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College Football Fans and Rude Behavior

Like bands, tailgating, cheerleaders, pageantry and tradition rude behavior is a part of college football. In no way am I saying that it should be condoned, I am just saying it should be expected. You see, college football fans are extremely passionate about their teams, schools and even states. Games become battles where team allegiance can outweigh relationships with your closest friends and family. Fans anticipate each Saturday, with an intensity that rivals that of a child on Christmas Eve. Every week matters. Unlike professional sports 1 blemish to your record can leave you on the outside looking in, while another team plays in your spot for the National Title. When this much passion, love, and even lust is entangled, you should expect some rude behavior along with it.

While attending many football games I have witnessed many different levels of rude behavior, and while growing up in SEC country I have heard stories of terror and torment being spread from campus to campus, like a fire spreads through a drought plagued forest. I have seen acts of rudeness range from verbal abuse, to all out brawls. I have heard legendary tales of brick throwing and vehicle arisen. I have seen fans turn on their own team, with the same hate used when defiling fans of an opposing team. There are stories of rocks being tossed threw windows, player buses being rocked, various fruits being thrown, and even moving vans parked outside coaches houses in order to show fan disgust with team performance. Yeah, these are all ways not to act, and in any other circle this wouldn't fly, but in the college football world this is in some ways normal. Everyday people write articles, feel TV slots, and host radio programs, that allow fans to participate by expressing their love for a program, or their hate for a program. Its just part of the game.

I am not sure which team's following can be classified as the rudest fans, but I feel confident that there are sectors from each school who pride themselves in being the most rude. These people who feel the need to trash others in order to will their team to victory, are sadly confused. Somehow, someway they actually believe that their actions and behavior can impact the outcome of the game. Sure we have all been guilty of this, waking up on a brisk fall morning, spitting fireballs ready to destroy the weeks competition, only to have one to many liquor drinks and instead of paying attention to the game we become more concerned with belittling every opposing fan insight. At the time it feels good, you feel proud, you feel part of the team. Then all of a sudden Sunday morning is here, you realize your team lost, your not sure if you have any friends left, and you have embarrassed yourself so badly that you feel you may never return to a tailgate party again. And realization we may all need to hear is, none of the players know you or ever care to, your not getting an invite to the coaches house for the holidays, and the actions of previous day didn't make you apart of the team not even if you did yell louder than everyone else.

In conclusion, rude behavior is a part of the game. It is not the best part, sometimes not even the worst part, but still some part. We as fans act this way for different reasons. Sometimes its out of frustration, sometimes hatred, and sometimes its all in fun. Either way next time you decide to be rude stop and think, is it really going to help, is your team going to be better for it, am I not to old to still be acting like a jerk? Whatever you decide, whatever your choice may be, remember that you represent more than yourself, you represent your team.

Learn more about this author, David Bell.
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