzou 2. I dont really have a problem with mizzou, but then fans are pretty much all ass holes.

Oh yeah, I don't doubt that one bit. I said I understand why the old Big 8 foes would hate us. I just don't think the hatred extends much farther out than that. Who knows, maybe there's some Florida fans that are still bent about 62-24, but they are probably pretty few and far between. We just haven't given anyone else much reason to hate us. Hell we got our asses kicked in a lot of our bowl games.

I think what gets people annoyed with KU and MU fans is to see a team that hasn't been relevant in decades have some success and the fan base will say shit like "we're better than USC!"

It's things like that, that make me shake my head.

God knows Missouri's no Stanford.

Well see that kinda thing happens when your stupid ass QB breaks his fingers and decides he's not gonna say anything and still try to play.

Either way please tell me you don't believe had MU or KU been put in the Rose Bowl they'd have stood a chance in hell at beating USC.

I don't think anyone would have beaten USC the way they were playing by the end of the year, but MU sure would have made for a better game than Illannoy.

I'd hope so.....MU's offense would struggle against SC though it would be similar to playing Oklahoma except SC has even better defensive team speed than that.

No no, that couldnt happen because only KU qualified for a BCS game. ;)

Big 12 teams that bug me:

Oklahoma
Nebraska
Texas
Texas A&M
Colorado

Kansas is in its own special category, right in there with the Yankees, Donks, Raiders and Al Qaeda.

http://www.texas-map.org/texas-map.jpg

You think a nuke dropped around Dime Box would take out Austin and College Station? Nah, better go with two just to be safe.

NU and OU fans that travel to road games are the worst. The fans at the home games are usually ok though.

I don't get it. When teams couldn't stop the Huskers 4th teamers from scoring on their starters what did you want the Huskers to do. Just hand the ball back to the little 6 teams to see if they could score to make it more PC? :D

Probably not. Okay, almost certainly not. You cherrypicked yourself a damn fine team there. :rolleyes:

But I believe we'd have beat the goddamn Suckeyes.

Fair or not, a lot of opposing fans just remember the final scores, and not so much how they got that way.

I can find no fault with this post. Except I'd add the Asstros and the Cowboys to the list. :)

One of the most enjoyable experiences of my life was sitting in front of three Nebraska fans during the 2003 game in Columbia. They hadn't yet figured out that they weren't the juggernaut they used to be. The disbelief in their voice was priceless. "I can't believe we're losing to these guys!" ROFL

I wanted to track down the clown who stopped me in the concourse before the game:

Idiot Nebraskan: "You think you guys have a chance?"

Me: "If we play our best game, I think we can give you a run. What about you?"

Idiot Nebraskan: <cocky smile> "No."



It's fun to see them get set on their ass these days.

Hell most of the time the starters were done early in the 2nd quarter. It was 2nd and 3rds til you got to the scrubs in the 4th.

GB, Did you read the article on Husker Pedia where some writer in Colorado Springs is trying to stump to make the Huskers Colorado's natural rival again. Only the Husker players and fans aren't cooperating.ROFL

This is just BS. As I stated earlier, OU managed to hold it down but you pricks couldn't.

Football isn't a sport where the head coach can tell the players to stop playing hard.

You are ignoring what I said. OU was every bit as good as you and they could hold it down but you pricks couldn't. There, that's three times I said it.

ROFL Umm...yeah I'm thinking Nebraska definitely needs to be way higher on this list.

Eh, it would be nice to have a team to focus our hate on but they aren't worth the trouble. If I had to make a list Texas would have to be on top of it, but they'll never be a true rival.

I doubt Osborne was calling flea flickers.

Seriously, did you feel any better about only getting beat 48-7 as opposed to 73-6? What the hell is the difference? It's still an ass kicking.

Yes I did. OU didn't feel the need to humiliate us like Nebraska did. KU always stomped the shit out of you twice in basketball each year but didn't do it to OU.

All I can say is, Nebraska is going to remember that game for a long, long, looong time. And because of that, will owe KU many severe beatings in the years to come. Its just a matter of time before NU reloads. It will be butt ugly.

down with the fat man

They better hope they do. I'm sure KU, KSU and Mizzou will pour it on them at every opportunity because of their poor sportsmanship.

That's probably because OU has a far better basketball program than we do. ;)

And I don't blame them for it. Revenge is a dish best served cold.

:deevee::deevee::deevee:

Every team in America has been on both ends of blowouts. Sounds like you're still upset after all these years because you're team couldn't compete.

