Author Topic: The History of "The Octagon of Doom"  (Read 46709 times)

0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.

Offline kso_FAN

  • Global Moderator
  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • *****
  • Posts: 29506
    • View Profile
The History of "The Octagon of Doom"
« on: January 31, 2010, 10:02:16 PM »
A lot is out there on the new name for Bramlage Coliseum.  This is your source for the real history of The Octagon of Doom.

As an introduction, one of our elite posters, pissclams, summed up the history well...

I love the fact that no one outside of ESPN actually gets it.  Awesome.

We weren't winning games, there was no doom.  Our home court was more sterile than an operating room.  Huggins was screaming at us to develop attitude, and to create an atmosphere that was worthy of how hard our team played on the court.  We took it to heart and went as far with it as we could, the Octagon of Doom was born- long before the ferocity and atmosphere was what it is today.  A true "build it and they will come" success story.

In many ways the name represents what college traditions are all about.  This was not someone's marketing campaign, nor was it an institution trying to reinvent or rebrand one of its arenas.  This was a fan-based, grassroots effort, born from hardcore fans that had endured over a decade of bad basketball from a once proud basketball program.  For many of us, years of watching bad basketball among crowds of 4 to 5 thousand fans is what Bramlage Coliseum had become.  Sure, it might have had a nice first couple of years, but as poor play became the norm, full crowds only showed for the Kansas game, with 1/3 or more of those being Jayhawk fans, or fleeting successful stretches that were soon crushed with another dismal loss.  

Then came the hiring of Bob Huggins and a spark was lit among the fan-base, but Wildcat fans were still searching for an identity.  It began with a successful, but not great season in Huggins’ only year at K-State, and during that year a group of fans began discussing a new identity for Bramlage, a place that was enjoying regular full crowds for the first time in years.

It was in This post that I first brought up the name.  It had a campiness to it from the start.  Then on January 18th, 2007 I put together this Photoshop to represent the initial idea; at least in part seriously hoping that a new identity of winning and atmosphere was coming.



Soon, the basketball board was renamed “The Octagon of Doom”.  The next season, as the Frank Martin era begin, K-State fans experienced talent they hadn’t seen in years with Michael Beasley and Bill Walker, students who knew of the name from the board started bringing signs.  Posters like chuckhasawillie, doom, and Dcwildcat were a few of these select few.  And while the Cats enjoyed a solid season leading to their first NCAA win in years, nobody really noticed the new name for Bramlage coming from a select group of diehard K-State fans.  Another solid season leading to an NIT appearance passed and still few knew what The Octagon of Doom was all about.  The identity was only magnified by the tough, physical teams that Coach Martin was putting on the floor.  During this season several elite fans were able to purchase the first OOD t-shirts, hoodies, and sweatshirts that I designed and sold on cafepress.com.  The movement was growing, but it was a slow growth.

Original OOD shirts:



Then the current season started.  Wildcat basketball soon reached new heights, enjoying one of the best nonconference starts in the history of the program.  With that came excitement and appearances in the rankings that surpassed even the success from a few seasons earlier with the talented Beasley and Walker.  But it was a meeting on January 12th that led to the Octagon of Doom going from the identity being known to a diehard group of K-State fans, to a name that would become a national identity in a matter of weeks.  Another elite poster, ChiCat, happened to see ESPN radio personality and color commentator Doug Gottlieb at a local restaurant before the ESPN 2 broadcast of the Texas A&M game.  As Gottlieb was leaving the name was mentioned and after asking if that was really what fans were calling it, Gottlieb left.  He later mentioned it during the broadcast and the rest is history.

As pissclams said above, ESPN gets it.  K-State has a new identity and this is part of it.  Fans who had endured over a decade of poor basketball have gravitated to this identity, and now it has gone national.  It has come so far that ESPN used it extensively to promote its Gameday appearance in Manhattan for K-State’s nationally televised game against Kansas.



Nationally known writer Dan Wetzel went so far as to say this, “Kansas State rebranding Bramlage Coliseum the ‘Octagon of Doom’ was genius. Best since Michigan Stadium became ‘The Big House’.”  Bramlage has a nationally know identity that K-State fans have embraced.  Despite the loss to Kansas, fans experienced one of the best atmospheres imaginable on January 30th.  Kansas guard Sherron Collins said about the crowd, “This is the toughest atmosphere I've played in, the loudest, in my four years.''  

Now its up to K-State and its fans to keep the new tradition going.  If we want the Octagon of Doom to continue to be what it has become, the fans must continue to show the support that has sold out the rest of the home games for the season.  The team must live up to the billing they have earned from Jay Bilas as “the hardest playing team” in college basketball.  And Coach Martin must be allowed to continue building the type of team that he has created this year, part of that being rewarded with a new contract that pays him what he is worth.  

Welcome to the Octagon of Doom.


