A Fan Behaving Badly
Saw a sad scene Saturday, sadder than the faces on the Wake Forest players as they trudged off the Memorial Stadium field having been thrashed by Clemson 38-3. A couple of yahoos came down to the corner of the stands and, one in particular, was taunting the Deacons as they passed by.
The Wake fans, mostly friends and family, didn’t take kindly to the insults. One pretty big guy who I took to be either a relative or close friend to Michael Lockett, in that he was wearing a jersey No. 99, was asking the tormentor to take it elsewhere. Nothing doing. This guy was intent on rubbing it in. Finally No. 99 actually stood up chest to chest to the ``fan’’ and there was a bit of jostling and shoving before the security finally arrived to lead the two instigators away. No punches were thrown and the only real injury was to the dignity of the gathering.
This is not to indict the Clemson fan base as a whole. Every school has its morons, who are always more apt to show their behinds when alcohol is involved.
Reminds me of a story I heard about the great Doc Watson, the legendary guitar picker and singer.
Doc had just finished a song when an obnoxious voice in the crowd yells for him to play Foggy Mountan Breakdown or some song, coming off as more of a demand than a request. Watson paused for effect and replied, ``That’s all right son, I can remember my first drink too.’‘
The crowd laughed, and they weren’t laughing with the loud mouth. They were laughing at him.
I wanted to laugh at the Clemson yahoo Saturday, but the scene was just too sad. Everyone loses in these instances, most of all the guy who turned the sweet taste of victory into bile.