Editor’s Note: The following story by Jeffrey Rembert was posted by FORWARD Florida on its website under Sports on November 20, 2015.
Ever find yourself defending a group whose traditions and sense of loyalty give you pause to reconsider a high colonic and Justin Bieber? If so, you feel the agony, my friend. Either you dislike Texas A&M as much as I do or you harbor a dislike for another college football program. Perhaps the Gators or the Seminoles? How about the Knights or the Bulls? Do the ‘Canes get under your skin?
In the coming weeks college football gets down to serious business with rivalry games. “They need the dough” games versus FCS liberal arts schools have satisfied the bloodlust of boosters. Fans now will revel in the contrived enmity of the blue and orange (Florida), scarlet and gold (Florida State), orange and green (Miami and Florida A&M), black and gold (UCF), green and gold (USF), blue and red (Florida Atlantic), blue and gold (FIU) and maroon and gold (Bethune-Cookman).
And don’t think athletic departments haven’t figured out how to cash in.
What’s consistent is concern for how society perceives us and loved ones. We understand society perceives things a certain way and desire to avoid misunderstanding. So you ask yourself and those you care about to avoid giving an impression that’s not accurate as society will think what society wants to think. It might not be fair but historically we bring it upon ourselves.