(Want to get rid of the ad? Register now for free!)
« Last Edit: February 01, 2010, 08:15:10 AM by ksu_FAN »

Offline Kat Kid

  • Global Moderator
  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • *****
  • Posts: 20444
    • View Profile
Re: The History of "The Octagon of Doom"
« Reply #1 on: January 31, 2010, 10:14:11 PM »
:Rudymusic+tearinmyeye:

Offline hemmy

  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • ****
  • Posts: 6676
  • RIP The After Party
    • View Profile
Re: The History of "The Octagon of Doom"
« Reply #2 on: January 31, 2010, 10:16:15 PM »
What, no Hugginista mention?


Offline WillieWatanabe

  • PCKK7DC Survivor
  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • *******
  • Posts: 19275
  • We'll always have Salt Lake
    • View Profile
Re: The History of "The Octagon of Doom"
« Reply #3 on: January 31, 2010, 10:27:31 PM »
 :doom: :bawl:
Sometimes I think of the Book of Job and how God likes to really eff with people.
- chunkles

Offline EllToPay

  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • ****
  • Posts: 5174
  • Typical EMAW
    • View Profile
Re: The History of "The Octagon of Doom"
« Reply #4 on: January 31, 2010, 10:33:19 PM »
:eek:

Offline ksu_FANw

  • Fan
  • *
  • Posts: 39
    • View Profile
Re: The History of "The Octagon of Doom"
« Reply #5 on: January 31, 2010, 10:39:28 PM »
_FAN is like a sentimental Rick Reilly.   :blush:

Offline kso_FAN

  • Global Moderator
  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • *****
  • Posts: 29506
    • View Profile
Re: The History of "The Octagon of Doom"
« Reply #6 on: January 31, 2010, 10:47:26 PM »
_FAN is like a sentimental Rick Reilly.   :blush:


Yeah, except the part about being good at writing. 

And I realize this is sort of a positive version of "Turn out the lights", so bring it if you must.  You know who you are.

 :doom:

Offline Dr Rick Daris

  • Global Moderator
  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • *****
  • Posts: 23382
    • View Profile
Re: The History of "The Octagon of Doom"
« Reply #7 on: January 31, 2010, 10:48:31 PM »
it really culminated when they announced it as "the octagon of doom" a few minutes before tip for the ku game. done deal. it's the OOD folks.

« Last Edit: January 31, 2010, 10:54:09 PM by Rick Daris »

Offline FP TC etc.

  • Katpak'r
  • ***
  • Posts: 2301
  • USA! USA! USA!
    • View Profile
Re: The History of "The Octagon of Doom"
« Reply #8 on: January 31, 2010, 10:50:36 PM »
crazy how the name exploded all of a sudden.  :katpak:

Offline WillieWatanabe

  • PCKK7DC Survivor
  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • *******
  • Posts: 19275
  • We'll always have Salt Lake
    • View Profile
Re: The History of "The Octagon of Doom"
« Reply #9 on: January 31, 2010, 11:00:50 PM »
Chicat's meeting with Gottlieb the turning point?
Sometimes I think of the Book of Job and how God likes to really eff with people.
- chunkles

Offline Jeffy

  • Katpak'r
  • ***
  • Posts: 1590
  • Hello Wilbur.
    • View Profile
Re: The History of "The Octagon of Doom"
« Reply #10 on: January 31, 2010, 11:42:51 PM »
Chicat's meeting with Gottlieb the turning point?

No question. 

But didn't jmart or one of the other paper-people write something about it or mention something about it to another broadcaster?

Offline Trim

  • Global Moderator
  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • *****
  • Posts: 41955
  • Pfizer PLUS Moderna and now Pfizer Bivalent
    • View Profile
Re: The History of "The Octagon of Doom"
« Reply #11 on: February 01, 2010, 12:36:33 AM »
You should add pictures of your various cafepress shirts and the espn gameday promo screenshot, etc. in the corresponding parts of the story.

Then get in touch with the OSR people and see if they'll make that a story in their daily e-mails (with credit going to being originally written by ksu_FAN on goEMAW.com)

Chicat's meeting with Gottlieb the turning point?

No question. 

But didn't jmart or one of the other paper-people write something about it or mention something about it to another broadcaster?

Think you're talking about Luke Winn and/or Ryan Greene and the angriest fanbase in america thing.

ChiCat has been a great friend of the program (goEMAW).

Offline Dr Rick Daris

  • Global Moderator
  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • *****
  • Posts: 23382
    • View Profile
Re: The History of "The Octagon of Doom"
« Reply #12 on: February 01, 2010, 12:40:23 AM »
You should add pictures of your various cafepress shirts and the espn gameday promo screenshot, etc. in the corresponding parts of the story.

Then get in touch with the OSR people and see if they'll make that a story in their daily e-mails (with credit going to being originally written by ksu_FAN on goEMAW.com)

Chicat's meeting with Gottlieb the turning point?

No question. 

But didn't jmart or one of the other paper-people write something about it or mention something about it to another broadcaster?

