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CFB Hierarchy of Allegiance - do you agree with it?

Posted on 9/30/14 at 12:17 pm
Posted by Augustus
North Carolina
Member since Sep 2006
8290 posts
Posted on 9/30/14 at 12:17 pm
Interesting list. I think it's pretty spot-on for the most part.

Reddit link.

THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL HIERARCHY OF ALLEGIANCE:

How to choose who you should root for:

1. Your undergraduate alma mater - This should be the first and foremost team you root for, above all others. The only exception is if you attend/ed an institution that does not field a football team. Should that institution start up a football team, it automatically becomes your first team. It is your alma mater, for god's sake.

2. (really 1.5) Your employer
- If you currently work for an instutition that fields a football program, you may pull for them as much as you pull for your alma mater. You should especially support your employer while on campus in a professional capacity, or while attending your employer's sporting events. If it comes down to employer vs. alma mater, the proper course is to take a public stance of neutrality while privately rooting for your alma mater.

3. Your graduate school (if applicable) - If you attended grad school, you may root for them, but always behind your undergraduate program.

4. Your parents' alma mater or favorite team - This goes double if both parents attended the same college, as that institution is at least partially responsible for your very existence. If both parents pull for rival teams, call a family therapist. If your parents served in the military, you may put the relevant service academy here, even if your parents didn't actually go there.

5. Your spouse's alma mater or favorite team - Never go to bed angry.

6. Your siblings' or close friends' alma maters - That's almost as good as if you yourself attended, especially if they can hook you up with tickets.

7. The dominant football power in your area growing up/the underdog football power in your area growing up - This is basically cultural osmosis. You're from Michigan? You're gonna grow up with Michigan or Sparty. You just ARE. NOTE: If your alma mater is a direct rival of the dominant football power, you are required to side with your alma mater in any and all possible scenarios.

8. Service Academies/Perennial Underdogs - Some folks put the service academies around here as a show of patriotism or support for the military or whatever. That's cool, just be aware that the lion's share of the military doesn't give a wet fart about the service academies' football programs. Other folks put a consistent no-hope squad on their allegiance list. You can do that too, but it doesn't really count.

9. Whatever. - If you've made it this far down, you can basically put whoever you like here, as far as I'm concerned. Most decent folks will have no more than three teams they pull for.

AVOID: Ironic enjoyment - Pulling for a team as a joke. College football is not a joke.

AVOID: Bandwagoneering - Oregon, Bama, whoever's winning right now because you're a loser and you just latch on, remora-like, to the team most likely to make you feel like you matter.


REMEMBER: WHEN IN DOUBT, ALMA MATER ABOVE ALL OTHERS.
This post was edited on 9/30/14 at 1:21 pm
Posted by TreyAnastasio
Bitch I'm From Cleveland
Member since Dec 2010
46759 posts
Posted on 9/30/14 at 12:18 pm to
As a multifan I agree with said hierarchy
Posted by bamafan425
Jackson's Hole
Member since Jan 2009
25607 posts
Posted on 9/30/14 at 12:20 pm to
1. Bama - alma mater
2. Miss State - grad school/employer

Checks out for me.
Posted by Baloo
Formerly MDGeaux
Member since Sep 2003
49645 posts
Posted on 9/30/14 at 12:21 pm to
Great list. 1+4, 3, and 7 for me... and I root for them in that order:

LSU (alma mater + both parents)
Baylor (grad school)
Maryland (where I grew up)
Posted by WG_Dawg
Hoover
Member since Jun 2004
86619 posts
Posted on 9/30/14 at 12:21 pm to
Highly disagree.

Nobody in my family graduated from UGA, and only a couple even went there at all. Yet I started going to games at age 3 and by age 7 went to every home game every year. I've been raised a UGA fan since I could walk. I did end up going go UGA, but had I not gotten in and had to go elsewhere for education, I damn sure wouldn't have put that school above UGA. Ditto if I went somewhere for a graduate degree as well.
Posted by DestrehanTiger
Houston, TX by way of Louisiana
Member since Nov 2005
12515 posts
Posted on 9/30/14 at 12:23 pm to
LSU checks in at numbers 1, 3, 4, 6, and 7 for me. As for #5, Spouse Alma Mater, this works for appearances for me, but being married to an Aggie is getting tough not putting them at #9 for me. I have gotten good at fake cheering.
Posted by Buckeye Fan 19
Member since Dec 2007
36168 posts
Posted on 9/30/14 at 12:26 pm to
I think 7 should bump up to 4 (which would really make it No. 1 from your youth until 18 years old). Of course, it also could depend on where your parents graduate from. That could keep No. 4 ahead, if they went to a school with a top football program. I basically agree with the rest.
This post was edited on 9/30/14 at 12:27 pm
Posted by OBReb6
Memphissippi
Member since Jul 2010
37961 posts
Posted on 9/30/14 at 12:26 pm to
quote:

REMEMBER: WHEN IN DOUBT, ALMA MATER ABOVE ALL OTHERS.

