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Zac Collier was set to perform the national anthem at the Men's College World Series, but he was axed from the gig after a gesture he made during his performance at the Women's College World Series last week.
During the semifinal between Texas and Oklahoma, Collier, a Texas A&M alumnus, did the "Horns Down" gesture, according to ESPN. The Dallas-Fort Worth area history teacher received an email from the NCAA about three hours afterward and shared the screenshots on his Facebook page.
Here's what the NCAA said: "Zac, Due to the unsportsmanlike behavior shown after your performance at the Women's College World Series, we need to go a different direction. You are no longer scheduled to perform at Game 9 of the Men's College World Series."
Collier replied, "To what unsportsmanlike behavior are you referring to?"
"We have documented proof that he made offensive gestures and a mockery of a participating team at the Women's College World Series and we do not feel comfortable allowing him to perform," the NCAA replied.
Collier shared these screenshots on social media with the caption, "I will no longer be singing at the MCWS in Omaha due to my 'Offensive Gestures' at the WCWS. I regret nothing. #HornsDown."
In an interview with ESPN, Collier said he's been performing the national anthem at sporting events for over a decade, including at Texas A&M, Houston Astros games and Texas Rangers games. "I'm a neutral party and showing my support or lack of support for a certain team after the anthem, I can see how somebody could be upset with that. But the reason I posted wasn't because I was upset that they said, 'Hey, you shouldn't have done that.' It was because they called the Horns Down an offensive gesture. They said I mocked the other team. Those words specifically, are why I posted about it. Saying that I'm making a mockery of a participating team because I put a Horns Down is ridiculous," Collier said.
A spokesperson for the NCAA issued the following statement, according to ESPN:
"The performance of the national anthem during NCAA championship events is a solemn moment for reflection and mutual respect for all championship participants and fans in attendance. Following his national anthem performance during the Women's College World Series — during which the performer inappropriately supported one participating team, taunted the other team, and disrupted participating student-athletes and coaches by attempting to interact with them — he was asked not to perform during the Men's College World Series."
Collier stands by his belief that Horns Down isn't an offensive gesture. "I believe it's part of the rivalry. It's part of college sports. I don't believe the Horns Down is any more offensive than a Gig 'Em or a Hook 'Em or a Wreck 'Em," he said. "You know, if I'm going to do the Horns Down, I'm going to do the Horns Down. I don't think anybody's going to stop me from doing it."