Bear Down
Why is Arizona’s slogan “Bear Down” and the mascot a Wildcat? The notorious slogan comes from John Byrd “Button” Salmon’s final words to the Arizona football team.
Salmon played quarterback at Arizona, was a catcher for the baseball team and also served as student body president. He was involved in a fatal car accident in 1926, which led to his infamous speech with former head coach and athletic director J.F. “Pop” McKale. His last words before passing away were: “Tell them … tell the team to bear down.” Even though it’s a cornerstone piece to the tradition at Arizona, it still applies — especially when the California Golden Bears come to town.
Jingle all the way
Many prestigious college football programs have rich traditions—specifically the schools in SEC territory. However, Arizona has one forever embedded. At the Arizona football games, fans bring out their keys before every kickoff. It is unclear how this tradition was started, but whether the Wildcats are down by four touchdowns or if they’re playing a cupcake opponent, Arizona fans always jingle their keys before every kickoff. Be careful with daddy’s Range Rover keys this season at Arizona Stadium.
Stand Up!
If you even think about sitting down at an Arizona basketball game, then you should probably go to a local high school basketball game instead. Arizona has a reputation for being a basketball school, and students in the ZonaZoo stand on their feet from tip off until the clock reads triple zeros. However, the rest of McKale Center can sit down. The rule of thumb in McKale is to stand up until the opposing team scores its first point of the half. If you’re sitting in the ZonaZoo this season for basketball, I recommend supportive sneakers.
Wildcat Walk
The Wildcat Walk was established in 2010, and it’s a pathway that starts from the corner of University Boulevard and Cherry Avenue. The pathway leads to the Arizona football locker room and is a chance to show support for the football players as they prepare for the field of battle. It’s led by the marching band, cheerleaders, football players and coaches. Even though most students will be lining up for the ZonaZoo, the Wildcat Walk is a great way to exchange high-fives with Arizona football players and show support before war. Who knows, somewhere down the road you might be able to say you gave a high-five to a NFL player.
UA puts Mad in March Madness
As mentioned, Arizona is known for being a basketball school above everything else. The reputation of being crazy about Wildcat hoops is an understatement. Dating back to 2001, Arizona lost to a Duke team led by Shane Battier and Carlos Boozer in the national championship game. After that, cars were flipped and chaos struck the university scene. A similar situation happened two seasons ago when Arizona lost to Wisconsin in the Elite Eight and the Tucson Police Department dusted the cobwebs off the riot gear and put it to use. Last season, the NCAA Tournament was calmer, and there weren’t any riots; however, every bar across the Old Pueblo was at capacity. Brace yourselves for the craziest sports period in Tucson: March Madness.
