Hey, Big 12 fans: This is what ASU athletics is all about

To fans from Manhattan, Kansas; Ames, Iowa; Stillwater, Oklahoma, and all the other Big 12 stops, welcome to Tempe, home of the Arizona State Sun Devils.

We look forward to seeing you this season, and as a good neighbor we’d like to offer a few tips when you come to our lovely home this fall and winter.

First, keep the winter clothes in the closet. The average December high is around 65 degrees, and the low around 45. A light jacket or sweater will suffice.

Oh, if you’re out here for an outdoor game in September or even early October, bring some sunscreen. You’ll need it.

Second, if you really want to get a sense of what ASU is doing athletically and academically, stay in downtown Tempe and walk around campus. Also, almost all of ASU’s athletic facilities are on campus, so you won’t need a rental car.

(Did you know ASU has four campuses in the Phoenix area? Unlike some other universities in other states, they’re not separate schools but all one university. Students can take classes on any and all campuses, which are linked by a free shuttle service.)

Finally, make sure you stop by The Chuckbox for lunch or dinner. It’s across the street from campus and a local institution, serving burgers over mesquite fire since 1972. Just one thing: It only accepts cash. But there’s an ATM inside. So, dig in. You’ll thank us later.

Now that you know what to wear and where to eat, we thought we’d give you a little history lesson about ASU sports.

Our mascot is Sparky the Sun Devil. A sun devil is a weather phenomenon, also known as a dust devil or whirlwind. Our Sparky, however, carries a pitchfork and is dressed in maroon and gold, ASU’s school colors. He was designed by a former Disney artist in the 1940s, and some people see more than a passing resemblance between Sparky and Walt Disney (though the artist said it was purely coincidental). You can see photos of Sparky’s evolution — some versions more intimidating than others — in this 2021 story about his 75th anniversary.

As for our athletic teams, well, there’s a whopping 26 of them, everything from football to wrestling to beach volleyball to our seven-time national championship triathlon squad. There’s even a hockey team — yes, ice hockey in the desert — that plays in an arena named for longtime supporters in what many have declared the most perfect hockey venue name: Mullett Arena.

ASU has won 148 national championships, in sports including baseball, archery, golf, swimming and indoor track, and it boasts 396 individual national champions.

The list of notable Sun Devils is long and illustrious: Curley Culp, Danny White, Phil Mickelson, Jon Rahm, Joanne Gunderson-Carner, Heather Farr, Jake Plummer, Mike Haynes, John Jefferson, Barry Bonds, Bob Horner, Lionel Hollins, Fat Lever, Byron Scott … well, you get the picture.

You also might have heard of our men’s basketball coach. Guy by the name of Bobby Hurley. You think he was intense when he was an All-American guard at Duke? Wait until you see him pacing the sideline during a Big 12 game.

If you’re coming to a football game at Mountain America Stadium this fall, you’ll notice the Sun Devils are playing on Frank Kush field. Kush was a legendary football coach at ASU, compiling a record of 176-54-1 with only one losing season in 22 years.

Around here, Kush is to ASU what Barry Switzer was to Oklahoma.

Of course, our most famous alum is probably the most beloved Sun Devil of all time: Pat Tillman.

You likely know Tillman’s story. He was a first-team All-American linebacker at ASU in 1997 despite being just 5-foot-11 and 202 pounds. Then, after 9/11, he turned down a five-year, $9 million contract from the Arizona Cardinals and enlisted in the U.S. Army.

Tragically, Tillman was killed by friendly fire in April 2004.

Every year, ASU honors Tillman’s life with Pat’s Run, a 4.2-mile run/walk that ends at the 42-yard line in Mountain America Stadium. (Tillman wore the No. 42 jersey for ASU.) This past April, more than 20,000 people participated.

If you have a couple of minutes while you’re out here for a game, check out the Tillman statue — created by an ASU alumna — at the north end of the stadium. It’s an inspiring tribute.

We’re also proud of the fact that the athletic department is becoming a homegrown entity. Seven of our 26 sports are coached by ASU alums, including football coach Kenny Dillingham, and Athletic Director Graham Rossini is an ASU graduate.

One last thing: If you’re coming to town for a game and need tickets, go to thesundevils.com.

This is an exciting time for ASU athletics. Our first Big 12 season is upon us, and we can’t wait to introduce our university, our teams, our students and the Valley of the Sun — an appropriate name for sure — to a new group of fans.

So, again, welcome to Tempe.

We can’t wait to see you.