How best to respond to the ribbing?

I just say "We played like #2" and leave it at that :biggrin2:

I have only had to deal with a couple horse’s patoots in the last week and a half.

One rushed up to my girlfriend as she was walking out the door of Harbor Freight last Sunday while I was finishing up paying for my items. I was about to the door as the guy approached her (fists clinched, with his chest poked out). He loudly said “How did you like that game”. He wasn’t just displaying some opposing team’s fan ribbing another. This guy displayed all the signs of someone who was wanting to start trouble, right down to his body language and the look in his eyes, even though I thought it was quite convenient his timing over the whole ordeal (approaching my GF while I was finishing up checking out, and she walking out of the store). I walked up right as this was taking place and he took a couple steps back but was still bowed up.

I had a million things on my mind that morning as I had to load up and move a bunch of heavy shop equipment basically by myself, and was dwelling on how I was going to get it all done, so dealing with a nutcase jackwagon was way down on my list of priorities. I just looked at him and said...”It was a game, clemPson won, and got the trophy. Do you want a medal for it now or something?”

He had a real confused look on his face like he didn’t quite know what to say. He just stammered and then said...”Well...We’ll meet again..”

To which I replied..”Bama will be in the playoffs next year, like they’ve been every year, so there’s a chance we will meet again”.


Then Friday at work around lunchtime, an ex coworker showed up at my job and hunted me down to start in about Bama losing. He’s a Notre Dame fan that got fired over three years ago and I haven’t talked to or seen since. Leading up to the Bama-ND championship game, he talked mountains of crap about what ND was gonna do to Bama. I went easy on him afterward except when he started with the excuses and conspiracy theories and such.

He flew into the..”What happened to Bama?”
I said “what happened to ND? You’re sounding like an aubren fan now talking trash about Bama getting beat when your team got sent home the game before.”

He pretty much didn’t have much he could say after that. He stood around for a little while until I channeled my inner Doc Holliday in Tombstone and looked over and said “Oh, I apologize Darryl, I forgot you were standing there. You may go now!”


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I just acknowledge that we were outplayed and outcoached, Clemson won and deserved it, it was a hard game to watch, and say I am sure we will do better next time. I have no need to be snarky or bitter about it. I know we have had more success than any other program over the last 10 years.

All of mine have been good natured.

There's actually not a lot you can say to a Bama fan.

We lost a national championship game. Except for Clemson fans (not many live around here) nobody else's team has been there and none of them are likely to be there soon. It's pretty easy to give it back to fans of other teams.

I got one from a VA Tech fans and I was like, "Yah it was a tough loss - I mean, Clemson was tough enough but just think if we'd had to play ODU?."

I typically give credit to Clemson because, hell, they deserve it.

If they keep in on it I do tend to become a little condescending. I'll ask as benignly as possible:
"This championship was, which?"
"3."
"Fantastic. You're on a roll now... It gets harder after the first 15. See you next year. And the year after."

5 of 10

what has your team done lately...that about does it...

I live right here in Gamecock country and I hear it all the time...

My workplace is rotten with Clemonsite Dabos but we keep it friendly. After a buttwhoopin like that, all you can do is roll over! I just took their junk for a couple of days and congratulated them; it went away. If you love your team as much as those guys do, and you whip the big dog, you deserve a little crowing session.

They know the sunshine will coming from a different angle next year ... something about dogs' rear ends ...

Professor said:

Man, have I been hammered since the game! Too many Clemson folks up here in NC.
So, I have arrived at my pat answer to the ribbing.
"Can you imagine how hard it is to be an Alabama fan? Truly embarrassing. Can you believe we have lost five out of the last ten national championships? "
Once they get the point, and sometimes it takes a few seconds, the amusement sets in and we can both enjoy the ensuing conversation.

Click to expand...

Say, “you’re welcome”

Yeah well Clemson still needed Bama boys to show them how to win championships!


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I keep my plastic squirt gun loaded and handy. I'll let them get in a few good ribs but if they go overboard I give them a squirt.

I was able to make a trip out to San Francisco and do a little sightseeing in between spending time in San Jose for the Fan Fest and Santa Clara for Game Day




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I would just say "Thank you for grooming our next great coach".

I have some really good Clemson friends at work and they didn't rib too much. One of the biggest ones looked at me and said "best 3 out of 5?". We've talked about it some and all I could say was that they just whipped us.

Easy, remind them Saban has more titles at Bama in last 10 years than their University has in their entire history. Tell them they are new money, we are old money and been beating teams better than them for 100 years. This is just an ebb and flow for us, this is their peak time. They never been here before, we have and always will be. They have won a title of a few we have been racking them up for decades. Tell them to chill and not get to excited, this to shall pass LOL. And remind them their best coach Dabo is a Bama boy born and bred and trained. Just tell them they are welcome.