Marco Rubio apparently has underestimated the intensity of #FSUTwitter.
In recent remarks to KNXO radio in Des Moines, Iowa, the Florida senator and a Republican presidential candidate talked trash about Florida State. As Rubio, a graduate of the University of Florida who attended law school at the University of Miami, said, via ESPN, “Look, I don’t have anything against Florida State. I think there has to be a school where people that can’t get into Florida can go to college. And that’s why we have Florida State.”
But as we detailed here, those who use the #FSUTwitter hashtag are passionate for their school and, in a matter of minutes, can transform themselves into one of sports’ scariest digital mobs.
And boy, FSU fans did not take those Rubio remarks lightly.
https://twitter.com/MinnySeminole/status/643773229052530688
https://twitter.com/tdunham00/status/643826547959447553
Eventually, Rubio had to respond to the backlash.
#FSU fans relax. It was just college football trash talk on sports radio, not serious statement on @meetthepress
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) September 15, 2015
Apparently, that olive branch didn’t help matters.
https://twitter.com/FSUeyedoc/status/643827576755093504
https://twitter.com/stpete2you/status/643820119584567296
When your schools President is a savage💀🔥 #ThrasherTheGOAT #FSUTwitter pic.twitter.com/D0RX0EmWZL
— Jason (@JDeLoach15) September 15, 2015
Even some of his staffers weighed in on Rubio’s collegiate loyalties.
My #FSU staffers vandalized my office door before I arrived this
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) September 15, 2015
morning with references to aberrations in #UFvsFSU pic.twitter.com/kDe0Nc8Pwq
Still, Rubio was undeterred. Just like his presidential campaign, which keeps plugging along despite an 18-point deficit to Donald Trump in Rubio’s home state.
But we are still going to #BeatFSU
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) September 15, 2015
But Rubio is learning better how to handle the sports fans who want him to succeed. At least, this time, he didn’t hit a child in the face with a football.
Illustration via DonkeyHotey/Flickr (CC BY SA 2.0)