Tag: Traditions

“Shout!” is a cool tradition, but it’s far from being old

Oregon’s “Shout!” has been named one of the oldest traditions in the Pac-12. But is it even the oldest tradition at Oregon?

Contrary to popular belief, Oregon Duck football didn’t start once Chip Kelly arrived.

Kelly brought a lot to the table when he replaced Mike Belotti as coach. The hurry-up offense, the wins, and “Shout!” has become one of the neatest traditions to be introduced to the program.

According to USA TODAY writer Paul Myerberg, who recently ranked the traditions that filter throughout the Pac-12, the song played in the second half inside Autzen belongs in the middle tier of traditions.

Oregon has the rotation of jersey changes and an elite mascot in The Duck. But one of the program’s oldest traditions comes between the third and fourth quarters at Autzen Stadium, when the fans sing the song “Shout!” from the 1978 movie “Animal House,” which was filmed on campus in Eugene.

He’s right except for one aspect. Shout! is a fairly new tradition, not one of the oldest. I’d argue the oldest and best tradition involves that elite mascot of The Duck. The riding on the motorcycle leading the team out of the tunnel began almost 25 years ago.

Another tradition that also began in the 1990s, I believe is public address Don Essig saying, “It never rains at Autzen Stadium!” There was a period of about five or six years where it didn’t rain during home games and wham! A tradition began.

The highlight video ending with Kenny Wheaton’s interception to beat Washington with Jerry Allen’s iconic call began shortly after that 1994 Rose Bowl season and has been an Autzen staple ever since.

So in one respect, Myersburg is right. Shout! is a tradition at Oregon, but it’s far from being one of the oldest.

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This Alabama football tradition ranks among the most elite in SEC

Alabama football has one of the highest-respected traditions in college football, according to recent rankings.

College football is a sport unlike any other because of its roots in tradition. Just about every program has some sort of tradition, whether it be old or relatively new, that fans look forward to. For Alabama, there are a few. However, the Walk of Champions ranks the highest.

In a recent ranking of SEC football traditions from USA TODAY’s Eddie Timanus, the Crimson Tide’s short pregame walk from the bus to the stadium ranks in the highest possible tier.

“The Walk of Champions – It’s a brief opportunity for the Crimson Tide players to interact with their supporters as they debark from their team bus upon arrival at Bryant-Denny Stadium,” writes Timanus. “The short pregame greeting also serves as a reminder of just how the Tuscaloosa community is wedded to the success of the Crimson Tide.”

With a sea of Crimson Tide fans parted right down the middle, Saban, his coaching staff and the entire roster make their way into Bryant-Denny Stadium to prepare for the upcoming game.

This tradition, among others, are why Alabama and college football fans alike are anxiously awaiting the start of the 2023 season.

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One Notre Dame football tradition comes to an end

Were you a Notre Dame student that participated over the years? Share your memories on our social media channels if so.

A football tradition that made Notre Dame unique nationally is coming to an end. Interhall tackle football will no longer be played at the university.

Based on what I remember from the only official campus tour I ever took in the late-nineties, it was the only fully padded, tackle football intramural program at a college in the United States.

According to Notre Dame’s student newspaper The Observer, a decline in numbers and a lack of students with tackle football experience led to the demise.

In 2017, 370 students participated in the program. That number fell substantially over the next few years, with just 269 students participating last fall, according to the letter. Additionally, the study found that 44% of participants had no prior organized tackle football experience prior to playing in the ITFB.

–From the Observer, June 14, 2023

Listen, I didn’t go to Notre Dame and will not pretend I have a personal connection to this specific tradition. However, I remember being on a campus visit there in the late-90s, learning of it and thinking how cool that would be to participate in. Forget flag football, actual real tackle football with helmets and pads.

Oh well.

While 269 students seem enough to make something work, if roughly half of them are being taught to play tackle football for the first time that’s another beast. I don’t like seeing traditions die but honestly this feels more like a “I’m surprised it even lasted this long” type of thing.

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‘Sweet Home Alabama’ named the top tradition in college football

Alabama’s playing of Sweet Home Alabama ranks as the top tradition in college football.

There is just something poetic about college football. Maybe it is the crisp autumn air, maybe it’s the student body, but nobody can deny the greatness that tradition plays in our sport. The deep southern rivalries, The Game up north, Enter Sandman, there is just no sport quite like it.

College football is spoiled with so many great traditions, but just like on the field, the Alabama Crimson Tide takes the crown for the best tradition in football with Sweet Home Alabama according to 247 Sports. They justify their ranking by saying, “Inside Bryant-Denny Stadium, the speakers crank out the song and all 100,000 fans in attendance sing out the lyrics to the song. It is rather simple but something that gives you chills if you are lucky enough to be a part of the tradition.”

For all of us who have been lucky enough to be inside Bryant-Denny on a fall Saturday, you must admit there is nothing quite like it. Even if you’re not a Tide fan. The mystique and dominance of Nick Saban paired with one of the best environments in college football make for a magical afternoon.

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See It: Ed Orgeron pumps up Notre Dame team before Stanford game

Geaux Ti-guhs? More like Go Irish

One of the first things [autotag]Marcus Freeman[/autotag] did after being named head coach at Notre Dame was bring back the traditional player walk from the Sacred Heart Basilica to the stadium before each home game.  Players walked across part of campus during Brian Kelly’s time but attended mass the night before.

