On Fair Weather Fans...
I’ve vowed to nobody in particular that I will refrain from writing anything today that is remotely baby related. It’s not like we are 9 days out or anything. There is certainly no reason to start panicking…or losing sleep…or vomiting…
I think I’ve also exhausted the Netflix issue. Suffice to say, it still does it for me…
So it must be time for more personal reflection. Believe me, this hurts me worse than it hurts you. I have to open doors…doors emblazoned with the words “soul inside” on them. These are doors that should remain closed at all times. Not because it is particularly dark in there. It’s just…untidy. I have opinions flying around all over the place in there. Some are even strong. The most annoying are the undefined opinions though. They are always trying to get me to clarify…usually by way of research. You remember my policy on research. I swear, if my Opinion On American Military Power in the Southern Hemisphere doesn’t stop asking for this clarity thing, I’m banishing it. I’m serious, I’ll just go without…
However, one opinion that has been elevated to my Beeley Personality Canon is on Fair Weather Fandom. You know these people. They are the ones that jump on the bandwagon when a team is doing well in a particular sport and act as if they had been there all along. They are the people that drive up ticket prices at what was once an empty stadium/arena during the good times, but seemingly vanish during the bad times. They are pretty easy to spot too. Make a reference to a player on that was on the team during the bad years and they look at you with a blank stare. They have no idea who that guy is because they weren’t watching during that time. Some of these fair weather fans don’t even know the players on the good team either.
You should know that I am that guy…
…proudly so in fact. I wear my badge of Fair Weather Fandom with pride. I simply do not understand the fan that punishes themselves week after week (in football) or night after night (hockey, baseball) just to watch their team lose…again. It's not like God awards you some sort of crown for commitment to losing causes. Heck, everyone in Arizona would be a saint if that were the case...in any sport. Or, if atheism is your thing, it's not as if you were better at life because you stuck with the Clippers. Seriously, I noticed around age 22 when I left college that there was a severe shortage of one thing in my life…and that was time. With 24 hours in a day, and the need for 8-10 of them being asleep, I had to start prioritizing. Losing sports teams are not high up there in the competition for my attention. I’ll give you some looks in the newspaper, or online, but don’t expect my devotion or anything. With a baby on the way (crap, oh well, I tried at least), what do you think the outlook is on increasing my free time…?
The reason this comes up, and perhaps you were unaware, but the Redskins are heading into a crucial weekend that will establish their playoff appearance. That is to say, whether or not they will be appearing. The Redskins are my team. They’ve always been my team…well, since I moved here in 1983. I do remember some affinity for the Bengals, but that had more to do with being 8 years old and their helmets being tiger striped. I will admit, there was a definite lack of…passion on my part over the past years for the 'Skins. Let’s call those years the “Non-Gibbs Years”. During those years I’d tune in for the first few games of the season just to get the barometer reading on things. Usually the barometer reading was “outlook uncertain” followed by a distinct “bail out”. Needless to say, bail out I did.
Not so this season. I’m in for the duration, even if it all goes down in flames. This season has been nothing if not entertaining. That is, after all, really want I want from my sports teams. Domination is nice, but you can’t ask for a better final game than one where you control your destiny, but success isn’t assured either. This game has meaning. That it could potentially knock out the Cowboys makes it doubly delicious…or that much more excruciating if failure occurs. That a win Sunday would mean the trifecta, that is, wins against not only the hated Cowboys, but the godless Giants and loathsome Eagles is just bliss. It’s football heroin. And I'm a hopeless junky.
