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#1 | |||
Fan Forum Hero
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 53,512
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Texas Stereotypes & Friday Night Lights: What's True and What's False?
So....as I'm watching the previews for this new show, I can't help but wonder about all the stereotypes that must be forming in people's heads about Texas.
I grew up in a small town in Texas where people were crazy about football, but it wasn't to the extreme that some people think it is. Yes, our stands were full for home and away games. Yes, most locally owned businesses closed down with signs that said "See You At the Game," but our football players weren't worshipped, neither were cheerleaders. Coaches weren't our community leaders. Any other Texas posters who can shed some light on what their football experiences were like? Last edited by CourtneyS416; 08-26-2006 at 08:10 PM |
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#2 | |||
Elite Fan
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 26,650
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This is an interesting thread idea. I don't know anything about Texas I couldn't help clear up any stereotypes but I bet Val could. I know she went to school there for while.
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#3 | |||
Master Fan
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 19,998
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^^ Jess.. your post made me laugh for some reason. I'm .
Courtney, what an interesting idea for a thread. I did go to school in Texas for a year and a half, and from what I remember, football was a big thing, and it's just like you said, except for the signs and businesses shutting down. I lived in a big college town, there were three big colleges, and i think 3 or 4 5A high schools, which apparently are the biggest size school you can have. I don't remember the football players being worshipped, and definitely not the cheerleaders. No offense to any cheerleaders, but I think the cheerleaders at the university I attended didn't get much respect. But not from me of course.. I didn't care for the football players, the cheerleaders, or really any other sport too much except for softball since that was my main reason for going to Texas in the first place, and basketball because I'd made a few friends on their team. Other than that, the football players and baseball players walked around like they should be worshipped, but they weren't getting that from me. whew.. |
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#4 | |||
Elite Fan
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 26,650
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Let's see if I can think of some stereotypes that you guys can disapprove or prove:
Pick-up trucks Country music Line dancing Country Fairs ummm idk i'll try to think of more __________________
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#5 | |||
Moderator Support Team
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I grew up in Texas and I definitely agree football is huge there.
I grew up in Houston though which is a very large city so businesses and stuff certainly didn't close down for games. But, it was huge. The football programs in the highschools were bigger than any other sports for sure......definitely got the most funding/money. They also had the most people come to see the games. Never had those kind of turnouts at other sports events for the most part. Pick-up trucks are huge there. Country music and line dancing.............those have a big following in Texas but there's all the other stuff (music and dance) as well. __________________
~Mel
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#6 | |||
Elite Fan
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 26,650
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What about the saying "Everything's bigger in Texas" ... what exactly does that refer to
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#8 | |||
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Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 57,360
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That is so funnY!! It applies to everything, but yet i'm sure every state has a big something. Sometimes it's used for food. I've seen teh biggest buffets, the biggest burgers, the biggest anything be used to go with that saying. In one small town, they have a strawberry festival and they have a HUGE strawberry, saying the biggest strawberry because Texas has everything big.
Trucks are big there too. Country dancing is big. I did it religiously for a few years, but most people in Texas don't line dance to every song. Actually, I hate linedancing. I'd rather do the Texas 2 step which is a lot of fun. In football, imo, on the high school level, unless you're from a small town, it's not that big of a deal. Yeah, people go to the games and your community might know who you are, but overall the city doesn't. Now, on the college level, it can get HUGE. With UT in Austin, I can tell you for sure, the coach there is a hero/celebrity and the stadium is named after the coach from the 60's/70's that gave us our last national championship. Yeah, it took that long. But I don't think it's any different from any other state. Is anyone watching that show on MTV? I think that's what FNL will be more like. Small town football like the movie. __________________
icon by jess |
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#9 | |||
Elite Fan
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 26,650
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I haven't been watching that show on MTV. I've heard of it by they don't rerun it over and over again like that do with most of their shows
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#10 | |||
Master Fan
Joined: Nov 2004
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I don't know what show on MTV you're talking about, I hardly ever watch MTV except for the Video shows.
The part of Texas I lived in sounds a lot like the Texas that you described Stacy. As much as I hated living there at first, I actually started to really like it there. |
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#11 | |||
Part-Time Fan
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 105
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Back to the "big in Texas" discussion real quick: my town is the home of the world's largest pecan.
As for football..it's HUGE here. I just came from the Homecoming game and it was really really packed. Then again, every home game is. I wouldn't say that the football players are worshiped, but they're certainly very well liked. I know the names of every guy on the team, and their moms. __________________
"Know that your potential is so much greater than you can even comprehend." --Nicholas J. Jonas |
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#12 | |||
Dedicated Fan
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 766
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stacy- where do you live in texas because i live in alamo heights which is like a small town in san antonio and both of my parents when to UT austin and we go up to austin alot and random fact i dont know if yall know but Friday Night Lights is filmed at austin westlake! which but the way i know people who go there its pretty exciting i love texas!!
we do pray before games ! our coaches are pretty personable i think they would definatly have half of the team and cheerleaders and others at the hospital if some one got hurt like that. and as cliche as this sounds our captins and stars do date cheerleaders !! the little stores and resturants in our community do have support signs in their windows and stores! Its cute! we also have rivals and the spirt and competion is pretty intense like you see on tv! as for college football i am going to the Ut vs. baylor game next weekend i am pretty siked i love UT football games! since baylor is a big 12 college in a small town its true the town does shut down for games and the town is very proud of the team and have flags, banners, signs in their stores also they have tons of spirt and are verry very personable also they have the baylor line which is consist of freshman and they get to run out on the feild before the game its really cool! __________________
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#13 | |||
Obsessed Fan
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 5,175
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Wow - so here in West Texas thats pretty much how it does down. It's exxagerating some but not much. Its a sad sad world I live in... haha =)
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#14 | |||
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Quote:
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#15 | |||
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Quote:
We averaged about 90,000 people at home games. Students didn't sit down during games. We only sat when the visitors' band was playing. Friday nights at midnite, everyone was supposed to be at a Midnite Yell Practice which was like our pep rally. We didn't have cheerleaders. We have male yell leaders, only 5. And they are elected during our campus election. This is our stadium: Our mascot is a dog and any previous mascots that have died are buried just outside the stadium and they have their own score box. Up until about 7 years ago, we had this huge tradition called Bonfire. All during the fall semester students on our campus would be this huge bonfire. And it would be done the week before we played the University of Texas (a huge rivalry). It'd be lit and we'd have a Yell Practice there. However, about 7 years ago, the tradition ended because one night the bonfire collapsed and killed 12 students. We were crazy into football in college. Just not that big in high school. |
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