Think you're talking about Luke Winn and/or Ryan Greene and the angriest fanbase in america thing.

ChiCat has been a great friend of the program (goEMAW).


pretty sure that luke winn and greene were just on board with the "angriest fans in america" thing. i love ood, but we can't forget that we are the "angriest fans in the america" while we're ood'ing it.

maybe "angriest fans in america at the octagon of doom" or something.

The42Yardstick

  • Guest
Re: The History of "The Octagon of Doom"
« Reply #13 on: February 01, 2010, 01:34:19 AM »
Congrats to State University of Kansas (SUK) for becoming one of the toughest places to play in the Big 12  :drink:

Offline chum1

  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • ****
  • Posts: 21894
    • View Profile
Re: The History of "The Octagon of Doom"
« Reply #14 on: February 01, 2010, 06:52:56 AM »
When did it become stale?  Was it before or after it became trite and commonplace?

Online steve dave

  • Global Moderator
  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • *****
  • Posts: 85175
  • Romantic Fist Attachment
    • View Profile
Re: The History of "The Octagon of Doom"
« Reply #15 on: February 01, 2010, 08:23:10 AM »
When did it become stale?  Was it before or after it became trite and commonplace?

You know what I bet chum absolutely hates?  Top 40s music. 

Offline SleepFighter

  • Katpak'r
  • ***
  • Posts: 1962
  • I'll wait here for my Cherry Coke Zero.
    • View Profile
Re: The History of "The Octagon of Doom"
« Reply #16 on: February 01, 2010, 09:07:31 AM »
When did it become stale?  Was it before or after it became trite and commonplace?

You know what I bet chum absolutely hates?  Top 40s music. 

Also: prime time television.

Offline sys

  • Contributor
  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • *****
  • Posts: 40472
  • your reputation will never recover, nor should it.
    • View Profile
Re: The History of "The Octagon of Doom"
« Reply #17 on: February 01, 2010, 09:08:55 AM »
When did it become stale?  Was it before or after it became trite and commonplace?

stale when it became hard to tell who was laughing at whom for loving it.  it was never trite.  it was always commonplace, which is part of what made it so funny to start with.
"experienced commanders will simply be smeared and will actually go to the meat."

Offline mcmwcat

  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • ****
  • Posts: 5313
  • trips: "MCMW"
    • View Profile
Re: The History of "The Octagon of Doom"
« Reply #18 on: February 01, 2010, 09:28:16 AM »
 doom motherfuckers. doom

 :babywillie:

Offline kougar24

  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • ****
  • Posts: 5380
    • View Profile
Re: The History of "The Octagon of Doom"
« Reply #19 on: February 01, 2010, 11:19:26 AM »
And I realize this is sort of a positive version of "Turn out the lights", so bring it if you must.

Speaking of which: do you have a link to said TOTL post?

Offline Johnny Wichita

  • Katpak'r
  • ***
  • Posts: 2140
    • View Profile
Re: The History of "The Octagon of Doom"
« Reply #20 on: February 01, 2010, 05:30:23 PM »
Could someone explain how the whole Octagon of Doom thing started please?  TIA

Offline doom

  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • ****
  • Posts: 3532
    • View Profile
Re: The History of "The Octagon of Doom"
« Reply #21 on: February 01, 2010, 06:35:57 PM »
Since we control the history books here can I please be pictured as delivering the signs on a white steed I rode down on from my golden palace? 
“They said something along the lines of ‘it kind of sounds like you’d be interested in it.’ And I said ‘hell yeah I am. Why not?’” -Doug Gottlieb

cyclist

  • Guest
Re: The History of "The Octagon of Doom"
« Reply #22 on: February 01, 2010, 06:56:59 PM »
Since we control the history books here can I please be pictured as delivering the signs on a white steed I rode down on from my golden palace? 

Either that or shazbot! you and the horse you rode in on...

Sorry doom, couldn't resist that one...

;)         ;)           ;)           ;)

Offline Dugout DickStone

  • Global Moderator
  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • *****
  • Posts: 51305
  • BSPAC
    • View Profile
Re: The History of "The Octagon of Doom"
« Reply #23 on: February 01, 2010, 08:04:02 PM »
When did it become stale?  Was it before or after it became trite and commonplace?

You know what I bet chum absolutely hates?  Top 40s music. 

Also: prime time television.

And: the Space Shuttle

Offline Pete

  • Global Moderator
  • Pak'r Élitaire
  • *****
  • Posts: 29150
  • T-Shirt KSU Football Fan, Loves Lawrence and KU
    • View Profile
Re: The History of "The Octagon of Doom"
« Reply #24 on: February 02, 2010, 09:35:39 AM »
When did it become stale?  Was it before or after it became trite and commonplace?

You know what I bet chum absolutely hates?  Top 40s music. 

Also: prime time television.

And non-amateur porn.  I'm right, aren't I chum?  I know I am.