Gil Pound: Pound for Pleasure from pain

Gil Pound, The Union-Recorder, Milledgeville, Ga.
·3 min read

Oct. 18—Let us not be more joyful over a foe's loss than our own win.

In psychological terms, the sentiment is known as schadenfreude. That $5 word comes from the German for damage/harm (schaden) and joy (freude). Put them together and you have, "the experience of pleasure, joy, or self-satisfaction that comes from learning of or witnessing the troubles, failures, or humiliation of another."

Some light reading on schadenfreude tells that aggression, rivalry and justice drive those feelings of joy from another's failure. All three are readily found within the realm of college football, and especially in the Southeastern Conference.

Many across the country were guilty of schadenfreude over the weekend after the Tennessee Volunteers outgunned the Alabama Crimson Tide 52-49 inside Neyland Stadium. It's a phenomenon that repeats itself pretty much any time the Tide falls in the regular season. See last year's Alabama-Texas A&M game as another great example.

I'm no psychologist. I only took the intro course in college, but it is fascinating to see and read reactions after an Alabama loss goes final. Auburn fans, who earlier in the day lost by two-touchdowns to Ole Miss, delighted in seeing Tennessee orange all over the field after Chase McGrath's game-winning kick helicoptered through the uprights. Georgia fans, who just enjoyed a blowout homecoming win over Vanderbilt, cheered as Alabama players and coaches quickly vacated the field. Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin actually said, "Go Vols" during his interview on ESPN's College Gameday Saturday, perhaps making those in Knoxville hate him just a little less.

Fanbases outside of Tennessee weren't happy to see the Volunteers win. They were happy to see Alabama lose.

At the risk of sounding self-righteous, I try to keep those feelings away for a few reasons.

First off, it's very difficult to go undefeated in college football. Chances are you're going to slip up along the way, even if you're the Crimson Tide.

Second reason, one loss does not doom Alabama's season. It's merely a step in that direction. Nick Saban's team is still the betting favorite to wind up in Atlanta playing for the SEC Championship, which we all know is a de facto College Football Playoff play-in game.

Third reason to maintain perspective, especially if you're a Georgia fan, the Dawgs haven't even played Tennessee yet. And if you're not at least a little scared of the Vols after Saturday, then I'm going to have to question your intelligence.

Fourth and final reason, remember that college football is fun. Did you see the joy on all the Tennessee fans' faces as they rushed the field? Did you hear them screaming "Rocky Top" at the top of their lungs? Did you see the goalposts get torn down and carried out of the stadium? Moments like that reaffirm why college football is the greatest sport of them all. Remember that next time you start to delight in another team's loss.

No schaden, just the freude. Give it a shot.