Absolutely. Nothing worse than the douchers actively pulling for schools other than the one they attended
Posted by REG861
Ocelot, Iowa
Member since Oct 2011
36483 posts
Posted on 9/30/14 at 12:34 pm to
My alma mater is a D3 school. Not a chance. Looks like I'm on to 3/4 then!
Posted by Party At LSU
Baton Rouge
Member since Nov 2005
10697 posts
Posted on 9/30/14 at 12:35 pm to
LSU has or currently does represent numbers 1,2,3,5 and 6 for me. I suppose 7 also.

No question who I'm for.
Posted by LSUShock
Kansas
Member since Jun 2014
4926 posts
Posted on 9/30/14 at 12:36 pm to
I disagree, but I have a unique situation. I did everything in my power to attend LSU, but they couldn't fund an out of state transfer scholarship. Wasn't worth paying about $20k a year when I went to school for free. A degree from LSU doesn't hold that much weight. I bleed P&G. I've been going to games since I was 5 years old and will until the day I die. Some guys chart isn't going to change that.
Posted by CunningLinguist
Dallas, TX
Member since Mar 2006
18815 posts
Posted on 9/30/14 at 12:43 pm to
My grad school alma mater (FSU) is definitely higher on my list then my undergrad alma mater (LSU). Otherwise, I agree with that list of priorities
Posted by LL012697
Member since May 2013
3963 posts
Posted on 9/30/14 at 12:46 pm to
Makes sense, my alma mater was a small school with no football team so I defaulted to #3
Posted by BobRoss
Member since Jun 2014
1696 posts
Posted on 9/30/14 at 12:50 pm to
Fans that support a school they didn't graduate from will always be a tier below those who support their alma mater.
Posted by Bags of Milk
The Sunny Beaches of Canada
Member since Feb 2013
3327 posts
Posted on 9/30/14 at 1:02 pm to
Alma has 6 Conference Championships in a row

Unfortunately they don't play in the FBS, so I typically cheer for teams I have been able to see live.



Posted by floridatigah
FL
Member since Oct 2004
10395 posts
Posted on 9/30/14 at 1:08 pm to
It is amusing to me that people really get worked up about others fandom. I have 3 different schools I root for, each I have a connection to from a different point in my life. Never thought it was weird or gave much thought to it.
Posted by TN Bhoy
San Antonio, TX
Member since Apr 2010
60589 posts
Posted on 9/30/14 at 1:14 pm to
quote:

close friends' alma maters


quote:

The dominant football power in your area growing up/the underdog football power in your area growing up



Disagree with these.
Posted by moneyg
Member since Jun 2006
56939 posts
Posted on 9/30/14 at 1:14 pm to
Move 7 to 2 and then cut off everything after #3.

#8 exists but only in short term spurts. It really doesn't fall under allegiance.
Posted by Quidam65
Q Continuum
Member since Jun 2010
19324 posts
Posted on 9/30/14 at 1:21 pm to
OK following this list:

1. My alma mater (UT-Arlington) dropped football in 1985 and has no plans to bring it back (though we could have one heck of a home field with Jerryworld).
2. Since I work as a civilian DoD employee, does this automatically drop me to #8 on the list? If so, which service academy (since our agency serves all branches)?
3. I never went to grad school.
4. My mom grew up in Nazi Germany and my Dad dropped out in the 6th grade.
5. My SO went to Texas Woman's University. They don't play football either.
6. I'm an only child.
7. Since I made it this far I can pick A&M.
8. I'll stick with Florida Atlantic. After all their work has made it to two films (Dolphin Tale and Dolphin Tale 2).
Posted by TypoKnig
Member since Aug 2011
8928 posts
Posted on 9/30/14 at 1:23 pm to
LSU is 1-7 for me.

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