On Monday night I was grocery shopping and minding my own business while buying canned vegetables when a man came up to me and said, "Ha! Are you a Tennessee fan?" He began to taunt me about my Tennessee Titans and their major loss on Sunday to the Patriots. I was also mocked for my Volunteers facing the #1 college team in the nation on Saturday - the Alabama Crimson Tide.
What? Did that just happen? Grown people mock someone because they are wearing another teams colors in the GROCERY STORE?
I could understand if it was game day and I was in Tuscaloosa, but Publix??
Who has ever mocked someone in the grocery store for wearing their team colors? In all the years I've lived in Tennessee I've never once made fun of someone who was wearing an Alabama shirt, or any other team shirt for that matter. I wouldn't think of it! OK, if it was game day, then maybe - but probably not. (Confession: one time I didn't let a lady over in traffic because she had a Georgia Bulldogs tag on her car. But I didn't mock her to her face!)
I've come to the conclusion that I must hold my head high in Alabama and wear my colors proudly. I feel somewhat of a Tennessee martyr. I think I'll start blasting Rocky Top with my windows rolled down the next time I need to run to the store. Maybe it'll annoy the crap out of all those dumb Alabama fans. :)
My blood runs orange. Period. I'll always proudly wear my orange and white. (And I'll even stand up for the Titans, too.)