Sports Fans (Please chime in)

[mavsluva]

I'm doing a research paper for school on whatever subject I choose to write about. I'm not a huge sports fan, but I live my life around other huge sports fans. After giving it some thought, I wanted to talk about today's hardcore sports fans. Specifically how hardcore sports fans allow their team(s) of choice to influence their lives they way that they do. I'd like some feedback from you guys if you don't mind. Below are a few points that I've made in my paper so far.

1. Most sports fans of today use the terms "we" and "us" when describing their team(s) of choice. For instance:

a) You're a Spurs fan and you're walking out of the AT&T Center after a Spurs victory. Most fans would likely turn to their fellow fans and say, "Man, WE played great tonight!". Understandable and I think we've all done that.

b) On the other hand, you're walking out of the AT&T Center after a Spurs victory and you happen to run into Tim Duncan in the parking lot. It's highly unlikely that you'd tell Tim Duncan, "Man, WE played great tonight!".

But sports fans continue to use the words "we" and "us" when describing their team of choice because they're "part of the team". Sure you pay for your seat and your respective team's merchandise. But that still does not make you a part of the organization. Opinions please.

2. Not only do sports fans associate themselves with their team of choice by using the terms "we" and "us", they often use their team(s) of choice as a weapon against others. Boasting in someone else's accomplishment and using it as leverage against other people (and their team(s) of choice) is unethical in my opinion. Just because the guy that lives down the street from me has several million dollars by no means makes me a millionaire! Just because your team of choice has had success doesn't automatically make you, the sports fan, a champion! But people continue to think they're better because of the accomplishment of others. Is this due to a time/financial investment by the sports fan?

3. Like I mentioned earlier, I'm around sports fans all of the time. I find it to be somewhat commical in the fact that I can tell who's team won or loss the night before just by watching the body language of these individuals. Sports fans invest their souls in their team(s) of choice, which leads to a 6-8 month long emotional rollercoaster. I've never understood why a sports fan will get so fired up after their team of choice loses. Because when you choose to root for a team and watch their games, you've officially commited yourself to the outcome. Whether you like it or not. It's then up to the sports fan to be responsible for his/her actions following the game. Because not only do sports fans allow the success (or lack thereof) of their team of choice to dictate their emotions, they often pawn it off on their friends and family. Since when did watching sports become a heart and character changing experience? Fact is, you still are who you are regardless of someone else's accomplishment and that should never change.

4. Most, if not all, huge sports fans are self smarted. Self smarted is one who thinks he/she knows everything about everything. Yet, has minimal, if any, experience. How often do you see/hear sports fans calling the plays from the couch? Pretty often. How often does one attempt to play GM/coach and suggest personnel changes? Pretty often. "ONLY IF THEY DID THINGS MY WAY!" Yet, most sports fans have never had one moment of coaching experience. (some even have NO playing experience!) But they still feel as if their ideas will lead their team of choice to the promiseland. Not only is this true about sports. It's the truth in our everday lives because we all like to think we know how to fix not only our own problems, but the problems of other people as well.

5. A sports fan will almost always try to rationalize a loss when their team of choice loses. Blame it on the refs, coach, players, the weather, etc. In sports, you either win or lose. And there's a 50% chance that your team of choice is going to win or lose in every game that they play. Truth is, when you rationalize, all you end up doing is telling "RATIONAL LIES". It's lying to yourself to avoid the truth.

Please share any comments that you might provide a good argument towards my paper.

Thanks!

[samikeyp]

Sounds like you don't think much of sports fans.

I think those you drop the "we" and "us" card do it to in some way feel a part of their teams success. You always here about the fans being "the sixth man" some people take that to heart. Personally I dislike the whole "we" and "us" thing but to each their own.

What you said about rationalizing a loss was pretty spot on. Some folks just cannot believe that their teams loss was the teams fault.

One thing that I noticed is your post tends to generalize sports fans. That is another problem with a lot of sports fans today. They either lack the ability to realize that not all members of a fan base think alike or are too lazy to type in an extra word and prefer to stay in ignorance.

good luck with your paper.

[mavsluva]

Thanks for your response samikeyp. I respect sports fans the same way I respect everyone else in the world. This is more of an observation than anything.