It’s safe to say that has been a hit with the Notre Dame community so far this year and before the Irish kicked off against Stanford on Saturday night, there was a recognizable face for any college football fan wishing the Irish well.

Does he have Notre Dame connections?  He spoke to the team during spring practice but is best known for his time at LSU.

Yes, we’re talking about former LSU head coach [autotag]Ed Orgeron[/autotag] who was seen pumping up the players as they made the walk before the game.

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Marcus Freeman bringing back a Notre Dame game day tradition

Happy to see this returning to game day?

When [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] took over as Notre Dame’s head coach he changed a few things on how game day went to on campus.  For one, players no longer attended mass before the game and walked across campus to the stadium, instead they attended mass the evening before and had all of their energies focused on the game on hand come Saturday.

It should be noted that players did a walk on game day, just that it was done a little differently through the library (Touchdown Jesus) to the stadium.

[autotag]Marcus Freeman[/autotag] met the media for his weekly spring practice availability on Saturday and let it be known that the tradition of attending mass and doing the walk through campus is making a return, something he was actually surprised wasn’t taking place when he arrived this past year.

For those who enjoy college football traditions (myself included here) its met with happiness.  Now does it give Notre Dame a better chance of winning a given game is another question, one that a player who played under both the Charlie Weis and Brian Kelly regimes offered his answer to Saturday night.

Toma played at Notre Dame from 2009-2012 (was the hero in surviving a scare from Purdue in the 2012 home opener) and is certainly more qualified to offer an opinion on how it effects the preparation and ultimately the outcome of a game more than I ever could.

Personally I’m a fan of the move like I said above but am left a bit more curious what others who have made that walk would say about it after reading Toma’s thoughts.

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Purdue to be without their big drum for Notre Dame game

Awesome or awful?

When Purdue travels to Notre Dame Saturday for their first game inside Notre Dame Stadium in nine years they’ll be doing so without their massive drum. It will be the first time Purdue’s drum will miss a performance since 1979.

How awful.

According to Gregg Doyle of the Indianapolis Star, Notre Dame will not let Purdue’s band access to the main tunnel and the drum is too large to fit in the visitors tunnel.

Good for Notre Dame.

Is it the ultimate level of petty?  If not it’s close but regardless I’m all for it.

Ushers are overly friendly at Notre Dame Stadium and give each visitor the “Welcome to Notre Dame” but I’ve long been tired of the lack of a home field advantage the stadium seemed to create.  For being an iconic venue Notre Dame’s home turf long provided a minimal home field advantage.

That was the case when Purdue last visited the stadium in 2012 but with renovations the entire feel of a Notre Dame home game has changed. There’s a video board and actual sound system and the hosts stick the opposing band up in an upper corner to have less of an affect.  I’m for all of it and using the fancy sound system to drown out the opposing band whenever they do play in-game.

Do you want a real home field advantage or do you want a happy-go-lucky sight seeing tour?

I’m not crazy enough to think the drum makes any sort of difference for the engagement of the guests but I’m all for the recent trend to not cater to opponents at every turn.  This falls right into that.

On top of all this can we agree that the giant drum is actually pretty dull?

In terms of coolest college football traditions the drum has to rank somewhere in the mid-200’s at best.  Seeing it essentially brings the equal level of unsatisfied you felt if you ever stood in line to see the Liberty Bell in person.

All that hype and wait for this?

Sorry you don’t get to bang your drum this weekend, Purdue.  

Actually, not really.

Related:

Notre Dame and Purdue set to renew rivalry: 5 things to know

Notre Dame tweaks depth chart ahead of Purdue game

Ranking the 10 best jobs in college football

Watch: Notre Dame freshmen butcher fight song

Be honest: do you know all the words?

It’s the most iconic fight song in all of college sports that most recognize after hearing the first couple of bars.

But what about the words?

Junior defensive back Litchfield Ajavon took fans behind the scenes a bit as he recently asked Notre Dame freshmen enrollees to sing the words to the Victory March and it went even more horribly than you would probably expect.

Take a look at the video below that includes an appearance from a certain former Notre Dame quarterback turned Notre Dame assistant coach:

There are some (cough, my sister, cough) that will get more upset that players don’t know the words to the fight song than they got when Notre Dame was blitzed by Michigan in 2019.

Would it be cool if every player knew the words perfectly before they stepped foot on campus?  Sure, but if they don’t it’s going to take a lot of convincing for me to think that has any real impact on if the Irish go 12-0 this regular season or if they go 3-9.

Related:

Notre Dame’s preseason rankings under Brian Kelly

Notre Dame’s 2021 football schedule

Notre Dame Football: An Announcement Involving “The Shirt”

This year however things will be a bit different in regards to “The Shirt” being unveiled.

There are a ton of things that make college football great. Tradition is among the top and each football program and school of fans have their own.

From a far a t-shirt might not seem like a lot but at Notre Dame, “The Shirt” has grown to be as much of a part of the tradition as the 1812 Overture is before the fourth quarter.

This year however things will be a bit different in regards to “The Shirt” being unveiled.

It doesn’t seem very important in the wake of Coronavirus crippling the world and seemingly putting everything on hold but it’s another custom we’ve grown used to that will he done a bit differently this season.

If you are interested in learning more about the history of “The Shirt” or are curious what previous “The Shirts” looked like, check out what Notre Dame’s official webpage has put together for it.