The Mississippi State football team has Croom’s Maroons.
The women’s basketball team has Fanning’s Fanatics.
Then there’s the arguably most feared cheering section in the SEC, the infamous Rick’s Rowdies, and they are ready to reclaim their turf.
The Rowdies’ goal is to promote spirit, attendance and atmosphere at MSU men’s basketball games.
They start off all the cheers that make Humphrey Coliseum deafening to all comers, young and old.
They paved the way for the other cheering sections that wreak havoc at athletic events all season long.
Of course being the forefather of the other groups, Rick’s Rowdies is the largest cheering group, extending from the student section in Humphrey Coliseum.
The Rowdies have been a permanent mark in the history of the men’s basketball team since its inception.
They get tickets for the home games, make the trip to Oxford to terrorize the Rebels and even make road trips as far off as Auburn.
And they hope to continue the tradition of booing the visiting teams and “left, righting” them off the court when they foul out, drowning out the voice of the PA announcer.
The Rowdies make a serious impact at home games, adding more pressure to opposing teams when they enter the toughest arena to play in outside of Lexington, Ky.
Dating back to the 1998-99 season when Stansbury took over the men’s program, the Bulldogs have gone 94-22 overall, and a large part of that has to do with Rick’s Rowdies.
The Rowdies bring a level of intensity to The Hump like never seen before, but sometimes that can be taken much too far.
In a preseason practice in 2004, former Bulldog standout and current Memphis Grizzly Lawrence Roberts took a hard fall just before the Rowdies entered The Hump.
Roberts lay on the floor for about 20 minutes and had to leave on a stretcher. Rumors started flying from the mouths of the MSU faithful.
It was said that Roberts had broken his neck and his head was hanging off the back of the board.
Now that’s what you call intensity.
The players definitely feed off that emotion they bring to games, especially junior center/forward Charles Rhodes.
“The Rick’s Rowdies are the main reason I am so pumped and excited out there,” Rhodes said. “I hope they give me more signs and keep showing the Feed the Beast poster.”
The president of the Rowdies this year is John Peters, a senior industrial engineering major.
Peters has a great vision for this season for the Rowdies and is hoping to see them blossom.
“We’re going to try to go to more away games,” he said. “We’re going to try to get more tickets and be more intense.”
Students get in for free, but Rick’s Rowdies extends beyond the student section.
Rick’s Rowdies has the luxury of cheering at another16 home games, tying last year’s school record for most home games in a season.
They welcome eight non-conference foes to start the season, with three straight to kick it off.
Ole Miss comes to town Jan. 10, and there is a Valentine’s Day showdown with former MSU point guard Gary Ervin and his Arkansas Razorbacks.
Rick’s Rowdies will definitely show him a lot of “love.”
The Rick’s Rowdies’ first meeting was this past Tuesday, and their next one will be Wednesday at 5 p.m.
To be a member, dues will have to be paid, and that will cover the Rick’s Rowdies’ T-shirts and other expenses.