OMG. It’s like, junior year of college and there’s a dude sweating you. He makes a big deal to all of his friends about how hot you are, but tries to pretend he’s totally NOT into you. He talks about how you always reject him, tries to psych you out when he knows he’s going to see you by wearing crazy colors, he even goes on social media REPEATEDLY and hashtags his “distaste” with wild abandon.
You’re not even sure what his name is.
No, you’re more concerned about that guy you went to kindergarten, grade school, and high school with. He picked fights with you every day, and you never backed down. Y’all yell in each other’s faces and insult each other’s mommas and rent billboards out in each other’s neighborhoods talking smack. You love it. You BOTH love it. It kinda feeds your soul. He’s that guy that seems nice and is always the underdog and maybe you’d like him it you weren’t programmed to hate him.
Now, let’s get real on who these people represent. The first dude is the Buccaneers, and the second dude; obviously, is the Falcons.
Over the last few years, Bucs fans have imagined themselves an elaborate rivalry against the Saints. Why? I don’t know. We are in the same division, and we DID beat them twice in the regular season last year and also twice this year, but really – they’re Tampa Bay (it is Tampa Bay, right? I know they’re in Florida…). They shoot a cannon – maybe? Don’t really know, REALLY don’t care. Have we ever done anything heinous to them? I will always have a bad taste in my mouth for the Bears, because in the 2007 NFC Championship game, their fans created nasty posters poking fun at the loss of life and devastation we suffered during Katrina. That goes beyond sports, that’s vile and cruel.
And I wasn’t a big fan of the Patriots when they got only a slap on the wrist for “deflategate” and our entire coaching staff was upheaved for a whole year due to “bountygate.”
We’ve never done anything like either of those things to the Bucs. They even took the Super Bowl spot we so clearly deserved last year, and the alchemist Tom Brady turned it into a Super Bowl ring. Maybe we should be mad at them?
Can’t. We’re too busy on this life-long, dedicated, TRUE rivalry with the Falcons. Speaking for myself, my stomach turns when I see that ridiculous looking mascot. I cheer when they lose whether it ends up being advantageous for the Saints or not, and when I meet someone from the Georgia or North Alabama area, I carefully quiz them before I trust them with say, watching my purse as I use the restroom or making a restaurant recommendation. Falcons fans clearly have terrible taste, I don’t want one choosing something as crucial as where I’m going to dine.
Bucs fans have been using the naughty, unprintable hashtag #F***thesaints all year, whether we were playing them that week or not. (Salty, much?) They even vowed to “Red Out” their stadium for Sunday night’s game – with a regional grocery store supplying red shirts. (How cute, Bucs. Here in NOLA, we all have tons of Black and Gold already that we wear religiously, but you do you 😊) I guess their team color is red – like the Falcons! Ok, that’ll be easy to remember.
Maybe it’s because Little Tommy B is 0 wins and 4 losses against the Saints in regular season games as a Buccaneer… ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
In any case, it looks like we’ve got a Jealous Judy on our hands. It’s ok, we’ve seen it before, of course, we can deal. I guess beaches and Brady aren’t enough, they’re trying to get a little bit of the spirit and dedication we have been rockin’ since we were playing at Tulane stadium. That’s understandable. I would suggest maybe coming up with a more creative hashtag, though. Profanity is obvious and trite. Maybe stay away from numbers. #0-9 wouldn’t be a good look for y’all.
Anyway, all is fair in love and football.
