I Became a Shocker Fan....

[Dan]

Started watching the shocker channel with my dad in the mtxe days. While AC and Cliff were the stars, I really liked Tony Martin. Started going to games with an uncle who was a student during the X/Aubrey years and into the Fogler era. Started at WSU Cohen's first year (maybe Fogler's last, can't remember). Went to every home game during the Cohen/Thompson years before I moved to Houston. Started reading Shockernet during the Smithson II years (remember OJ Robinson and Roosevelt Overstreet?, would love to see some of the debates from back then)I had to enjoy the turnaround from afar but manage to go to some away games and pre-season tourneys periodically. Have been going to Arch Madness since the Burns/Howard era, the first years we started winning a game in St. Louis. We've come a long way.

[forevershockerfan]

It was easy to become a forevershockerfan while watching Dave the Rave, Nate Bowman, J. Thompson, Kelly Pete, Warren Armstrong etc. as players and Ralph Miller could really move the X and O's and what a great recruiter he was!!! Since then, we have had awesome years with The Bookends and X-Man and our share of dismal years. I can watch other teams play all kinds of sports but never get near as up for any of that versus our beloved Shockers playing each and every game from way back then to today. Everybody that knows me in person would tell you the same thing about me because I am quite vocal about it no matter how good or bad we are playing on a given Season. Very few of them know I am FSF though and that is prolly smat. Muhahahahahaha!!!!! Even so, the Marshall Plan is very special and I hope we keep him as long as possible as our Coach. As we reflect over the past 5 Seasons, these Shocks are wining games, even on the road and breaking records that is every bit as impressive as other great moments in Shocker History. Now we have this fine Forum to express our thoughts and observations about the team we love. While most of us don't know each other here on SN in person through our Earthly trek, don't panic. We will know each other up yonder on the other side and I will find ya'll and continue to rap about our Shocks in the flesh? Never forget that forever last a very long time.Tsk, tsk, tsk!!!!!!!!!!! Last but not least, a special thanks to Play Angry about starting this creative thread. I had no idea we had such a young crowd on here. Yikes!!!!!!! Even so, it is a blessing to share our opinions and insights on SN. Thanks to each and every one of you.

[shocksrbest]

First exposure to Shocker hoops was when my folks watched the 1st WSU Final Four game on TV in 65' with Dave the Rave. I was very young and tried to stay awake...but was unable to. That set the stage for an avid interest in my Alma Mater's BB team for years to come

[JJClamdip]

As did I, although my family did not have season tickets so most of my watching was from games that were on TV. Not nearly as many opportunities as there are now but when the game was on TV it was usually one of the top if not top billed games of the week. Who can forget Dave the Rave's #1 Shockers vs Cazzie Russell's #2 Wolverines in Ann Arbor in December 1964. I was heartbroken when Cazzie hit that long, long jumper at the buzzer to beat the Shocks 87-85 in December 1964.

I made a few games in person here and there in those days including the Valley Championship playoff between Drake and the Shocks at the Phog in Lawrence in May 1963 for the right to represent the Valley in the NCAA Tournament. The Shocks won that game 58-50 and the stream of fans heading up the turnpike was impressive.

In any case, I was glued to the radio, or TV set when that was available, in those days and I can tell you Dave Stallworth played many a game on my backyard basketball court.

I vaguely remember my Grandad taking me to a couple of games at the Forum but I really wasn't a fan at that point. In fact, I don't even recall if that was the Shockers or the Vickers playing.

In any case, I have to agree with @JJClamdip that Dave the Rave was and is the greatest Shocker. A pretty common thought for those of us that grew up with the Stallworth-led Shockers and one that most of us will take to our graves.

I was at that game in Lawrence also, the one and only time I have been in that barn.

[BikeIdiot]

Fogler era. Became a Shocker in 1985. Actually played in pep band and marching band back when football was shut down.

[jcdshocker]

My first memory of a Shocker game was sitting in top row watching Kelly Pete drain shot after shot. Really became a fan when Cheese was a freshman. Favorite player in that era was Cal Bruton.

Of course the bookends clearly became my favorites as we led the nation in dunks! I wished I could have gone to New Orleans but had to watch it on TV.

