When Syracuse University joined the ACC, a part of me died.

Sure, it’ll be great to watch our boys whoop Duke University and the University of North Carolina with our special combination of Big East swag, 2-3 zone defense and poor academics —but that’s not the point.

You see, I’m from Maryland. I’m a Marylander. I love crab cakes and football. I make fun of Southerners, Northerners and West Virginians like it’s my job.

Since I’m a huge sports fan, my Maryland roots also mean that I love the ACC’s University of Maryland Terrapins.

I came close to attending UMD after high school, and ultimately chose to come to SU in part because it wasn’t in the ACC. I could root for both schools without ever having to worry about them playing each other.

Not anymore.

Soon they’ll be fierce rivals, vying for conference supremacy as they dominate the league’s other 13 teams in football, basketball, lacrosse, soccer, softball, badminton, Quidditch and sex appeal. That means that I must turn against my home state and root for it to lose.

Look, I get it. In the grand scheme of things, this is no big deal. You’re probably thinking: ‘Waah, waah, waah, stop being a crybaby and start telling dirty jokes.’

I wish I could do that, but to me, this is a big deal. Think back to your childhood. Remember when you found out that Santa Claus is really a bearded homeless guy who’s way too fat to ever fit down your chimney? Or just a skinny homeless guy who used your chimney to steal all your cookies?

This is like that. My innocence? Gone. My childhood? Over. My virginity? Well, that’s none of your business. But you get the point. The Maryland Terrapins represent a simpler time, when life was about winning the dodge ball game at recess and then snacking on crayons during math class.

Rooting for UMD was the one positive sports experience of my childhood. Growing up, all my favorite pro teams were so bad  watching them on TV made me wish I read more books. My own athletic career wasn’t so great either. The only position I ever played well was ‘fetal.’

But every year, I could count on Maryland to have a successful season and add some special wins to my scarred memory.

Granted, I knew when I came to SU that it was only a matter of time before Otto the Orange stole my heart from the Terrapins. But as long as the two schools stayed in separate conferences, I could still preserve my inner child.

I don’t know what to believe anymore. My childlike idealism is now directly at odds with the thing that taught me nearly all of my real-world lessons: SU. Since arriving here as a wide-eyed freshman, I’ve learned the ins and outs of Big East sports, spotter-free keg stands and personal hygiene substitutes.

That trifecta immediately drew me to the Carrier Dome and all of its athletic glory. Watching the likes of Ryan Nassib and Kris Joseph score touchdowns and dunk on suckers gave me newfound satisfaction and made me proud to be a part of Otto’s Army.

Unfortunately, that very army will now be marching against the team I grew up watching and loving. As much as it pains me to say it, a few years from now, I’ll likely turn on my Maryland roots and outright dislike the Terrapins that I once loved.

That’ll be one tough crayon to swallow.

Danny Fersh is a senior broadcast journalism major and his column appears every Wednesday. His favorite flavor is tickle me pink. Contact Danny via email at dafersh@syr.edu and follow him on Twitter at @fershprince #FershDays