THE AMERICAN HOOLIGAN, Part 3: Texas, Oklahoma fans full of hate -- until the whistle blows

AMERICAN HOOLIGANS, Part 3: Texas, Oklahoma fans full of hate -- until the whistle blows

Friday, October 17, 2008

By Chad Conine

Tribune-Herald staff writer

DALLAS — Buoyed by their Longhorns’ victory — and maybe a little something extra — Jimmy McConn and Will Thurmond swam through the river of burnt orange and crimson and cream Saturday outside the Cotton Bowl.

McConn, wearing his Texas visor flipped upside down, chirped at passing Oklahoma fans with Thurmond at his shoulder for encouragement as they meandered between the concession stands and exhibits at the Texas State Fair.

'American Hooligan'

Tribune-Herald staff writer Chad Conine is touring the Big 12 South and beyond this fall to take a closer look at the battle between passion and sportsmanship, and to try and answer this question: Are college football fans becoming the American version of English soccer hooligans?

“I’m going to eat some chicken-fried bacon, talk to some OU fans and apologize that we had to send them home the way we did,” McConn said after fifth-ranked Texas upset No. 1 Oklahoma, 45-35. “We’ll tell them to get out of town. We’re going to enjoy it tonight.”

A movement to crack down on rude fan behavior has picked up momentum in recent years. Texas, Oklahoma and the Big 12 each have active sportsmanship campaigns.

However, some of the loudest fans at the Cotton Bowl — including some who seem to cross the line the schools and conference have set — don’t see what the fuss is about.

They say they’re having fun, and have their own standard: Leave it on the field. Any violent behavior is a rare exception.

“We hate them,” said OU student Marcus Graham. “We all hate each other and we all just get in each other’s faces and talk trash. But it’s not going to go any further than that.”

In fact, Horns fans like McConn and Thurmond, intent on rubbing salt in the Sooners’ wounds, appeared only in small pockets as more than 92,000 fans poured out of the Cotton Bowl and made their way toward the fair rides, games and exhibits — or to cars in the parking lot.

As the fans left the epic battle, the atmosphere was decidedly subdued.

“Oh, everybody’s wore out,” said OU fan Scott Millette. “An, 11 o’ clock kickoff? C’mon.”

The postgame mellow outside the Cotton Bowl followed hours of back and forth banter as the Horns and Sooners fans chided each other outside the stadium, in the concourse and, of course, in the stands.

The Red River Rivalry includes one of the most famous dividing lines in all of sports as the Cotton Bowl is divided for the game right down the 50-yard line. It’s as if Memorial Stadium in Austin is cut in half and transported to Dallas, then attached to the half of Memorial Stadium brought in from Norman, Okla.

When OU quarterback Sam Bradford threw a five-yard touchdown pass to Manuel Johnson in the first quarter, the red half erupted, while the burnt-orange half sat seemingly paralyzed. When UT’s Jordan Shipley returned a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter, well, vice versa.

Fervor where the line is drawn

Some of the fans on the front line that is the 50 revel in it.

“The dividing line is the best seat in the house,” said OU junior Travis Johnson, who watched the game from the 50 with Graham. “It’s pretty nasty. It’s insane and that’s what’s fun. That’s what brings you back every year.”

Texas fan Jack Brown, who graduated from UT in 1972, comes back every year, too. But he’s not so high on sitting right on the 50-yard line, where he reclined an hour before kickoff.

“I’ve got four seats here,” Brown said. “I gave the two closest to the Oklahoma fans to other people. I’d just as soon be on the 45.”

Oklahoma pharmacy student Caleb Meacham had a seat on the 45 on the Oklahoma side of the 50. And he likely appreciated a little distance from the UT nation, since his entire body and face were painted red and he donned a spiky black wig.

“It’s been pretty friendly,” the deceptively mild-mannered Meacham said. “We’ve been getting Texas fans taking pictures too. We’ll see how friendly it is after the game. I may get punched and get a black eye.”

Meacham said he enjoyed the compliments and wisecracks he heard on the way into the stadium and he pledged he wouldn’t be looking to stir up trouble after the game.

Oklahoma University pharmacy student Caleb Meachem was painted red and sported a spiky wig for the Red River Shootout in 2008. (Associated Press photo)

“I just like to have a good time,” Meacham said. “It’s all in good fun.”

Of course, there were flare-ups throughout the weekend — it’s sort of part of the tradition.

Oklahoma fan Greg Duke of Tulsa has been coming to the Red River game since he was an OU student in 1979. Like many fans who frequent the big weekend, he’s heard the verbal barbs flying through the years.

“I’ve never seen it come to blows,” Duke said. “But it’s been close, I’d say, probably on Friday night before the game because the alcohol is flowing.”

Brown and Duke typified the Horn and Sooner fans present in Dallas — longtime supporters of the teams that come for the football more than anything.

Still, Brown had seen first-hand that the other element was present. He recalled a Texas-OU weekend in the 1960s during which he said 1,200 fans were arrested. And on Saturday, somewhat to his surprise, he experienced animosity from a random Sooner after Brown had downplayed the nastiness of the rivalry.

“I was walking up the ramp and some guy that was still drunk from last night looked me straight in the eye,” said Brown, continuing the description by mouthing a profane two-word phrase. “I guess I’m wrong again.”

Brown kept walking on his way to the concession stand. Altercation avoided.

A bar fight that will live in infamy

But cooler heads don’t always prevail when it comes to the Horns versus the Sooners. The rivalry helped produce a harrowing incident in June of 2007 when Oklahoma fan Allen Michael Becket and Brian Thomas, a Texas fan, got into an argument at an Oklahoma City pub.

The fight started with trash talking because Thomas was wearing a Texas T-shirt, and ended with Thomas suffering a torn scrotal sack and exposed testicles.

Beckett, through his attorney, claimed he acted only in self defense. He’s set to stand trial for felony assault charges in December.

Nothing approaching that happened Saturday.

A few Horn fans got a fast start on a year’s worth of bragging rights. But the Sooners fans, with strength in numbers, for the most part ignored the occasional hooligan like an elephant paying no mind to an annoying mosquito.

“It’s the best place to be when you win,” Millette said, “and the worst place to be when you lose.

“But it goes back and forth every year.”

cconine@wacotrib.com

757-5711

'American Hooligan'

Commenting is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. M-F, except on Tuesday when it's open until 9 p.m.

Post a comment