Brian: Bandwagon Fans

Some things about sports and the fans of sports really bothers me. If you had to hazard a guess (and by the title of this post) you would probably say I hate bandwagon fans, right?

Actually, I don't mind them. The people that bother me are the ones who so passionately hate those bandwagon fans.

Extreme haters of bandwagon fans are so much worse than the actual fans who jump on said bandwagons. Who cares? If a person wants to be a fan of the best team in the sport, then so be it. Last time I checked, people had the choice to decide who they were going to root for. If a person enjoys the feeling of liking the best team, then let them!

Listen, imagine your favorite teams winning a championship in their respective sports. It's a great feeling, right? Well that is the exact feeling that bandwagon fans want to have. What is so horrible about that? They just want to enjoy sports and have a team that wins.

Not to mention, you really have no idea if that person has been a fan all of their lives or if they just started liking them. Does it really matter? Basically, anytime their is a good team (which is better or equal to yours) everyone assumes that every other fan is a bandwagon fan. This is because jealousy is a huge aspect of sports. I hate the Ohio State football team. Why? Because they are consistent winners and I am jealous of what they have. If some guy decides he wants to root for OSU, then so be it. How is that hurting me?

I understand that bragging rights play a huge part of sports, and there will always be that annoying guy who shouts about how is Lakers, Yankees, and Patriots are better than everyone else. Let him be. Why? Because he is enjoying sports and the teams that he chose. Simple as that. Everyone has a little bandwagon in them from time to time anyways. I am a huge fan of small teams that make it big (Boise State, TCU, Butler, etc.) which makes me a bandwagon fan of those teams. Once they start sucking, and new small teams emerge, I will move to them. But it makes me enjoy the sport just a little bit more. And if I'm having fun, it shouldn't matter to you who I like.

So root for your team and stop caring who roots for anyone else. Let them have fun, even if you are suffering.

That's what sports are all about, right?

(Except for Cleveland, Buffalo, and Seattle fans...I just feel sorry for you guys).