Tell me why I should continue to follow sports

Call me fair-weather or a quitter if you like, but I'm sick of disappointment in the teams I follow, and I'm now considering bagging the whole thing. Yeah, I chose poorly. But at some point, there has to be a payoff, and frankly, I've given up on that ever happening. If you don't think your team has a chance, what's the point? I've grown to despise Cubs fans because they wear this shit on their sleeve. Plus, sports are a cesspool. There is no limit to bad behavior that comes along with them. Sure, this is a microcosm of society. Doesn't mean I have time invest my time, money and emotions in people who promote and engage in cheating, constantly make bad off-field decisions and dismiss everybody else when they get called on it.

So I ask you, dear board, to give me a reason to stick with it. Failing that, I'll take suggestions on other pursuits.

 

I follow sports because I enjoy getting emotionally invested in something that ultimately doesn't affect my life one way or another whichever way it falls.
Admittedly, I'm less a "fan" than I was before I got into the business. Realizing that the "other guys" were just as decent people as "my" teams.
But there is still a lot of joy to be found in sports, seeing teams (whether they are "yours" or not) come together and succeed or fail. It isn't as much about the end result for me, but the journey.
I still get a thrill when I'm watching a game (think that Boston College-Miami Flutie miracle game) where the game is so good that it really doesn't matter who wins or loses, the entire experience transcends a win or a loss, and you realize this before the game is over.

 

I really enjoy watching NFL and College Football for this reason. In the NFL, I don't root for a team, I just love watching good games. It also makes fantasy football more enjoyable, as I don't have the dilemma of rooting for guys on a hated team just because of FFB implications. College football is a little different, because I love rooting for my alma mater, but there are tons of other conferences where games have minimal effect on the success of the team I root for. I also love watching the sheer agony/joy of wins and losses in college football fanbases.

I'd consider myself as loyal of a fan of certain teams as anyone in America, but I don't equate loyalty with letting wins and losses make or break my life. I might be bummed for a day or two, but I get over the losses.

Also, on a little side rant, I really don't get the casual fan of the dominant franchises in sports. What's the fun in following a team where you essentially only enjoy the wins? The losses are what make the wins so damn enjoyable. None of "my" teams have won a championship in my adult life, but the fantasy of them winning it all will probably be more enjoyable than when they do hoist the trophy.

 

Follow sports. Don't root for teams.

 

Why should I bother trying to convince you of anything? Why should anyone?

If you don't want to follow sports anymore, don't. It's just that simple.

 

If you don't follow sports you have no excuse to put off yardwork.

 

Pat Neshek.

 

I watch a lot less sports since I left the newspaper sports job. Right now I don't miss the games and, even more, the endless drama/bullshit and constant analysis/bullshit within those games. But the baseball playoffs are here, and the football seasons are thickening, so I'll be watching more sports soon.

But sports are just a sideline as I get older. If my teams lose now, well, tough shit. Work harder, boys. Some gotta win, some gotta lose. ... And those fat contracts? Who cares. All the statistics say you'll be broke 10 years from now.

Play ball!!!

 

Because you can't jerk off 24 hours a day.

 

Yes.

Also:


http://outkickthecoverage.com/yeah----thats-my-sons-football-in-your-cheese-dip.php

 

This:

And This:

The latter more than the former...but yeah, if you don't want to follow ALL sports...then don't and jump into politics, or knitting or competitive drinking. It's a free world.

 

Sports, and following sports teams, is one of the few things left in our society that we experience collectively.

Is that a reason to follow sports or a team? Of course not.

But I think it's a reason why it resonates with people even when they're well past the point of knowing how meaningless sports are in the grand scheme of things.