Send Message
Add Friend
Block User
StarterI've often wondered which is more important to the average American sports lover...their favorite team(s) or their jobs, friends, and family. As an avid sports fan, I can honestly say that up until very recently, I had no idea just how "out of whack" my priorities were. But it wasn't necessarily anything I did. It was something someone else made me aware of through a random email.
Unless you just don't know me that well, or unless you are blind (no pun intended) and can't see my avatar, then I'll just go ahead and tell you that I'm the biggest UNC fan on the planet. I make no bones about that fact. There are games I can watch with others. However, there are other games I just need to be alone to watch. And admittedly, UNC is probably the most televised college basketball team of all time. So it's not like I'm deprived of Tar Heel air time, that's for sure. Knowing this about me, then you must also know that I'm an avid Duke (dook) hater. After all, I am a Tar Heel fan. But it wasn't until I received a random email from a Duke fan, that I began to see just how warped some of our priorities really are.
I rarely blog or even comment on this site anymore. But I did happen upon a blog that brought up the subject of Duke, and how many believe they are a fallen dynasty. So naturally, I chimed in and agreed, and threw in my two cents about how I "really" felt about the dookies. Little did I know that I would be summoned by a dookie via personal email.
Here is the quote taken directly from that email:
"I used to like the Tarheels. But due to many redneck fans like you, who put down Duke by calling them "Dook" and "Puke," I have been a stalwart Duke fan for years. I have never met more redneck and "no class" fans than the Tarheels. I mean, they are always denigrating Duke. Anyway, maybe you should take coach Roy's job. Frankly, he is one Tarheel who has "class"; so maybe you should take his job and complete the "no class" package."
Now, of course, anyone who reads this can see that this is nothing more than the pot calling the kettle black. And I've got no problem "debating" UNC and dook basketball. However, in the following days it became very evident that this guy had lost his marbles.
Apparently, he is in the process of writing a book about hatred for dook basketball. Now, I may not be a smart man, but when you become infatuated with what others think about a sports team, then I can only assume that family, work, and friends may be in for a long road. I have no idea who this guy is. I can tell you that he says he is a teacher....which I find either really scary, or highly unlikely. But the amount of personal hatred he has thrown out to UNC fans via myself, has been frightening, and apparently undetectable by him. We had several emails that went back and forth. But the more we emailed, the more I began to realize that this man was so infatuated with hatred for dook basketball, that he failed to see how it had taken over his life.
I finally just told him that enough was enough. I pointed out that he had started the whole fiasco by personally attacking me, someone he had never met, nor knew anything about. He is still in denial about this fact. And apparently he is still working on his book.
How far do we take our love for our teams? Should it be taken to the point that we personally attack those who show a disdain for "our" team. Should it be taken to the point that we take valuable time away from what's really important in life? Should we really care about those who "hate" our teams? I sure as heck don't care. And I sure as heck aint gonna write no book about it!!