I find it odd a fan base that uses EMAW as a prized phrase poking their flimsy little peckers at a real tradition such as War Eagle. Since you cats are so responsive to edumication, lets indulge.
There are many stories surrounding the origins of Auburn's battle cry, "War Eagle." The most popular account involves the first Auburn football game in 1892 between Auburn and the University of Georgia. According to the story, in the stands that day was an old Civil War soldier with an eagle that he had found injured on a battlefield and kept as a pet. The eagle broke free and began to soar over the field, and Auburn began to march toward the Georgia end zone. The crowd began to chant "War Eagle" as the eagle soared. After Auburn won the game, the eagle crashed to the field and died, but according to the legend, his spirit lives on every time an Auburn man or woman yells "War Eagle!" The battle cry also functions as a greeting for those associated with the University. For many years, a live golden eagle has embodied the spirit of this tradition. The eagle was once housed on campus in The Eagle's Cage, but the cage was taken down and the eagle moved to a nearby raptor center.
"Every Man a Wildcat" or EMAW in Kansas State circles, has a long and valued history in Wildcat folklore. It all started during the fifth football match-up between The Kansas State University "Aggies" and The University of Kansas "Jayhawks" in the year 1906 and KU had been leading the series 4-0. During the last Aggie possession of the ball-game, a Kansan Wildcat ran out onto the field and chased the Jayhawk mascot. The wildcat startled the KU mascot so much, that the mascot's pants fell about his ankles as he was run out of the stadium. The Aggie boys were inspired by this act of nature and rallied to destroy the Jayhawks. The men of Kansas State gave chase to the wildcat and named him "Willie", in honor of the de-pantsing of the KU mascot and nicknamed themselves the "Wildcats". Unfortunately, the wildcat was later found to have rabies and had to be put down. Mike Ahearn, the head coach of KSU at the time, said with tears rolling down his cheeks as Willie was euthanized, "Every Man a Wildcat... and damn the Jayhawks." To this day, Willie the Wildcat gives chase to visiting team mascots before each game as we carry on his legend by yelling "EMAW!"
