I think the "T-shirt fan" is more an apt description of the casual, bandwagon fan, who goes to the store and buys some gear because a school is on a roll. They may not know ANY history or have any real connection to the school or team, but they wear the colors because "everyone else is wearing them."

There are other fans who, for one reason or another, absolutely LOVE their teams even though they have never...and may never...attend there. Notre Dame. The schools of the old Southwest Conference. Etc... These fans are what makes college athletics special. They are anything BUT casual.

I'd say it's perfectly nature and expected for a high percentage of P5 fans to be non-alumni than G5 just based on the flagship and high profile nature of many P5 programs. And that is fine with me.

I kind of think it is a little weird for people to be so invested in a school they didn't go to themselves, because I think rooting for the local P5 without some affiliation is the equivalent to rooting for the local AAA baseball team, because really arent P5s just the NFL and NBA minor leagues. Sure it's fun to go to games but who is emotionally attached to the Toledo Mud Hens or Tacoma Rainers?

But people certainly are and who am I to judge.

(12-27-2016 01:25 PM)Wilkie01 Wrote:  University of Louisville and University of Kentucky Alumni .

Divided mind.

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(12-27-2016 01:43 PM)fishpro1098 Wrote:  ...Philly ... cheese-steak nourished.

Mmmm...



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I'm a VT alumnus. My Dad went to Clemson. I pull for both.

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Earned one degree from JMU, another from Rutgers. Therefore, I am a fan of, and donor to, both.
My father went to Virginia, so I'll root for them, and against the Hokies (sorry Mark), too.

Third Generation ECU Pirate Graduate and Fan

ECU alum ....didn't even care about NCAA football till I went there. Most fun atmosphere of a game Ive been to.

(12-28-2016 06:11 AM)colohank Wrote:  Cincy alumnus and fan. I also wear UC t-shirts on occasion. Does that make me a dreaded t-shirt fan?

I'm so thoroughly a Bearcat that I refuse to root for my kids' alma maters (University of Colorado at Boulder, and Colorado State University).

Why? CU and CSU don't ever play against Cincinnati in any major sports, do they? So you could root for those teams without ever rooting against the Bearcats.

My kids aren't yet in college, but when they are, I'll have no trouble rooting for the teams of whatever school they attend (provided they don't go to Stanford).

As most of you know, Im a A&M fan through family (wife and all her family plus my brother are all grads) and a Frog fan by degree

But I think my case points something out.

I can answer just about any question regarding the school, it's history, athletics, traditions etc. I am friends with some BMAs (Big Money Ags) who know what's happening in the AD before most anyone else so I have a great feel for what's going on.

But on the other hand if you had those same questions about TCU I'd probably direct you to BigFrog or FIKS on here because even though I have a degree from TCU I simply am not as intimately familiar with its history and politics and culture the way I am with A&M.

Didn't go to Syracuse but family did and I grew up in area. My college was D-3 and cancelled football the year before I arrived. I played Rugby in college during the spring only so I could see Cuse play in the Fall.

I like shiny helmets

Went to a D3 school but father and sister went to Fresno State (all other family members went to Pac10 schools). When dad died fairly early started rooting for and talking Fresno with my sister. Now a bigger fan than she is.

I think your poll needs 3 levels: alum, family member an alum, or T shirt fan. I think schools pull not just alumni but other family members whose school either no longer has football or whose team plays at a D3 level.

It's why the exclusivity of the CA PAC12 is killing interest in CA. Not only do you lose alumni ties to the school but also any family ties.

Damn that poll closed fast. Alumni of Maryland and Towson University, and previous student at Western Kentucky University before that. Fan of the University of Louisville.

Alumnus, 2nd gen.

Bunch of sidewalkers in here.

Graduate of UAB, so that's how I became a fan. Love the Birmingham area, it's where I consider home. In my career field, I move around quite a bit, so I usually just cheer for the local college basketball team, since I can't go to UAB games anymore. Earlier this year, it was Tulsa, now its Dayton.