a rant about sports fans

JoshTheGiant

I played NCAA D1 Baseball for 3 years as a pitcher. As a part of our, "freshman student-athlete" responsibilities, we had to volunteer at soccer games on the sidelines and retrieve lost balls for the referees. We had a large and prestigious soccer program. Players came from all around the world to play at my school. The games were packed with students, faculty, and locals in the stadium. I was excited to see what all the hype was about.

I had played four years of HS varsity sports (Baseball, Football, and Basketball). The last soccer game I had watched before this was my eight year old cousins games three years prior. They ignored the ball but picked grass off the field like champions and always knew which moms to score the best snacks from. It always ended in a tie; because in the politically correct world of, "competitive," soccer, there is still a chance that there is a tie. Nobody is a loser. Now let's all get ice cream from Mrs. Hancock and pat each other on the back with our participation trophies. It's the effort that counts the most in sports, not who wins or loses. Go ask a football player in January if he cares about the Super Bowl. He doesn't as long as he tried his best. He probably would say they should stop keeping score too, right? The real world has "ties," all the time and life is all butterflies and rainbows. That's why I respect sports that are able to end in ties.

So I stood on the sideline with a front row view. What I saw was a bunch of young adult men falling all over the place, whining, and purposely making slight contact to try to draw a penalty. It was forever minutes of shameless flopping and begging referees for fouls. I was embarrassed for the players, because every time they fell and a foul wasn't called, which was often, they would get up and do it again. If another player breathed on them they would fall to the ground crying for a penalty. The score? 1-0. After that game I requested towel duty for the swim team instead for the last few hours I had. It was literally painful to watch the nonsense and crying on the field. They seemed like the brattiest, spoiled, and most immature sensitive "men" I had ever witnessed. I really was surprised that people enjoyed the sport so much.

So soccer isn't my thing. To you die hard soccer fans, save your energy when it comes to trying to force soccer down our throats. Enjoy your sport and accept that it's not as big as others in the USA. Forget useless Google facts. Just go into your local bar and see who can name more than two players on a soccer team. Then ask about players on baseball, football, and basketball and I'd bet my house you get a better reaction.

You're not going to convince me that soccer is an awesome sport. Don't cry about it. This is just the way the world works. I don't make claims that because I love baseball so much that people in Europe must love it as well. Everyone is entitled to opinions. And popular opinion in the USA says soccer is not getting huge here any time soon. Unless it's the world cup and the USA is competing. Then it's big for like a month and it's gone again.

DevSanchez

I work in a sports driven atmosphere, and have grown up around sports my entire life, both playing and watching on the sidelines. The word fan actually derives from a latin word fanaticus. Meaning "insanely but divinely inspired." People develop emotional attachments to teams, players, and the sport in its entirety. There is even argument that "fanatic" behavior stems from primitive times, when warriors and tribes would wage a war for "our people". There is a deeper rooted psychological aspect to it all. Fans have numerous reasons they act this way. Disinhabition, Socialization, Sense of community and unity, not to mention super fans consider themselves integral parts of these teams-this is actually called deindividuation. Fans lose a sense of self awareness and consider themselves solely as part of their team. Let them root and ***** for whoever they want! It's a beautiful thing to be passionate about something you love!

JoshTheGiant

I work in a sports driven atmosphere, and have grown up around sports my entire life, both playing and watching on the sidelines. The word fan actually derives from a Latin word fanaticus. Meaning "insanely but divinely inspired." People develop emotional attachments to teams, players, and the sport in its entirety. There is even argument that "fanatic" behavior stems from primitive times, when warriors and tribes would wage a war for "our people". There is a deeper rooted psychological aspect to it all. Fans have numerous reasons they act this way. Disinhabition, Socialization, Sense of community and unity, not to mention super fans consider themselves integral parts of these teams-this is actually called deindividuation. Fans lose a sense of self awareness and consider themselves solely as part of their team. Let them root and ***** for whoever they want! It's a beautiful thing to be passionate about something you love!

+1

Excellently put, Dev.

Orion782

You're not going to convince me that soccer is an awesome sport. Don't cry about it. This is just the way the world works. I don't make claims that because I love baseball so much that people in Europe must love it as well. Everyone is entitled to opinions. And popular opinion in the USA says soccer is not getting huge here any time soon. Unless it's the world cup and the USA is competing. Then it's big for like a month and it's gone again.

Man, my response got REALLY misinterpreted, didn't it?

