What can make a clutch free throw by Chris Duhon annoying, a 60-yard pass from Rich Gannon unfortunate and an overtime win from the Fighting Illini detestable? Answer: their obnoxious fan bases.
For a long time now, people have hated teams due to the behavior of their fans. The one redeeming quality of many detested audiences, though, is they don't give themselves stupid nicknames. Here is a list of the most irksome fanbase themes on the college and pro levels:
\Cameron Crazies""--This unamusing, irritable bunch of fans make watching an otherwise entertaining Duke game very trying. Nothing is right about these tools, from their Hamburglar-esque outfits to their unoriginal cheers.
""The Orange Crush""--The Orange Crush is a great community service organization, but they look ridiculous in a basketball arena. The fact that Illinois faithful consider themselves among the elite is laughable. In reality, Illinois' student section is only an orange shirt away from being as heartless as Michigan's.
""The Dawg Pound""--Cleveland Browns fans are ardent supporters of their beloved football franchise, making it all the more shameful that the Dawg Pound, an exclusive sect of Cleveland's undesirables, represents them. This group of Cleveland fans looks like the kids on Halloween whose parents didn't help them with a costume. Besides donning a look that clearly doesn't utilize the imagination, this crowd misdirects its rage more than Tim Couch misdirects his passes.
""The Black Hole""--Why are these guys considered badass? Raider Nation has simply copied early 1990s World Wrestling Federation en route to becoming one of the most overrated crowds in the NFL. The delivery boy from the recent Pizza Hut commercial is the only person who has been intimidated by this faction.
Herein lies a lesson for Wisconsin's ""Grateful Red."" Madison features one of the most driven and spirited fanbases in the country and will only hurt itself by attaching a not-so-clever name to it. Sections M to P in football do not need nicknames and their basketball counterpart does not either.
Cities and universities make names for themselves and are respected for a plethora of reasons: Green Bay for its unwavering loyalty, Notre Dame for its spirit, Philadelphia for its malice, etc. Dominant fanbases are composed of die-hard supporters who make it difficult for the opposition by unnerving them from beginning to end. None of this can be duplicated through an absurd nickname, nor should such an attempt be made.
