Support surges
De-fense. Clap. Clap. De-fense. Stomp. Stomp.
Surges of spirit trademarked Humphrey Coliseum, sweeping across Mississippi State’s expansive campus and beyond this basketball season with the growth of second-year organization Rick’s Rowdies and the birth of Fanning’s Fanatics.
Such strong support seemed highly unlikely just four years ago.
“When I was a freshman it was very quiet in the Hump,” Rowdies leader and MSU senior Gordon Pace recalled. “It took a lot from the team to get fans fired up. Now, the fans try to get the team fired up.”
First-year coordinator of basketball operations Mark White helped facilitate the growth of the Rowdies and said he believes the spirit group will do nothing but continue to grow.
“When I got here I was told the number of Rowdies was in the hundreds,” White said. “Gordon (Pace) had upward of 300 by the end of the season. We are working to get recognized as a full-fledged campus organization by next season.”
Assistant athletic director Mike Richey, who runs the promotions for home basketball games, said he was pleased with the Fanatics’ progress.
“Coach Fanning wanted to build a good relationship with the students,” Richey said. “Student support is the key. If we get them involved while they’re here, they are more likely to be involved when they graduate. Students taking the initiative is what makes it so successful.”
The Lady Bulldogs broke their single game attendance record when 6,055 gathered when State hosted Louisiana State.
Going the distance
The support for the men’s team overwhelmed the boundaries of the MSU campus as students followed their Dawgs from New York to New Orleans in the pre-conference season and to a variety of Southeastern Conference campuses
Over 250 State students traveled to Alabama and, for all but the final six seconds of regulation, out-cheered Tide fans.
Sixty-seven Rowdies rode a bus that the Student Association was able to finance into Oxford, witnessed Derrick Zimmerman’s unforgettable sprint to the hoop and rode out of town victoriously, but not before many angered Rebel fans obscenely shouted and gestured to the Bulldog faithful. “Student Association President Parker Wiseman told me that he had the funds necessary so that we wouldn’t have to pay for the bus,” Pace said. “Thanks to the SA for helping the Rick’s Rowdies make the trip. This is the first time I’ve ever seen students go on an entire charter bus for a regular season game.”
The gestures and threats in Oxford did not hinder the willingness of Rowdies to keep traveling. At least 30 car-pooled to Georgia and Auburn.
Spring Break and the proximity of the SEC tournament enabled many who had followed their ‘Dawgs from day one to continue doing so in the Big Easy where pesky ushers and security guards could not hinder State students.
The SEC allotted 30 floor tickets to each participating school’s students for $10 for each session. Students waited for several hours each day that State played to get those tickets.
During the semifinals against LSU, security guards tried to tame the Dawgs by making them sit down.
“The usher came over and told us we had to sit down, and if I didn’t, he would have me thrown out,” senior Sarah McDonnell said. “I asked to talk to his supervisor.”
“I went over to try to calm the usher down,” junior Mariclaire Ingram recalled.
The SEC ruled that the students could stand for as long as they wanted.
N’Awlins natives George and Bryan Dunn were unable to stay away from the Superdome on the eve of the championship game with Kentucky, first arriving at 10 p.m. Saturday for Sunday’s noon tip-off.
“We left at 11:30 p.m. and went down to the Quarter with three Wildcats (fans),” the Dunn brothers recalled. “At 1:30 a.m., a security guard was speeding and almost hit us with his car. He said for us to come back at 7 a.m.”
Although the season was ended before anyone expected, White, Richey and Pace expect continued growth.
“The Rowdies get so much pub,” White said. “They have pictures on the ticket applications, in the media guides, and get a lot of media attention on TV games. Who doesn’t enjoy being on TV?”
“What we’d like to see is whole student section wearing the same shirts and doing the same cheers. We are gonna have two great teams next year.” Richey added.
“There are some very capable people to lead the Rowdies next year,” Pace said. “Looking at what we have coming back, it’s going to be really tough not being here next year.”
“I may come back and get another degree,” Pace added with a laugh.