The Constant

Rooting for a sports team is really akin to being in a relationship. There are moments where you love them more than anything else on the planet. There are times where they frustrate the hell out of you for any number of reasons: maybe they didn’t put forth what you perceive to be enough effort, maybe the team was not put in the ultimate position of success (coaching), or maybe someone stepped in and prevented the team from being the best they could be (referees). There are so many different variables involved but much like a relationship, the key to rooting for a sports team is that you’re supposed to love and support them regardless of the circumstances. Which can be tough. Trust me, I know that.

The good news is that over time the law of averages means your team is going to reward you for your support. Eventually, the cards are going to fall where your team gives you a magical moment or, sports gods will it, a championship. Those are the sweetest times for so many reasons! You never forget that game your team won. The buildup to those moments usually have your team performing in perfect symmetry; seeing your team do that is magical in itself. It’s an amazing thing to see the team become more than the sum of its component parts. One could say that’s the only reason for watching team sports to begin with.

Here’s the cold water: there are going to be many more season where your team isn’t going to do win titles or execute in near perfect symmetry. What happens then? What happens if your team had all the potential in the world and falls just short of their expectations? What happens if they fall WAY short of those expectations? What if at times the team looks brilliant and other times inept, even in the same game?

If you’re honest with yourself, the answer is “Not bloody much”. You can cheer and show support. My personal mantra when it comes to the team I love is at default, they get my support. That support only waivers if the team simply doesn’t fight; they act like that don’t care if they win or lose. That turns me off entirely as a fan; I’m not giving energy to anything or anyone who isn’t returning it. Otherwise, I’m going to be positive about who I root for because I’d rather be the guy who believed my team could win rather than naysay that they won’t win.

You’re not going to catch me badmouthing the team on social media. Why? Not only can the team win it, but I see the team, any friendship worth having, or any relationship as the same in that if you’re going to complain and talk negatively whenever things go bad…what the heck does that say about you as a person? Loving something or somebody is hard damn work. You’re worried when they do well. You’re worried when they fail. You want nothing but the best for them and you want them to realize they should want the best from themselves. The constant there should be the love you have. 

I’m not here to tell anyone how to live their life. You get by how you get by. What I hope is that if there’s anything you love or care about in life you show unwavering support. The reward you get from it, more than the wins and the highs, more than any championship, more than any memory, is that you get to be a stand up person who doesn’t bail on loving what or who you love.