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Curious: how'd you earn your WYO fan card?

Well I was Born and raised in Casper. Went to NCHS high school. Both of my grandfathers were UW alumni and my father was also a UW alum. One of my grandfathers got offered scholarship's for both football and basketball to UW but he ended up going to WWII at the time. So the Brown and Gold was coursing thru my blood the minute I was born. There would be no hope for another school getting my allegiance. My destiny was already set before I came out of the womb .

I remember as a young toddler even back in the late 70's and as a young child in the early 80's when most of our basketball and football games were not on TV. We would either go to the game if it was possible at the time or my father and I would be huddled up next to the radio day and night whether it be playing Hawaii on the island with a starting time of 11pm Mountain time for a football or basketball game or it could be an early morning start somewhere and anything in between. We would make sure we turned it on not to miss any of the pregame. Hearing Larry Birleffi and then hearing Dave Walsh take over and being the legend he is for so many years. Some of the best times of my childhood were listening or watching Cowboys games with my Father and my Granddads. Hearing Dave Walsh make the call on the radio as we hit a last second shot to win a basketball game or Kick a field goal for the game winner and you would hear Dave's voice explode with his famous line "The score! OH! The score! " ..... My father and I would jump up and down as we won. Great memories for me.

Anytime we get a championship like we did with the basketball team this last March it makes me swell with pride and brings a tear to my eye. Will always and forever be a Cowboy.

Go Pokes!!!!!
 
Moved to Sheridan, WYO from Washington state when I was a sophomore in high school. I was very much still attached to everything Washington (Huskies, Seahawks, etc.) until September 1989, my senior year. Wyoming played Washington State and my dad and I made the road trip. Got up early and hit the road before dawn. Despite the close loss, I was hooked on the Pokes. It was a great crowd - we sat across from the student section and I thought how great it would be to be sitting over there. Immediately after the game made the long trek back to Sheridan knowing I'd be attending UW in a year.

While in school during the early nineties I can count on one hand the number of football and basketball games I missed. A few years after graduating I moved to Las Vegas. I don't get to see nearly as many games in person, but I try to make at least one home football game a year, plus I get to see the basketball at least twice a year here in Sin City, as well as a football game every other year or so.

Last year I packed my oldest daughter up and sent her to Laramie for her college experience. So far she loves it, and it makes me very proud that she has followed in her parents' footsteps.
 
Parents, 2 Aunts, an Uncle and 2 Cousins went to Wyoming before I attended from 09-13. Went to every Home football and 90% of the basketball games from 09-13. Came out for at least one game a year while growing up in Va. (born and raised on the brown and gold, had kids asking if Wyoming was a state in high school). During the New Mexico Bowl win was on the roof in a snow storm clearing of the satellite so the signal would come back in. Now I live in Billings and make it to at least 3 games a year. Classroom in Billings is decked out in Brown and Gold spreading the Wyoming pride.
 
DINO said:
Firstly thanks to RTJ for starting such a great thread.

Secondly, thanks to so many of you for writing such detailed and interesting stories as to how you came to Pokes fandom, I've really enjoyed the narratives and hope more are on the way.

This thread has the makings of a book!

Great stuff.
Click to expand...

I agree this has been fun, and made me look back and add some stuff, great stuff that memories are made!!!
Dino, miss ya at KRAE, lol
 
Born in Laramie and lived all over Wyoming (Douglas, Sheridan, Hanna, Big Piney) before going to school at UW. My dad graduated from UW and we always watched whatever televised events the Pokes played in (pretty rare in the 90s compared to today). What cemented me as a Pokes fan was in 3rd grade I got to introduce Joe Tiller to my elementary school during an assembly. Still have the football he autographed for me, even though the signature is now starting to fade. Going to high school in Big Piney cemented my hatred for byu, lots of smug byu fans in my high school and nothing was sweeter than beating them in 1999 and 2003, I wish I could've been at those games.

Once I graduated high school I, like a few others, joined Western Thunder at UW and got to travel to Las Vegas and watch the Pokes stun UCLA. What a great experience! After doing the whole marching band thing I joined and played electric bass in the pep-band for my final 3 years at UW and got went to just about every home Cowboys/Cowgirls game. There weren't many highlights in the McClain/Schroyer days, so the Women's NIT run and NCAA appearance both are my best UW basketball memories from college.

Now that I've moved on from Laramie I've had football season tickets since 09, and even while living in Utah would make 5 of 6 home games a year. Being in Colorado has allowed me to go to almost all of them now. Haven't missed a football home opener since 2004, and don't plan on missing any for the foreseeable future.

Go Pokes!
 
Born and raised in Riverton to a EWC and Wyoming graduate. Older brother and twin brother are also graduates of UW. Attended on a "Superior Student Scholarship" that covered tuition and room and board (not books).

First memories of football are the 1977 Fiesta Bowl team (and 1976 Broncos). Played basketball in high school, played in both the old fieldhouse and the Arena Auditorium at state tournaments. Fondly remember Tubs Bradley and attended when AJ, Mark Jackson, Fennis, and Eric (and friends with Tim, Jon, and the Big Lug) were there.

Off and on season ticket holder for football, depending on the schedule and whether I can make more than 1 game (I've been to 2/year for the past 5 years). Long time Cowboy Joe Club and UW Foundation donor.
 
