Legit FANDOM question, if you are diehard but didn't attend UCONN

[Pudge]

As we saw at the University of North Carolina, the class attendance and rigor of the classwork still gets you a degree ... and enrollment? Check the stats: some of these name schools take 80%+ of applications.

 

[Ed Cheatem]

Glad to hear that cause I went to CCSU. But I bleed blue. My 1st memory of Uconn one name comes to mind Eric Dempier I remember watching the game and we couldn't stop that bum. Been hooked since...

 

[MattMang23]

I don't care where anyone went to school, as long as they love the Huskies.

Plus, if you're a Connecticut resident, you can't not support UConn. Your tax dollars support our teams

And if you're a Connecticut resident and don't like UConn... well... thanks for your contributions.

 

[EdgewoodNHV]

I grew up in Coventry and would've been a UConn die hard no matter where I went to school. The fact that I attended New England's best public university is only icing on the cake. But anybody who would turn away a loyal fan cause they didn't attend the right school is an idiot.

Unless you went to BC, of course.

(Kidding. Mostly.)

 

[TheRogers]

Bank Shot, The Rogers endorses you as a fan......

 

[Double]

My parents met at UConn and I became a fan the day I was born. I was fortunate enough to play D3 baseball in college yet my support for the Huskies never waivered. Now, as a grad student, I can't tell you how proud I am that I will receive a degree from THE University of Connecticut.

 

[falkenschloss]

I was all set to attend UConn back in 1981, but I had to accept a better scholarship offer at another Connecticut college. My sister was a member of the UConn marching band, so our whole family has been following UConn teams since the late 70’s. When I think of those days, I remember Corny Thompson and Chuck Aleksinas, in particular. Some favorite memories of my early fandom include the cheers from those days. One, in particular, has come to mind often this year. Anyone else remember the cheers from the Walt Nadzak football era? It reminds me of the basketball team’s Senhor: Go Nad! Go Nad! Go Nadzak!

Obviously, there’s a long tradition of creativity from the fans of UConn.

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

You could argue that someone who didn't go to UConn is actually a bigger fan. Let's face it...if you went to UConn you really didn't have a choice but to be a Husky fan. But...if you didn't go there....you had choices....and you chose to follow UConn. That is real fandom.

 

[Horatio]

I went to One of the satellite state universities but I visited Uconn often. Hell, I was on the campus watching the game when Tate hit the shot vs Clemson and I once played jv football against Scott Burrell . So in my twisted mind I was a honorary Uconn Student.

 

[Swflhusky]

Grew up in Manchester, CT. & my wife in MI. We didn't attend UConn. We have followed UConn since the Dream Season & now live in FL. Our granddaughter will be graduating from UConn this May.

 

[Palatine]

UConn is the state university. I attended as did most of my family. But we have lots of friends who are UConn fans who didn't go to Storrs. I don't think anybody really cares about that. I think if you're from Connecticut or even New England you have a natural affinity for the school.

 

[alfonse]

Grew up in CT, do not like the state, love Uconn though. My dad played for them in the early 60's. Between that, and the fact that many friends attended the school leading me to spend lots of time there and attending two games in the student section in the 90's I became a huge fan. I love skiing and mountains and snow so I went up north to Vermont.....

Also my buddy got Syracuse Uconn tickets in their first championship year. I sat in the Syracuse student section and watch Uconn embarrass them in the dome, awesome! I knew how good rip and el amin where but I was amazed at how athletic Ricky Moore was. Anyway, GO HUSKIES!

 

[Kitaman]

You would (maybe not) be surprised how admired UConn is outside of CT. People may not admit they are a fan, but they enjoyed watching Rip, Emeka, Walker, Bazz and all the other stars. They will watch us play whenever we are on TV (hence admire) even though they root for other teams.

As for me I did not go to UConn, but I followed Chris Smith's career after he graduated. Seeing him in High School I knew that UConn would never be the same. I follow no other team and am quite dumb about non-league opponents and players.

I contribute, buy tickets, hoot/holler/scream and even wear the gear. I haven't taken the final leap in sporting a bumper sticker but I never liked stickers on my car.

