By John Rohde
Staff Writer

SATURDAY was my 13th Bedlam experience in football.

Having moseyed through more than a few tailgate parties and observed fans from the sidelines, please allow a good-natured critique of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State football fans.

Not being a Sooner or an Aggie, I feel fully qualified to judge.

Interestingly enough, my current impressions are pretty much the same as my first impressions in 1987.

Call them stereotypes if you must. I call them observations.

This much is certain: OU and OSU fans are two different birds, two breeds of cat. They love their teams but express it much differently.

OU has about 50,000 diehards who'll be there win or lose. OSU might have half that many.

OU fans are wound tight. They're overly intense.

OSU fans have the ability to be intense but are more inclined to forgive and forget.

OU fans are in your face.

OSU fans sneak up behind you.

OU fans are enamored with their fight song.

OSU fans seem to favor Garth.

Most OU fans bathe themselves in red.

Most OSU fans dabble in orange.

OU female supporters tend to dress to the hilt for the game.

OSU female supporters tend to dress more for pregame and postgame activities.

OU and OSU male supporters tend to dress ... uh, well, I've never really paid attention.

OU fans accessorize.

OSU fans economize.

OU fans scrutinize every decision ever made.

OSU fans don't care what decision is made, as long as it works.

OU fans like to celebrate their past.

OSU fans like to celebrate, period.

OU fans have a short fuse.

OSU fans do a slow burn.

OU fans always have high expectations.

OSU fans have high expectations when they're told to have high expectations.

OU fans have all the answers.

OSU fans have a lot of questions.

Think you'll beat OSU?

OU fan: "Damn straight. Gonna lay half-a-hundred on 'em, too."

Think you'll beat OU?

OSU fan: "Yeah, winning would be nice. I'd like to beat 'em by half-a-point. Make it hurt."

OU fans froth at the mouth.

OSU fans prefer a different kind of froth.

What an OU fan might say after beating OSU: "Done beat their butts again."

What an OU fan might say after losing to OSU: "Hope they enjoyed it, because it will never happen again."

What an OSU fan might say after losing to OU: "Where's the beer at, and is it cold?"

An OU tailgater two hours before kickoff: "Hurry up. Let's get to the stadium."

An OSU tailgater two hours before kickoff: "Hey, this feels good. We might not leave. Anybody bring a TV? If we scalp our tickets, we could get more beer ... and some ice."

Next year's Bedlam contest will take place Nov. 25 in Stillwater.

"Can't wait to beat their butts again," an OU fan might say. "Plus, the beer's cold up there."

John Rohde can be reached by e- mail at jrohde@oklahoman.com.