Moved to Lander at the ripe old age of four months. Moved to Cheyenne after kindergarten. Went to UW games as a kid and fell in love with the Pokes. Graduated in 84 from UW. Been teaching in Phx ever since, and selling UW to Valley of the Sun kids for almost 30 years.
 
Although I had been to a lot of games before the 1989 Utah/Wyoming tilt, I think I truly earned my Wyoming Cowboys card that day.

Wyoming and Utah we're both struggling going into the game. Wyoming was 1-5. Utah was 2-4. We ended up beating Utah 45-24.

On our way out of Laramie, my high school buddies and I decided to get something to eat. We must have spent just the right amount of time in the restaurant. About 40 miles down I-80 we came up on the back of a big red bus that had Utah Utes painted all over it.

With a notebook, a marker, and some quick artistic work, I manufactured a sign that read:

"Wyo 1-5

45

Utah 2-4

24

Your magic undies didn't work today.

U Suck!"

When my tears of laughter finally dried out enough for me to see their reaction, I noticed every football player, cheerleader, coach, and even the bus driver was giving me the one finger salute. In fact, some of them we're even pounding on the window violently.

We slowed down and forced them to pass us holding up a new sign that read something like,

"Do your husbands play football too?"

I don't know how many signs we made or how many times we passed, but it sure was fun. The only reason we stopped is because the bus driver tried to run us down and force us off the road.
 
I was 22-months old when I was taken to my first Wyoming game. It was October 8, 1955 against the CSEwe Sheep. Unfortunately, Wyoming lost that game 14-13 -- no wonder I've hated them all my life! I'm a UW grad and a life-long Cowboys fan! This marks my 60th season as a Wyoming die-hard!
 
Born in Greybull, moved to Casper for Jr. high and high school. I really didn't follow the pokes or sports in general until I started at UW in the fall of '87. After that season I was hooked! I remember listening to them spoil BYU's homecoming on the radio and then beating them under the lights in Laramie the next year. Been waiting for another pair of seasons like that ever since.
 
The Virginian said:
I was 22-months old when I was taken to my first Wyoming game. It was October 8, 1955 against the CSEwe Sheep. Unfortunately, Wyoming lost that game 14-13 -- no wonder I've hated them all my life! I'm a UW grad and a life-long Cowboys fan! This marks my 60th season as a Wyoming die-hard!
Click to expand...

An historical tidbit: At the time, CSU was known as Colorado A & M and the team was known as the Aggies. The school changed its' name to Colorado State in 1957. This is also why the mascot is called Cam the Ram. Cam is short for Colorado A & M.
 
Craig Bohl made me a Wyoming fan

However 2 years ago when Wyoming Played at Nebraska. NDSU beat Kansas State the night before so our group of 4 went to the tailgate and game. We were welcomed with open arms by Wyoming crowd down in the corner and we had a blast as they almost brag Nebraska that day....... So that's when I first started rooting for them
 
lakesbison said:
Craig Bohl made me a Wyoming fan

However 2 years ago when Wyoming Played at Nebraska. NDSU beat Kansas State the night before so our group of 4 went to the tailgate and game. We were welcomed with open arms by Wyoming crowd down in the corner and we had a blast as they almost brag Nebraska that day....... So that's when I first started rooting for them
Click to expand...

We always have an open arm policy for defectors.

But what happens when Craig Bohl is someday no longer at Wyoming?
 
I was born in Gillette and grew up in Wheatland attending Poke games ever since I can remember. Football before there were any upper decks and b-ball in the field house. I was one sad kid when the Pokes lost to LSU in the Sugar Bowl. I always thought I would attend UW, but I am an alum of The University of North Dakota (long story). I feel no loyalty to UND except for during hockey season and even then I am still pissed that they are no longer the Fighting Sioux (the real Sioux suck for denying the mascot!) Spent most of my career in Casper, but if you are in the Oil & Gas business you have a good chance of ending up in Houston, which I did. I'd say I earned my card by attending the game against Utah in 2000 when the game was after dark in November and temps were below zero. There couldn't have been more than 200 in the stands that night.
 
Born and raised just outside of Wyo, near the black hills of SD. Have had loads of family and friends in Gillette, Sheridan, Buffalo, Sundance my whole life, so spent lots of time in Wyoming growing up and been a fan of the pokes since I was very young since several of the family followed them, as well as a local radio station out of Belle Fouche/Sundance carried most of the pokes games.
First member of my family to actually attend UW, from 05-08, met the girl who is now my wife of 8 years in Laramie, her family's from Riverton.
Some of the best friendships in my life were formed in the gem city, lived in white hall freshman year along with Brandon Ewing, Ike Okoye, Travis Nelson, Ryan Dermody, among others; also was a student manager for the basketball team at the end of the McClain era, beat several of the players on that team in an unnofficial 3 point contest after practice one day, but not gonna name names since I can't prove it :P. Was behind the camera when Brad Jones scored a career high 35 points against UAB.
I fell in love with UW basketball listening to Dave and Kevin as a kid, particularly the Bailey, Davis, Uche, Richardson, Straight group that beat Gonzaga. I think that was the first time I ever got goose bumps listening to a radio haha.
Back home running the farm in SD now, don't make it to many games in person anymore, but try to get to Vegas for the tourney as often as I can, as well as watching/listening to every single game I can get. Poke fan forever!
 
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