I think by now, most people know I’m a huge football fan. Just the sport in general.
When those Friday night lights kick on in local stadiums, I get excited. The thrill, the excitement and the game just make me happy.
And Saturdays? Well, they were made for watching college ball. From about 8 a.m. until 10 p.m. on Saturdays in the fall, you can bet football is being played on my television.
This past weekend, however, I saw something that made me ashamed of my fellow football fans. In the fourth quarter of the Ole Miss-Tennessee game, fans lost their minds.
After Ole Miss put a stop to the Vols just short of the first down marker on a fourth and 24 play, Tennessee fans started pelting the field with trash. Water bottles, beer cans and bottles, a random mustard container and a golf ball which hit Ole Miss Head Coach Lane Kiffin.
This was the first time Kiffin had returned to Neyland Stadium as a head coach since he left the position for the Volunteers in 2009 to go to USC.
Now, I’ll be the first to say I’m not the biggest fan of Kiffin. I think he has an absolutely horrible attitude and tends to be arrogant in his calls, but he didn’t deserve that treatment by the fans.
On social media following the game, I was shocked to find some people actually defending the behavior of Vols fans throwing the trash.
Really?
Their behavior cannot be defended. Nor should it. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if a fine isn’t implemented from the NCAA.
Here’s the thing about football: it invokes passion. There are rivalries and pageantry and bets on favorite teams, but there comes a point where you have to keep things classy.
Both as players and fans, it is so important to remember to lose with grace. There will always be another game to play.
As most people know by now, I’m a huge fan of the Alabama Crimson Tide, and us Bama fans can pretty much apply a Paul Bear Bryant quote to most things in life. Well, this is no exception.
The Bear once said, “Show class, have pride and display character. If you do, winning takes care of itself.”
I think these Vols fans need to think about this statement. Their lack of class and character reflected poorly on the entire program at Tennessee.
Despite the fact the fans were throwing garbage on the field, they were the real trash that night.