Oregon Fans: Vulgar and Classless

Other schools in the Pac-10 really hate USC Football. As Trojans, we understand this and we embrace it, because we know that our success is what leads to hate. When a football program is at the top its game, as USC has been over the last few years, the hate will be magnified. It’s a good thing.

However, there are fans of Pac-10 schools whose level of hate (and stupidity) is perpetually at its maximum. We’ve mentioned Cal’s idiot fans before (we’ll get to them again next week.) Arizona State used to have a punk attitude toward USC – the result of an inferiority complex developed when the Sun Devils joined the Pac-10 in 1978 – until we put a recent beat-down win streak on them.

Of course, ugla is a separate issue, but it seems to me that Oregon has that “perfect” combination of factors that makes their hate unique. The Ducks football team has enjoyed some success at the national level recently, they’ve got the best owner in college sports, they train in state-of-the-art facilities, they wear the worst uniforms of all time … but they will always play second fiddle to USC.

We know it. They know it. And this leads to hate.

I know this because I’ve experienced this hate in person. Back in 1999, I was at the USC game in Eugene, Ore., when we lost in triple overtime after Carson Palmer broke his collarbone just before halftime.

After the game, instead of exchanging pleasantries – like most fans with class and an appreciation for an exciting game – nearly every Oregon fan we came across heading out of the stadium (and there were a lot of them) had something ugly to say … “Go home you f**kin’ losers!” … “I bet it feels like s**t to be wearing that USC jacket about now, huh?” … “USC can s**k my d**k!” (Note to our “anonymous” Domer friend: How’s that for “venom”?)

I’ll spare you the various versions of “USC sucks!” and the sophomoric condom lines, but needless to say there wasn’t a lot of class and sportsmanship in Eugene that night. I’m sure there are a few Duck fans who may justifiably take exception to this, but in my experience, Oregon has the most vulgar, low-rent fans in the Pac-10 … and that’s saying something with Cal in the conference.

As for football programs with tradition, heritage and class (not to mention multiple national championships and Heisman Trophies) we know there's only one of those in the Pac-10. Even Beano Cook, can't argue with that. Right, Beano? ...


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