(01-11-2014 09:04 AM)tigerjamesc Wrote:  The race excuse is too easy. I don't remember being called a thug in the Elliot Perry days or Penny days.

Memphis was called 'thugs' back day's of Horton, Bradley, Wright. You just haven't been around long enough.

(01-11-2014 10:14 AM)EarthBoundMisfit Wrote:  

(01-11-2014 09:04 AM)tigerjamesc Wrote:  The race excuse is too easy. I don't remember being called a thug in the Elliot Perry days or Penny days.

Finch didn't recruit players with as risky backgrounds either.
Compare Elliott & Penny to Sean Banks and Jeremy Hunt.

Exactly...I hate to say it, but it was somewhat earned for a period of time. Like I tell my kids, it's much easier to earn a bad reputation than get rid of one.

(01-11-2014 10:29 AM)midtowncowboy Wrote:  

(01-11-2014 09:04 AM)tigerjamesc Wrote:  The race excuse is too easy. I don't remember being called a thug in the Elliot Perry days or Penny days.

Memphis was called 'thugs' back day's of Horton, Bradley, Wright. You just haven't been around long enough.

Maybe...but was it earned then too? Certainly now, our guys have been great while here and this group doesn't deserve the lable, but I think it will shed over time. I like good team's fans hating us

(01-11-2014 12:19 AM)steves Wrote:  All of this from a bunch of Kentucky inbreds that play in an arena named after a bucket of chicken ... what do we care what they think. Seriously people.

Exactly. F-em, every last one of em.

new shirt for fans...

THUG THIS!!!

(01-11-2014 09:04 AM)tigerjamesc Wrote:  The race excuse is too easy. I don't remember being called a thug in the Elliot Perry days or Penny days.

No Internet then.

And if ever you can allow that race matters in something the thug stereotype aimed at Memphis is the time.

It started in the 90s after we beat UT, Arkansas and Ole Miss in various sports. It was usually accompanied by how much they hated the ghetto infested Memphis, while at the same time they were happy to come and party here at Memphis' finest hotels and restaurants.

That dude at u.a.b. got betched slapped!

(01-11-2014 06:03 AM)I_LUV_MEMPHISTIGERS Wrote:  

(01-10-2014 06:32 PM)cmt Wrote:  Its the same kind of cr@p with ***** ****. They know what gets under our skin and they use it.

There have been incidents and drug users and law breakers etc on every campus. We now have a coach who tries to not let those folks on our team.

Like the Pierre Niles incident.
The fans were the thugs. Just look at the picture.

http://media.commercialappeal.com/mca/co...wmem12.jpg

Classic...

- 14 middle fingers
- a girl with a painted black eye that dated Dozier,
- headlined sign designed to insult misspelled "MEMPIS,"
- guy dressed like prisoner in uniform sticking his finger in Niles' face screaming violently
in his face
- reports of all the drinks and bottles being thrown at the Tigers by the UAB fans

at the girl with the painted black eye.

Gotta admire their creativity.

(01-11-2014 11:15 AM)steves Wrote:  new shirt for fans...

THUG THIS!!!

With "Go fly a kite" on the back?

There was a pretty good fight at the old Field House with Loyola of Chicago vs MSU game.....not that any here can recall that....Jack Eaton went nuts.

Actually, I think Cincinnati and Xavier have an interesting THUG relationship that is much more pronounced than our situation. The original THUG thing on this thread related to Louisville and Memphis and I still stand with the Fred Horton chair incident AT FREEDOM HALL IN LOUISVILLE as being an incident that brought this situation to light as it relates to LOUISVILLE fans. Anyway, read this article and gain some insight on Cincy.

http://angrywhitedude.com/2011/12/tattoo...incinnati/

(01-11-2014 02:23 PM)DallasTiger Wrote:  Actually, I think Cincinnati and Xavier have an interesting THUG relationship that is much more pronounced than our situation. The original THUG thing on this thread related to Louisville and Memphis and I still stand with the Fred Horton chair incident AT FREEDOM HALL IN LOUISVILLE as being an incident that brought this situation to light as it relates to LOUISVILLE fans. Anyway, read this article and gain some insight on Cincy.

http://angrywhitedude.com/2011/12/tattoo...incinnati/

Horton went crazy for sure....and that's my #2 brawl ..... still the Field House fight with Loyola tops that.

