From September through the first part of January each year, I’ve got the ol’ foam finger out and waving it for my favorite team. One never knows what the college football season will bring. One year things go pretty much the way you want; other times not so much. That said, sometimes the season ends on a high, sometimes a low. But, honestly, I’m ready to put the ol’ foam finger up this year. For one thing, I’m afraid somebody will take a shot at it.

I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but apparently we’re going stark raving nutso in this country. Remember when we used to boo the umpires — the “zebras?” Well nowadays we want to put them in the cross-hairs and pull the trigger. Heck, we want to put everybody in the cross-hairs.

Here’s a quick, current rundown on death threats in sports:

A University of North Carolina researcher, doing research on the ongoing academic probe regarding athletes at UNC, has said she found that between 2004-12, 60 percent of the 180 or so athletes she researched read at a fourth to eight grade level and 10 percent were below a third grade level. She’s getting death threats as a result of her research.

The Florida State coed who accused Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston of raping her a little over a year ago has left Tallahassee and been warned by authorities not to come back based on death threats she has received.

Tony Bosch, the Miami guy who allegedly gave Alex Rodriguez all those substances banned by Major League Baseball, has said he was afraid A-Rod’s “people” were going to kill him after the doping matter came to light.

Ric Flair, the wrestler, got death threats from Carolina Panther fans for giving a motivational speech to the San Francisco 49ers recently, the 49ers being the Panthers’ opponent last week in the NFL playoffs.

Cade Foster, the Alabama placekicker, is ready for the NFL if death threats are any indication. He got plenty of them for missing field goals in the Iron Bowl, just like 49ers kicker David Akers and other NFL kickers got recently from their respective fan bases for missing kicks in key games.

Fox Sports’ TV hostess and sideline reporter Erin Andrews recently got death threats. So do Sports Illustrated swimsuit models, sports radio personalities, sports promoters, people in sports memorabilia and anti-doping administrators. Heck, a ball boy for one NBA team recently tweeted death threats to a player on another team.

Fans are fighting in the stands, trying to kill each other in the parking lot after games and sometimes succeeding, and generally exhibiting boorish behavior that can be life-threatening. That’s why I’m glad to put away the ol’ foam finger for this season and say with all sincerity as it slips out of sight: To all the sports wackos, nut-jobs, dunderheads and dysfunctional zealots out there, this finger’s for you!

Bob Morgan is a retired, award-winning journalist and an author.