Today, I am a Dawg, a Tiger, a Gamecock, a Bear... the list goes on.
I am a Georgia Bulldog first and foremost. The University of Georgia is my home for these precious college years that I will cherish for the remainder of my lifetime, and one day this prestigious institution will be my alma mater. Just because I attend this university doesn't mean I do not have ties to other institutions across the country.
I attended my first football game in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It was the LSU vs. Arkansas game, and it was one of the defining moments in my life because it helped me discover my passion and the career I wanted to pursue. Growing up, I rooted for LSU because of my familial ties to the university and the gratitude I felt to the program for proving to me football was so much more than just a game. I rooted for Baylor because of familial ties as well, and the devotion to faith the university presented was admirable. I rooted for Auburn because it was 45 minutes from my hometown, and for some reason unbeknownst to me, my father loved the Auburn tigers. Ironically, I never once rooted for the Bulldogs until I decided it was the best college for me to pursue my dream of becoming a sports journalist. Then, I was a Bulldog too.
In the South, football is compared to religion and the fanaticism for the SEC is only triumphed by Christianity (and sometimes during football season that matchup is even questionable). Each team in the SEC and throughout the country has its devoted fans. If you root for a team other than your own, you're a bandwagon fan, and your friends and family may very well disown you. For me, this well-known fact was difficult to handle growing up and even now as a student at UGA. My family was divided by thirds, and then when I ultimately made the decision to attend UGA, rather than Auburn, it was suddenly divided into fourths. My number one team, now and always, is Georgia, but I do root for LSU, Auburn, and Baylor when the Dawgs aren't taking those teams on (and when those teams aren't directly implicating my school's chances at an SEC championship or playoff berth). I'm comfortable with my choices of football teams, and I'm proud of my academic and football heritage.
There are times when the SEC bans together and proves to the nation and the world how, no matter the school we as individuals root for, we are a family tied together by a passion that is unrivaled by any other conference. Yet, my friends, peers, co-workers, and even random strangers on the street can't seem to understand how I could root for three SEC teams on any given Saturday. Yeah, our conference is a bit crazy, but when it comes down to it, it's just football... and I love football.
Thankfully, I grew past the stage of thinking "life revolves around football" years ago. The fact that many fans (who have been around for much longer than myself) still have this mindset is a wee bit unsettling, but there will always be die-hards who can't seem to fathom there is more to life than Crimson and White (not poking fun at Alabama, it just rhymed). Because I have experienced these fans first hand and seen the craze that is a Saturday down South in the fall, I sometimes worry that the fans, families, coaches and players lose sight of the things that are most important.
Faith, family, health, and last but certainly not least, happiness.
Usually every now and then these fears are put to rest by an act of kindness or by witnessing how football magnetizes these four vital aspects of life even more. Earlier this week, my thoughts were once again settled.
As many of us know, South Carolina was drenched in rain from Hurricane Joaquin this past week. Although the Hurricane did not make landfall, it covered the state in the types of floods that only occur every 1,000 years. Roads and bridges collapsed, dams broke, houses were buried by water, school was cancelled, and worse than anything else, lives were lost. The recovery process will continue for months, if not years, for the state, and one of the hardest hit areas was Columbia, South Carolina, home of the USC Gamecocks.
The Gamecocks (2-3) were set to take on the LSU Tigers (4-0) at home in Williams-Brice Stadium, but then the floods poured into town. Now, the infrastructure of the city can barely hold its own residents, yet alone another 60,000 rabid Gamecock and Tiger fans for a game. So, after much consideration, the game was relocated to Baton Rouge. For a split second, USC fans were devastated because not only had their home been destroyed, but now they had to take on an undefeated LSU team in Death Valley. Then everything started looking up.
LSU and the state of Louisiana have experienced tragedy before with Hurricane Katrina, and they know the inconvenience of having to relocate football games. When the school and fans found out the Gamecocks would be traveling to them, they set to work to make sure the team would have as close to a home game as they possibly could down in the bayou.
The Tigers' band will play the USC alma mater and fight song since the Gamecock band can't make the trip. The stadium will play the USC intro just like they would if they were in Williams-Brice on any given Saturday. The city of Baton Rouge has posted signs and billboards to welcome USC fans, and any proceeds past the cost of putting on the event will go directly to USC and the disaster relief fund.
Saturday's game is a rivalry just like it is when any SEC teams meet, but it now has a friendlier, heart-warming vibe. You won't see players getting in each others faces or throwing punches, but you will see two teams standing together to represent two states who have looked tragedy in the face and overcome. The acts of pure kindness and selflessness that have been demonstrated this week by LSU and the entire state of South Carolina are inspiring. This is a prime example of why I will root for each of my teams and feel no shame because, at the end of the day, we stand as one.
I will say Go Dawgs, GEAUX Tigers, and Go Gamecocks. I will cry War Eagle, Roll Tide, and Woo Pig Sooie. I will love football and the SEC, but these words are just words and these teams will dissolve. We are truly one big family, and how we face tragedy and support one another will define who we are. These universities have yet again instilled in me the confidence that the SEC is the best conference in the land.
Geaux Tigers and Go Gamecocks!