You have very poor reading comprehension. And you can't talk your way out of what your school has done. I've always rooted for every conference school, except you pricks. It's not just former Big 8 schools that hate you either. Wasn't it Texas Tech who pounded your ass and wouldn't let up a couple of years ago? Time wounds all heels.

:deevee::deevee::deevee:

You don't even care about your last couple victories against Nebraska. The Huskers are still in your head.

I don't think that Texas Tech drubbing had anything to do with payback, that was pretty much just Callahan being a dumb****.

There is going to be a whole lot of carnage in the next 5 years.

Missouri taking their game to the next level...

Kansas getting in the mix...

Nebraska won't be down for too long and you figure Texas will step their game up at some point.

Oklahoma is a power year after year and teams like Oklahoma St. and Texas Tech will beat you if you don't bring your A game.

Some of these big wins and big losses coupled with more teams playing for bigger stakes is going make this conference ****ing explode.

Can't wait.

I just looked at the KU-OU series during the Switzer years. KU beat Switzer twice, and a couple other games were close. But a lot of the scores were lopsided in favor of OU.

It looks like KU simplify played OU better than they played Nebraska.

I doubt Switzer had mercy for KU. He outscored them by a combined 134-24 in 1987 and 1988.

It had more to do with OU not trying to get ahead by 60 points at the half. It bit them a time or two but I have a lot of respect for Switzer and OU and absolutely zero for you bullies.

I should add that Switzer beat KU 64-3 in 1986.

You trying to defend your terrible behavior doesn't do much to make me feel any differently. I think the whole state is full of pricks, starting with you.

I'm not trying to change your mind. Barry Switzer didn't have any mercy for KU.

He wasn't neary as brutal as you dicks. Rest assured I am laughing every time somebody runs it up on you. You deserve every bit of it.

I'm about sick of Nebraska fans patting themselves on the back for politely applauding on overmatched opponent that's getting the score run up on them.

I was at the Mizzou-Nebraska game last year and I didn't see any of those self-righteous, red-clad Husker fans applauding when Mizzou ran a perfectly executed fake FG to make the score 41-6.

In the series history, NU has only hung 70 on KU one time (1986), and they've only scored over 60 four times (1996, 1988, 1983, 1978). I think you're blowing this out of proportion a bit Skip.

Well what do you know, in series history OU hung 70 on KU one time (1987), and scored over 60 four times (1988, 1986, 1954, 1948) as well.

Funny, Osborne NEVER pulled shit like that.

I can't believe you, of all people, are trying to defend your boorish behavior. I thought you were one of the good guys. You could never tell how good OU was because they would let up but you knew exactly how good you dicks were because you didn't. I hope you get your asses stomped wide, deep and continuous.

Like I said before, every team in America has been on both ends on blowouts. I can't think of one reason why a head coach would have mercy for another team. If a team can't stop the other team's reserves, than that's their problem. A coach can't tell those kids to go out there and take a knee. I'm sure Osborne called even simpler running plays with the reserves.

Give KU credit for playing OU well a couple times. They beat Switzer twice. I really doubt that Oklahoma's reserves were any worse than Nebraska's reserves. Switzer beat Nebraska more often than not.

I'm not defending it, I'm just pointing out that there isn't as big of a difference between the two as you're making it out to be.

Calm down before you have an aneurysm.:)

No, but he never minded running up the score on an overmatched opponent, either.

I remember in '95 when Tommie Frazier was still running pass plays out of the option look when they were up 43-0 against Mizzou. They ended up winning 57-0.

Yeah, Saint Osborne was 100% class.

They did that shit every time they could. They are owed about 100 ass stompings. When you get the opponent down you should keep stomping him until he doesn't move any more. That's Nebraska.

Oh good lord, that's hardly the same as running a fake FG.

Did you expect them to applaud when that happened?

It would have been consistent with their self-reverential "Hey, we applaud the opponent when they get a first down against our third string." attitude.

To be honest, they mostly had looks of disbelief on their faces. One 60ish couple in particular looked as though they were watching their beloved grandchildren being ritualistically raped and tortured(which in a way they were).

No, but what goes around comes around.

Nebraska and their fans have to understand that the entire old Big-8 is lining up to kick them while their down.

Neither you nor Skip have made a valid point.

It's easy to be polite and loyal fans when you are running up the score on overmatched opponents. I hope you guys never come back so we can see just how loyal your fans are.

Which is basically one of my points about every team in America being on both ends of blowouts.