I'll admit, it's hard to work up a good healthy hatred...

...but it's a rule.

When my beloved LSU Tiger Baseball Team takes the field tonight against The University of Texas Longhorns in the finals of the College World Series, I am required by rule as a fan to possess a profound hatred of the Cows.


But this one is not that easy for me. Why? I'm glad you asked. As a life-long fan, it is no problem for me to instantly work up a hatred for any other team in the SEC. Heck, if we've got a game against an SEC team, I can hate 'Bama, Florida, Ole' Miss, etc. without even thinking about it. It's just second nature from doing it so much...kinda like riding a bicycle or something.

But outside of the SEC (and especially the Big 12 Conference) it's not so natural a process. It's hard to hate a Big 12 team. I have so many good friends, and good kin that live in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas it's really hard for me to hate the teams that they so desperately love.

Truthfully, outside the SEC the only teams I hate by nature are Southern Cal, and the Ohio State. Plus, being a life-long Dallas Cowboys fan doesn't help either. It's hard to just switch off fierce loyalty to a Lone Star State club, and turn it into a good firm despising of another at the drop of a hat. I know, I know...college and pros are two different things (sort of), but I struggle with such things.

So, I will be working on this all day as I prepare to watch my obviously superior Tigers pound the living crap out of those worthless cows in game 1...game-time 6:00 pm.

The local sports guys are reporting that coach Paul is planning on starting Mandy Wilkins, our head cheerleader at 3rd, and giving our 2nd string right-fielder a start on the mound. I know it's gonna be a big thrill for him, seeing as he has never pitched before. But he's kinda like the "team mascot," and the team voted to give him a shot on the national stage.

They figure that if he can hold the Horns to 15 runs, we'll be safe.

Well, I'd better get to work. Maybe with any luck, some obnoxious, idiot Texan will cut me off in traffic...that would help a lot.