I have been doing a lot of thinking lately about the rivalry with auburn and if it is even worth it anymore. I had a long talk with the mother of a former friend of mine last night. She and her oldest daughter (my former friend) are big time auburn fans. Her youngest daughter (who I only met once) is a big time Alabama fan. In retrospect, I think I should have been friends with her youngest daughter instead, LOL. But anyway, the reason I called up my former friend's mother was to see if there was any way my former friend and I could finally make up with each other after 5 years. This ridiculous issue goes all the way back to the day of the 2009 iron bowl. My former friend has been angry at me ever since that day. I don't remember exactly what it was that I said that made her end the friendship, but I think it was something to the effect of how they were now paying for all those years of tuberville holding his fingers in the air, I don't know. But, I don't think it was THAT bad.
Whatever it was, it offended her to the point that she has NEVER spoken to me again. Well, not verbally anyway. She did give me the finger when I ran into her at a restaurant last football season. This was after I apologized to her for what I said that day of the 2009 IB. Last night, her mother told me that she was ashamed of her daughter for actually holding something SO petty against somebody and how childish it is of her to still be that offended after 5 years. We also delved into how this is, unfortunately, not unique for the Alabama-Auburn rivalry. WAY too many friendships ended, relationships and marriages broken up, and even family members refusing to speak to one another over a game. We both agreed that we both enjoy the rivalry very much, and we don't necessarily want it to end, but if the divisions ever realigned and Auburn ended up in the East and we only played each other every few years, we could live with it. And let's face it, in the new expanded SEC, you are lucky to catch a rotational opponent from the opposite division once a decade now.
My former friend's mother is going to attempt to broker a sit down between us to see if there is some way we can finally get some closure on what happened 5 years ago after the IB. At this point, that is all I want. I would like to restore the friendship, as I do still care about her and have missed her, but that is just a bonus. Right now, I will settle for just putting the whole silly matter to bed once and for all, never to be brought up again. If for nothing else, then for her own sake. It's not good to carry around such anger for so long. Maybe we can start over with a new foundation. I'd sure like that. Life is WAY too short to lose people close to you over a silly game. I have only ever lived in Alabama, so I don't know what it's like elsewhere, but other sport's rivalries CAN'T POSSIBLY be this intense. I mean, how many marriages have ended over a Yankees-Red Sox game. Or a Cowboys-Eagles game? How many close friendships have been destroyed over the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry?
Don't get me wrong. I still enjoy the Iron Bowl and it is the single greatest rivalry in sports, period. But, it needs to cool off some. Even if my former friend and I do re-establish a friendship, we lost 5 years because of a game. Five years that we can NEVER get back. Not one second. I think I can get my former friend back. From talking to her mother, it seems doable. It may take some time, but I think I can do it. Wanting the rivalry to cool off is perhaps wishful thinking on my part. But, I do know one thing. It is never going to cost me another person again.
Whatever it was, it offended her to the point that she has NEVER spoken to me again. Well, not verbally anyway. She did give me the finger when I ran into her at a restaurant last football season. This was after I apologized to her for what I said that day of the 2009 IB. Last night, her mother told me that she was ashamed of her daughter for actually holding something SO petty against somebody and how childish it is of her to still be that offended after 5 years. We also delved into how this is, unfortunately, not unique for the Alabama-Auburn rivalry. WAY too many friendships ended, relationships and marriages broken up, and even family members refusing to speak to one another over a game. We both agreed that we both enjoy the rivalry very much, and we don't necessarily want it to end, but if the divisions ever realigned and Auburn ended up in the East and we only played each other every few years, we could live with it. And let's face it, in the new expanded SEC, you are lucky to catch a rotational opponent from the opposite division once a decade now.
My former friend's mother is going to attempt to broker a sit down between us to see if there is some way we can finally get some closure on what happened 5 years ago after the IB. At this point, that is all I want. I would like to restore the friendship, as I do still care about her and have missed her, but that is just a bonus. Right now, I will settle for just putting the whole silly matter to bed once and for all, never to be brought up again. If for nothing else, then for her own sake. It's not good to carry around such anger for so long. Maybe we can start over with a new foundation. I'd sure like that. Life is WAY too short to lose people close to you over a silly game. I have only ever lived in Alabama, so I don't know what it's like elsewhere, but other sport's rivalries CAN'T POSSIBLY be this intense. I mean, how many marriages have ended over a Yankees-Red Sox game. Or a Cowboys-Eagles game? How many close friendships have been destroyed over the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry?
Don't get me wrong. I still enjoy the Iron Bowl and it is the single greatest rivalry in sports, period. But, it needs to cool off some. Even if my former friend and I do re-establish a friendship, we lost 5 years because of a game. Five years that we can NEVER get back. Not one second. I think I can get my former friend back. From talking to her mother, it seems doable. It may take some time, but I think I can do it. Wanting the rivalry to cool off is perhaps wishful thinking on my part. But, I do know one thing. It is never going to cost me another person again.