Guns Up
Guns Up is the famous slogan and hand signal of Texas Tech University. The slogan and hand signal are used by students and alumni as a school-spirited greeting. It is also used as a celebratory sign during athletic events.
The gesture
The gesture is made from a closed hand by extending the index finger forward and the thumb up. It is meant to resemble the shape of a gun, like those carried by the university's mascots, The Masked Rider and Raider Red.[1] The idea is that the Red Raiders will figuratively shoot down their opponents.[2]
History
Hand signals were an important part of the traditions of the schools in the Southwest Conference. Invention of "Guns Up" is attributed to 1961 Texas Tech alumnus, L. Glenn Dippel. Living in Austin with his wife Roxie, Dippel created "Guns Up" as a way to counter the "Hook 'em Horns" handsign he saw each day from fans of the Texas Longhorns.[3]
Dippel experimented some before looking to the Raider Red mascot for inspiration. In 1971, he and some other Tech fans made decals with the phrase "Gun 'em Down". Shortly thereafter, Dippel shared the idea with the Saddle Tramps spirit organization who began using the hand signal immediately.[3]
According to Southeastern Louisiana University Athletic Director Jay Artigues, the "Guns Up" cheer and gesture are the inspiration for the "Lion Up" cheer and gesture adopted in 2014 by the Southeastern Louisiana Lions.[4]
See also
- Finger gun
References
- ^ Texas Tech University :: Campus Information :: History & Traditions :: Guns Up
- ^ "Texas Tech University: History" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-11-28. Retrieved 2011-10-29.
- ^ a b Burka, Paul. "Football Hand Signals". Texas Monthly. Archived from the original on 2001-07-16.
- ^ Artigues, Jay (2014-08-29). "Luncheon address". Hammond Chamber of Commerce. Hammond, Louisiana.
- v
- t
- e
- Tim Tadlock (baseball)
- Mark Adams (men's basketball)
- Krista Gerlich (women's basketball)
- Don Flora (volleyball)
- Jon Murray (cross country)
- Eric Morris (football assistant)
- Matt Wells (football)
- Greg Sands (men's golf)
- JoJo Robertson (women's golf)
- Tom Stone (soccer)
- Adrian Gregory (softball)
- Tim Siegel (men's tennis)
- Todd Petty (women's tennis)
- Wes Kittley (track and field)
& bowl games
- Seasons
- 1996 Alamo Bowl
- 2000 Galleryfurniture.com Bowl
- 2001 Alamo Bowl
- 2002 Tangerine Bowl
- 2004 Holiday Bowl
- 2006 season
- 2006 Insight Bowl
- 2007 season
- 2008 Gator Bowl
- 2008 season
- 2009 Cotton Bowl Classic
- 2009 season
- 2010 Alamo Bowl
- 2010 season
- 2011 TicketCity Bowl
- 2011 season
- 2012 season
- 2012 Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas
- 2013 season
- 2013 Holiday Bowl
- 2014 season
- 2015 season
- Traditions
- Goin' Band from Raiderland
- Guns Up
- Knight School
- The Masked Rider
- Raider Red