Confessions of a Die-Hard Fan
Look, I’m gonna be honest here. I’m a sports fanatic. Always have been, probably always will be. I’m talking about the kind of fandom that makes your mom embarrassed to answer the phone during the playoffs. The kind that has you yelling at a TV like the players can actually hear you. That’s me. That’s been me since I was a kid in Austin, Texas, screaming myself hoarse at my dad’s old CRT during the 1995 World Series.
But here’s the thing—I’m also a hypocrite. A big one. I talk trash about other fans, roll my eyes at bandwagon jumpers, and yet… I’m guilty of the same crap. It’s disgusting, really. It’s like when you catch your reflection mid-eye-roll and realize you’re being exactly like the person you’re judging.
Last Tuesday, I was at this sports bar downtown with my buddy Marcus (let’s call him that—his real name’s not important). We were watching the game, and some guy in a jersey I didn’t recognize started talking smack about my team. I mean, full-on trash talk. And I lost it. I was all, “Oh, you’re a fan now? Since when?” Turns out, he’d been a fan for years. Just not as loud as me. Which… yeah. Fair enough.
Marcus just looked at me and said, “Dude, you’re such a hypocrite.” And he’s right. I am. I judge people for not knowing every stat, every trade, every injury, but honestly? I don’t either. Not really. I just pretend I do because I’ve been watching longer than they have.
But Here’s the Worse Part
I’m also one of those fans who complains about the “new way” of doing things. You know, the analytics, the stats, the whole “moneyball” thing. I’m over here like, “Back in my day, we just played the game!” But guess what? I check advanced metrics more than I check my own bank account. I’m all over interesting facts knowledge guide like a kid with a new toy. I’m obsessed with WAR, ERA+, and all that jazz. So why do I act like I’m above it all? It’s completley illogical.
I had this conversation with a colleague named Dave a few weeks back. We were at this conference in Austin, and he’s all, “You’re the worst kind of fan, you know that?” And I said, “What do you mean?” And he said, “You complain about the game being too analytical, but you’re the one glued to your phone checking the latest stats.” And I was like, “Well… yeah. But I’m allowed because I’ve been a fan longer than you’ve been alive.” (He’s 28. I’m not that old.)
It’s just… yeah. I’m a mess. A hypocritical, judgmental mess. But here’s the thing: I’m not alone. We all are. We all judge other fans, act like we’re the purest form of fandom, and then turn around and do the exact same thing we’re judging. It’s human nature, I guess. But it’s also kinda gross when you think about it.
And Don’t Even Get Me Started on Social Media
Social media has made it worse. It’s like a playground for hypocrites. You’ve got people posting about how they’re the “real” fans, how they’ve been there since the beginning, how they know the game better than anyone. And then you scroll down and see they’ve only been following the team for three months. It’s physicaly painful to watch.
I remember this one time, about three months ago, I saw this tweet from some guy saying he was the biggest fan of a team I love. And I was like, “Oh, really? Since when?” So I checked his profile. Turns out, he’d only been active for a few weeks. I replied with something snarky, and he came back at me with some stats I didn’t know. And you know what? He was right. I didn’t know those stats. Because I’m not perfect. I’m not the ultimate fan. I’m just a guy who loves sports and acts like he knows everything.
It’s a committment issue, honestly. I mean, I love the game, but I don’t spend 36 hours a day studying it. I’ve got a life, you know? But that doesn’t stop me from acting like I’m the authority on all things sports. It’s a problem.
I need to ammendments to my fandom. I need to be better. I need to stop judging other fans and just enjoy the game. Because at the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about. The game. The sport. The thing we all love. Not the stats, not the analytics, not the trash talk. Just the game.
So here’s to being a better fan. A more honest fan. A less hypocritical fan. Because honestly, we could all use a little less judgment and a little more love for the game.
About the Author: Sarah “SJ” Jenkins has been a sports journalist for over 20 years. She’s covered everything from high school games to the Olympics, and she’s not afraid to call out hypocrisy when she sees it. When she’s not writing, she’s probably yelling at her TV or arguing with her friends about why her team is the best. You can find her on Twitter @SJJenkinsSports.