Sorry for the long time off between columns. I write to you this morning from my home in Atlanta. I mention this because I was suppose to be on a flight to Boston today, for a weekend of fun and Fenway. However, Hurricane Danny put a major damper on those plans. Trip cancelled, tickets wasted and frustration peaking!
In an effort to put that aggravation behind me, I wanted to talk about something completely different this morning. With the smell of college football in the air, school pride is about to invade offices all across America.
I work for a commercial real estate firm in the South. I went to school out West (USC). Being a Pac-10 guy in an office filled with SEC alums goes together about as well as Bobby Petrino and Falcons fans. I am the guy from the "soft" conference out West, with the pass-happy offenses and the cupcake schedule. Of course I disagree with that entire assessment, but that's a topic for another day. Conversely, I'm surrounded by SEC alumni and fans who mistake passion for performance. This passion can have quite the adverse effect on co-workers.
There is an old line how nobody in Atlanta is from Atlanta. There are plenty of guys in offices all around this 'transplant town' from New York, New Jersey or the Midwest. They moved down South with an open mind when it came to finding a local college team to root for on Saturdays. In Atlanta, the University of Georgia is the natural choice (over Georgia Tech). However, every office has one guy or three or ten, who is so over-the-top about Georgia football, that they make it almost impossible for the 'transplants' to root for their 'Dawgs. Instead, it has the reverse effect. Georgia fans can be so obnoxious and in-your-face about their program, that human nature takes over and you begin to wish failure upon their team. Mix in an Alabama alum or a Gator gusher, and suddenly college football in the South is about as easy to digest as a habanero stuffed burrito.
So brace yourself, as the office becomes a four-month long tailgate filled with Bulldogs, Gators and Tigers. Choose your side and run your mouth. After all, it's football season in the South!
USC plays a cupcake schedule and eats sushi at their tailgate. Not really football. Perhaps it is not really the "obnoxious and in-your-face about their program" SEC fans (although FL fans are horrible) but rather the envy of wanting to be that passionate about football and actually playing in a league that brings out t he best in your team and fans that truly bothers you and your transplanted friends.
ReplyDeleteI happen to like Habenero stuffed burritos thank you very much. I also happen to agree that Southern Cal plays a weaker schedule than most highschool teams from the state of Texas. I hear from other USC alumni that the stadium is regularly silent. Time to step it up and cheer for a real college football team in a real conference.
ReplyDeleteAndy,
ReplyDeleteI went to UGA. Met my wife at UGA.
Was there with Herschel. Saw Lindsay Scott.
Drank too much bourbon.
Heard Munson. Love Munson. Miss Munson.
I miss Vince.... but I'm a fan of Richt.
I'll miss Moreno this year but I will not miss Stafford.
My daughter is now at UGA.
And next year if God's willing... my son will go to UGA.
Will be "tween the hedges" for every home game.
We'll watch "away games" in my basement in front of the "BIG SCREEN" with about 60 of my closest friends a few cases of beer and of course a couple bottles of Jack Daniels. Except for the Vandy game...we'll go Nashville for that one.
Some of my best friends are Kentucky fans, Florida fans, Tech fans, Auburn fans, Alabama fans... and I'll hate each one of them atleast one saturday each year.
Good times, great memories.
UGA 31 Oklahoma State 24