Sports Fan mentality...Please explain

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's completely bizarre to me too. It's not like the players are even from the team's local area - it's a weird, arbitrary association.

I get supporting a specific athlete, if you're familiar with their particular life story. But emotional over a big league team? Collected from all over? Weird.

But some are. Like last year the winning shot was made by a Gonzaga graduate and his "brother" (who also attended Gonzaga) was on the other team. Last night the "brother" won the national title and his brother was in the stands.

Also, even if you don't know these people personally can't you appreciate all the hard work they put in to get to this point. They have been working since they were 5 years old and now they are in the top 1% of the nation.

Can't you at least appreciate how monumental the accomplishment is?

NP here. Just to correct you:

A Villanova player (who's brother was on the Carolina team) had the winning shot against Carolina. This year, he was in the stands supporting his brother and team win against Gonzaga. Also - not sure why you put "brother" in quotations. They are adopted brothers. No need for quotations.

GO HEELS!!!!!

Sorry I should have clarified. A Villanova player... who attended Gonzaga High School in DC (who's brother......)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You get invested the same way you do with anything else. You watch the team, you know the players. You know the way they play. You know who got hurt and has been working all season to come back. You know who is playing off the bench. You know that the couch makes them go to tutors and keep a certain GPA. You know how this single group of players will not play together in this formation ever again. You maybe went to the school and feel a cultural pride connected to that place. You've watched all the games this season. Now they are in the biggest game of them all and you are SO excited. So excited because this is the build up of the entire season. It's going to be fun to watch. You'll probably have a few beers. You will know each play they do poorly that they could have done better. You will know when they got ass lucky with that shot. And when they are ahead with a few minutes left? You will get this little leap in your throat that "oh my god, they might win it all". And when the final minutes tick down and they DO WIN IT ALL? You jump up and down and cry and celebrate because it's fun as hell. You also might be tipsy.

NO!! Just NO!!!! I don't care about these strangers lives!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You obviously didn't grow up as a sports fan. Which is fine, but it limits your frame of reference. When you follow a team for an entire season, or multiple seasons, you develop an attachment to them, and you DO care whether they win or lose. For you, it's a one-time, three hour event - for fans of the sport, and particular teams, it's a multi-year commitment.

That said, if you're not a kid - maybe a teenager - I think it's ridiculous to cry when your team loses. Or, in the case of Maryland fans, riot.

OP here. Not true. I did grow up as a sports fan. I remember watching the World Series with my dad in 1980 when the Phiilies won, I remember the celebration with Tug McGraw on the mound, I remember jumping up and down and screaming when they won....but I was 11!! I can't imagine myself as a 47 year old woman acting that way for ANY team (unless a family member is playing). It's very bizarre. And why do people care enough about these random players on the teams to follow their lives or stats?

One of my favorite sports moments of all time! I'm a huge Phillies fan and a huge 45 fan, and close to your age.

I'm a sports fanatic and definitely get all hyped up cheering for my team, or a particular player, or whatever. Heck, I've been to high school games where I don't know anyone on either team and have been cheering like a crazy person. I just love sports. That's the only way I can explain it.

[Anonymous]

On NPR this morning they were talking about some Carolina game last night, and talked to a fan who was happy they won. He said "This is the day I was looking forward to for the last year!" I thought that seemed so sad. He didn't win anything, he didn't accomplish anything himself, but this is the best day of his whole year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:On NPR this morning they were talking about some Carolina game last night, and talked to a fan who was happy they won. He said "This is the day I was looking forward to for the last year!" I thought that seemed so sad. He didn't win anything, he didn't accomplish anything himself, but this is the best day of his whole year?

Get over yourself.

[Anonymous]

I am not a huge sports fan, my kids love sports and I take them to lots of sporting events because I know they enjoy it. They also play sports and I can get really into a game that they are playing in, but when its over its over. I do however understand that everyone else is not like me. Some people get REALLY invested in sports, or art, or music, or politics, or reality television or whatever. Just because I don't react the same way thy do doesn't make it less valuable or "dumb".

People who have a hard time grasping this concept likely lack empathy. It is difficult for you to see situations from someone else's perspective or to put yourself in their shoes. Because of this you tend to be highly critical and judgmental. There are ways to improve your empathy and if this causes you issues in your relationships you should look into it.

[Anonymous]

I don't get it either but it's better than following be Kardashians and their ilk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's completely bizarre to me too. It's not like the players are even from the team's local area - it's a weird, arbitrary association.

I get supporting a specific athlete, if you're familiar with their particular life story. But emotional over a big league team? Collected from all over? Weird.

