Later Gator

It was raining last Saturday in Arkansas, and Renee Gork, a sports radio personality covering the Arkansas football team, just grabbed any old hat to keep her hair from getting wet.

The problem? It was a Florida Gators hat.

In most other regions of the country, this would be no problem whatsoever. But this is in SEC country, where families are split apart on game day. Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino answered one of Gork's questions, then immediately followed by saying, "That is the last question I'm answering while wearing that hat."

When I read that quote, I figured he was doing it in a lighthearted sense. Then I watched the video. Not so much. Fans were appalled when they learned of the fashion faux pas, and they made their anger known. Gork's name was battered on message boards, and her e-mail inbox swelled.

Eventually, with too much pressure from fans, and perhaps the university, the station, KAKS, fired her. Now what Gork did is certainly boneheaded, but a fireable offense? Absolutely not.

Turns out she is a UF graduate and even (gasp!) a Florida fan. She just happened to get a job covering the Hogs. Daily News sportswriter Josh Krueger likes the Packers - OK, loves the Packers - and he works here, where the Patriots are beloved. What's the big deal?

Yes, I know not to wear my Patriots hat when I'm in the press box at Gillette Stadium, but if I saw someone wearing a Bengals hat there, I don't think they'd be fired by their publication.

But these days, the almighty dollar speaks pretty loudly, and when hundreds of thousands of Hog fans, people who listen and advertise with the station, want someone out of town, it's see you later, Gator.