The Mind of the Sports Superfan
Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2018 11:41 am
I find New Yorker articles to be some of the best written regardless of whether I agree or disagree with the views presented in them.
This is a very interesting article worth reading in full. It also has a video interview.
The Mind of the Sports Superfan
https://www.newyorker.com/news/sporting ... I1MjAzNQS2
After so many years of Washington Redskins Fandom, I consider myself a recovery person. A person who needed to get out of its system the obsession to follow the team and enjoy their success and suffer with their defeats and failures. Only sustained failure over the last two decades taught me that it was not worth sharing the frustration with my family and friends. Frankly, it was not even worth the time I would have spent doing other things whether by myself for fun or work, or with family. I let it grow and attach much of my happiness or frustration to the outcome of games and entire seasons.
I concluded a few years ago that such involvement was not healthy to myself, my family or work. Fortunately, I consider myself to have been very successful in those areas facing tremendous difficulties at times. But I concluded that I would be a much better person taking my fandom to a healthy and much more distant level compared with the past.
Just like the HOF does not define Art Monk, being a dying fan of the Washington Redskins does not define me. I am still a fan. I have the deepest admiration for some of our past players and coaches. I respect enormously some of our current players with great character. However, while I celebrate the victories of the team, I do not follow every game. I will just catch up with the news at times. I decided a long while ago not to attend games or buy any merchandise anymore. This is my vote of no confidence to the owner and his Front Office. I voted with my feet and my wallet.
I must confess that a great deal of my addiction to become a fervent fan grew up during the period from 1969 to the end of Gibbs I. I got extremely excited about Gibbs II only to arrive at the conclusion that no matter who came here, V. Lombardi, G. Allen or J. Gibbs, the problem with this organization is so toxic and sick from the top that there was no chance of success. And talking about -sick- how about considering the ONLY consolation about a dismal defeat or embarrassing season being that it does hurt the pocket of the owner and further lowers his self-esteem and reputation in the NFL?
Yes, I follow some individual stories of players and their successes and struggles. But I am a very different "fan" now. I will always follow the Washington Redskins and rejoice in their success if and when it ever happens, perhaps under a new ownership beyond my lifetime. You know I gave up with the present one.
So, yes, you can tell that I am a recovery addict. And I feel I needed to share some of my experience with you as I see fewer and fewer posters and fans all around.
But read the article, it analyses the needs we all have to rally around a group we identify our values with.
HTTR
This is a very interesting article worth reading in full. It also has a video interview.
The Mind of the Sports Superfan
https://www.newyorker.com/news/sporting ... I1MjAzNQS2
After so many years of Washington Redskins Fandom, I consider myself a recovery person. A person who needed to get out of its system the obsession to follow the team and enjoy their success and suffer with their defeats and failures. Only sustained failure over the last two decades taught me that it was not worth sharing the frustration with my family and friends. Frankly, it was not even worth the time I would have spent doing other things whether by myself for fun or work, or with family. I let it grow and attach much of my happiness or frustration to the outcome of games and entire seasons.
I concluded a few years ago that such involvement was not healthy to myself, my family or work. Fortunately, I consider myself to have been very successful in those areas facing tremendous difficulties at times. But I concluded that I would be a much better person taking my fandom to a healthy and much more distant level compared with the past.
Just like the HOF does not define Art Monk, being a dying fan of the Washington Redskins does not define me. I am still a fan. I have the deepest admiration for some of our past players and coaches. I respect enormously some of our current players with great character. However, while I celebrate the victories of the team, I do not follow every game. I will just catch up with the news at times. I decided a long while ago not to attend games or buy any merchandise anymore. This is my vote of no confidence to the owner and his Front Office. I voted with my feet and my wallet.
I must confess that a great deal of my addiction to become a fervent fan grew up during the period from 1969 to the end of Gibbs I. I got extremely excited about Gibbs II only to arrive at the conclusion that no matter who came here, V. Lombardi, G. Allen or J. Gibbs, the problem with this organization is so toxic and sick from the top that there was no chance of success. And talking about -sick- how about considering the ONLY consolation about a dismal defeat or embarrassing season being that it does hurt the pocket of the owner and further lowers his self-esteem and reputation in the NFL?
Yes, I follow some individual stories of players and their successes and struggles. But I am a very different "fan" now. I will always follow the Washington Redskins and rejoice in their success if and when it ever happens, perhaps under a new ownership beyond my lifetime. You know I gave up with the present one.
So, yes, you can tell that I am a recovery addict. And I feel I needed to share some of my experience with you as I see fewer and fewer posters and fans all around.
But read the article, it analyses the needs we all have to rally around a group we identify our values with.
HTTR