Colorado Fans Think Kansas Is Overrated...For Beating Them

Another week, another No. 1 in college basketball goes down ... almost. Kansas was put to the test Wednesday night at Colorado, needing overtime to beat the Buffaloes 72-66. The Jayhawks got out to a 24-8 lead and looked to be cruising to another Big 12 road victory before, as J. Brady McCollough put it in the Kansas City Star, "CU battled back in front of one of the more raucous Coors crowds in recent memory."

Just how raucous was the crowd in Boulder? Buffs fans were so excited to get back into the game and force overtime that, as their team was losing to Kansas, Colorado fans gave the "Oh-ver-Rated" chant to the Jayhawks.

"Vi-o-Layshun."

This is as bad as fans rushing the court when a major-conference team beats a ranked school outside the top five. In fact, I got this e-mail from a reader/listener named Ryan who was at the game last night:

[People] were talking last week about when it's appropriate to rush the court. I was at the Kansas vs. Colorado game Wednesday night (went to overtime, Kansas eventually prevailed), and was thinking during the game that it'd be entirely reasonable for CU fans to rush the court if they won.

What was decidedly unreasonable was CU fans chanting "Over-Rated!" in the closing seconds. OF A LOSS. Probably not as controversial as rushing the floor, and so not as much of a debate to be had over whether it makes sense to chant "Over-Rated!" during a loss. Just thought you could mention it, and the sports blogosphere/twitterverse could establish once and for all that it is ridiculous.


Mention it we shall, Ryan, because it is ridiculous.

As a guy who has witnessed far too many games like this than he cares to remember – bottom of the standings major-conference team plucky enough to make it closer than it should be against a top-ranked opponent on national TV before missing a big shot and eventually losing in overtime – I have some experience in when you should and should not taunt the opponent.

Note: do not taunt the opponent as they are high-fiving after beating you.

Note: do not taunt the opponent at any time when your team is losing. Losing by 30 and losing by six in overtime is still the same thing…losing.

Note: do not taunt the opponent at any time during the first half, unless your team is up by more than 15 points. (Note to this Note: calling a top-ranked team overrated in the first half, no matter the score, will likely result in your team losing.)

Note: DO taunt the opponent at any point in the second half, preferably after the eight-minute TV timeout, if your team is winning or the game is tied.

Note: DO taunt the opponent if your team has taken or extended the lead with a big shot, causing the top-ranked opponent to call timeout.

Note: DO taunt the opponent if a top player is on the free-throw line, especially if that player is struggling to score in the game. This overrated chant is just directed at the player, not the entire team. That's okay whenever you want to do it.

Note: DO taunt the opponent whenever they are wearing a Duke uniform.

Please use these notes as a guideline and not any sort of definitive set of rules. And please, don't taunt the No. 1 team in the country after they beat you on your home court.

This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.