2011-02-22
Posted by: badanov
We have fans like the individual described in the linked story in Oklahoma.
In fact, in Oklahoma a lawsuit was filed two years ago over a barfight between an OU fan and an OSU fan.
Consider that. If this suit gets to trial, 20 years from now learned minds are going to read about it in case studies in law school. A civil suit over a barfight.
I like to watch football on television. I don't get into it much, but I like to track national teams to see how they do against other teams. It's a harmless avocation. I could take up needlepoint, I guess, but football doesn't require much from me, and yarn can be messy as well as expensive.
Harmless, as I said.
I remember about six years ago going into a bar to meet friends so we can play music trivia. My friend, who was a retired US Army NCO, had a wife who was upset about something when I got to the bar. Apparently words were exchanged between them, a Texas Longhorn fan in Oklahoma, and the OU fan.
The OU fan, a young man of 40 years or so, had eyes that looked like an Oklahoma road map, and a pleased look on his face, similar to "look what I did." I don't know what the guy did for a living, but I think we can rule out clergyman or psychologist.
You would think that competition between Oklahoma and Texas fans is friendly and 90 percent of the time it is, as I hear, but occasionally you get vignettes about how ugly something as trivial as football team fandom can be when it gets in the heads of bad men.
Luckily nothing came of the confrontation, We went on to have a pleasant evening playing music trivia and visiting, the main reason I even went there. We forgot about the confrontation, at least I did until I read about Auburn and Toomer's Corner
I imagine the OU fan went home to his wife, or to his right hand, and spent the next day recovering from his hangover, and forgetting he upset a lady for absolutely no good, useful reason.
Nothing can be gained from being a sports fan, or even a fan of anything. Do you think Obama fans gained one iota of insight into the body politic when they cast their ballot for him? I don't think they did, because if they had any insight at all they would have stayed home, and continued to bitch about things no one can do anything about, and not allow the disaster Obama has been to date.
I doubt anyone who casts their lot of OU, or Florida, or any football powerhouse can tell you why, absent of being an alumni, they are so passionate about their teams.
But I can say from personal experience nothing should ever come of it. If something does, it is usually all bad.
If you have something to add, Fire Away!
Number of Comments so far: 0
Click here
for a list of stories in the Culture category