While parked in front of the television this weekend watching the Women’s College World Series, I came to realize something that Oregon State is missing, a cool hand gesture or a saying that is recognized as Oregon State.
I think I first noticed this while watching an University of Florida gymnastics meet on the tube, earlier in the year. Everyone knows about the Gator “Chomp” and anyone who has seen the Gators on the floor exercise really knows about the “Chomp.” During each routine on the floor the “Chomp” is choreographed in and is a uniting theme for the team and fans.
The “Chomp” is very well recognized across the country and was out in full effect in Oklahoma City. The Gator “Chomp” originated on the Gainesville campus in a 1981 football game against Maryland. The “Chomp” is a movement meant to symbolize the snap of an alligator’s mouth.
In the Pac-10 Arizona State has it’s own pitchfork hand gesture, which is formed by using the index, middle and pinkie fingers held up and split apart forming a trident. One can watch the dugout of the Sun Devil softball team for just a little bit and will be certain to see the trident.
Four of the big universities in Texas have gestures as well; better yet they both have sayings to go along with the gestures. University of Texas fans throw up the horns, a fist with the pinky and index fingers extended, at events telling their team to “Hook’em Horns!”
The horns were introduced in 1955 by the newest student body elected, head cheerleader. It is said that the idea for the horns came about through shadow puppets on the wall of the Texas Union (UT’s version of the MU), and was put into action to counter with Texas A&M’s “Gig’em” symbol. The symbol may have hit national prominence when in 1973 Sports Illustrated displayed a hand with the horns up, on the cover of their college football preview, with Texas ranked No. 1.
The Red Raiders of Texas Tech decided they wished to counter the “Hook’em Horns” with a gesture of their own. In 1961 “guns up” was born. The hand gesture is easy to make and figure out based on its title. By closing ones hand and extending the index finger and thumb, a gun shape is formed and the Red Raiders hope to take down opponents.
Another Texas school, Baylor University has both a yell and a gesture like the other teams in the state. According to the Baylor athletic website, the cheer originated in 1960 by a yell leader at a Bears athletic event. The gesture known, as the “Bear Claw” is a claw formed by the hand of the participant. With the “Bear Claw” comes the exchange between yell leaders and fans of “Sic’em” answered with “Bears!”
The gesture and yell were used on and off throughout the years until Baylor introduced Grant Teaff as head football coach in 1972. Teaff decided that both the “Bear Claw” and “Sic’em Bears” were Baylor University, even going as far as having his players hold up the “Bear Claw” as opposed to their helmets during the playing of the school fight song.
Finally, Texas A&M is the home of “Gig’em, Aggies!” Though there are two stories for the origin of the gesture and yell, the traditional story (according to an Aggie Traditions website) began in 1930. It is said that a 1906 graduate of A&M delivered the yell of “Gig’em Aggies!” Referencing a fishing spear known as a gig. For emphasis the man threw up a “thumbs up” which connected with the yell became a mainstay for the Aggies. Because of this tradition I myself have now received a message with a different salutation then I am used to. For the first time in my life, I got a message from one of A&M’s softball players, using “Gig’em” as her salutation.
While hand gestures are not the rage of the Pac-10, I don’t see why Oregon State cannot come up with something eventually, with the same being said for a yell of our own. The Duck’s can “quack” all they want, but how can we respond? If anyone has ideas let me know, because all I’ve got is “Gnaw’em Beavs.”
how about the shocker? after all….we are the beavers.
Casey, I think the closest thing the Beavs have is the chainsaw. I’ve seen people in the stands at football games acting like they are cutting down a tree (this would be particularly appropriate vs. Stanford) with a chainsaw when the stadium speakers play the familiar chainsaw sound.
Go Beavs!
Casey, How about having all the student body stand, clasp their hands together over their heads, turn in small circles in different directions and simulate falling to at least the half way point at different times? (or some variation of this)
Victor, quite true. But to me the chainsaw never really made sense. Beavers don’t use chainsaws, they use their teeth. If we were the Lumberjacks like a Stephen F. Austin or Northern Arizona I would get it. I don’t know though.