As an alum, I faithfully root for the Florida State Seminoles. However, I have to admit that Im tired of having to answer so many questions about their behavior. Yes, theyre college students. Yes, theyre under a lot of pressure. Yes, theyre under a lot of scrutiny. Yes, theyre under-compensated. Yes, their success undermines the ESPNSEC. Yes, many of the accusations against them have been disproven. Yes, many accusations are blown out of proportion, and many are completely unfounded. Despite all of these possibilities, none of these statements change the fact that they are able to know right from wrong and wise from unwise. None of these statements make their presence in questionable situations unavoidable. Ive been asked, How do you root for a team that [insert accusation here]? The answer is simple--what choice do I have? I chose my college in 1992 for undergrad and 1999 for grad school. My affiliation is decided. Im thankful for the rush that comes with having the opportunity to root for a championship contender every season. Im embarrassed by repeated questions about their behavior. I want success on the field and integrity off of it. Maybe thats too much to hope for, and maybe my lofty hopes set me up for disappointment. Perhaps thats my problem, easily solved by lowering my standards. Until I lower them or Florida State meets them, Ill just have to live with the disappointment. Do I deserve to have one without the other? I dont know. The concept of deserving has always been elusive for me to understand or discern. I do know that I want both, so when I get either one, Ill be glad to have it. And when dont get one, Ill be disappointed to have to live without it. So deserved or not, achieved or not, my cheer is the same: Go Noles!
Posted on: Fri, 02 Jan 2015 04:40:26 +0000
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