Everyone knows someone who would go to any extreme to win a game. It’s the competitive gene that some individuals possess that will drive them to paint their bodies blue and orange, wear a wedge of cheese proudly atop their heads, sing the Pony Battle Cry terribly off tune and even throw punches at fans of the rival team.
But where does one draw the line between friendly competition and cut throat wins and losses?
It seems that especially among college football, the bitter bantering traded back and forth across the stadium has entered a new territory: losses, bragging rights and the constantly changing AP rankings are causing people to abandon their old form of friendly insults and are instead trading in their creative game-day posters for deadly weapons.
In just the past few weeks, the trash talking between SEC fans has spiraled out of control. In the wake of LSU’s loss to Georgia, a white male was accused of hanging a noose in his African-American co-worker’s yard. Now facing up to one year in prison and a hefty $5,000 fine, that man may want to think twice before lashing out in such an aggressive way towards his opponent. I mean, both teams are still ranked in the Top 20, it’s really not that big of a deal.
The Florida Alligators have been known to attack their enemies. But what about their fans? Following Florida’s loss to Georgia, an irate wife bit and beat her husband upon learning her team lost. After pressing charges, the husband and his wife separated, and he is free to cheer on his Bulldogs safely.
The most recent and most serious incident occurred just last week when then No.1 Alabama defeated the then No.4 LSU Tigers in Louisiana. Shotgun blasts rang out as a couple was killed by another fan. The catch: the killer’s girlfriend is related to the woman killed in the altercation, the pairs were even friends. Maybe it’s something in the water, but what is it with LSU fans getting themselves tangled in these heated debates? Many universities proudly chant “win or lose, we still booze,” but maybe it’s time to schmooze instead of booze with your neighbors.
You would think if any school had room for complaint it would be SMU. I mean we’re 1-9 and now with two of our top receivers done for the season, riots are sure to follow. Why is it that all the top ranked schools feel they need to express a win or loss in the form of violence. Tipping over goal posts may not be the answer anymore, but how about buying your sore, loser friend a drink instead of clocking him in the face.
I don’t know why it is that sports seem to bring out the worst in people, but just spend one quarter of a football game in the student section of any respectable program and you’ll be lucky to come out unharmed. Fans are insistent in making sure you know their school’s colors, as well as every imaginable action involving the opposing team’s anatomy. It’s almost as if specific crowds should be identified to a rating system similar to that in theaters.
At least the players are slightly more justified in throwing punches and tackling their opponents. Maybe, fans should come equipped to games with bullet proof vests. It doesn’t take more than a sideways glance to send some fans into a tirade about why the other team is pathetic.
Hopefully this weekend we won’t see anymore rivalry-related deaths in the realm of college football, as the only Top 25 matchup this week is between No. 4 Florida and No.25 South Carolina. Afterall, whoever heard of an alligator eating a bird?
Sports are supposed to unite people and give them a break from the stress of every day work, not raise your roommate’s blood pressure to the point they want to strangle you. So next time your team makes a big play for a double overtime win, rather than parading around your living room, spilling your pitcher of beer on your depressed colleague and belting out a victory cheer, gloat silently, put the boxing gloves away and congratulate your friend for their team’s valiant effort.
Nicole Jacobsen is a junior journalism and advertising double major. She can be reached for comment at [email protected].