I I were to rank UConn fans its the bumper sticker fans that are at the top in my book and I always tap my horn out and salute out of respect.

 

[Nnocu]

I'm just about the only person in my family who didn't attend UCONN.

 

[huskiesNhoos]

I was actually a uconn soccer fan which bled over to basketball. I moved to CT in mid 90s when I was little. Started playing soccer for south central in late 90s when my coach was an assistant at SCSU when they won NCs every other year. He then took an assistant job at uconn under ray Reid so I was on campus a lot for games (got to play on the field at halftime a few times) and soccer camp every summer. I always sucked at basketball but love watching so naturally became a uconn fan. Never went to school there though.

 

[Rondogg]

My Mom went to UConn hand had Corny Thompson in her class. She brought me to class one time. Thrill of a lifetime! Although I went to the U of South Carolina, my ultimate allegience is to UConn. Another huge moment was at a golf tournament in 2000 when Calhoun sat next to me to have lunch. Jeebus I could hardly swallow...

 

[Huskies4ever]

Glad to hear that cause I went to CCSU. But I bleed blue. My 1st memory of Uconn one name comes to mind Eric Dempier I remember watching the game and we couldn't stop that bum. Been hooked since...

I went to CCSU as well. Was there during the '99 championship game. My friends at the school ribbed me. They asked if I would root for UConn over CCSU.

"Hell, yeah," I replied. They're my number one love in all of sports.

 

[patrick]

Does it make you less of a fan?

See, I came from a blue collar family, I was the first to attend college, so I never had an allegiance to a university. As an upstate NY'r, who professionally was a Vikings/Reds fan (thanks dad!), I never cared for NY teams. At 12, I had a crush on girl named Calhoun, and at the same time, I started to see this cool sounding team called "UCONN" with a coach named "CALHOUN" and this slick stud of a ball player named "RAY ALLEN" and I was hooked. At 12,13, 14, I didn't watch as religiously as the following years, so I felt I missed out on how good those teams were, so I couldn't tell you of the 1994-1995-1996 teams, which one was better.

But I have been more than loyal since then, attending games all over, including UCONN, the GARDEN, Seton Hall, Louisville, and experienced the true anger and heartbreak of losses, 02 versus Maryland, 06 George Mason, the overnight marathon versus Cuse, and the road final four game versus Michigan State. I know what it is like to HATE Pitt, BC, Georgetown (and that stupid Hibbert 3 pointer in DC) along with lifelong disgust with Mason, Maryland, and obviously Duke.

With all this said, most of you attended the school and I didn't, do you still accept my fandom the same?

Omg!

You are the same as me!

Never attended college!

I am as big a UCONN fan as everybody on the yard but I don't give a damn if they accept me or not!

They ain't getting rid of me because I take the god damn stairs baby!

 

[Lefty2one]

As a kid growing up in southern CT UConn was simply another local sports team to root for along with the Yankees, Knicks and Jets. During my formative years it's not like I was able to differentiate pro from college sports that much. When you're eight years-old you don't think about things like "hmm, will it be weird to root for this team even though I won't go to school there in a decade?". UConn's players seemed just as old and adult-like as the Knick players. They were the local team and I loved them, end of story. Plus UConn tickets at the HCC were a hell of a lot cheaper than Knicks tickets so that's where my father took me.

As for college, I was lucky to get an athletic scholarship to another lowly school so that's where I went. I never considered attending UConn, I wanted a smaller school and my parents weren't thrilled with UConn's academic profile in the late 90's when I was looking at colleges.

Nowadays, in my 30's, I'm kind of a closet UConn fan. I don't flaunt my fanhood. I think I own one UConn hoody that I wear out of the house once a blue moon. I attend a game every three years or so (I've seen more UConn games at MSG than at Gampel and HCC combined) and I'm quiet and reserved at those games. But I still scream at the TV and get fired up during games when I'm watching at home.

 

[Waquoit]

You would (maybe not) be surprised how admired UConn is outside of CT.

To illustrate, we were in Napa last fall. The folks next to us at a tasting were lamenting how bad their football team was (Cal). I said you still could probably beat us. They asked what my team was and I said UConn, adding our men's basketball team is going to be good. The woman says, "They always are."