10 Rules for College Football Fans!
Oh football season, I am so happy that you are back! To be more specific, welcome back COLLEGE football! Finally, gameday is HERE and my team will be taking the field for their first game in just a few minutes. Alas, the first game is an away game, so I will be catching the game on TV. The team is going to have a great season, and I am looking forward to it finally starting!
So, as we kick off the season, I wanted to share this gem that was featured in the current edition of one of my favorite publications, Southern Living magazine. Now, SL has had some ups and downs over the last few years in my opinion… a number of editor changes, redesigns of the magazine, sections added and taken away. Since this new guy took over, I have really been a fan (for the most part, still not loving that it is now so blatantly targeted at women, instead of general Southerners, but I will forgive that). He has had several great notes to readers on the Editor’s Page, but this one from September takes the cake…. LOVE IT!
The Top Ten Commandments of College Football Fandom
- Thou shalt wear team colors. But think twice before adorning yourself with body paint—you don’t want to be the Internet photo that goes viral.
- Thou shalt know—and sing—your team’s fight song from beginning to end. Sure, you can “watermelon watermelon” your way through the alma mater, but not memorizing the fight song is a fan failure. As a side note, for THIS ConvertedSoutherner, we all know the alma mater at my school and it is sung at games!
- Thou shalt keep your language clean (unless, of course, the quarterback fumbles on fourth and goal).
- Thou shalt support the coach. Even when his calls are questionable.
- Thou shalt be respectful to visiting teams. Remember: Southern ladies and gentlemen never boo.
- Thou shalt set up a tailgate no fewer than three hours before kickoff (six if it’s a night game). Table linens and matching huggers encouraged, but not required.
- Thou shalt theme your tailgate food around the visiting rival. Gator bites, anyone?
- Thou shalt stay through the fourth quarter—rain or shine. That’s what ponchos are for, y’all.
- Thou shalt respect the solemnity of Game Day by planning weddings, births, and other life events around the football schedule.
- Thou shalt not covet other teams’ bowl games, national championships, or Heisman Trophy wins. There’s always next year.
(Southern Living Magazine. September 2011. Page 8.)
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