Over the last couple of days I have heard the phrase “Why do I let them do it to me?”
What are they referring too? Well, the Cleveland Browns, of course.
Just when they had us believing this could be a better season for them than it has been in recent years, they came out and played terribly in a loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.
However, this is not a column on the Browns and what they need to do to fix those problems when they play the, oh yeah, NFL defending champion Baltimore Ravens this Sunday. You have read all of those stories already, and I have no insight that would be fresh.
What I do hope to explore is the psychology of the sports fan instead. After all, what is “fan” short for? Think about it. That’s right, fan is short for fanatic, which is defined as a person filled with excessive and single mined zeal. Yeah, I think that probably accurately describes me, and I believe, some of you when it comes to sports.
For example, if I am at a Mansfield Senior-Lexington boys’ basketball game and I am a Tygers fan, my judgment toward a ref’s decision, might be clouded a little bit by my zeal toward my team.
And that’s okay.
You heard me right. That’s okay. That’s what sports is about from a fan’s point of view. You don’t have to be right in everything you say because you will not later be tested on whether or not you were right and the officials were wrong. After all, you are a fan.
I, for one, suggest you be excessive. In the right way, of course.I would tell you to yell and scream positive things in support of your Warriors or your Colts or your Big Red, especially when it comes to young people.
They need all of the support they can get from friends or family or just the regular fan. Do not single out certain players, on your own team and yell insults in their way. These are young people, who for the most part, are giving all they have.
That’s where I separate the high school kid that we have around here, or anywhere in the country, for that matter, from the professional athlete.
The professional who by his or her age and level of expected performance, is a in a different category. If you. for example, are Oniel Cousins of your Cleveland Browns can not block anyone without holding, then I say, go for it. You should let him know how you feel about his lack of performance.
You don’t like the Michigan Wolverines? First of all, congratulations. From this space you certainly come from a solid upbringing. I really encourage you to let anyone in town wearing a jersey, t-shirt, or hat about their poor judgment. Within reason now, I am not suggesting there be any physical violence. Just a simple reminder of their win/loss record against Ohio State over the last decade should do just fine.
Being a fan can be and should be fun. Is it frustrating at times? It sure is, but you should have known that going in. Now the fact that I was born in 1965 and known of the Cleveland pro sports teams that I follow have won a league title since 1964 is just a coincidence. I mean, right?
You’ll find Jeff Swank online and on-air at http://www.swankonsports.net76.net/.
They need all of the support they can get from friends or family or just the regular fan. Do not single out certain players, on your own team and yell insults in their way. These are young people, who for the most part, are giving all they have.
After years of toil and sweat behind radio station microphones, longtime broadcaster, Jeff Swank joined the new generation of sports followers on the web.
Swank launched his internet radio station with nothing more than some wire, a box with some knobs and switches, and an itch to do much more than just scratch the surface of everything sports.
Richland Source is proud to introduce Jeff as a writer focused on high school sports. He will contribute a weekly column and analysis of a featured game of the week from one of our area high schools.
In addition to his work at Richland Source, Jeff provides complete high school sports coverage for over 70 Ohio schools at his web site, http://www.swankonsports.net76.net/.
