I have noticed throughout the years that people tend to judge others in their fandom. "Oh I went to this many more games than you" or "I know everything about their 4th string Short Stop in Double A so I'm a bigger fan that you."
It seems that a part of enjoying sports never left second grade? "My dad can beat up your dad."
The way I see it, you just had more money and free time than I do. Sure I know a great deal about the sports I follow, I would gather to say I know more than most people I know. I also know one thing some don't, it doesn't matter who you root for, who you know, or how much you know, it only matters that you root.
People need something else in their lives, with mountains of bills, gas prices, housing crisis, wars, presidents that have lost touch with the people, your boss breathing down your neck for those damn TPS reports! URGH!
Sports are here for our enjoyment, and to take us away from our everyday stresses. Sure our local sports team can cause more stress, but it's a different stress. I would rather worry about the Bulls chances without Derrick Rose than worry about a clients internal mess that's somehow my fault. We need options to distract us from dirty diapers and traffic. We need places to turn to remember the joy of being young and running around the bases. We need these things.
I don't care if it is sports, soap operas, or searching the Internet for your favorite celebrity and their most recent cell phone pic that was stolen. Distractions are distractions, and they help.
There is a healthy level of being a fan. LA, you're doing it wrong. We should never revert to violence, or even dressing as one of those Raider-whatchamacallit's. I like the Cubs, I will not change my mind, but with friends we will joke about who sucks more, Cubs or Sox (the answers Sox by the way). I've never hit someone because they are a Sox fan (although it's been close for a couple of you, you know who you are), and I never will. Why should my choice of stress distraction cause me more stress, and the impending ass whooping I'd surely get? It just doesn't make sense.
I have seen too many times, drunks getting foolish at a game, starts a fight, and their kid who is at his first game is forced to sit through it all. That's the impression of sport you will leave.
I was just at the Cubs vs Cardinals game a few weeks ago. Carlos Marmol blew the save and fans went ahead and boo'd him. That's their right, but I had to explain why to my 6 year old who is just really learning baseball. What was worse is, I had to also tell him to not pay attention to the loud mouthed drunk 22 year old that was screaming profanities towards the field, like he heard you from your $3 ticket in the outfield terrace reserved section... What topped that was, Cardinal fans that made the trip from St Louis were telling him to quiet down because of the kids nearby. Classy.
I wish and hope that everyone finds a way to be a fan of something, but do it right. There needs to be an application to make sure fans and sports don't let that guy in section 204 row 22 seat 8 in. He can follow wrestling.
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