One of the best elements of athletics is by far the fans. The epitome of away games is the ruckus that the home team causes -- the distracting cheers, maximized volumes and intimidation they cause an athlete to feel as he or she sets foot in the town of the opposing team.
Heckling and being a part of student sections can be the most enjoyable part of sporting events because of the excitement, intensity and exhilaration of down-to-the-wire games. All teams have their own unique cheers and traditions, some of which are more effective than others. But there's one thing that all sports have in common: the heckler.
Probably the most visible heckler on a national spectrum is ESPN analyst Lee Corso. The star of "College GameDay," he debates with co-anchor Kirk Herbstreit the outcome of the major college football games of the day. Each man makes his picks on who will win the Top 25 games, and Corso often dons the headdress of his preferred team's mascot. He constantly taunts other teams for their vulnerabilities and weaknesses, causing fans to jeer when he criticizes their favorite team.
Hecklers aren't just individuals, though. One of the most recognized student sections in the country, Penn State University's fans partook in their first "whiteout" against Notre Dame this season. This consisted of multitudes of fans wearing white shirts, portraying a more united front and a very intimidating image for opposing teams. Beyond the student section, a large number of fans in the rest of the stadium participated, providing a stunning atmosphere as the whiteout encompassed a substantial portion of the 110,000-plus capacity Beaver Stadium, turning it into a "white house."
Other collegiate student sections have used this technique as well. The Mountaineer Maniacs of West Virginia University have a sea of gold in their student section, and football coach Rich Rodriguez called for a "gold rush" (in which all fans wear gold) against the University of Louisville on Nov. 8. University of Maryland's student section held a "blackout" when the Terrapins played WVU earlier this season.
Locally, the best heckler for any sport is definitely the West Virginia Power's Toast Man. A longtime fan dating back to the Charleston Wheelers era, Rod Blackstone has been heckling opposing South Atlantic teams since 1990. Win or lose, the Toast Man is dedicated to his local single-A baseball team, even traveling to away games with groups of fellow fans.
With cheers such as, "T-O-A-S-T, You are TOAST! You are TOAST! You are TOAST!" Blackstone is the most recognizable face of the Power. Appalachian Power Park even proudly displays a blow-up toaster atop the press box.
Many local high schools heckle each other with a variety of chants. These include widely used chants like "Scoreboard, scoreboard!" when the opposing team is trying to make a comeback and "Just like (insert sport here)," when the winning team has won games in other sports against its opponent. Teams will also chant "Our dad's your boss" if they are from a more wealthy section of the state or city than their opponent, and many have taken up WVU's first down cheer.
Some schools use other techniques besides cheers to heckle opposing teams. Occasionally media students will interview diehard fans on camera and use the footage to rile other teams and psych up their own student bodies. Also, some schools make t-shirts for games against big rivals.
Whether it's on the high school, collegiate or professional level, heckling can make or break a game for a team. When it comes down to the last seconds of the fourth quarter, second half or ninth inning, dedicated fans are vital for motivation and strength, so never underestimate the power of a heckler.