I guess I can see how some people might take that phrase rudely, like "nice shirt!" meaning your shirt sucks or by extension the team sucks.
Beating someone over it is monumentally stupid though.
Really? I've never heard that before. TCS compliments other guys on their t-shirts that have messages or images for things he supports, and the guys seem to appreciate that. Why would someone wear a shirt supporting a team or cause or group and not expect a reaction? When TCS sees someone wearing a Navy-themed t-shirt, he and the other guy start chatting about their Navy experiences. When he sees someone wearing a shirt supporting a winning team, he congratulates them on their win. People wearing Clemson and USC team shirts are always woo-hooing each other. The PGR bikers that we ride with are proud of their t-shirts and vest patches, and don't mind talking about them. It seems to be a guy bonding thing. That's why people buy the shirts, to be noticed. I've never seen any gay or homophobic reactions.
Maybe you live in a more homophobic area.
The guys here seem very comfortable in their skins.
AD member and Hubby.TCS? Who be that?

Clemson University (Tigers) vs. University of South Carolina (Gamecocks)--two huge state college rivals in SC.Clemson?
Whatever.I know nothing about sports or military -- Proof to many I am homosexual -- Yet I have known homosexuals who were well versed about both.
Patriot Guard Riders are bikers who honor our nation's fallen military heroes at their funerals, and protect the families from protesters. We have no connection to Hell's Angels or any other 1%-ers.No clue what a PGR biker is. I have known a couple of Hell's Angels and I don't recall any of them discussing their patches with strangers.
I'm 60 years old. I served on active duty from 1970 to 1977 (Vietnam Era), and the reserves from 1977 to 1995. If anyone thought I was a lesbian they kept it to themselves because I never heard that from anyone. I was never propositioned by a woman but I had lots of dates with guys before I met TCS. If any of my female shipmates were lesbian, they sure didn't make it known to me.Maybe it is more a matter of age than place. I believe you were in the Navy. If you have never encountered someone who assumed you were lesbian because of it you must be very young.
Men of all ages that I know.It is great that most younger men are not so concerned about their masculinity or lack thereof.
Only if it's Tiger orange or Gamecock garnet (people here are fanatic about their teams).And I notice by careful reading you say, "When he sees guys with Navy shirts they start chatting about their Navy experiences." Not quite the same as telling a guy you like the color of his shirt.
Down here, it doesn't matter if the team wins or not. One Tiger spotting another will give a thumbs up, nod, or say, "Go Tigers!" It's camaraderie.And when he sees someone wearing a shirt supporting a winning team he congratulates them on their win -- They are not talking about the shirt -- They are talking about the sport.
So? I don't get your problem with people who enjoy their sports but that's for you. I'm bored to tears about high school, college, and professional sports but I don't look down on those who enjoy friendly competitions.Yeah it is a "male bonding thing" which is why I don't wear sports junk. I have no interest in bonding with some ex jock locked into his highschool football team.
AD member and Hubby.
Clemson University (Tigers) vs. University of South Carolina (Gamecocks)--two huge state college rivals in SC.
Whatever.
Patriot Guard Riders are bikers who honor our nation's fallen military heroes at their funerals, and protect the families from protesters. We have no connection to Hell's Angels or any other 1%-ers.
I'm 60 years old. I served on active duty from 1970 to 1977 (Vietnam Era), and the reserves from 1977 to 1995. If anyone thought I was a lesbian they kept it to themselves because I never heard that from anyone. I was never propositioned by a woman but I had lots of dates with guys before I met TCS. If any of my female shipmates were lesbian, they sure didn't make it known to me.
Men of all ages that I know.
Only if it's Tiger orange or Gamecock garnet (people here are fanatic about their teams).
Down here, it doesn't matter if the team wins or not. One Tiger spotting another will give a thumbs up, nod, or say, "Go Tigers!" It's camaraderie.
(BTW, in the South, the women are just as fanatic.)
So? I don't get your problem with people who enjoy their sports but that's for you. I'm bored to tears about high school, college, and professional sports but I don't look down on those who enjoy friendly competitions.
I don't see how any of this relates to the poor guy who was beaten up by the drunken brothers in the parking lot.
So? I don't get your problem with people who enjoy their sports but that's for you. I'm bored to tears about high school, college, and professional sports but I don't look down on those who enjoy friendly competitions.
.
I think they though the guy was strange or weird or just being plain stupid when in reality he was a mentally challenged individual. So they thought they had the right to "hit first" In reality they were just two drunken idiots that was looking for trouble because they had "something to prove"
I'm sorry that you were bullied like that in school. That's bad....I was one of those kids in school jocks felt they ought to have a legal right to beat the hell out of any time they were in a bad mood or wanted a little extra entertainment -- Just like the punks who beat this guy up. Some of the educators seemed to agree with them.
Most of them were deeply insulted that I was capable of holding my own in most situation so they made parties out of the event -- Sort of unscheduled team play you might call it. And their cheerleader girlfriends were always standing by to watch their heroes and jump up and down in appreciation.
But hey, they were just a bunch of good ole boys enjoying some friendly cooperative competition --
Just like those guys in the parking lot.
I'm sorry that you were bullied like that in school. That's bad.
What the bullies at your school did, and what those punks in the parking lot did was NOT friendly sports competition. The kind of competition I'm talking about is not physical. It's about wearing school colors and teasing each other with light-hearted trash talk. No one gets hurt in that kind of competition. Physical violence is NOT part of friendly sports competition.
You've totally lost me now.It definitely left me with a life time attitude that I, and the rest of the world, could well do without.
But it is mine. I earned it the hard way. And I do not apologize for it.

You've totally lost me now.![]()