One of my co-workers at another paper was a West Virginia native and loyal fan of the Mountaineers’ football team. One time, when we were discussing football, he mentioned no matter what happens each season, West Virginia must beat the University of Pittsburgh. He couldn’t explain it, but, he said, he hated Pittsburgh.
He was like millions of other college football fans who have intense loyalties to their alma mater and wish a slow death upon their fiercest opponents. With college football rivalries, nothing is sacred. Sportsmanship is a forgotten virtue.