Few issues are extra sacred than school football rivalries. Florida males’s basketball player Phlandrous Fleming Jr. simply realized that timeless lesson the onerous means.
Fleming, a local of Athens, Ga., went on Instagram Reside after Georgia’s thrilling 33-18 win over Alabama within the nationwide championship recreation sporting a shiny purple Georgia hoodie and reveling within the Bulldogs lastly toppling the Tide. The graduate pupil, who spent his first 4 seasons taking part in at Georgia Southern, concluded the video with “Go Dawgs!” adopted by a number of enthusiastic barks.
Unsurprisingly, Florida followers weren’t too thrilled by Fleming’s donning of enemy colours, and weren’t shy about letting him know. On Tuesday, Fleming even issued an apology, explaining his Georgia ties and saying how grateful he was to be at Florida.
“I apologize for the uproar that my actions have prompted. I grew up in Athens my complete life rooting for Georgia Football, and final evening was an over joyed response to the ending of the sport,” Fleming wrote. “I’m very grateful for the chance that the College of Florida granted me and I’m completely dedicated to the Gators. Once more I’m deeply sorry to the followers, the college, and the athletic division for any disrespect that my phrases or celebration have prompted.”
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The rivalry between Georgia and Florida is so contentious that, relying on which aspect of state strains you are on, the fan base will get indignant should you discuss with the rivalry within the improper order (Georgia-Florida or Florida-Georgia), so it isn’t a shock that Florida followers had been so irked by Fleming’s response to the Bulldogs lastly successful.
The 2 sides will sq. off on Feb. 9 in Gainesville, adopted by a gathering in Athens on Feb. 26, so it will seemingly not be the final time Fleming hears about this incident for the remainder of the season.
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