A Tiger walks into a bar … wait, what happened to Deshaun Watson in Alabama is no joke

So a Tiger walks into a bar …

I know, it sounds like the start of a joke.

Instead, it’s the latest story of how terrible fans can be.

Video surfaced recently on social media showing former Clemson quarterback and likely first-round NFL draft pick Deshaun Watson allegedly being asked to leave a bar in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Innisfree Irish Pub, however, posted an apology on its Facebook page, saying it was not staff who invoked the incident. Rather, the pub said, it was a patron who did the deed and was asked to leave once identified.

According to a report by AL.com, an Alabama player was involved.

To me, it doesn’t matter who initiated the situation; it’s a bad look no matter what.

Why would the establishment or its patrons not want such an accomplished athlete to accompany them? Oh, wait. That’s the guy who led the Tigers to a 35-31 victory over Alabama in the College Football Playoff National Championship game in January.

But we’re ’Bama. Roll Tide anyway, right?

Nope. Not in this instance.

Get over it. You lost.

Now we’re back to real life. You don’t have to walk up to the guy and pat him on the back. You can simply ignore his existence. However, asking him to leave is too much.

In fact, you should feel for the guy. There’s a pretty good chance he’ll be drafted by the Cleveland Browns. That’s probably why he was in a bar in the first place.

Ignoring him would have been the right thing to do. Show your loyalty to your team without infringing on another person’s rights. Now, of course, he didn’t have to leave just because someone suggested it. But he took the high road and left when he realized he was unwelcome and has continued to handle the situation well by not publicly acknowledging it.

This certainly isn’t the worst fan incident of all time. Batteries and bottles have been thrown (sorry, Deshaun, the bottle incident was made infamous in Cleveland), brawls have been had and one man, Steve Bartman, went into hiding.

Perhaps Bartman’s out there somewhere now that the Chicago Cubs are finally World Series champs. Who knows? Perhaps more importantly, who cares? I’m sure the fans who forced him into hiding don’t care about him now.

Unfortunately, that’s just how some fans can be.

Don’t get me wrong. I am a loyal fan to my teams, which include the Cincinnati Bengals and Reds. However – as hard as it can be, especially with the likes of the Pittsburgh Steelers and St. Louis Cardinals – I respect “the enemies” and their fans.

Therefore, to those in Tuscaloosa I say: Grow up.

On tap

The Coastal Carolina women’s golf team continues play in the Hawkeye El Tigre Invitational through Tuesday. … The CCU men’s golf team competes in the East Carolina Intercollegiate on Monday and Tuesday. … Coastal’s men’s tennis team hosts Winthrop at 3 p.m. Tuesday and Charlotte at 1 p.m. Wednesday. … The Coastal Carolina baseball team hosts Louisiana on Friday (6 p.m.), Saturday (2 p.m.) and Sunday (11 a.m.). … CCU’s beach volleyball team plays Florida Gulf Coast (noon) and Stetson (4 p.m.) on Friday, before playing both again on Saturday at 4 p.m. and 10 a.m., respectively as part of the Stetson Tournament. … The CCU track and field teams compete in the Bill Carson Invitational on Friday and Saturday. … Coastal’s women’s tennis team plays at South Alabama at a time TBA Saturday. … The Coastal Carolina softball team hosts Georgia Southern Saturday (1 p.m. start of doubleheader) and Sunday (1 p.m.). … Coastal’s women’s lacrosse team hosts Old Dominion at 1 p.m. Sunday. … Gonzaga takes on North Carolina in the NCAA Tournament championship game at 9:20 p.m. Monday. … The NASCAR Monster Energy Cup heads to Texas Motor Speedway for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 at 1:30 p.m. Sunday. … The PGA Tour heads to Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga., for the Masters, the first major of the year, from Thursday through Sunday. … The NHL finishes up the regular season Sunday.

This story was originally published April 2, 2017 at 3:13 PM with the headline "A Tiger walks into a bar … wait, what happened to Deshaun Watson in Alabama is no joke."