On sports fandom

As we shared about how our respective fandoms were causing personal emotional stress, Byron brought up the question: Why do we invest so much time and emotions into being fans of sports teams when we have no influence on their winning and losing (and subsequently our levels of utter despair or blissful euphoria)? In a sense it's almost like gambling - pick a color, whether it be silver and black or purple and gold, and put your emotional chips on the square and see if you win. Granted, some squares may have greater odds of winning, but ultimately we don't have a say. Right?

While writing this, though, I realized that there is a difference between being a TV/internet fan and a live fan. Pastors like to teach that your mind is shaped by what you put into it, so watching sports on TV and following it online will in fact increase your understanding of the game and the team. I can now watch the Lakers and explain the triangle offense, I've read interviews that say Chris Paul is the nicest guy off the court but one mean SOB on it. Reading about and watching the NBA playoffs helps me become a better basketball fan. However, this is also where we can fall into irrationality and futility with our emotions being dictated by events that we can only analyze, but can't influence.

The flip side is being a fan who actually goes to games. I will never forget game 4 of the Mavs-Warriors in 2007, where the crowd was not passively and analytically observing the action on the floor. We lifted our team. We willed them to the win in that game. Being in the stands, it did not feel like gambling with my emotions, because in some small way I could influence what happened on the floor.

Conclusion? I don't really like me when I get overly upset over bad games when I watch the Spurs and Warriors. Just recently my parents and Shally were able to witness my temper tantrum ("... and pouting" - Shally) after game 2 of the Hornets and Spurs 2nd round series on TNT. I figure that as I get older, unless I decide to spring for Warriors season tickets, I'll eventually evolve into more of a basketball fan rather than having my emotions virtually tied to the ups and downs of a single team via the chains of media. The brief moments of euphoria are too fleeting compared to the disappointment that will happen for every team except for one, every year.

On a related note, what's your NBA 2008 playoff nickname? Mine's "Rat Phunk." I also got "The Hydrant," "The Human Doormat," and "The Ostrich." Hm, not very flattering.