(01-11-2014 02:23 PM)DallasTiger Wrote:  Actually, I think Cincinnati and Xavier have an interesting THUG relationship that is much more pronounced than our situation. The original THUG thing on this thread related to Louisville and Memphis and I still stand with the Fred Horton chair incident AT FREEDOM HALL IN LOUISVILLE as being an incident that brought this situation to light as it relates to LOUISVILLE fans. Anyway, read this article and gain some insight on Cincy.

http://angrywhitedude.com/2011/12/tattoo...incinnati/

Haha that web site is seriously called angrywhitedude.com? But thug isn't being used as a racial code word?

I think this action involving a Cincinnati player, was much much worse than the chair incident. Some of you may remember this one.



By Marie McCain
The Cincinnati Enquirer


Donald Little, the former University of Cincinnati basketball center, is scheduled to go to trial today on felonious assault and kidnapping charges in connection with an April attack on his roommate.

Authorities said Mr. Little, 23, had lost $2,500 and blamed Mr. Hodge.

According to Mr. Hodge's statements to police, Mr. Little hit him over the head with a whiskey bottle and punched and kicked him repeatedly. Then, police said, the basketball standout taped Mr. Hodge to a plastic lawn chair, threatened him with a knife and burned him repeatedly with a heated coat hanger.

The 6-foot-11-inch Mr. Little was removed from the basketball team after his April 11 indictment. He has since graduated from UC.

We had that rep in the 70s, of course so did lots of teams and players. John Gunn (God rest his soul) was smokin some good stuff back in the day. Larry Bush wasn't exactly a poster child for your "anti-thug" posters. I could go on and on but we earned a bit of a rep in the 70s. 80s too. All of it was not deserved but a great deal was. Finch was a good man and did what he could but was overwhelmed. Calipari had us pimpin in high cotton. CJP is the first coach really serious about cleaning up this program in my lifetime.

(01-10-2014 07:39 PM)roachman48 Wrote:  This is the way that I see it. ( I have been a tiger fan since we went to ncaa finals in '72).

The history of NCAA violations (especially the Kirk era) is a big part of our negative perception. This perception is one of paying players that are not students and athletes. Instead they were "boys from the hood" and athletes. they were not legitimate college students. Some of these players had minor or major police records and criminal backgrounds. The term for this type of player and bball program used to be "outlaw". Programs with a lot of outlaw players were outlaw programs. We definitely did some things that were consistent with an outlaw program. as most of you are aware, we have been hammered by NCAA for recruit violations. We deserved these penalties. BUT FOR SOME REASON, WE CAN NOT OVERCOME THIS NEGATIVE PERCEPTION despite the fact that there are countless programs which have also been guilty of blatant recruit violations.

Now, "outlaw" term which was used in 70s and 80s is substituted with "thug". Why is Memphis always perceived as the thug team? My only guess is race. (Interestingly, I am a white man who gets annoyed when things are blamed on racism). It is definitely significant that the 1 the city of Memphis has a large black population 2 Overall, NCAA bball players has a large percentage of black players. 3 the city of Memphis produces a lot of good HS/colege bball players. Most of these players are black. 4 Memphis is where MLK was shot.
IMHO, all of these factors might be why some love to hate us and label us the eternal'thug program'.

Interestingly, Cal brought in a few players with questionable backgrounds from an academic and character (criminal record) standpoint. He may have re-emphasized this thug perception with some of his players. But, his graduation rates were good/ above average. Kirk's grad rates were horrific.

In closing, I sincerely I hope that I have not offended any tiger fan with this post. I am a 47 yo man. I have been around the block. IMHO,1 most of us agree that thugs or people of low character can be black, white or any race. 2 F the haters who will not forgive us for our past. 3 I love all Tigers of all races.

go tigers!

Hey Roach, you're getting us confused with SEC football ...

I am 69 and have been going for more than 50 years, and this has been going forever. Most people just naturally hate the city of Memphis.

More of a slap against the city now. Cal's kids were always in trouble though.