How To Not Be A Big Fat Jerk in Three Easy Steps!

I haven't been to as many away games as I would like, but I have had the [dis]pleasure of interacting with more than my fair share of visiting team fans. I've learned that there are two types of visiting fans, the ones who love the game and the ones who are just big fat jerks. You don't want to be a big fat jerk when you come to Athens because we have that whole bar scene going, plus the whole "ain't nothin' finer in the land than a drunk obnoxious Georgia fan" See how we own that we're obnoxious? We're not above getting in your face if you're a jerk. Since I like making friends with other school fans, I put together a litte guide to help you not be the big fat jerk fan!

Easy Step One || be proud of your school. I always joke with fans from other schools that everyone makes mistakes but it's never a serious tone. I wouldn't trade being a UGA grad for a trillion dollars and ownership of the Atlanta Braves. If you're proud of your school, no one can fault you for that. If you didn't actually go to the school, just don't do anything to give anyone the idea that you're just a bandwagon fan. I'll never understand it, but there's really few things hardcore fans hate more than bandwagon fans.

Easy Step Two || be polite to the home team. Hey, you're in our city, our home, a place we adore. If you meet someone who went to UGA/is a UGA fan and they don't love Athens, they're pants should be on fire. Don't come into our city and our stadium and trash it. Don't you dare touch those hedges. If you're nice to the home team fans, especially in Athens, they'll be nice to you. Then it's appropriate to jokingly talk trash, because who doesn't like to talk trash? In my experience, the best way to make friends with the opposing team fans is to share a drink or some food. Sharing is caring, after all.

Easy Step Three || know when to stop taunting Everyone loves a close game, only one side loves a blowout. If you're sitting in the middle of a Georgia heavy section [especially if you made your way into the student section] and we're down by more possessions than anyone wants to count, don't be obnoxious about how you're scoring again. No one wants to get their booty handed to them at home. It hurts, you wouldn't want anyone taunting you when you're down 52-28 at home, so don't do it to us.

There you have it! Three easy steps that essentially come down to be the fan that you would want to hang out with. It's amazing, really, how true the golden rule [not to be confused with the platinum rule] is. I think "don't be a big fat jerk" is some seriously good overall life advice, don't you? Is there something visiting fans should know about your college town?

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