OT: Sports fans are idiots ... and I'm one of them

Submitted by DC Johnny on
Why do we follow sports? Playing them is one thing, but spectating is another realm. Our culture is geared totally toward winning ... 2nd place is for losers. How often do the teams that we root for win the title? Not very often, thus we're basically predisposed for rooting for "failing" teams ... and even when we do "win" it is so fleeting -the 24/7 news cycle won't allow us to savor any victory ... they always look beyond to next season ... help me kick this addiction!
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MaizeAndBlueWahoo

September 26th, 2014 at 8:58 PM ^

Let's face it, if we all really believed that second place is the first loser, most would've said hell with it a while ago.  The fact that there are so many diehards, or even one single Cubs fan, suggests that people reject that philosophy in favor of something more like "it's not the destination, it's the journey."

Joined: 07/02/2008

MGoPoints: 41586

Sam1863

September 26th, 2014 at 9:03 PM ^

"Kick this addiction?" Why on earth would you want to kick it?

I'm speaking as a fellow addict who'se been following Michigan since Don Moorhead was handing off to Billy Taylor and Mike Lantry broke my heart twice. I cheered myself hoarse during the National Championship game and buried my face in my hands during the Rich Rod era. And currently, they may be in the hands of a coach who's in over his head and an AD who should still be hustling pepperoni and double cheese. But they are my Wolverines, and I will cheer for them, cuss them out, revel in every victory, and wallow in every loss until they close the lid on me.

Addicted? You bet your ass, and proud of it.

Joined: 04/27/2014

MGoPoints: 29001

Goblueman

September 26th, 2014 at 9:32 PM ^

Pyschologist- "What's your problem?"                                                                                

Patient : I don't have a problem,it's my brother,he thinks he's a chicken.                           

Pyschologist : Why don't you just tell him he isn't a chicken?                                                

Patient : We need the eggs.

Joined: 11/09/2009

MGoPoints: 4127

Gucci Mane

September 26th, 2014 at 9:37 PM ^

Sports matter as much as you want them to. Heck if you don't have a religion, make sports your religion then sports are literally the most important thing in the world.

Joined: 02/10/2014

MGoPoints: -99957423

BornInAA

September 26th, 2014 at 11:40 PM ^

Two reasons-

Tribal Nature - humans always want to conquer the next tribe. At any given time there are dozens of wars and it has been this way for 1000s of years.

Desire to Exceed - people always want to be slightly better than the neighbors in the success column (more land, more sons, prettier wife, bigger tractor).

Sports is a way to strive towards these goals without armed conflict.

Note: It's said the first "football" was a human head from a conquered foe, kicked around for fun.

Joined: 11/21/2009

MGoPoints: 14507

Hi Gang

September 27th, 2014 at 2:48 AM ^

I've been following MSU for decades.  The MD era has far surpassed our expectation.  It was, and still is a lot of fun.  But, what the hell are we doing?  All of us.  So much stress and emotional investment over essentially nothing.  Highs and lows over a game played by other people.

If your team is really good, then most games are boring and pointless.  If you're mediocre, then you're pissed at the fact that a no-name opponent is an important game.

And, as you implied, only one team can win it all.  It's a fools passion.  To follow this game, I have to look at it as an excuse to get friends and famly together, enjoy the ups, and not care so much about the downs.  I'm pretty much already there.  So many wasted and ruined weekends.  Finally putting things into perspective.

I can't really call myself a Lion's fan anymore.  That 0-16 season was the final straw.  I thought of all of the wasted weekends, essentially for nothing.  Ruined weekends.  I cut it down to college football, and to a much lesser degree college basketball.

I'm now, for the most part, a fair weather fan.  It's the only intelligent thing to do as a sports fan.  But right now, the weather is really nice, so I'm going to enjoy.

I used to follow the Wings, the Pistons, the Lions, and the Tigers.  I can't tell you more than 10 names of players for all teams combined now.  I don't even want to know more than that.

Joined: 06/27/2013

MGoPoints: 76

Mike420GoBlue

September 27th, 2014 at 3:17 PM ^

I really thought this team was going to be tougher this year. More prepared this year. The D has been mostly the "Michigan Defense" we expected, but the offense has taken steps back instead of forward.
I bought the hype, didn't see us losing the way we have.

Joined: 09/02/2012

MGoPoints: 4707

Margarette Davis

November 18th, 2014 at 3:24 AM ^

I find this post very interesting. I know how it feels to be a super fan. I'm proud to be one. Let me share something sports team. Usually, to be an owner in any capacity of a sports team, one has to be exceptionally rich to even think of it. However, for the sports fan with some cash to invest, there are a small number of publicly traded sports teams, a number of which aren't bad stock picks.

Joined: 11/18/2014

MGoPoints: 1