Florida State University

TRADITION: Chief Osceola plants the spear

WHAT IS IT? A student dressed in Seminole Indian wardrobe rides an Appaloosa (named Renegade) to midfield during pre-game ceremonies and throws a flaming spear into the turf, all to the roaring delight of the partisan faithful.

ORIGIN: According to seminoles.com, the idea came to FSU student Bill Durham in 1962 but did not gain any traction until 1977 when Durham received approval for the ritual from the Seminole Tribe of Florida. The 1978 season opener against Oklahoma State unveiled Chief Osceola and Renegade planting the spear for the first time. Durham still provides the Appaloosa that plays Renegade. Love FSU or hate FSU, there is no disputing this tradition is the most unique and compelling in all of college sports—a rather innovative way to claim one’s home turf. One question, though: Approval was granted from the Seminole Tribe of Florida, but what about permission from the fire marshal?

TRADITION: Tomahawk Chop/War Chant

WHAT IS IT? In unison, fans mimic the chopping of a tomahawk by moving one arm up and down from the elbow (as opposed to the shoulder fulcrum of the Gator Chomp) much like the referee signals for a first down. All the while, the droning chant that is bellowed endlessly throughout a game surely accomplishes its mission of driving opponents’ fans to flee with welled-up bitterness. The chant is more of a “Chanting Monks” style than the usual staccato-filled chants heard at Native American festivals.

ORIGIN: According to uloop.com, the chop and the chant evolved separately but are now indelibly connected at FSU football games. The chop was originally a motion performed by the FSU band, the Marching Chiefs, during its “Chief Step” of pre-game ceremonies. The marching style “consists of a 90-degree poppy step, accompanied by a swinging arm motion from the side to the center of the stomach.” Supposedly this gesture evolved via cheerleaders into one performed above the head as the tomahawk chop. Historical accounts on seminoles.com claim that students began performing the chop en masse during the 1985 season after it was first combined with a war chant against Auburn in 1984. The chant, more of a Hollywood interpretation than a historical one, developed as a continuation of an existing chant called “Massacre” with the same beat and melody. In a 2008 interview with John Ruch, Marching Chiefs Director Patrick Dunnigan claims “Massacre” was written in the 1960s by the late FSU band arranger Charlie Carter.

TRADITION: Sod Cemetery

WHAT IS IT? Although not a part of game day pageantry inside the stadium, this peculiar tradition is worth noting. An actual cemetery exists complete with epitaphs denoting big road victories. Each grave contains actual sod from the field on which the game took place and is maintained with the integrity of Arlington. Currently 98 plaques exist with buried turf from games in which FSU was either an underdog, at UF, a bowl game, conference championship game or one of noted significance. Still waiting for the tally on what the opportunity costs are for this monument to exist or where this falls in the state budget.

ORIGIN: Let’s face it, for most of our lives, FSU was not very good at football and any road win was considered huge. A 2014 New York Times article credits the idea stemming from a comment made by FSU Dean Coyle Moore in 1962. The Seminoles were playing at Georgia, and Moore challenged the team captains to “bring back some sod from between the hedges at Georgia.” When FSU won 18-0, captains Gene McDowell (later a head coach at Central Florida) and Red Dawson (later a coach at Marshall and one who did not board the plane that crashed with the team and staff in 1970) ripped up some sod and brought it back to Tallahassee where Moore started the cemetery. It has since changed location several times and now resides just north of Doak Campbell Stadium.