College Football Fans

This is from Richard Justice's Blog on the Houston Chronicle web site. I couldn't agree more. As I've stepped back now these past few years. What I like to say is how many millions are spent on stadiums, locker rooms, whatever they think of next so I can brag at work on Monday morning that my college team beat your college team.

Don't tell anyone this, but I love poking college football fans. They take themselves so seriously. I just don't get this dressing up in the school colors and going to a college football game 30 years after leaving school. I don't get the whole "Longhorn Bob" and "Cougar Scott" thing. As Russ Springer said last year when Chris Burke was cheering loudly for the University of Tennessee, "Cut the cord.'' I love the University of Texas more than you can imagine. I love Garrison Hall and, uh, Scholz Garten. But writing about the football team is my job. I like to see them do well. I think it would be kind of sick to root for someone to fail. I root for Stoops and Fran and Mike Leach, too. I also occasionally take a few shots because when you criticize a college team, people act as if you've offended a member of the family. It's actually pretty funny if you stop and think how ridiculous it all is. And here's the thing: you're all alike. You'll never admit this, but all of you are alike. Tech fans curse a little more. UH fans have more of a chip on their shoulders. Texas fans are a little more arrogant. Aggie fans are a little more goofy. Before you write in and tell me, I acknowledge that University of Texas fans dress nicer and are better educated (Editor's note: this is a shot at UT; in some of the early posts, many of you have taken it as praise). So cool it. But at the end of the day, there are far more similarities than differences. They all run around screaming like this stuff is important and getting all worked up when they think they've been offended. It's fun.

Now, I like to go to the games, but I think we all need some perspective.