FAU "Dirty Birds": The Noise of the Burrow

As some of you may know the Florida Atlantic basketball team has just recently become ranked no. 1 in the Sun Belt Conference and it is quickly looking as though they maybe able to get a glimpse of some NCAA March Madness. Although head coach Mike Jarvis has reaped great benefits from recruiting two freshmen (Ray Taylor and Greg Gantt), it is truly the fanatical fan base they have that has given these freshman an environment built for success. 

This group of supporters is known as the Dirty Birds, a group that was previously known as the Rowdy Rex's and the Sexy Rexies that were formed when Rex Walters was head coach of FAU basketball. After Walter's departure in 2008, the two groups decided to merge.

The creator of this group, John Cook, is also know as "Dirty #2." Cook has just graduated this past fall and has embarked in a number of endeavors to better the future of FAU inside and outside athletics. "It wasn't something that just happened overnight. It has been an on going process and goal for the past four years," says Cook.

The Dirty Birds are an unofficial FAU spirit group and thus entitled to do and say what they want, according to their Facebook page. The Birds have one requirement for their members, which is to "be loud." They also say they prefer you to wear blue and to come to the games early and tailgate.

Cook takes pride in the recent succes of the team and appreciates the recognition from Coach Jarvis, that seems to be a regular occurrence in his post-game interviews. The team has also taken time to show their appriciation for the group of rowdy supporters by coming over to say thank you after each home game.