Tradition

[wrj]

I asked this question in a smack thread, and dutifully included a smack comment. But, my curiosity is genuine, so I am bringing my question to a serious thread. I read most of the posts on this forum. My interest is genuine. My daughter is one of your nationally recognized honor alumni that are occasionally mentioned on this forum.

I read about many things here. A couple of them are people making fun of some SDSU traditions. (But tradition doesn't have to be conventional. That is one of the chacteritics of many traditions.) The other topic of which I am thinking is the complaints of too many empty seats at coyote athletic events.

Other than a homecoming celebration, which is common to most schools, what traditions and special events, if any, does USD have to stimulate and promote interest and attendance by alumni and potential fans of the coyotes?

[kiyoat]

Well I'll bite. Your original question was specific to athletic events, but your question here was less specific.

The Strollers and Swing-Out competitions are two traditions that are unique to USD. I have been involved with both, and they are a lot of fun. As an extension of this, the Greek system at USD is a significant part of USD's long history.

None of these activities are linked to athletics, though. You may have a good point, in that a relationship between the athletic department and the strong Greek system could be beneficial to both.

[wrj]

I have heard of Strollers, but never attended. I am not familiar with the other one that you mentioned. I hope you will tell us more.

Do these events reach beyond the university to new supporters, or are they mostly for students and recent alumni?

[sdyotefan]

THE University of South Dakota has a tradition in athletics of many firsts for the state of South Dakota!! A few are listed below in no order of importance:

FIRST to win a basketball national championship!

FIRST to win a college football ball playoff game!

FIRST and ONLY SD team to participate in a national football championship game!

FIRST and ONLY college FB team EVER IN HISTORY to have 5 100 yd rushers in the same game (an NCAA record}!

FIRST and ONLY Summit League team (despite being the newest) to win any national team championship!

FIRST SD football team to win a game against an FBS opponent!


(Other contributors feel free to add other accomplishments)

[kiyoat]

Both events are in the spring semester, and are essentially competitions between the Greek houses. There is also an independent, or non-Greek, team. They are nicknamed "GDI" or g@ddamn independents.

There is a separate Strollers organization that selects new members each year from all the houses (I think they have independent members, too). They are the ones that put the show on, and are the "masters of ceremonies " for the show. They do little skits and jokes between the shows.

The whole thing started in the 20's in a vaudevillian vein. It has always been a big deal on campus, but I'm not sure how alcohol-soaked it was in its early years. I'm pretty sure it has always been irreverent and raunchy, although there is also a "cleaner" version for parents night.

The main acts of the show are essentially mini-musicals, with acting, singing, dancing, stunts, and a backup live band. The casts put a lot of work into the show, and it's pretty entertaining.

[kiyoat]

Swing out is the lesser-known sibling of the Strollers show. It is a group singing competition between the houses.

USD has strong music, theatre and fine arts programs, so there are often some students in the Greek system with talents that support both the Strollers and Swingout events.

[Yote 53]

Yeah, Strollers has a strong tradition at USD and is a pretty big deal, Greek or non-Greek. It's founding is Greek but the event has transformed into a campus-wide event as even Independents (GDI) are involved now. Pretty big night downtown too. Used to be pretty raunchy and in your face too, has toned down a bit in recent years. If I remember correct there is an early show that is more PG and then a late one that is R rated now. Feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

[kiyoat]

There is quite a bit of competitive spirit between the fraternities and sororities at USD. Loyalties to, and promotion of, individual houses possibly is at the expense of university pride in it's athletic endeavors.

In my experience, I was more interested in wearing Greek symbols than USD gear. Perhaps combining the two would be productive?

[kiyoat]

I could see a Strollers-like event that "roasts" the coaches and administration. Could be a fund-raiser, too. Could involve the Strollers organization.

All of the Fraternities and Sororities host charitable events of some kind.  Bringing in some of the school's athletes to those events could be another way to "bridge the gap", so to speak.  Especially the events that involve children.  Local kids look up to the athletes.  I know the teams are often involved in charity work, but never in conjunction with fraternities and sororities, at least to my knowledge.  Although I do remember seeing a presentation of some kind by a sorority to the WBB team this Fall...

I could also see the Athletic Department reaching out to the Greek system to help fill the stands.  I know they already have done a lot with give-aways and free food.  If I were a recruiting chair of of the fraternities, having members in the stands sporting their greek letters (in red and white) would be beneficial for recruiting...

[kiyoat]

I think there is another student organization called the "Dakotans" that has a long history at USD, but I don't remember what they do. Perhaps plan D-Days events?

[gopheryote]

I think wrj is asking if we have any weird/bizarre traditions. A D-Days picture standing on a booth at Carey's is awesome, but not bizarre. Live pig auctions at a basketball game qualifies as bizarre in 2017.

[Yote 53]

Jan 23, 2017 9:57:09 GMT -6 kiyoat said:

I think there is another student organization called the "Dakotans" that has a long history at USD, but I don't remember what they do. Perhaps plan D-Days events?

I believe you are correct.

[wrj]

Jan 23, 2017 10:32:03 GMT -6 gopheryote said:

I think wrj is asking if we have any weird/bizarre traditions. A D-Days picture standing on a booth at Carey's is awesome, but not bizarre. Live pig auctions at a basketball game qualifies as bizarre in 2017.

I wasn't necessarily thinking bizarre, although they certainly can become that over time. I am sure that at least three of our biggest athletic traditions at State would now be considered bizarre by many but were quite ordinary at the time of their origins.

Now we have the equivalent of two homecoming weekends in football which is great for attendance. We have some special interest nights in basketball which is great for attendance.

We wouldn't need them if we sold out every game. But, we don't, so they are beneficial to our athletic programs, our university, and the business community in Brookings. Bizarre or not, traditions are not started one year and time honored by the time they come around the next year.

I wondered if USD is the beneficiary of any such athletic traditions, bizarre or not. Thank you to those who addressed my question.

[coyote70]

There were two traditions relating to football back in the 60s and early 70s that I remember.

The first was immediately after the football game with SD State wherein the student body president of the losing team had to take off their pants and present it to their counterpart at midfield. This was done in Vermillion, but don't know if that was done in Brookings.

The other was the Sitting Bull Trophy, which was presented to the winning football team after the annual game with UND. The trophy was a buffalo skull with the dates/scores painted on it.

Not sure when both traditions were discontinued.

Another tradition that continues to this day involves the consuming of alcoholic beverages before and after athletic games. In the interest of moderation, however, this applied only to football and basketball games, I believe.

[Yote 53]

The Sitting Bull Trophy was a carved wooden statue. I mean, I know we didn't win it too often but I did have the chance to party with the Chief once after we whipped the crap out of the Sioux in '95.

Pants game was going on back then too. Might have been discontinued when SDSU left the NCC. Don't know if that has resumed, don't really care because it was kind of stupid. It was less about the teams, players, and a trophy game and more about the two Student Associations.