The Antlers
Encyclopedia
The Antlers is the student section of the University of Missouri
basketball team.
, was made available to all students. At the time, all other prime level seating was reserved for alumni and major financial contributors. A lottery was held for the seats and the winners, including Antler co-founders Jeff Gordon (now a sportswriter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
) and Rob “The Hammer” Banning decided to go all-out with their cheering style to celebrate the new seating arrangement. During their second season in the new seats, someone observing their cheering style dubbed them the Antlers, and the name stuck. The group soon grew from 5 to 22 members when it was expanded to fill all of the seats in A-16.
Wild costume and constant taunting of opponents gained media exposure for the Antlers. As they became more organized and their pranks became more colorful, they gained national exposure from articles about them in Sports Illustrated
and The Sporting News. In the mid-1980s, USA Today
even named The Antlers as one of the top five fan groups in the nation.
In 1995 the Antlers seats were moved from the front of A16 to the back of the same section.
Saturday Night Live
episode that had recently aired. In the skit, Tomlin danced with her hands at the side of her head, fingers outstretched like she had antlers. Antler founders Gordon and Banning watched the skit in the fourth floor lounge of Hudson Hall and took the idea to one of their first games as an official group. During the "Missouri Waltz," members of the new group performed their new dance with their hands at their head like antlers. A member of press row noticed them doing the dance and dubbed them the Antlers. The Antlers continue to do the Antler dance to this day.
-Kansas basketball game in 2003, members of the Antlers prank called KU coach Roy Williams
at his home at 2:27, 2:45, and 3:05 a.m. Such activities are what the Antlers are best known for. In the week prior the MU-KU game, they obtain the numbers of KU players and coaches and prank called them all week long. They also make huge signs with the players' names and phone numbers.
On March 9, 2003, KU played MU in Columbia. Members from the Antlers greeted the KU players at the hotel, holding up signs that read "Plane Crash." These signs were also evident during a nationally televised game. The "Plane Crash" signs were in reference to Nick Collison
's senior day speech, where he talked about his grandfather who was a World War II
veteran. According to Collison, his grandfather's plane crashed during D-Day, but survived.
Prior to a Tiger victory over the Baylor Bears
in February 2005, one Antler was invited into the Bears' locker room, where coach Scott Drew
dared him to repeat the obscenities that he and some of the other Antlers screamed at the Baylor team at a Columbia
restaurant the prior evening. Antler policies exist against cursing or off-color remarks, but individuals have been known to cross the line on several occasions.
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
basketball team.
History
The Antlers were formed in 1976 when a small section of 11 courtside seats in the school's basketball arena at that time, Hearnes CenterHearnes Center
Hearnes Center is a 13,611-seat multi-purpose arena in Columbia, Missouri. The arena opened in 1972. It is currently home to the Tigers' nationally ranked wrestling and volleyball teams as well as the school's gymnastics and indoor track & field teams...
, was made available to all students. At the time, all other prime level seating was reserved for alumni and major financial contributors. A lottery was held for the seats and the winners, including Antler co-founders Jeff Gordon (now a sportswriter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch is the major city-wide newspaper in St. Louis, Missouri. Although written to serve Greater St. Louis, the Post-Dispatch is one of the largest newspapers in the Midwestern United States, and is available and read as far west as Kansas City, Missouri, as far south as...
) and Rob “The Hammer” Banning decided to go all-out with their cheering style to celebrate the new seating arrangement. During their second season in the new seats, someone observing their cheering style dubbed them the Antlers, and the name stuck. The group soon grew from 5 to 22 members when it was expanded to fill all of the seats in A-16.
Wild costume and constant taunting of opponents gained media exposure for the Antlers. As they became more organized and their pranks became more colorful, they gained national exposure from articles about them in Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
and The Sporting News. In the mid-1980s, USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
even named The Antlers as one of the top five fan groups in the nation.
In 1995 the Antlers seats were moved from the front of A16 to the back of the same section.
The Antler Dance
The name Antlers, having nothing to do with the University of Missouri, stems from a dance being performed by the Antlers during a basketball game. The dance closely resembled one from a skit from the 9/18/76 Lily TomlinLily Tomlin
Mary Jean "Lily" Tomlin is an American actress, comedienne, writer, and producer. Tomlin has been a major force in American comedy since the late 1960's when she began a career as a stand up comedian and became a featured performer on television's Laugh-in...
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
episode that had recently aired. In the skit, Tomlin danced with her hands at the side of her head, fingers outstretched like she had antlers. Antler founders Gordon and Banning watched the skit in the fourth floor lounge of Hudson Hall and took the idea to one of their first games as an official group. During the "Missouri Waltz," members of the new group performed their new dance with their hands at their head like antlers. A member of press row noticed them doing the dance and dubbed them the Antlers. The Antlers continue to do the Antler dance to this day.
Notable Antics
Prior to a MissouriMissouri Tigers
The Missouri Tigers athletics programs include the extramural and intramural sports teams of the University of Missouri, located in Columbia, Missouri, United States...
-Kansas basketball game in 2003, members of the Antlers prank called KU coach Roy Williams
Roy Williams (coach)
Roy Williams is head coach of the men's basketball team at the University of North Carolina. After averaging nearly an 80% win percentage in 15 seasons at the University of Kansas, he became the eighteenth head coach at North Carolina when he replaced Matt Doherty in 2003...
at his home at 2:27, 2:45, and 3:05 a.m. Such activities are what the Antlers are best known for. In the week prior the MU-KU game, they obtain the numbers of KU players and coaches and prank called them all week long. They also make huge signs with the players' names and phone numbers.
On March 9, 2003, KU played MU in Columbia. Members from the Antlers greeted the KU players at the hotel, holding up signs that read "Plane Crash." These signs were also evident during a nationally televised game. The "Plane Crash" signs were in reference to Nick Collison
Nick Collison
Nicholas John Collison is an American professional basketball player, currently a power forward for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA, and well known in basketball circles for his accomplishments at the University of Kansas.- Early life and high school career :Nick Collison was born in Orange...
's senior day speech, where he talked about his grandfather who was a World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
veteran. According to Collison, his grandfather's plane crashed during D-Day, but survived.
Prior to a Tiger victory over the Baylor Bears
Baylor Bears
Baylor Bears refers to the sports teams of Baylor University. Baylor's men's sports teams are nicknamed the Bears, and some women's teams are nicknamed the Lady Bears. Student athletes participate in the NCAA's Division I, and Baylor is the only private school in the Big 12 Conference...
in February 2005, one Antler was invited into the Bears' locker room, where coach Scott Drew
Scott Drew
-References:...
dared him to repeat the obscenities that he and some of the other Antlers screamed at the Baylor team at a Columbia
Columbia, Missouri
Columbia is the fifth-largest city in Missouri, and the largest city in Mid-Missouri. With a population of 108,500 as of the 2010 Census, it is the principal municipality of the Columbia Metropolitan Area, a region of 164,283 residents. The city serves as the county seat of Boone County and as the...
restaurant the prior evening. Antler policies exist against cursing or off-color remarks, but individuals have been known to cross the line on several occasions.