Do you root for your alma mater?

GO B U!

My alma mater's name is on my pay check. Yes, I root for them.

 

Did you run into Ryne Sandberg at the Popeye's on Knoxville Avenue north of downtown? ;D (I'm kidding!)

 

I graduated recently. I used to care about the teams I used to cover and read all the papers that used to cover my school to see what the papers I used to compete with were doing. Now, I don't care as much. How much I cheer probably depends on how well the teams are doing, and who I'm around. If I'm around fellow grads, or people who went to schools in the conference I might care more than if I'm with people who don't know much about the school.

 

This thread at least partly has spurred me to drive the 60 or so miles down the highway tomorrow afternoon to catch my high school's expected victory over its neighboring private school.

Goooooooooooo Greyhounds.

 

Us cultured Badgers only drink the very best -- Spotted Cow. Or anything that comes out of a beer bong.

 

I went to my school as a huge fan of its teams. But as I matured as a journalist, I kind of muted that side of me. Now, I'm pretty neutral toward, if not against, my alma mater's teams. I think it's partly because I've trained myself to be neutral and cheer for the best story, and partly because I saw firsthand just how full of BS college athletics at my school really are. Maybe that fandom will come back in time, maybe it won't.

Meh. I have my pro teams to cheer for.

 

Not at all, actually just finished working at a place where my alma matter is their biggest rival. I did, however, have to pull the alum card to get their women's basketball coach to do an interview. Apparently he had a problem with my predecessor and wouldn't talk, and I had to say "Not even for a (team's school's name) grad?" I felt sleezy, but it worked.

 

All I'll say is that I'm from SEC country. Goddamn right I'm a fanboy homer.

 

What do you mean, Claws? Haven't you seen the shirts?

"Cal State Fullerton Football. Undefeated since 1993."

Seriously, with the odd exception of the once-a-decade NIT berth and sporadic runs in soccer and softball, baseball's the only thing worth an athletic donation in Titan Nation.

 

I root for Wesleyan, but the great thing about Div III is that the agony of defeat never lasts past the first post-game beer.

 

As a side question: Do you root for your high school alma mater?

I have a brother-in-law who goes to damn near every football game his old high school football team plays on Friday night and has for the past 20 years. I thought only parents, students and old people with nothing better to do than go to the local high school game because they live in BFE (oh yeah, and sportswriters!) went to high school football games? That isn't the case here, though. This is metro Atlanta. My wife and I've always made fun of the guy, who drags my wife's sister along with him. BTW- this guy never actually played for the team. Maybe I should start calling my BIL Uncle Rico

OK, back to the original question: I would support my soon-to-be alma mater if it actually had a football team. I refuse to be a UGA fan just because everyone else in the state seems to be. I didn't go there, so I don't feel a connection to the school. The school I'm at now hired Dan Reeves within the past year to oversee starting a I-AA football program. When that gets off the ground, yes, I'll root for my alma mater and probably go to some games!