Started at WSU in 81 with X and Aubrey. X was the man then. I remember getting a student and a guest ticket for my grandpa. He loved the Shockers too. I graduated in 85. Second generation Shocker and now I have two 3rd generation Shockers.

I have had season tickets since 86. Lots of good teams and not so good teams over the years. I have been fortunate enough to see almost every game in that 28 year span. I think I may have only missed about 10 games since having season tickets. I have been taking my boys since they were born. Now they rarely miss a game.

I have also been lucky enough to make road trips to Tulsa, KC, Manhattan, Lawrence, Normal, STL, NYC, Maui, Portland, Salt Lake City, LA and Atlanta.

Lots of fun over the years.

[ShockBand]

Fogler era for me, though I was watching games earlier in the 80s on TV. Got to go with the pep band on the NCAA trips in 87 and 88. That 87 trip for the pep band has so many yarns they now sound like tall tales. I will offer only the first yarn for now. The 1st/2nd round site for us was Chicago, at the then Rosemont Horizon. They took us up to KC by bus, then flew us to Chicago from there on Southwest. At that time, Southwest offered free alcohol on weekday flights. We drank the plane dry in that short one hour flight. That was just the beginning...

[SHOXAAC]

I was almost born into Shocker Nation. My mom and dad began as season ticket holders in 1965. I heard the great stories about the great games and players that graced the Forum prior to HLA. I erected a hoop made of a shoe box over my bedroom closet door when I was about 9 or 10 and played many a day and night of nerf basketball as Gus Grebe made the likes of Jim McCullough, Cal Bruton, Mike Edgar, Virgil Tucker, Doug Yoder, Vince Smith, Steve Shogren, Bob Wilson, Art Louvar, Terry Benton, Mike Karas, Neil Strom and many more come alive in my room as I relived the 100's of games I listened to.

I will never forget the day I truly became a die-hard Shocker fan. It was a home game vs. Drake. As Gus told the story during the waning seconds of the game. There were 3 second left, the Shockers led by one, Drake inbounded the ball and according to Gus the Drake player shot just after the buzzer. But wait (you'll never believe this) the referee counted the basket. Gus went nuts, the crowd was booing, the game was over with the visiting Bulldogs stealing a victory from the good guys. You would have thought my puppy had just ran away. I cried for 30 minutes until my parents got home. "But dad, Gus said the Drake player shot the ball after the buzzer...why did they count it? That's cheating. Why did they not change the call since Gus said the shot was late? Why dad, why?" I made a promise that day that win, lose or draw, I would be there for my Shockers forever. I am 53 years young and I have never failed to support my team since that impactful day all those years ago.

I still remember, as if it was yesterday, pretending to be Wild Bill Lang, Jim Givens, Dave Skinner, Mike Marshall, Ed Marks, Rich Morsden, Ron Soft and many others on my improvised basketball court in my room with my nerf ball and shoe box basket. Long live the Shockers and all my great Shocker brethren who love this program as I do. GO SHOX!!!

[Shocker-maniac]

Neil Strom - that is one I almost forgot.

Field goal percentage
61.6 – Steve Grayer (133–216) 1987–88
61.1 – Adam Grundvig (77–126) 2000–01
60.5 – Claudius Johnson (89–147) 1991–92
59.5 – Henry Carr (131–220) 1986–87
59.3 – Xavier McDaniel (223–376) 1982–83
59.0 – Neil Strom (102–173) 1974–75
58.8 – Ryan Martin (94–160) 2006–07
58.6 – Antoine Carr (211–360) 1980–81
57.7 – Karl Papke (86–149) 1982–83
57.6 – Ramon Clemente (102–177) 2008–09

[ShockTalk]

I was almost born into Shocker Nation. My mom and dad began as season ticket holders in 1965. I heard the great stories about the great games and players that graced the Forum prior to HLA. I erected a hoop made of a shoe box over my bedroom closet door when I was about 9 or 10 and played many a day and night of nerf basketball as Gus Grebe made the likes of Jim McCullough, Cal Bruton, Mike Edgar, Virgil Tucker, Doug Yoder, Vince Smith, Steve Shogren, Bob Wilson, Art Louvar, Terry Benton, Mike Karas, Neil Strom and many more come alive in my room as I relived the 100's of games I listened to.

