Transforming from Sports Fanatic to Casual Fan... Finding a Whole New Way to Enjoy Sports

For the first 45 years of my life, I treated sports more like a religion than a hobby.

Seinfeld Castle Rock Entertainment

If sports were my religion, then any reasonable person would have considered me a zealot. I didn't just watch my chosen teams, I worshipped them. The only thing I talked about more than sports, were my children... and even that depended on which season it happened to be. I never became so obsessed that I missed any major family events in order to feed my mania... but I have definitely DVR'd many games and screamed at anyone who dared speak of even the smallest play let alone the final score. I studied my teams and their opponents like it was my job. I listened to sports talk every time I sat in the driver's seat of my car. I engaged in sports related conversation every chance I got. Yes. I was a zealot. Being the good zealot that I was, I judged others who claimed to worship these teams as well.

In my mind, a "true fan" was required to adhere to each of the following criteria:

1. Undying loyalty - A true fan never turns his back on his team. A true fan watches his teams' games on TV and attends as many games as possible, even if the team really, really sucks.

2. Limitless knowledge - A true fan knows the name and number of every current player on the team as well as at least 75% of past players. A true fan knows the details concerning how every player on the team was acquired (drafted, signed as a free agent, acquired via trade, names of all involved in the trade if applicable,etc.). A true fan knows every stat and record for his chosen team.

3. Hatred of all other teams - It is not enough to ignore other teams, you must revel in their failure and suffer if they succeeded.

4. Special hatred for your team's greatest rival- The only other team you are allowed to cheer for, is the one that is playing your most hated rival.

5. Happiness based on team success - You are only allowed to be truly happy if your team wins the championship (some happiness is allowed when your most hated rival loses)- If you're not first you're last!

6. Disdain for false fans, fair weather fans and bandwagon jumpers- You must have disdain for those who claim to be "true fans" but are merely just casual observers who enjoy cheering for your team and have fun even when the team loses. You must also detest anyone who only attends games when the team is good or who starts to follow your team after the team has begun to win.

Recently I discovered something very important about my fanaticism...

It's freaking exhausting!

The Simpsons
Gracie Films and 20th Century Fox Television

Watching sports is supposed to be a fun diversion from the stress of "real life". Unfortunately, my chosen method of consuming sports was actually generating stress. I would agonize over every missed call or mental mistake. I would scream at my TV any time a coach made what I perceived to be a mistake. I have broken more than one television remote control as a result of my missed-field goal induced rage. I never swear when my children are in the house... unless my favorite player misses a free throw (alright that only happened once, but it was a really big free throw). I'm pretty sure I have broken down in actual tears as I screamed, "I told you not to swing you idiot!"

Mystery Men from Universal Pictures

None of these are the actions of a man who is enjoying a nice diversion from daily life.

What did all of this agony get me? Did I get unbridled joy when my team won the championship? Yes! I did get that feeling of pure elation... ONE time in the last twenty years. The other 59 seasons of the three major American sports all ended in utter misery. In addition, that one moment of happiness wasn't really happiness, it felt more like relief. I finally felt the relief of knowing that I wouldn't be miserable for once... until the next sport's season started at least.

When the only criteria for a successful season is to win the championship, you set yourself up for a lot of disappointment (especially when you live in Chicago).

So... sixty opportunities and one "success"? That's not exactly the ideal risk vs reward ratio. In fact, it's bordering on insanity. I couldn't keep this up. I had to change my perspective.

Seinfeld Castle Rock Entertainment

Luckily (but that is not how I saw it at the time) this past season's NBA Finals snapped me out of my mania. I was far too emotionally involved in the series. Although I wasn't a fan of either team,I despised LeBron James. (The reasons for that are not important for this post. Just suffice it to say they were not logical reasons.) After the series ended, I was utterly miserable. I felt cheated as a "true fan". But this empty feeling led to an epiphany. I finally realized that sports have changed. Professional sports simply aren't the same as they were when I was a kid. With the advent of the internet and 24 hour highlights, sports have evolved into entertainment for the masses who like to consume entertainment in bite sized chunks rather than old school people like me who enjoy the development of a full play. It seems that most of today's audience would rather just see the reverse dunk rather than the defensive stop and three perfect passes that set it up. That is OK. The world does not revolve around me. Professional sports are a business that must please their target audience... which clearly isn't me.

Not only has the business changed, I have changed as well. I have less time and more self control. Therefore, how I consume sports must also change. Honestly I am fine with that. In fact... I am thrilled. This realization has enabled me to see that I have taken sports way too seriously for 45 years. I have spent so much emotional energy on a game. Again, that is OK. Many of my friends still do, and I am happy for them. I simply made a conscious choice to try and enjoy sports more.

The Simpsons
Gracie Films and 20th Century Fox Television

For years I shook my head at the "casual" fan who would attend a game, watch his team lose, laugh with his buddy, have a few drinks and leave with a smile on his face. What was wrong with him?! Our team just lost! He should be miserable. I would think to myself, "This imposter is not a real fan!"

Maybe not... but he was happy.

But not me, I stubbornly walked out of the stadium knowing that I was the superior fan and that I would feel the true reward when my team finally won a championship. That's right, I was the real fan... and I was miserable.

Luckily, that has begun to change. Recently, I have been attempting to watch games through a different lens (Yes I still watch sports when I'm not obsessing over steemit). However, now when I watch, I am not living and dying with every call and play. Instead, I am trying to enjoy the event for what it is supposed to be... entertainment. I am no longer trying to prove (to whom I don't even know) that I am the greatest and purest fan in the history of time. I'm simply laughing with my buddies, having a few drinks and leaving with a smile on my face.

Maybe I'm not a "true sports fan" anymore... but I sure am enjoying them a lot more.