NON- Georgia Alum

Well, let's see. I could got to the instate P5 school for free or I could go to UGA for 20K a year. I think I made the right choice.

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if you attended a power 5 school and choose to pull for a different college you never attended, IMO that's weird.

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So if you grew up a UGA fan your whole life, but ended up going to, say alabama for instance, yet still pulled for UGA..that's weird to you? I don't get that line of thinking. I was fortunate enough to spend my full career at UGA but if I did have to go elsewhere, I damn sure wouldn't have given up my allegiance simply because of that.

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IMO that's weird.

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How is that weird? I've always loved UGA. opportunities were not there to play football for UGA. They were there for me to stay in my home state and play football their. I used Rutgers the same way they were using me to play a sport. I had no real ties to them. I wanted a good education and got it for free. I don't think its weird.

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I'm actually one of those people who never attended UGA.

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Same here.

I too graduated from another college.(don't ask, that school would prefer to go through the rest of its existence anonymously)

I've never understood the "you didn't go to UGA so you're not a real fan" argument. In fact, I'm insulted by it. I have been a UGA fan longer than most people on this board have been alive, I presume. I've been a season ticket holder for many years, traveled to many away games spending copious amounts of money just in the name of the Dawgs, and have UGA paraphernalia out the ying yang.

If that's not a "real" fan then I guess that's a you problem.

I’m very grateful for attending and graduating from UGA. But I look at Alumnus and non-Alumnus the same way, we’re all fans. In fact, my best friend attended Auburn but is 100% Dawg and contributes more to the Hartman Fund than myself. My dad never had an opportunity to go to college, but he is one of the biggest UGA fans I’ve met. If you grow up in Georgia, rooting for the Dawgs is a rite of passage. Earning a degree from the school doesn’t make you any more of a fan than the non-graduate.

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I've never understood the "you didn't go to UGA so you're not a real fan" argument.

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Outside of the extremely small portion of the fanbase who are complete nutjob loonies, I don't think anyone REALLY thinks that.

What I think people DO believe, and does have merit, is that alums care more about UGA as a whole than non-alums. And of course, that's not lumping EEEEEEVERYONE in the same boat. But take your average, everyday random John Q. Fan off the street. One is an alum, one isn't. Chances are the non-alum is going to only care about football and nothing else. Yes, obviously there are exceptions, but I think that's probably fairly typical. That same random john q. fan that is an alum is probably going to care more about all of UGA since that's where he spent (most likely) the best years of his early adult life and where his degree is from.

I have never subscribed to the thinking that you aren't a "real fan", whatever the hell that is, if you aren't an alum. But I do think that by and large the people who are supporters of all of UGA, beyond the football program, are more than likely alums.

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I guess the difference is that no one graduated from the University of Atlanta Falcons. You can be a fan of whatever you want, but going to the school and earning a degree give a different level of meaning to the whole thing.

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Kinda but I know folk who spend a hella lot more than me & and love the University, not just the football team... Imma proud of my Diplomas but it doesn't make me a "better fan". Now the peeps that don't GAS about nothing but winning & GAS less about the way the program is ran or even know how the program is ran(I.E. 90% of the barn & bama fans) can KMA...

We coulda/shoulda been better the last 4-6 years but frick it, I hate it but kinda understand it in the big picture...

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Yeah I was born Jersey so what.....Doesn't make any less of of a fan than you.

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I'm sorry, but I think that it does. Jersey-born or South Dakota-born or from anywhere out of state....

I mean, there's a reason why they call it the University of "Georgia", isn't there?

Look. We're glad you like the state and the school and all, but you are simply not one of us.

And before you freak out, ask yourself if that statement is really all that controversial... Ask yourself why college football isn't as important a part of the culture in a place like new jersey as it is in a state like Georgia....

It's because of the people here. This is ours. We built this phenomenon. And we sustain it. This is our fricking home.

And you are welcome to enjoy it as much as you want, but please have the manners as a visitor/outsider to know your place and be thankful for what we have built for you.

I don't give a frick what anyone's educational history is, where they went to school, if they went to school, where they were born, hatched, found under a cabbage leaf, etc., etc.

If you're smart enough to root for Georgia, for whatever reason, then more power to ya.