Mike Elko’s Walk-Back Doesn’t End the Debate About Fan Behavior

Mike Elko is in his third season as Texas A&M coach, and his team has struggled on the field. But the noise that followed him after a loss to Missouri had nothing to do with scheme or execution. Elko called out a vocal minority of fans and labeled the environment around the program a cesspool, using the name of the TexAgs owner while criticizing message boards and social media. On Monday, he walked it back, saying he appreciates the Texas A&M fan base and declining to comment further. “I’ll leave it alone beyond that,” he said.

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The walk-back did not satisfy everyone. The vocal minority won again, and the reset attempt made Elko the heavy.

What Happened at Alabama

After Alabama’s home loss to Georgia, an unidentified fan in his 40s slapped and pushed the helmet of Georgia linebacker Raylen Wilson. Objects were thrown from the stands at Georgia players. Wilson later responded on Instagram, saying he thought the man was a Georgia fan trying to greet him. The fan was lucky Wilson did not retaliate.

What Happened at Kentucky

After LSU’s win at Kentucky, four people ran onto the field to confront Lane Kiffin. They recorded the confrontation on their phones. They were called influencers. They were pathetic gnats.

The Common Thread

Social media connects people emotionally but separates them physically. It is a megaphone for the unfiltered, a voice for the needy, and beautifully sadistic and temperamental. It can be beneficial and harmful at once. Anonymous accounts embolden users to dox, bully and threaten. Fans feel unaccountable online and begin to believe social media reflects reality.

The insular and the unaccountable are a dangerous combination. Those who try to reset the madness become the heavy. Elko was right about the cesspool. He was wrong to conflate the TexAgs owner with the vocal minority. Loyal fans deserve better than both the noise and the lumping.

The Alabama fan had too much Bama in him and was hepped up on canned courage. The Kentucky individuals were recording for an audience. The pattern is not about one school or one loss. It is about what happens when a megaphone meets a crowd and no one has to answer for it.

Elko declined to comment further. The debate will not.