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The NFL may have better players, a sensible playoff system and flashier TV graphics, but the pros can’t compete with college football’s traditions. You’ve heard of Notre Dame’s painted helmets and dotting the “i” at OSU, but we found fourteen more traditions to test you.
First-place votes and a BCS championship berth are in order to anybody that gets 100 percent. Take the quiz, then let us know how you did.
We’ve been talking a lot about college football recently, first with David’s Fight Songs quiz, then in our weekly newsletter. But no discussion of collegiate athletics is complete without mentioning the marching band. Today, Steven Clontz kicks off a series of band-related stories with a look at pseudotrombones (either click here, or if you’re on the main page, just scroll down).
The reason for the 12th man listed on the football tradtions quiz is very inaccurate. This tradition was started in 1922 when Coach Bible called for E. King Gill, a member of the team who had not suited up, out of the stands to stand ready in case he was needed. Many of the players were hurt, and the coach wanted him to stand by if needed.
Now at Texas A&M, we have a walk-on player with the #12 for every kick off, and all Aggies stand for the game to be ready to go in if needed.
The tradition of the 12th man was NOT, as you incorrectly stated, because the school was ’short on athletes’.
–Kathy
posted by Kathy on 9-29-2007 at 9:17 pm
Kathy-
In cutting down that clue to make it fit, I did mislead a bit. I didn’t mean to make it sound like the school didn’t have enough athletes (I can’t imagine a Texas school in that situation, especially for football), but had meant just what you wrote.
Thanks for clarifying for everyone else!
By the way, that was one of my favorite traditions and stories I found when researching the quiz.
posted by InternJason on 9-30-2007 at 1:08 am
Woo! 100%. :)
posted by Wendy on 9-30-2007 at 11:27 am
Jason, Thanks for your friendly response! I just had to clarify the tradition for my own peace of mind.
Incedentally, Texas A&M was recently ranked #1 in Washington Monthly’s National Rankings that came out in September. I can’t help but mention that. :)
-Kathy
posted by Kathy on 9-30-2007 at 2:35 pm
Football IS a crazy tradition. Men dress up like space age gladiators and try to knock each other down and grab each others’ butts. While all this is happening, someone throws a misshapen ball and someone else tries to catch it.
They do this for five seconds at a time and in between they stand around for five minutes.
The people who come to watch tend to be even stranger and potentially more violent.
posted by Bassman on 10-1-2007 at 8:42 am
100%!
It look a little educated guessing–when I got down to K State’s 1969 tradition and USF’s Big Stick “tradition” I knew which was which because USF didn’t have a program in 1969. Other than that, they were easy for anyone who watches TV all day on Saturday.
By the way, Traveler doesn’t merely make an appearance at SC home games. He laps the field after every touchdown. Actually, since they removed the track in the 90’s he just runs down the home sideline and back. But most people know Traveler for lapping the field after USC TDs.
posted by ElephantAndCross on 10-1-2007 at 2:43 pm
This question is for Israel, not you, but I noticed there’s not a forum to comment on his fight songs quiz . . .
How can one have a college football quiz where 5 of the 10 teams are Big Ten (Eleven) schools? Add Notre Dame–which is also in the Big Ten, but pretends not to be–and you’ve got 6 out of 10. Two PAC-10 schools are included and one ACC school. There is not a single school included from the SEC, Big 12, or Big East. Sure there’s a lot of storied history surrounding the Big Ten, and they’ve got some great fight songs (Michigan and ND) but isn’t 60% just a little egregious?
posted by Kitsune on 10-1-2007 at 4:42 pm