I'm not crying about anything. I'm stating my opinion that soccer is continuing to grow, because it is. It's not "at its ceiling" because the MLS continues to expand, more Americans are playing abroad, and our national team is competing consistently at the highest levels. The World Cup isn't just an event that happens in the group/knockout stage, but a marathon of qualifying that takes the better part of 3 years to come to fruition.

I'm not saying everyone will love it, or it will displace football...I am saying that it isn't at its peak as you claim. All statistical and demographical evidence supports this. As the older generations of football, baseball, and basketball loving Americans age and die off, soccer will continue to grow. You don't have to get combative about it. I'm not using hyperbole to get my point across.

Tiernan1212

So now we have to search out and buy products of your team that are made in America?

Nope, not saying they have to be made in America. I am just saying that if you are a fan, you should seek out ways to financially support the school or team that you love. Buy your gear from the team website, or the school bookstore. Go to the games if you can....buy the beer and concessions, get season tickets, subscribe to the network that carries your team's games...whatever you can do to support the school.

Fans who do not support their teams in some manner still have the right to scream and holler.....they just should not expect to be taken seriously by anyone in the organization who has a say-so.

I really don't think Joe Somebody yelling at the players or at his tv really cares if anyone in the organization takes him seriously. He's still a fan and gets excited when his team wins and disappointed when they lose (unless you're a Cleveland fan then you expect to lose). So what if he bought his team gear at Wal-Mart or wherever, he still wears it with pride and has every right to be critical of the team that he not only financially invested in (although very little) but also emotionally invested in. That's what being a FANatic is all about.

:laugh: Guilty as charged!

DevSanchez

(unless you're a Cleveland fan then you expect to lose).

I resent this. We don't ever EXPECT to lose BTW. We hope and pray we will win and are true passionate fans who are optimistic....and usually end up getting let down anyways :laugh:

roanokejoe49

riveting tale

Yeah, yeah. Nice rack, *kitten*.

Tiernan1212

(unless you're a Cleveland fan then you expect to lose).

I resent this. We don't ever EXPECT to lose BTW. We hope and pray we will win and are true passionate fans who are optimistic....and usually end up getting let down anyways :laugh:

I kind of expect to lose most times, it makes it that much more awesome when we do pull out a win! :laugh:

DevSanchez

(unless you're a Cleveland fan then you expect to lose).

I resent this. We don't ever EXPECT to lose BTW. We hope and pray we will win and are true passionate fans who are optimistic....and usually end up getting let down anyways :laugh:

I kind of expect to lose most times, it makes it that much more awesome when we do pull out a win! :laugh:

true. One thing they can never take from us is that we are the most loyal. We appreciate those wins much more than the average fan lol

bd0027

i am an eagles fan and recently re-watched our 2004 SUper Bowl loss that was on at a bar and the game was driving me nuts. Now i know it was 10 years ago and I cant change the past, but as a sports fan im 97% insane lol.

Made the mistake of going to a bar when u of l and u of k played each other...I live in Kentucky.

OP, are you a louisville or UK fan?

BoatsnHose

i am an eagles fan and recently re-watched our 2004 SUper Bowl loss that was on at a bar and the game was driving me nuts. Now i know it was 10 years ago and I cant change the past, but as a sports fan im 97% insane lol.

Made the mistake of going to a bar when u of l and u of k played each other...I live in Kentucky.

OP, are you a louisville or UK fan?

Hopefully UK. Louisville has the most corrupt athletic dept. in the country...

BTinLC

i am an eagles fan and recently re-watched our 2004 SUper Bowl loss that was on at a bar and the game was driving me nuts. Now i know it was 10 years ago and I cant change the past, but as a sports fan im 97% insane lol.

Made the mistake of going to a bar when u of l and u of k played each other...I live in Kentucky.

OP, are you a louisville or UK fan?

I am not a big sports fan, but UofL fans annoy me the least

bd0027

i am an eagles fan and recently re-watched our 2004 SUper Bowl loss that was on at a bar and the game was driving me nuts. Now i know it was 10 years ago and I cant change the past, but as a sports fan im 97% insane lol.

Made the mistake of going to a bar when u of l and u of k played each other...I live in Kentucky.

OP, are you a louisville or UK fan?

I am not a big sports fan, but UofL fans annoy me the least

That's probably because they don't really have a reason to be a crazed sports fan lol.

jnichel

soccer is a sport?

Yea futbol (football) is, and actually requires to have great physical conditioning *GASP!

Needs more linebackers. :bigsmile:

gym_king_carlie

haha I love that. football aka soccer, cant stand watching it, good game to play but the pros in that sport annoy me, no sportsmanship, cheating has become part of the game and its all about business. I cant believe its the worlds 'number 1' sport.