But some are. Like last year the winning shot was made by a Gonzaga graduate and his "brother" (who also attended Gonzaga) was on the other team. Last night the "brother" won the national title and his brother was in the stands.

Also, even if you don't know these people personally can't you appreciate all the hard work they put in to get to this point. They have been working since they were 5 years old and now they are in the top 1% of the nation.

Can't you at least appreciate how monumental the accomplishment is?

NP here. Just to correct you:

A Villanova player (who's brother was on the Carolina team) had the winning shot against Carolina. This year, he was in the stands supporting his brother and team win against Gonzaga. Also - not sure why you put "brother" in quotations. They are adopted brothers. No need for quotations.

GO HEELS!!!!!

PP was referring to the fact that Nate Britt from UNC and Kris Jenkins from Villanova both attended Gonzaga College High School in DC. If you don't follow high school basketball in the DMV, you could be forgiven for not getting the distinction between the local high school and the university in Washington state. I know what PP meant because my kids plays AAU with some Gonzaga kids, and because they beat the Wilson Tigers in the finals of the DCSAA tournament

Also, I think PP put brother in quotes because Jenkins was adopted by Britt's parents when they were already AAU teammates and in, IIRC, in middle school, so their relationship started as being friends and evolved from there.

Oh! Ok - got it. I am not from the DMV area so was not aware there is a Gonzaga HS. I stand corrected!

[Anonymous]

As they say, to each his own.

I am sure you have a like that others don't care for. Such is life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I loved the school I went to and it made my who I am today. It makes me emotional to see the kids on the basketball team (and during football season at times) to be successful. I also grew up watching baseball and football with my dad--with baseball this was an almost everyday thing--so I've always loved it, and now it has a fond emotional and sentimental aspect to it. I'm a female, by the way.

If you didn't grow up playing/loving sports, you'll never ever get it. But don't put anyone down just because YOU don't understand.

This isn't true. I played soccer, basketball and ran track from 3rd - 12th grades. Made it to states, did the travel teams, etc. I love being part of my teams. But I absolutely cannot understand getting to the point of tears over someone else's team. I'm totally on team OP here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am not a huge sports fan, my kids love sports and I take them to lots of sporting events because I know they enjoy it. They also play sports and I can get really into a game that they are playing in, but when its over its over. I do however understand that everyone else is not like me. Some people get REALLY invested in sports, or art, or music, or politics, or reality television or whatever. Just because I don't react the same way thy do doesn't make it less valuable or "dumb".

People who have a hard time grasping this concept likely lack empathy. It is difficult for you to see situations from someone else's perspective or to put yourself in their shoes. Because of this you tend to be highly critical and judgmental. There are ways to improve your empathy and if this causes you issues in your relationships you should look into it.

+1

THIS.

[Anonymous]

For me it's the joy of knowing how UNC kept true to its academic roots while still achieving athletic success. Some of these schools are sports factories but the Carolina Way means that we were watching legitimate student-athletes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am not a huge sports fan, my kids love sports and I take them to lots of sporting events because I know they enjoy it. They also play sports and I can get really into a game that they are playing in, but when its over its over. I do however understand that everyone else is not like me. Some people get REALLY invested in sports, or art, or music, or politics, or reality television or whatever. Just because I don't react the same way thy do doesn't make it less valuable or "dumb".

People who have a hard time grasping this concept likely lack empathy. It is difficult for you to see situations from someone else's perspective or to put yourself in their shoes. Because of this you tend to be highly critical and judgmental. There are ways to improve your empathy and if this causes you issues in your relationships you should look into it.

Np

Really? You think people who don't understand lack empathy? That is quite a leap. I think op is talking about the EXTREME end of fandom. Ie you get so depressed or sad if they lose.

Note to op: I'm from Philly too! I was a bit older than you but, that was the best World series ever. I think part of the reason I don't care is the fact I am from Philly. Being disappointed year after year gets you numb and then you give up hope. ( except for the 75-76 Flyers and the 80' Phillies) I cried too many tears as a kid over sports so now I don't have any left! I save it for other issues that are real problems. Did you know Dallas Green just died recently?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:On NPR this morning they were talking about some Carolina game last night, and talked to a fan who was happy they won. He said "This is the day I was looking forward to for the last year!" I thought that seemed so sad. He didn't win anything, he didn't accomplish anything himself, but this is the best day of his whole year?

Get over yourself.

+1
So many posters on this board take themselves way to seriously!

[Anonymous]

^too, not to (before the grammar Nazis attack!)