I broke one of my own rules last night. Should have known better.

I seldom read the "comments" section below internet news stories. I don't like that this involves any Tom, Dick, or Harry, making inflammatory or inaccurate claims behind the anonymity of some code name, without having to ever be accountable for or substantiate what they said or claimed.

Last night a link in one news story... led me to a link in another story... which led me to an article in one of the Florida papers about the Tyler Moeller episode. I don't even remember which paper. The gist of the article was that the attorney for the young man arrested for throwing the punch was claiming innocence for his client. No surprise there. Then I broke my rule and glanced at the comments...

I couldn't believe the vile, hateful, and evil stuff being said and going back and forth between Florida fans and (yes unfortunately) some Buckeye fans too. Back and forth. Each was a bad as the other in their race to sling garbage and curse and call names. Over a couple of football teams.

I mean we're talking a serious situation where one young man could have died or been maimed for life. The other has been arrested and may or may not go to jail. And that's an excuse to have a food fight with the English language over football teams and a simple game?

How did we get to this point in this country...in sports and in political life...where we have so many people whose hearts are filled with hate and rage...and so few filled with respect and compassion and civility? Where we are proud of how loud we scream and how mean we speak? It is not our finest hour.