You know what I'm talking about... IFTIT!!! (It's football time in Tennessee!) For those of you who weren't blessed to be born in the south, this is a big deal. My Southern Living magazine is all about college football this month. Knoxville made the list of best college towns in the south. There were 2 articles that I found to be the best way to describe SEC football so all of y'all who don't get to experience this amazing phenomenon, maybe this will help you understand it. M Lindsay Bierman, the editor, writes this:(I added my own editions/adjustments in red)
The 10 Commandments of College Football Fandom:
1) Thou shalt wear team colors. But think twice before adorning yourself with body paint - you don't want to be the Internet photo that goes viral. (In the South, we dress up for our teams, all Southern women have at least one sundress in their school colors, and guys will have a tie in his school colors)
2) Thou shalt know - and sing- your team's fight song from beginning to end. Sure, you can "watermelon, watermelon" your way through the alma mater, but not memorizing the fight song is fan failure. (A true fan knows the alma mater)
3) Thou shalt support the coach. Even when his calls are questionable.
4) Thou shalt keep your language clean (unless, of course, the quarterback fumbles on fourth and goal).
5) Thou shalt be respectful to visiting teams. Remember: Southern ladies and gentleman never boo.
6) Thou shalt set up a tailgate no fewer than three hours before kickoff (six if it's a night game). Table linens and matching huggers encourage, not required. (Unless you're at Ole Miss, then table linens and fine china are definitely required)
7) Thou shalt theme your tailgate food around the visiting rival. Gator bites, anyone? (I swear the author of this already had gator bites written, I didn't add it. You could also have BBQ for the hogs, but don't be grilling bull dogs or elephants or tigers, that's just wrong y'all!)
8) Thou shalt stay through the fourth quarter - rain or shine. That's what ponchos are for, y'all. (Or cute trench coats and galoshes in school colors)
9) Thou shalt respect the solemnity of Game Day by planning weddings, births and other life events around the football schedule. (I went to a wedding on Halloween once because the bride and groom were season ticket holders at their alma mater and that was the only weekend that there wasn't a home game, true story.)
10) Thou shalt never covet the other teams' bowl games, national championships, or Heisman Trophy wins. There's alway next year. (This one is hard to abide, I still think Peyton should've gotten the Heisman.)
Wouldn't this orange, Burberry coat be a wonderful way to stay warm and still look fabulous? Yeah, I thought so, too.
