From: jeffh@pisces.sps.mot.com  (Jeff Heilner)
Subject: Re: In Defence of Fair-Weather Fans
Organization: SPS
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1992 23:47:10 GMT

In article <1992Oct12.084618.1@uwovax.uwo.ca> jpalmer@uwovax.uwo.ca (The  
Econoclast) writes:
> In Defence of Fair-Weather Fans
> by John Palmer
> 
> There is absolutely nothing honourable about being a die-hard "______" fan,
> cheering for them through thick and thin, especially during seasons when the
> team is losing two-thirds of its games. I don't understand how this type of
> masochistic loyalty came to be elevated to a virtue for so many people.

Well, right off the bat, I disagree.

*I* get a certain satisfaction from following/supporting MY team through it's  
transformation from champions to "chump"-ions and to champions again. I get to  
see the development of the players, the hope that young rookies and seasoned  
vets bring to the team each spring. I share in the frustration of a losing  
season, and try to figure out how my team can improve next year. They are MY  
team, if they win I have a certain pride. If they lose, I try to think of ways  
the team can improve, and throughout the winter follow the team's path to  
improvement. Maybe, like in my case, a "loyal" fan grew up going to games of  
that team. In this case (for me anyway) the team represents my home, my  
childhood, my memories. These things do not change, regardless of where MY team  
is in the standings.
 


> Why hypocritically claim die-hard loyalty as a virtue and not practice it?
> Why not just admit that we like to cheer for winners?

No hypocrisy here! But maybe, as you claim, I'm in the minority.
 


> Be honest now. When your team is winning, how much channel hopping do
> you do? ...
> But when my team is losing, like most other so-called fans, I begin to wonder
> what else is on tv....

I make every attempt to follow my team, regardless of where they are in the  
standings. 

 

> It's fun to cheer for a winner, and it's not fun (except in some perverse
> situations) to cheer for a loser.

Again, I think you are looking at it the wrong way.
Perhaps there is a difference between "cheering" for a team, and really  
"following" a team.



> How many people were there, cheering for the Blue Jays in 1980? How many
> people were there, cheering for the Cleveland Indians in 1990? How many
> people were there, cheering for the Indianapolis Colts in 1986? Not nearly as
> many as when the teams were new or were winning.

Or the 1979 A's? Just over 300,000 for the year! But, I was several of them.
Why? Because that's the team I follow. I enjoyed going to see THEM play then, I  
enjoy going now (though I can't so much now :( ).

 

> Most people like cheering for winners, and they readily shift their
> allegiances when other teams (or companies or candidates) become winners. And
> I, quite frankly, see nothing wrong with these shifting allegiances, since
> the seeming fickleness of consumers spurs managers and owners into trying to
> produce better products.

This is ok too. But, IMHO, you are not "fans" OF THE TEAM. Rather you are fans  
of baseball. Nothing wrong with this. You switch your allegiances from team to  
team in search of good baseball.  

> 
> So in fact, all you die-hard fans, you are doing little more than promoting
> mediocrity, and that is nothing to be proud of. By continuing to cheer for
> and support the poor performers, you are not egalitarian loyalists. Rather,
> you are misguided demoralizing inhibitors of growth and improvement.

HEY! Now, I've been pretty nice so far, but we're getting personal here.
Hopefully, my explanations above have given you a new understanding of "loyal"  
fans.
 

> It is the fair-weather fans who are providing all the excitement and
> incentives for athletes and others to improve.

In a sense, you are right. Loyal fans are the heart...but, "bandwagon" fans pay  
the bills. I think the A's would appreciate my loyalty however.

I got a lot of heat earlier for "railing" on bandwagon fans...but I've come to  
grips, and can now accept them. Hopefully, you can understand us "loyal" fans.

At some places in your post John, I swear I could see a smiley :)

GO A'S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

- Jeff 
  
--
---------------------------------------------------
Jeff Heilner
Motorola SPS - Tempe, AZ 
Email: jeffh@pisces.sps.mot.com (NeXT)
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