There are some wonderful, beautiful, special things even in people that sometimes make your blood boil, like people who insist your planner is stupid, people who put the toilet paper roll on upside down, and Bama football fans.
Okay, I lost a bet.
I wagered on Saturday's LSU versus Alabama football game, and LSU lost in a humiliating defeat! My promise? To post something positive about Bama on Tuesday's Off Topic blog post.
You know I wouldn't be singing Bama's praises (or capitalizing the word "bama") on my blog otherwise.
You see, I remember being 5 years old and listening to LSU football games on the radio. I remember sitting in the stadium, watching LSU win a National Championship, with Alabama's current coach, Nick Saban, at the helm. I earned four different degrees at LSU. I dragged my husband to his first LSU game, in an empty stadium (because LSU, in the early 90s, sucked). I refused to leave until the game was over.
I am a lifetime LSU fan.
All week, my Louisiana friends posted memes about how people in Alabama don't have teeth, or wisdom, or class.
The thing is...the Crimson Tide fans do have teeth, wisdom, and class!
At least, the people that I know who are Bama fans (like my friend who volunteered to model for the picture in this post) are wonderful.
One fan happens to be one of my all-time favorite bloggers. We work together all the time and she has never been less than kind, smart, and friendly.
Another family that I know have given me a standing invitation to crash at their house in Mobile.
My best friend's sweet, wonderful parents? Bama fans.
All week, they took (and gave) a friendly ribbing.
During the game, they showed respect for the rules and only teased a bit when LSU got behind.
And since the game, nobody has bragged or tried to hurt my feelings.
Sometimes - and not just in football - we get so caught up in rivalries that we forget there are people behind those computer screens or faces.
Remember that there are people on the other side of the screen.
People who value things that are completely opposite of what you value have good qualities, if you just stop and look.
Congrats, Alabama fans! We were out-coached and out-played, but you stayed classy.
Etcetera.
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Oh, that story brings me back to November 1977 and the infamous 'Miracle in the Meadowlands' game between the NY Giants and Philadelphia Eagles. I was a young teen and couldn't understand my dad's fixation a team that had the worst choke in history. But there was my dad - a week later - cheering on those same Giants who had the ball with .38 seconds left, the lead and the Eagles with no timeouts to stop the clock last weekend and STILL lost. THAT was dedication. My dad was not a 'fair weather fan'. He stuck by his team no matter what. From that day on, the Giants became MY team too. I joke with hub that it's the longest, monogamous relationship I've ever had!
ReplyDeleteI have family member who are 49er and (Grrr!) Cowboy fans and love to talk smack. I keep my mouth shut and just let the scoreboard do the talking!