Smokey Mountain Breakdown

Should we bleed orange while others are actually bleeding?

I'm not the biggest football fan. It's just not something I care about. In fact, when I first moved to Tennessee, I thought it damn odd they named their football team for a small rodent. I just think sports are a fun, healthful activity but a very silly thing to get worked up about. Yet, people have been violent about it throughout history.

Now, I'm not beating up on Vols fans for being upset about the Coach Kiffin thing. But you've heard me go off before on the local news--Newport Pie Hole, included. So, really, my beef is with them. They are responsible for Tennesseans, once again being nailed as insensitive, uncaring, xenophobic rubes. After all, it's not like the viewers actually have any say over the K-town affiliates breaking into the national newsfeed for everything from homey cooking shows to high school sporting results. Knoxville, like that selfish blind date from hell, just seems to think what it has to say is so much more important than what the rest of the world has to say.

I turn on the television to check the news about Haiti. Haiti is a big deal--200,000 people thought dead. It's the sort of huge news story we all need to be concerned about. It's the sort of news story that needs to be reported whether or not the viewers can bear to look without hiding their eyes. A story for responsible journalists, but evidently not for the Knoxville affiliates.

No, across the board, "breaking" news had interrupted all programming to report on Coach Kiffen's defection to USC. How it was going to impact Vols football. How enraged the students were. Blah, blah, blah.

Meanwhile, people are smothering under rubble in Haiti.

WTF? Knoxville? Grow a damn conscience, some balls and oh--how about a heart while you are at it. News flash. You ain't all that important in the scheme of things. In a week, no one will care about Kiffen--but people will still be agonizing over this earthquake. What the hell were you thinking?

There are things everyone needs to listen to whether or not it's the popular thing. It's your job to know the difference. Do your fucking job, already.