|
 GorillaFest
Billed
as
"the biggest and most exciting tailgate party in the
area",
GorillaFest, located in Gorilla Village, provides
food
vendors and live entertainment, while games and other
activities for
children are made available.
Two gorilla statues hiding among the
decorative plants
observe those walking along the cobble stone
entrance.
 Jungle
Road
With the
PSU Bookstore selling Gorilla memorabilia and attire in one
shelter,
the KC Gorilla Club sets up shop in the other. Burgers,
chips, and much more provide fuel for members and the PSU
Spirit Squad. Years
ago, the KC Gorilla Club started a new tradition: "the Walk
along
Jungle Road". As players
make their way from the Weede
Physical
Education Building to
Gorilla Village for their pregame warm-up, fans line the
walkway to
cheer them on.
With the offensive and defensive linemen
stretching out
along the shores of University Lake,
a pep-rally led by
PSU
mascot, Gus the Gorilla, is underway. The Pride of the Plains
Marching
Band plays the PSU Fight Song as the Spirit Squad along with
the
Crimson and Gold Dance Team performs and leads the crowd
through
numerous chants to fire up the crowd. As
the pep-rally ends, only the sound of cleats clicking on the
pavement can be heard as
players finish their journey to their respective locker
rooms. Fans migrate to
their seats as the Spirit Squad and Band take their positions
on the
field for the pregame show.
 The
Pregame Show
Both applause and jeers are heard as the public address
announcer
welcomes the visiting team to the Jungle. The "enemy of
the day" takes
their place along the east sideline... directly in front of
the
student section... the Red Zone.
"Here come the Gorillas!" echoes
throughout the stadium
as eight students carrying flags spelling out
"GORILLAS" leads the
football team onto the field. Running in the shadows of a 30
foot
inflatable gorilla, dubbed the Big Puffy Monkey, fans cheer
for their home team as the
Band explodes into the PSU Fight Song.
 Once the
Gorillas have taken their place along the west sideline, the
Bleater
Creatures sprint across the field Those little
Gorillas, who
follow the team onto the field, sprinting, jumping (and
sometimes
falling) on their way to their wing of the east lower deck.
During the
third quarter of each home game, the Bleater Creatures are
led around
the stadium by the Spirit Squad and "Go Bananas!"
for the crowd.
 First
Down, PITT STATE!
Sometimes ideas for a new tradition come from the unlikeliest
of
places. At the first "Fall Classic" in Arrowhead Stadium,
following a
Northwest Missouri State University first down, their public
announcer
would bellow "That's good for another Northwest..." and Northwest fans would finish the
statement by yelling "First Down!" PSU PA announcer, Pete
Hamilton liked
it so much that he asked the members of the TeamKong forum to
assist
in bringing a similar practice to Pittsburg State (Pete: "First
Down..." Crowd: "Pitt State!") and it has become a regular ritual.
Another
often practiced ritual is that of the ROTC unit giving it
their all by
firing off their cannon then doing push-ups in the north
endzone
following each Gorilla score. Some days, it is almost as if
they get
more of a workout than the PSU football players
themselves.
 The
Pride of the Plains
The PSU marching band, always centered in the lower deck
of the
east stands directly behind visiting teams, continuously
heckle and
taunt opposing teams throughout the game regardless of the
score.
The
band's "Welcome to the Jungle" with a tuba solo (of
all things)
has become a fan favorite.
PSU
FIGHT SONG
Pittsburg
State team fight for your college.
Come and join the fray.
Run that ball around for a score and we’ll win this game
today.
Fight, fight, fight for the glory and fame,
Because our spirit is so great.
And when this game is over, we’ll shout the whole world over:
Pittsburg State. |