I will never forget the day I truly became a die-hard Shocker fan. It was a home game vs. Drake. As Gus told the story during the waning seconds of the game. There were 3 second left, the Shockers led by one, Drake inbounded the ball and according to Gus the Drake player shot just after the buzzer. But wait (you'll never believe this) the referee counted the basket. Gus went nuts, the crowd was booing, the game was over with the visiting Bulldogs stealing a victory from the good guys. You would have thought my puppy had just ran away. I cried for 30 minutes until my parents got home. "But dad, Gus said the Drake player shot the ball after the buzzer...why did they count it? That's cheating. Why did they not change the call since Gus said the shot was late? Why dad, why?" I made a promise that day that win, lose or draw, I would be there for my Shockers forever. I am 53 years young and I have never failed to support my team since that impactful day all those years ago.

I still remember, as if it was yesterday, pretending to be Wild Bill Lang, Jim Givens, Dave Skinner, Mike Marshall, Ed Marks, Rich Morsden, Ron Soft and many others on my improvised basketball court in my room with my nerf ball and shoe box basket. Long live the Shockers and all my great Shocker brethren who love this program as I do. GO SHOX!!!

Neil Strom and Wild Bill Lang. Now that was a pair to draw into.

[wusphlash]

Neil Strom - that is one I almost forgot.

Field goal percentage
61.6 – Steve Grayer (133–216) 1987–88
61.1 – Adam Grundvig (77–126) 2000–01
60.5 – Claudius Johnson (89–147) 1991–92
59.5 – Henry Carr (131–220) 1986–87
59.3 – Xavier McDaniel (223–376) 1982–83
59.0 – Neil Strom (102–173) 1974–75
58.8 – Ryan Martin (94–160) 2006–07
58.6 – Antoine Carr (211–360) 1980–81
57.7 – Karl Papke (86–149) 1982–83
57.6 – Ramon Clemente (102–177) 2008–09

Steve Grayer was going to be our version of Magic Johnson. Well, that didn't happen. He did turn out to be a very good, and one of my favoite, 4 men.

[shock]

I marked the Smithson II Era because that is the earliest I remember. I was one of those kids that ran around the top of Levitt. I remember sitting up at the top for games that I'm sure we lost and still going home with no voice (I know my parents loved that. One game, I remember the Pizza Hut sponsoring the fan of the game and I won free Pizza Hut for a year. That was around Christmas time and my mom stuck the coupons in with the Christmas cards on accident and we lost them, only to find them a week after the last one expired when we drug all that Christmas crap back out again. We ate a lot of pizza that year.
There are lots of little things that were special about my time growing up in section 110. The people around us were always interesting, from watching little kids getting older and watching families grow to observing the loudmouths backseat coaching.
I remember when Walmart carried MAYBE one WSU shirt. I had beaker teachers that sneered about WSU (aren't they division 2?) I had "friends" that were ashamed to be shocker fans, but I had 3 shocker shirts and during the winter I wore those suckers out.
I cried when Turg said I'm stayin, and I cried when he left. i cried when the nets were cut, when banners were dropped, and HCGM still gives me goose bumps when he gets excited.
I was always Randy Burns when I played ball. My heros were Randy, Matt, Gal and Cooz.
My wife is a converted Beaker. That is my crowning accomplishment because I really wanted to marry her ;).
1.9
Kumbayah.

[ShockRef]

Elder Smithson era.
Was checking out WSU for its engineering program and started reading about two highly touted 6'9" post players they had just signed. A little more investigation revealed they had already been assigned a nickname - The Bookends.
The interest was piqued so I set up a visit to check out the school. Came out that Summer and holy **** was it ever hot! Was there for 3 days and I don't think it ever dropped below 100 and the wind never stopped.

I was hooked and the rest is history.

That is all.

[bpwsu86]

In 96, we had pen pals and on the day of our meet and tour, my pen pals mom passes the night before. So I ended up getting to hang out with about 5 different athletes from various sports. Had a great time with Jason Perez and coach Smithson been a fan ever since

[60Shock]

My father took my older brother and I to see numeous Shocker games at the old Forum. But I really did not became a Shocker fan for life until Cleo started playing for WU. Although, not in HS yet, I had watched Cleo play most of his games at East High.