Ok Matlock... Bourbon St 1989 Sugar Bowl.. a 9yo Bama fan sees us dressed in our Nike issued sweats greating the crowds and says...."he y'all... if the Gators have the chomp, and the Noles have the Chop, what do you guy have..." We didn't have an answer except throw up a #1. Then the 1990 FSU game at the OB was the tipping point for the administration about the profanity from the students at the OB... it was also around the same time the pep band stopped playing "Yo Momma"...do you remember that one? So I came to practice and pitched the idea...some loved it, some hated it, some thought it was a UF/FSU rip off... so we tabled it. We as a squad started throwing it at the 1990 Cotton Bowl (we all had on receivers gloves because it was freezing. A few of us threw up the U - no band and I have a pic of us doing it. 1991 season I got the Imperial March idea from Arkansas who played it when we kicked their *** in Little Rock. I put both together along with the 3rd down idea to Connie and by the 1992 FSU game...it was formally introduced with the band on 3rd downs to the imperial march...fully endorsed by the Athletic Dept.
Is that enough detail for you Kathy Bates?
Let me get this all straight.
First, you bring up the 1989 Sugar Bowl...why, I have no idea, but that's fine. I was just happy to buy the "**** Alabama" buttons on Bourbon Street.
Next, you DO acknowledge my long-time assertion that Tad Foote ("the administration") had an issue with student profanity and displays of the middle finger. How do I know that? Because Tad Foote had approached Student Government to complain and was asking our assistance to improve the behavior (even though two prior USBG presidents had been arrested at football games, in Joe Garcia and Bill Barzee).
Earlier, you claimed that it was Sam Jankovich as the driving force, so I'm glad you clarified the timeline, as Sam was interviewing for the New England Patriots job during the 1990 season and was no longer interested in dealing with UM student-section problems. It was Tad Foote, not Sam Jankovich, as I correctly said.
As for "Hey, Your Mama", of course I remember that. As I've stated, my roommate was in the Band of the Hour, so I knew the entire routine. And I won't question your 1991 Arkansas inspiration, I just know the Band of the Hour had played that song previously, as my roommate had already graduated by 1991.
I get it, you're upset about the original call-out. I can take responsibility for that, so long as you understand why people who were there before you were....are confused at how you got credit for things we did years earlier. Minor quibbles. But I'm also understanding and generous, so I'll give you credit for putting it all together. As I've said, traditions require repetition, and throwing up The U while playing the Imperial March is something that benefited from repetition, no matter when it all began.
Thank you for confirming what I've said for years, that Foote was ****ed off at the profanity of the student section and wanted us to do "something else" with our hands. Whether Foote's complaints motivated you personally, I have no idea, but you are indicating that the whole thing was a multi-year evolution among many people, so I won't single you out any longer. Honestly and sincerely, my apologies for the call-out.
