David Orges may be the most recognizable student at Tech, but you might not know him if you saw him on campus.

Orges is probably better known to most as the “T.” He’s the guy that has been painted blue at virtually every Tech athletic event for the past three years. He is the founder of “The Blue,” a campus spirit organization, and was the winner of ESPN’s “Mr. Bracket,” a contest to find the most outrageous college fan in the country.

For Orges a junior sociology major from Denham Springs, the journey towards ‘ultimate fan’ began during the 2003 football season. Back then, the pre-game routine was nothing more than four guys getting the nerve to paint blue letters on their chest.

That grew into entirely blue bodies, which became multicolored when red letters were added shortly thereafter.

Now, the pre-game prep time takes around an hour and a half, with each person having his own trademarked face paint pattern, clothing accessories (Orges wears a cape and shoulder pads during football season, and sweatbands and suspenders during basketball) and headgear.

Think this kind of school spirit isn’t contagious?

Orges said that best crowd ‘The Blue,’ which now has nearly 40 official members, has ever had paint up for a game was able to spell “Louisiana Tech Rocks ESPN2!” Complete with spaces and the exclamation point.

The Blue, which Orges helped start earlier this year, is a spirit group that’s goal is to get everyone excited about Tech athletics through encouraging school spirit.

It’s more than painting yourself blue and yelling at the other team. Members of The Blue have been known to do things like go around Ruston giving out tickets to games so that the stands won’t be empty when the school is on break.

To date, Orges and others from the group have made trips to Gainesville, Fla., Dallas, Auburn, Ala., and Baton Rouge for football games, as well as Reno and Denver during basketball season.

They are currently planning a trip to a spring volleyball tournament and have penciled in upcoming baseball and spring soccer games to attend as well.

In the fall, Orges hopes to make trips to Clemson, Nebraska, Texas A & M, and North Texas.

“The road trips are some of the most fun games,” Orges said, “My top three events since I’ve been in school were probably being to the trip to Reno for the WAC basketball tournaments, riding down the goal posts against Fresno State and painting up in Death Valley against LSU two years ago.”

Most recently, the baseball team’s upset of the third-ranked Mississippi State team on Tuesday is another moment Orges won’t soon forget. His baseball ensemble?  Pin stripes, of course.

The outspoken, bright blue, Tech sports fanatic routine isn’t just an act, either.

When asked how much longer he would be able to stay at Tech and cheer on the Bulldogs and Techsters, Orges replied “I’ll be in school for two more football seasons.”

Not four more quarters, not a year and a half, two football seasons. He measures the school year in sporting events.

And I thought a sports writer’s life revolved around athletics.

 

Matt Dearman is a junior journalism major from Baton Rouge and serves as sports editor for The Tech Talk. Email comments to mwd004@latech.edu