Name:   MAJ USA RET - Subject:   BE TRUE TO YOUR SCHOOL Date:   7/25/2012 11:04:37 AM

The discussion is about the hatefulness of the Auburn-Alabama rivalry. 

I went to Old Dominion University… which, until recently… had no football team.  Having gone to graduate school at Virginia Tech… the Hokies became my team. (PLEASE! Both Vicks should never be allowed to play professional football again.) 

However, I married into the Auburn-Alabama rivalry.  I really enjoy it when it is good natured even irreverent… sometimes outrageous.  However, I have seen it raise its ugliness on numerous occasions. The put-downs get very personal and insulting.

Both my wife and I own and wear AU clothing… though neither of us went to school there (uh… well, my wife is enrolled in the OLLI program at Auburn).  For the Auburn-Alabama game, we are Roll Tide!  On ALL other occasions we are for the appropriate Alabama team.

As a military family, we have lived in many venues… and seen the very same juvenile, low-class behavior applied to other rivalries.  I wonder at the psychology of the bitterness.  I suspect it is born of gloating versus humiliation.  Gloating has never made anyone more attractive. 

To disparage a person because they are being true to their school is very short sighted and hypocritical.  Look in the mirror and say to yourself, “You are stupid because you went to ________ !”    See any value in that? 

As soon as it is not fun anymore… it loses its value… and demeans relationships.