We are living, it seems, in angry times. Combine those angry times with the advancements of modern technology — smartphones and GIFs — and the result is something that speaks to society’s demise.
Nah, it just speaks to kids being ticked off and no longer getting away with it.
Perhaps you’ve seen the photo that should qualify for the Pulitzer Prize of this new genre: Tennessee defensive back Rashaan Gaulden flipping off Alabama fans to celebrate the Vols’ lone score of the game, a pick-six by a teammate.
Gaulden’s two-handed salute earned a 15-yard unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty, or 7.5 yards per bird.
Gaulden apologized after the game, saying, “That’s not how my parents raised me.”
The photo of the incident is brilliant in that it shows two frothing Alabama fans, another who’s stunned and another (we’ll assume it’s a Tide supporter) flipping back at Gaulden. And, best of all, a Tennessee backer giving Gaulden a smiling thumbs up.
Hey, as every leader of young men likes to say, it’s a game of emotion.
Lavert Hill can speak to that. The Michigan defensive back got caught doing a double flip moments after Penn State smothered the Wolverines in “Happy” Valley.
The student-run news site with the handle @OnwardState ran the photo under the clever tweet: “Former Penn State commit Lavert Hill was not a fan of the White Out.”
Hill’s apology came in the form of an official statement from the university: “I am truly sorry for this offensive gesture and vow that it will not happen again.”
Hey, perhaps these kids are learning from their elders. Jets coach Rex Ryan famously flipped off someone — believed to be a Dolphins fan — during an MMA event in 2010 and got fined $50,000 by his team.
Can you imagine how many times his father, Buddy Ryan, flipped off fans?
And you won’t believe this, but Jay Cutler once got busted as well. While walking a tiny pooch in Chicago.
The best one-fingered salute I ever witnessed came at the genteel Masters. No joke.
In 2012, Sergio Garcia spoke of having an infected fingernail, and when a reporter inquired about which digit, Garcia extended the middle finger of his left hand and said, “This one.”
The room cracked up.
“I walked right into that one,” the reporter said.
tgreenstein@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @TeddyGreenstein