I'm glad I'm not a diehard fan.
Last night I was watching a couple college bowl games with a few friends. Then Linda and I got to talking about what sports we liked, and which ones we played in high school varsity. It was inevitable that we had to disagree on whether pro or college basketball was better, among others.
Having being an athlete myself for several years in the past, I am a sports fan. I learned a great deal from my coaches. Teachings that were instilled in me even today include not just playing to win, but to play a good game, and always show the opposing team, win or lose, that we are the true and passionate athletes displaying excellent sportsmanship. It is funny how the biggest lesson in sports was not how to score an average of X points per game, etc. The lessons that mattered actually helped build character, and molded the person that I am today.
But sometimes, it kind of bothers me that there are diehard fans out there who border along the lines of insanity. Is a true fan someone who roots for his or her home or favorite team to win only? Or is the definition of a true fan someone who roots for a win no matter what?
Sports is all about respect, playing a great game, and displaying excellent sportsmanship on the field. Nothing bothers me more than a diehard fan screaming bloody murder when a referee makes a bad call against his or her team, but cheers for the same kind of erroneous calls against the opposing team. It's almost as if it wasn't the game that mattered, but that his or her own team wins at all costs.
Whenever I watch a Bears game, and a call was made unfavorably against us on a play that was questionable at first, I will for sure boo the referees. But upon instant review and slow motion replays, and it was indeed a good officiating call, I will stand corrected and mutter, "Well, that was the right call, even if we had to give back the touchdown, possibly costing us a win." But there are diehard fans who after instant replays will continue to scream bloody murder, ignoring their awareness that it was the correct call. To me, I don't really think they are true sports fans. They are nothing but a bunch of fanatics, and possibly gamblers who have money that depended on the outcome of the game.
And it seems like most of the diehard fans are quite unreasonable, and mostly have not played competitive sports. Either that, or if they had played competitive sports before, they probably had been poorly coached, or taught to pull tricks and play dirty to win. A true sports fan would boo a bad call regardless of which team got shafted.
Last night's Fiesta Bowl was arguably one of the best college football games I have ever seen. Both teams played an excellent game, and Boise State University prevailed in the end with overtime despite a horrible call against them with a passing interference. A true sports fan would not lament and live in the past with a feeling of depression, but recognize that the game was fairly won and the battle tipped in favor of the team that truly outdid the other in skills and planning. Whining and whimpering should only exist if a game is lost entirely on bad officiating, but limited to the past and move on.
Those, my friends, are the reasons why I am a true sports fan, and am glad that I'm not a diehard fan.
Having being an athlete myself for several years in the past, I am a sports fan. I learned a great deal from my coaches. Teachings that were instilled in me even today include not just playing to win, but to play a good game, and always show the opposing team, win or lose, that we are the true and passionate athletes displaying excellent sportsmanship. It is funny how the biggest lesson in sports was not how to score an average of X points per game, etc. The lessons that mattered actually helped build character, and molded the person that I am today.
But sometimes, it kind of bothers me that there are diehard fans out there who border along the lines of insanity. Is a true fan someone who roots for his or her home or favorite team to win only? Or is the definition of a true fan someone who roots for a win no matter what?
Sports is all about respect, playing a great game, and displaying excellent sportsmanship on the field. Nothing bothers me more than a diehard fan screaming bloody murder when a referee makes a bad call against his or her team, but cheers for the same kind of erroneous calls against the opposing team. It's almost as if it wasn't the game that mattered, but that his or her own team wins at all costs.
Whenever I watch a Bears game, and a call was made unfavorably against us on a play that was questionable at first, I will for sure boo the referees. But upon instant review and slow motion replays, and it was indeed a good officiating call, I will stand corrected and mutter, "Well, that was the right call, even if we had to give back the touchdown, possibly costing us a win." But there are diehard fans who after instant replays will continue to scream bloody murder, ignoring their awareness that it was the correct call. To me, I don't really think they are true sports fans. They are nothing but a bunch of fanatics, and possibly gamblers who have money that depended on the outcome of the game.
And it seems like most of the diehard fans are quite unreasonable, and mostly have not played competitive sports. Either that, or if they had played competitive sports before, they probably had been poorly coached, or taught to pull tricks and play dirty to win. A true sports fan would boo a bad call regardless of which team got shafted.
Last night's Fiesta Bowl was arguably one of the best college football games I have ever seen. Both teams played an excellent game, and Boise State University prevailed in the end with overtime despite a horrible call against them with a passing interference. A true sports fan would not lament and live in the past with a feeling of depression, but recognize that the game was fairly won and the battle tipped in favor of the team that truly outdid the other in skills and planning. Whining and whimpering should only exist if a game is lost entirely on bad officiating, but limited to the past and move on.
Those, my friends, are the reasons why I am a true sports fan, and am glad that I'm not a diehard fan.
posted by StHalcyon at
18:41
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