Fair Weather indeed…
Indeed…
I think I’ve also exhausted the Netflix issue. Suffice to say, it still does it for me…
So it must be time for more personal reflection. Believe me, this hurts me worse than it hurts you. I have to open doors…doors emblazoned with the words “soul inside” on them. These are doors that should remain closed at all times. Not because it is particularly dark in there. It’s just…untidy. I have opinions flying around all over the place in there. Some are even strong. The most annoying are the undefined opinions though. They are always trying to get me to clarify…usually by way of research. You remember my policy on research. I swear, if my Opinion On American Military Power in the Southern Hemisphere doesn’t stop asking for this clarity thing, I’m banishing it. I’m serious, I’ll just go without…
However, one opinion that has been elevated to my Beeley Personality Canon is on Fair Weather Fandom. You know these people. They are the ones that jump on the bandwagon when a team is doing well in a particular sport and act as if they had been there all along. They are the people that drive up ticket prices at what was once an empty stadium/arena during the good times, but seemingly vanish during the bad times. They are pretty easy to spot too. Make a reference to a player on that was on the team during the bad years and they look at you with a blank stare. They have no idea who that guy is because they weren’t watching during that time. Some of these fair weather fans don’t even know the players on the good team either.
You should know that I am that guy…
…proudly so in fact. I wear my badge of Fair Weather Fandom with pride. I simply do not understand the fan that punishes themselves week after week (in football) or night after night (hockey, baseball) just to watch their team lose…again. It's not like God awards you some sort of crown for commitment to losing causes. Heck, everyone in Arizona would be a saint if that were the case...in any sport. Or, if atheism is your thing, it's not as if you were better at life because you stuck with the Clippers. Seriously, I noticed around age 22 when I left college that there was a severe shortage of one thing in my life…and that was time. With 24 hours in a day, and the need for 8-10 of them being asleep, I had to start prioritizing. Losing sports teams are not high up there in the competition for my attention. I’ll give you some looks in the newspaper, or online, but don’t expect my devotion or anything. With a baby on the way (crap, oh well, I tried at least), what do you think the outlook is on increasing my free time…?
The reason this comes up, and perhaps you were unaware, but the Redskins are heading into a crucial weekend that will establish their playoff appearance. That is to say, whether or not they will be appearing. The Redskins are my team. They’ve always been my team…well, since I moved here in 1983. I do remember some affinity for the Bengals, but that had more to do with being 8 years old and their helmets being tiger striped. I will admit, there was a definite lack of…passion on my part over the past years for the 'Skins. Let’s call those years the “Non-Gibbs Years”. During those years I’d tune in for the first few games of the season just to get the barometer reading on things. Usually the barometer reading was “outlook uncertain” followed by a distinct “bail out”. Needless to say, bail out I did.
Not so this season. I’m in for the duration, even if it all goes down in flames. This season has been nothing if not entertaining. That is, after all, really want I want from my sports teams. Domination is nice, but you can’t ask for a better final game than one where you control your destiny, but success isn’t assured either. This game has meaning. That it could potentially knock out the Cowboys makes it doubly delicious…or that much more excruciating if failure occurs. That a win Sunday would mean the trifecta, that is, wins against not only the hated Cowboys, but the godless Giants and loathsome Eagles is just bliss. It’s football heroin. And I'm a hopeless junky.
Fair Weather indeed…
Indeed…
posted by Beeley at 11:55 AM
6 Comments:
I love your blog! Who knew "our boy Beely" had it in him to write like this?
Hail skins!
Skins win, Cowboys lose: beautiful.
Skins make the playoffs, Cowboys sit at home and watch the playoffs.... priceless.
Speaking of fair weather fans, when is this blog gonna have a new post. I would imagine sitting around home all day you'd have some free time ;-)
I agree... But I suppose Beeley will dispense more of his fatherly type wisdom whenever he has the chance. We shouldn't start acting like children while we wait for his next post. I mean, next thing you know we'll be crying like a baby for new posts.
congrats!
and i figure if you are anything like jason you have plenty of time to write, so hurry up! i mean i know jay does nothing but sit on the computer while heidi does the work. and i just assume you are the same.
definitely juuust kidding for you both. :)
good to see you the other day! and learn all about good ol' paul the dj. and blahblahblah the brown.
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