Thanks to my friend Ron …

If  there is one thing I’ve learned over the last few months, it’s that Southeastern Conference football and friends from rival schools don’t mix too well in my social media universe.  In fact, it’s causing my feelings about some people to change, specifically how I behave around them.

I’ve got a couple of really good friends that I don’t talk to, or a lot around anymore.  There have been so many things said on Facebook and Twitter that strike my heartstrings in such a way that I’ve lost the desire to communicate with them face-to-face.  I’m not talking about just from them.  I’ve done my fair share back to them, so it’s both of our faults.

I’ve blocked several people from my Twitter list, and I’ve closed off my Facebook status updates to countless people.  I’ve also trimmed my news feed back from seeing anything they have to say.  They’ve done the same to me, but I keep them as my “FB friends” instead of outright deleting to show them I’m not wanting to completely shut them out of my life.

I feel it’s a survival mode.  Not to save my life or theirs, but to try and salvage real life, real world friendships.  I couldn’t even look or talk to a couple of people in church today because it’s gotten so bad.

That is absolutely pathetic, and it’s bothering me that we’ve let status updates, tweets and football rivalries get in the way of being good friends.  There is so much more to life than this, but living in my state college football is practically a second religion.  It literally tears families and friends apart, and it has effectively started that trend in my own life.

What makes it so much worse for me is I graduated from one school and work for its chief rival.  I love both of these places dearly, and it absolutely tears me in half when I hear either side rip the other.

I know I’m making it all too personal for no good reason.  This rivalry was here long before me, and it will be here long after.  However, it’s making me miserable while I’m on this earth.  I love my alma mater, and I wouldn’t trade anything for my job and where I work.  I chose both these places, and they chose me.

I just wish I could sort out all these nasty feelings I’m getting toward people on either side.  It’s going to take a lot of prayer and time to heal these wounds.  This is not what I wanted my social media life to become.

I was born and raised in southeastern Alabama, speak without a Southern accent, have all my teeth (and zero cavities) and a well-paying job, live in a nice house and have a degree from the University of Alabama.

Wait … what?  You mean I’m not a redneck, and I went to Alabama?  That’s impossible!  All Alabama fans and graduates are toothless and uneducated rednecks!

It’s true, yet for many of my friends and co-workers, they love to throw the “Alabama redneck” title around.  I know many of them are not directing it toward me personally, but I have an unbelievable amount of school pride.  When they make these generalized comments, it angers me, no matter how much I love them.

The worst part is they either went to schools in the Southeastern Conference with just as many redneck fans, or they didn’t go to college at all.  Heck, I know of a few that never finished high school.

I am beyond excited that Alabama won the football national championship again a couple of days ago, but I also loathe a lot of the “fans” that are now bringing all this stereotypical venom down on us alums.  Too many fairweather people have cropped up lately.

I guess what I’m trying to say is, especially to my friends from rival schools (that perhaps actually like me), please consider all of your loved ones before you spew your hatred for my school.  I honestly try to do the same for you and yours.

Besides, my UA degree got me an awesome job at Auburn, and I love it.