Top College News Subscribe to the Newsletter

UCF fans had no respect at Liberty Bowl

Letter to the Editor

Published: Sunday, January 9, 2011

Updated: Sunday, January 9, 2011 20:01

As a UCF student who attended the Liberty Bowl, I was appalled with the behavior of the fanbase that attended the game. We as a University are attempting to gain respect in the college athletics world, and though we may be doing so on the field, the fans are doing us no good in the stands. The UCF band took the field first during the pregame festivities, and both sides of the stadium, UCF and Georgia fans, applauded them. 

However, as soon as the Georgia fan took the field, there were boos from the UCF section.  I have been to many college games in my life, and have never seen anything like that at any of them, especially a bowl game. 

Even at the Georgia-Florida game in Jacksonville, there are never boos like that.  The "classlessness" that was exhibited by the fans at the Liberty Bowl, on national television mind you, will not help our cause in joining a big name athletics conference.  The SEC and ACC would never take a school who's fans would embarass the entire conference by booing a band or yelling "F*** Georgia" as much as possible.

It would be one thing if it was a rivalry game that decided a conference championship, but a bowl game? Really?

I understand that this was UCF's first bowl victory, and it came over an SEC team, but that still gives no reason for the fans to act the way they did. It was totally disrespectful not only to the players on the field of the University of Georgia, but also to the students of that institution.

I can honestly say that as a student, I was embarassed to be representing UCF.  When I said something to another student, his response was "It's a bowl game. That's what you're supposed to do."

That's not what a bowl game is about.  A bowl game is about celebrating a successful season with one last game against a worthy opponent. Not to make an ass of your entire university on National TV. 

In my opinion, we better hope nobody from the Big East was paying any attention to the fans at that game, because if they were, I'd be very surprised if we get an invite to play any sports there.

Recommended: Articles that may interest you

13 comments

Aaron
Fri Jan 14 2011 15:07
I've noticed this trend throughout the last few years. I love the on-campus stadium. I love fans who get rowdy. But I hate fans who are ignorant, come off as unintelligent, and basically act classless to the opposing team.

The author of this article isn't telling the fans to just shut the hell up. But we are representing our university. And as emissaries (big word there, stay with me folks) of UCF we need to show that we receive the best education while watching the best team in Florida play football. The Knights dominated this season, and our players did most of the talking for us. But there is no reason to boo the opposing band. I've even heard fans at BHNS booing opposing players as they exited the field after an injury.

As has already been said by a few people, there's a huge difference between school pride and being a prick. Don't become UF or South Florida fans. We're so much better than that.

Anonymous
Thu Jan 13 2011 19:49
Being that UCF never fills it's stadium, I'm suprised you had any fans there at all
Anonymous
Thu Jan 13 2011 08:54
correction: fans weren't heckling each other
Anonymous
Thu Jan 13 2011 08:51
Have you ever played a sport? It's part of the game. If you did follow sports you would know that during a Florida/Georgia game fans fought and died. Did that happen during the bowl game? No. Nothing happened. After the game, fans were heckling each other. What happened at the bowl game stayed at the bowl game. There were no fights on Beale Street that night. So from now on what you should do is when you have an opinion about fans at a sporting event, keep your opinion to yourself.
pm01
Wed Jan 12 2011 19:36
Every fan base has it's crazy fans. Yes, some fan bases are better than others, but overall fans are pretty vocal when it comes to opposing teams. You use UF/UGA games as a standard? Really? Didn't someone die a few years ago from being attacked after the UF/UGA game? I've heard horror stories about UF home games... from UF students! If someone was physically harmed, that would be a different story. I doubt UCF fans hurt any UGA fans' feelings.
UCF fans everywhere
Tue Jan 11 2011 15:36
"In my opinion, we better hope nobody from the Big East was paying any attention to the fans at that game, because if they were, I'd be very surprised if we get an invite to play any sports there."

Please never have another opinion. You're not good at them.

annie
Tue Jan 11 2011 05:42
the letter author is likely a forlorn, tail-tucked scraggly little dawg.

fyi - i didn't boo the GA band at halftime, i booed the GA band when they played loudly during almost each and every UCF offensive huddle.

Anonymous
Mon Jan 10 2011 12:30
you really show how much you know in your letter to the editor. how much of the band's performances were shown on t.v.?
Anonymous
Mon Jan 10 2011 11:45
and I can honesty say as an alum from THE University of Central Florida I'm embarrased to have you as a student and hope you are not representing the new wave of fans at UCF. Be loud and be proud! If that involves booing the band, then so be it. If it involves grilling bulldog during tailgates, so be it. It's college football and UCF has extremely passionate fans. If you don't like it, you should watch the games at home because we don't want you out there bringing us down. GO KNIGHTS!! and great job this year in football and basketball, I believe Coach Rooney can keep up the winning trend in baseball.
Anonymous
Mon Jan 10 2011 09:03
LoL... all teams fans boo the opposition. Are you kidding me??? Also, lived in Jax my whole life except 5 years in Orlando at UCF. Been to MANY UGA/UF games in Jax and the fans at that game are BY FAR the rudest most hostile fans i have ever seen. Get a clue, kid.
Anonymous
Mon Jan 10 2011 01:37
There is a difference between loudly and energetically supporting your team and being obnoxious and immature. UCF does have a growing number of fans that feel getting heavily drunk and shouting drunken profanity is the "thing to do". While this group is still the minority, it is growing more and more each season.

I like to have a couple of drink with my family and friends while tailgating, but the alcohol consumption in the mall area is VERY heavy for many people. I have watched dozens of people so drunk, I have been afraid they would actually die of alcohol poisoning. UCF fans need to regulate themselves better otherwise President Hitt, Admiral Harms, and others will regulate everything for you. None of us want that.

Matt
Mon Jan 10 2011 01:19
You mean our fans have passion, are loud and when the enemy is around let them hear it? O gosh I can't believe we are starting to have fans. Ever been to an NFL game? The big east isn't going to deny us because a small percent of our fans booed the band. Your a joke go back to W.O.W please
Anonymous
Mon Jan 10 2011 00:20
I completely agree with this letter about UCF fans in general. While I can not say my actual position, I have represented the University in an important position and even in that capacity our fans would disrespect me. Even fans at other schools were no where near as disrespectful to us as our own fans were.




log out