Imagine being drafted as a top prospect out of college. You’re going to your hometown team where everyone knows who you are. You’ve been training your ass off this entire off season in preparation for the season. You’re working out religiously, getting stronger by the second and becoming more intelligent by the day. Your coach lets you know that he’s going to be counting on you to make a difference. The veterans on the team are making you feel welcome and part of the brotherhood. The season is less than a month away and you get a call from coach letting you know that all activities are being cancelled indefinitely. Now imagine every other athlete on the planet getting that exact same call. I don’t know about you, but if I was good enough to be in any of their positions I would be PISSED.
Sports don’t just bring people together like they’re supposed to; they give all of us fans a reason to be excited. We get to cheer endlessly for our favorite teams and players as they step in front of the cameras day in and day out performing to the best of their abilities. We get to marvel in all of their talents and occasional lucky bounces. We can’t get enough of it. That’s why no matter if your team is the best in the league or the worst in the league you come back the next game with the same amount of excitement. We really are so fortunate to have sports in our lives. For those of us (like myself) who will never be good enough to come close to making it pro, we can still imagine what it would be like through those athletes. We’re able to cheer them on and consider ourselves part of them. That’s why all sport fans talk about their team as a “we”. That’s what sports enables for us, the feeling of being a part of something by straight excitement and fandom.
We need it back; on behalf of all citizens of the world “we” need it back! Here’s why:
1) It allows us to become completely engrossed in our feelings
Any avid sports fan can tell you the greatest moment of that franchises history and the worst moment. If you ask them about either, their emotions go from 0-100. We are so passionate in the way we talk about sports. We can cry over the smallest mistake and cheer over the smallest success. It’s just how we’re programmed. If you’ve ever been around a die-hard during the playoffs, you deserve a medal. Don’t ever be around me during the playoffs. I don’t talk, don’t blink, and barely breathe for the duration of the game. My fists are clenched, I’m on the edge of my seat, and I can’t focus on anything else. That’s how much we [all] care.
2) It breeds competitive nature
We need competition to be human. You do it every day. From being first to the red light or beating that one guy who always orders the most complicated drink at Starbucks to the front of the line. We thrive on winning and losing. Sports allow us to bash each other publicly and not feel embarrassed for doing so. Whether it’s Yankees v Red Sox, Lakers v Celtics, Canadiens v Maple Leafs, or the Cowboys v …everyone. Yes, if you don’t like the Cowboys, you hate them. We need arguments and we need to compete.
3) It’s what we talk about
From fan to fan, or fan to non-fan, we talk about sports. “Hey do you know who Kobe is?” (RIP Mamba) “What did you think of Trout’s blast last night?” It gives us something to talk about every day. Something new happens in sports almost every minute, and its killing us not being able to talk about that.
4) The music
The music is what gets us going. It’s what starts the game. There’s nothing like a good fight song from your alma mater while you’re singing along. While each network is as recognizable as the next, everyone has their favorite, and favorite for each sport might I add. CBS easily has the best College Basketball theme music, (and if you disagree you’re wrong) while [in my opinion] NBC has the best football theme music. It revs you up, makes you run to the couch, and gets you ready for game day.
5) The announcers
There’s no better feeling than hearing a calming “Hello, friends” from Jim Nantz on Masters Sunday. Or watching the iconic “slide in” from Chris Collinsworth on Sunday Night Football. Their voices are what portray the actions taking place. If you don’t get fired up from hearing a grown man/woman screaming on live television for any team playing, I don’t know what will.
6) The atmosphere
If you’ve been lucky enough to attend a professional sports game live, then you can attest to this point. The atmosphere at sporting events just hits different. There’s a different aura in the air that you can’t really put your finger on. It brings out this sly smile and suddenly the arena feels like Heaven. The screams of the crowd and the sounds of the game really bring it all together. The atmosphere changes the outcome of the game.
7) The food
There’s nothing like spending $30 for chicken fingers, fries and a souvenir soda. You’re already allowing yourself to spend unlimited money when you walk into a ballpark/ice rink/etc. It tastes better than anything you’ve ever had before, so it’s worth the ridiculous markup. Sporting events without expensive greasy food would be an abomination. Throw in a 12oz. beer for $11 and you couldn’t be happier.
8) The superstitions
Every fan has that one routine, or that one article of clothing they always do/wear on game day. It might be 4 jumping jacks followed by sitting on a certain part of the couch while wearing the same socks that haven’t been washed in 2 months. We do this because it works! If it doesn’t work it’s because we did something to mess it up and we’re positive that if we had just stuck to our usual routine, then we would’ve won. But, on the off chance that our superstition fails us, we pick up a new one and continue it for all eternity.
9) The Refs…just kidding, we don’t miss them…but we do miss The Coaches
Coaches are what makes us fans believe in our team even if we’ve got no shot to win (even though we always think we do). Look at Patriot’s fans right now. Tom Brady is gone and they’re still talking about how “We’re going to go 12-4 and easily make the playoffs”. Well, you’re not, but that’s what having Bill Belichick does. He makes you believe he’s the ultimate reason for all of your teams’ success. Also, being able to look on the sideline and see your teams’ coach just laying into the ref about a missed call is so heartwarming. He’s standing up for every known fan of that team there’s ever been.
10) The miracles
We all know the story of the 1980 Ice Hockey United Sates v Soviet Union Olympic gold medal game. The Soviets had won 4 consecutive Olympic gold medals and were the heavy favorites. But here comes this scrappy United States team, who had no business of even winning 1 game in the Olympics, to beat the Soviets and win gold. These things happen more often than we think. The Red Sox coming down from 3-0 against the Yankees to win the 2004 AL Pennant and go on to win their first World Series since 1918. Or the 2016 NBA Finals, where the Cavaliers came down from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Warriors (arguably the greatest team ever), and capture the city’s first championship since 1964. Miracles are what we long for. We want to tell our grand kids of that one time this team did the unthinkable.
11) The wins
This one speaks for itself. Nothing is more satisfying than winning. Whether it’s a blowout or a nail bitter, we can’t get enough of these W’s. Bragging to the world about how your team is the best ever because of this win is what puts us on top of the world. Winning allows us to wear our team’s jersey the next day feeling proud and showing off to the rest of the world saying, “Yeah, we won”.
12) The losses
Even though we may not care to admit it, losses are essential to our sports livelihood. They bring us back down to earth. They show us that even though we may be the best, we are still mortal. No one can win every game, and it’s how you bounce back from a loss that matters most. They keep us humble and we’re forever thankful for that.
12.5) The small amount of admiration you have for the opposing team…and then realizing they don’t deserve it
Whether your team wins or loses, you have that brief moment of vulnerability where you say something nice about the opposing team. You congratulate them and show your respect for the way they performed. But, as soon as the TV shuts off, or you leave the stadium you think to yourself “That team is so f@#&!*% terrible. I can’t believe we lost to a bunch of amateurs.” Or “Hahaha they’re so bad. They didn’t stand a chance against us.” The respect is always there, but the admiration comes and goes.
The reason for 12.5 and not 13 is because 13 is an unlucky number and I don’t want to do anything to possibly extend this suspension. *Knocks on wood*. Yes, another superstition.
Sports are essential to a lot of our lives, and we miss you. So, please, come back to us.