Fandom

I wrote this a couple years ago, hence the outdated game reference

Fans of sports teams can be a little crazy. Hell, maybe even I have been so in the past, but I think I have outgrown that. Many of us have not.

Last night, there was an important College Football game between Ohio State and Clemson. When I say important, I mean important in the world of sports. The winner of this game would go on to play for the National Championship, the ultimate goal for a College Football player and team. During the game, a very good Ohio State player was ejected for what basically was an illegal hit. I disagreed with the punishment, but by rule it was justified. Most fans of that team did not see it that way. Many felt the urge to express this disagreement.

I woke up this morning to tour Twitter for my morning news and recaps of the game. I was immediately startled by what I saw- seemingly grown men attacking certain sports writers who dared to agree with the ruling and ejection of one of “their” beloved players. The language used in many of these Tweets were, what would you say, “Not Suitable For Work”.

I could not help myself, for some strange reason I felt the need to read several of these comments before I just couldn’t take it anymore. I found myself embarrassed for the commenters and clicking on their bios to see what they were all about. Most were adorned with pictures of “their” team, locations near the teams in which they support, and many other clear indicators that a sports team was perhaps the most important thing in their lives.

I understand the passion and pageantry of sports, I do. But, in my every increasing amount of years on this Earth, I find something a little disturbing with people who get so wrapped up in their team that they are willing to drop “f-bombs” and the like on others. You see it all the time- fights in the stands, Tweets, the home fans viciously taunting those who dare to visit their stadium and cheer for the opposing team. It is as if some of these fans honestly believe they are actually on the team. I love sports, but I hate this. 

Let’s grow up sports fans. Sports are fun, or at least they should be fun. It is just a game after all. 

-Houston Bailey